Many of us had a teacher whom we suspected was a witch. In the case of Jim Backus, it was very nearly true.
Jim Backus (1913-1989) became an actor and was best known for his role as the eccentric millionaire Thurston Howell III in the television series Gilligan’s Island. He was also the voice of the animated character Mr. Magoo. He was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and attended school there.
One of his grade school teachers was Margaret Brainard Hamilton (1902 – 1985). She also went on to greater fame in the entertainment industry. She is best remembered for her role as the Wicked Witch of the West the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz.
The Charming Christmas Tradition of the Belly-Slitting Witch
The Ideas Department of Commonplace Fun Facts suggested a series of stories during the month of December about Christmas traditions around the world. “Great,” replied the Research Department. “We’ll find some charming, heart-warming stories about the way Christmas unites humanity and instills feelings of goodwill and cheer!” Imagine our surprise when we discovered how truly…
When History Hung on a Minor League Baseball Career
Discover how Dwight Eisenhower’s minor league baseball career almost changed the course of history. Read the fascinating story of his early athletic ambitions and how fate led him to the presidency.
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