The Enchanting Life Of Billie Burke: 5 Facts About The Actress Who Played Glinda The Good Witch

Few cinematic entrances are as iconic as Glinda the Good Witch of the North descending in her shimmering bubble. This unforgettable moment, which continues to charm audiences in December 2025, belongs to the legendary actress Billie Burke, whose career spanned Broadway, silent films, and the Golden Age of Hollywood. While her role in the 1939 classic *The Wizard of Oz* cemented her place in cinematic history, Burke’s life was far more dramatic and illustrious than a single pink gown suggests, filled with theatrical royalty, financial ruin, and a triumphant second act.

For modern audiences, the image of Glinda is synonymous with Burke’s ethereal beauty and distinct, high-pitched voice. However, her portrayal was merely one chapter in a dazzling career that saw her marry one of Broadway’s most powerful figures, become a major silent film star, and successfully transition to sound films well into her later years. This is a deep dive into the extraordinary woman behind the magic.

Billie Burke: A Comprehensive Biography and Profile

Billie Burke, born Mary William Ethelbert Appleton Burke, was a celebrated American actress whose career spanned over five decades, making her one of the most enduring figures of Old Hollywood.

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• Full Name: Mary William Ethelbert Appleton Burke
• Stage Name: Billie Burke
• Date of Birth: August 7, 1884
• Place of Birth: Washington, D.C., U.S.
• Date of Death: May 14, 1970
• Place of Death: Los Angeles, California, U.S.
• Spouse: Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. (m. 1914; d. 1932)
• Daughter: Patricia Ziegfeld Stephenson (b. 1916)
• Parentage: Daughter of Billy Burke, a famous English clown.
• Notable Roles: Glinda the Good Witch in *The Wizard of Oz* (1939), Clara Topper in the *Topper* film series (1937–1941), and Mrs. Doris Banks in *Father of the Bride* (1950) and its sequel.
• Autobiography: *With a Feather on My Nose* (1949), co-written with Cameron Shipp.

The Two Witches of Oz: Glinda's Role in the 1939 Film

The character Glinda, as portrayed by Billie Burke, is an amalgamation of two distinct characters from L. Frank Baum’s original 1900 novel, *The Wonderful Wizard of Oz*.

In the book, Dorothy Gale first encounters the Good Witch of the North, who gives her the magical Silver Shoes (changed to Ruby Slippers for the film) and a protective kiss. Glinda, who is the Good Witch of the South, only appears at the very end of the journey to reveal the secret of the shoes.

For the iconic 1939 MGM film, screenwriters streamlined the narrative by combining these two benevolent figures into a single character: Glinda the Good Witch of the North.

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Burke’s performance, characterized by her gentle, almost childlike mannerisms and distinct, breathy vocal delivery, perfectly captured the ethereal quality of the sorceress. Her role was pivotal, not just as a guide for Dorothy, but as the one who delivers the film's ultimate lesson: "You've always had the power, my dear, you just had to learn it for yourself."

A Recycled Costume and the Power of Pink

One of the most surprising pieces of trivia about the iconic Glinda costume is that the elaborate, voluminous pink ball gown was not custom-made for Billie Burke.

The dress was actually a "hand-me-down" costume, originally designed by Adrian, the chief costume designer at MGM, and first worn by actress Jeanette MacDonald in the 1936 disaster film *San Francisco*.

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The dress was heavily modified for Burke's role, with layers of pink tulle, shimmering sequins, and a massive star-shaped crown added to enhance its magical, fairy-tale quality. This repurposing of costumes was a common practice in the Golden Age of Hollywood, but it is a fascinating detail for one of cinema's most recognizable outfits.

The Queen of Broadway and the Ziegfeld Legacy

Before she was Glinda, Billie Burke was a celebrated star of the Broadway stage and a major figure in the silent film era. Her fame was only amplified by her marriage to the legendary theatrical impresario Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.

Ziegfeld was the mastermind behind the lavish, groundbreaking American theatrical revues known as the *Ziegfeld Follies*.

Burke married Ziegfeld in 1914, making her the "First Lady" of the Ziegfeld empire. Their marriage was a high-profile union of two of the era's biggest names in entertainment, producing their daughter, Patricia Ziegfeld Stephenson, in 1916.

Tragedy struck with the stock market crash of 1929, which wiped out the family’s fortune. When Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. died in 1932, Burke was left with substantial debts. This financial necessity forced her to return to acting full-time, which ultimately led to her career renaissance in Hollywood.

From Glinda to Mrs. Topper: Billie Burke’s Later Career Triumphs

Billie Burke’s return to the screen in the 1930s was incredibly successful, establishing her as a beloved character actress specializing in ditzy, high-society matrons—a persona she perfected and often parodied.

Her most prominent roles outside of *The Wizard of Oz* were in the popular *Topper* film series. She played Mrs. Clara Topper, the scatterbrained wife of Cosmo Topper, in three films: *Topper* (1937), *Topper Takes a Trip* (1939), and *Topper Returns* (1941).

Later in her career, she found another enduring role in the classic family comedy *Father of the Bride* (1950) and its sequel, *Father's Little Dividend* (1951). In these films, she played Mrs. Doris Banks, the mother of the bride (played by Elizabeth Taylor), alongside Spencer Tracy and Joan Bennett.

Burke continued to work in film and television well into the 1950s, demonstrating remarkable resilience and versatility.

The Final Curtain and Enduring Legacy

Billie Burke retired from acting in the mid-1950s. She published her candid and witty autobiography, *With a Feather on My Nose*, in 1949, offering a firsthand look at the glamour and turmoil of her life with Ziegfeld and her career transitions.

Burke passed away on May 14, 1970, at the age of 85.

While she was a major star on Broadway, a leading lady in silent films, and a highly successful character actress in the sound era, it is her brief, luminous performance as Glinda the Good Witch of the North that has secured her immortality in classic cinema. Her legacy is a testament to an actress who truly possessed the power to enchant an entire generation.