If you’ve ever wanted to know who played Glinda in the wizard of Oz, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s a look at some of the great actresses who have played the role. Check out these names: Billie Burke, Kristin Chenoweth, Christine Ebersole, and Vivica Erivo.
Billie Burke
Billie Burke is a well-known actress who has a lasting screen image as Glinda in the Wizard of Oz. She appeared inside the multi-colored ball of light dressed in a sparkly organdy dress. Her strawberry-red hair and silver crown made her a classic screen character. She also received many awards, including the Golden Globe for Best Actress.
After the Wizard of Oz, Bullie Burke continued her career. She starred in several TV shows and radio sketch shows. She also had her own sitcom called At Home with Billie Burke, which ran for one season in 1951. Despite the age gap between the two women, she continued to appear in movies and television shows.
Billie Burke made her film debut in 1915 with Peggy, earning the highest salary ever paid to a motion picture actress. Shortly after, she starred in a fifteen-part serial called Gloria’s Romance. By 1917, she was a favorite among silent movie fans. She starred in numerous comedies and provocative dramas.
Kristin Chenoweth
Kristin Chenoweth has gained an enviable reputation as one of the most bewitching musical comedy actors of her generation. Whether as a scheming goody-two-shoes in “Wicked” or as the enigmatic guardian angel hovering over the fabled Land of Oz, the award-winning actress has a talent for turning kitschy characters into endearing ones.
Originally from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Kristin Chenoweth studied at the Oklahoma City University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in opera and a master’s degree in musical theater. After graduating, Chenoweth performed in a stage revue at the Opryland Hotel. She won an award as the “best up-and-coming singer” and a full scholarship to the Philadelphia Academy of Vocal Arts. While studying, she also auditioned for an off-Broadway show and landed a role. She eventually decided to focus on her Broadway career.
While she played Glinda on Broadway, she was also in the original Broadway cast of Wicked. The new movie of “Wicked” is set to debut on Feb. 14, 2022. She will be joined by Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. The movie is directed by Jon M. Chu and will include songs from the Broadway musical.
Christine Ebersole
Christine Ebersole is a native of Illinois, where she began her interest in the theater during her high school years. She went on to study at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Florida, and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. At age 23, she landed her first Broadway role in Angel Street. Since then, she has been a frequent performer on Broadway, including starring in On the Twentieth Century and Oklahoma!, and opposite Richard Burton in the 1980 revival of Camelot.
Christine Ebersole has also appeared in several albums, including the concept album Bright Lights, Big City. She also released an album of Noel Coward songs, Blithe Spirit. She has also voiced White Diamond on the animated television show Steven Universe.
Although Christine Ebersole first played Glinda in 2003 on Broadway, she has since gone on to play the role in over fifteen other productions. Currently, she plays Glinda in the Broadway musical Wicked, which earned her a Tony Award.
