A Witch With a Twitch

Bewitched

The TV show Bewitched introduced us to Samantha Stephens portrayed by Elizabeth Montgomery, who appeared to be a typical American housewife but was actually a witch. When she married mortal Darrin Stephens, he had to take on her mother, Endora, portrayed by Agnes Moorehead, and a lot of other relatives, such as her father, Maurice, portrayed by Maurice Evans. Every time Samantha twitched her nose, you knew something was bound to pop up.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

This show not only had a vampire slayer in Buffy but also a witch as Buffy’s sidekick. Willow Rosenberg, played by Alyson Hannigan, discovered the best way to help the slayer was by learning and teaching herself magic. Many times when things were taking a wrong turn, her powers came in handy, and she had a tendency to delve into the dark arts. The bad side to this was that in the sixth season Willow becomes a villain, with her rage and grief pivoting her deeper into darkness, but nevertheless this witch always lands on her feet.

Charmed

The TV show “Charmed” introduced three sisters who were beautiful and young witches. They were the Halliwell sisters—the eldest, Prue, played by Shannen Doherty, who had the power of telekinesis; Piper, played by Holly Marie Combs, who was able to freeze time and her environment; and the youngest, Phoebe, played by Alyssa Milano, who had premonitions. The sisters used their powers to fight evil and keep San Francisco safe. After the shocking death of Prue in the third season, half-sister Paige, played by Rose McGowan, arrived and was given the power of orbiting.

Harry Potter

She was Harry Potter’s loyal friend and sidekick. Hermione Granger was played by Emma Watson and took on mastering her magic skills with all her might and became one of the strongest witches at Hogwarts. Both her magical brawn and deducting ability made her one of the toughest and most beloved witches of all time.

Hocus Pocus

The film Hocus Pocus is a Halloween classic and has three amazing witches—the Sanderson sisters. They were Winnie, played by Bette Midler, who was the most powerful and determined witch; Mary, played by Kathy Najimy; and Sarah, played by Sarah Jessica Parker. Not always did the sisters listen to Winnie, and that led to all kinds of trouble. Their story began in the 1600s when they were burned to death for practicing witchcraft, but a special spell and a black candle would bring them back to life on Halloween, three centuries later. Even though the witches wind up outwitted, Winnie does get to entertain with an awesome rendition of the song "I Put a Spell on You."

Maleficent and the Sleeping Beauty

Who could ever forget this evil witch with her sinister and wicked intentions, always with her pet and loyal servant, a black raven named Diavel? In the Disney animation she puts a spell on Princess Aurora to prick her finger on a spinning wheel on her 16th birthday and die, but the princess is saved by the three fairies Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather. She survives and marries Prince Phillip. The film “Maleficent” showed the story of the witch herself, and she was portrayed by Angelina Jolie.

Sabrina the Teenage Witch

Sabrina Spellman, played by Melissa Joan Hart, discovers that she is a witch on her 16th birthday and comes from a long line of witches. After the surprise, Sabrina has to come to terms with her witchy powers and learn what she is capable of transforming. She is aided by her sassy cat sidekick, Salem.

The Little Mermaid

This animated Disney film had a most iconic and memorable witch called Ursula, who lived in a cave under the sea. She was a witch who would help “poor unfortunate souls” only if she could gain something in return. When agreeing to help the mermaid Ariel, she makes her human but steals her beautiful voice. It all works out in the end despite Ursula’s many devious tricks.

The Witches of Eastwick (pictured above)

Every time I see them, I think how magical, how delightful. They were Alex played by Cher; Jane, by Susan Sarandon; and Sukie, by Michelle Pfeiffer. These witches lived in the Rhode Island town of Eastwick and became friends with a handsome devil, Darryl Van Horne, played by Jack Nicholson. Unknowingly they form a coven through their weekly get-togethers and discuss their fantasies, hopes, and dreams. Throughout the film the witches gain power and confidence, embracing who they really are.

The Wizard of Oz

This movie brought us the ever-popular Wicked Witch of the West portrayed by Margaret Hamilton. She wore black and had green skin. Her powers were so strong they could scare anyone. Every time she burst out with her frightful cackle, I wished I could just bash her over the head with a frying pan and be done with it, but then I didn’t know Dorothy would take care of her. She remains a most iconic and memorable witch.