Top 18 TV Witches
Prepare to be spellbound by our account of the sweetest, meanest, best and worst witches ever seen on TV. From animated to old school, from toddlers to teenagers, we've used our magic potion to uncover these 18 top TV witches.
-- By Sandy Deane & Kelly Woo
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18. Marge Simpson 'Treehouse of Horror VIII'Played by: Julie Kavner
When Moe accused Marge of being a witch, Wiggum's henchmen tossed her off a cliff. But Marge really was a witch, and as she rose up on her broom, cackling that it was she who soured their milk and made their shirts itchy, she unleashed a swarm of bats nesting in her hair.
17. Miss Cackle, 'The Worst Witch'
Played by: Charlotte Rae
Mrs. Garrett ('Facts of Life') as the headmistress of a school for witchcraft? Classic. Rae was spellbinding as the stern head witch in this 1986 TV movie about a young girl struggling to do well in school.
16. Witch Hazel, 'Looney Tunes'
With her green skin, unruly black hair and single tooth, Hazel looks the part of a fearsome witch. She also enjoys Bugs Bunny stew, but the rascally rabbit always manages to escape the pot. One time he tricked her into drinking a Pretty Potion, which turned Hazel into a beautiful redhead. The horror!
15. Amanda Tucker, 'Tucker's Witch'
Played by: Catherine Hicks
This witch (played by Kim Cattrall in the pilot) had the best of intentions -- to use her abilities to help her detective hubby Rick (Tim Matheson) solve crimes. Though her powers allowed her to talk with her cat, they often led to less-than-reliable clues about their cases.
14. Ella, 'Hex'
Played by: Laura Pyper
In the second season of the saucy BBC America series, we met Ella -- the hottest immortal teen witch (actual age: 446) to don corsets and wield swords. She had telekinetic ability but her sexual attraction to evil teen rival Malachi distracted her from her mission to kill him.
13. Endora, 'Passions'
Played by: Nicole Cox
Endora was borne of a drunken one-night stand between her evil witch mother, Tabitha, and the powerful Julian Crane. Because she has a mortal father, Endora has the capacity to love and often uses her pint-sized magic to help her half-brother, Fox, woo the love of his life, Kay.
12. Paige Matthews, 'Charmed'
Played by: Rose McGowan
The result of a forbidden love affair between a witch and a Whitelighter, feisty Paige grew up with an adopted family. But later, she discovered her true origin as a Halliwell, as well as her unique power combination of telekinesis and "orbing" (or teleportation).
11. Tabitha Stephens, 'Tabitha'
Played by: Lisa Hartman
Tabitha went from a cute, nose-twitching kid to a production assistant in this 'Bewitched' spinoff (ah, the magic of television). Her TV parents never visited her in Los Angeles, but her brother Adam showed up. He didn't want her to use magic, but like her mom, she just couldn't help herself.
10. Mildred Hubble, 'The Worst Witch'
Played by: Fairuza Balk
Long before Harry Potter's awkward first year at Hogwarts, Balk starred in this 1986 TV movie about the worst student at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches. Though she meant well, Mildred often acted without thinking, turning herself invisible and changing her nemesis into a pig.
9. Prue Halliwell, 'Charmed'
Played by: Shannen Doherty
The fearless oldest Halliwell honed her powers of telekinesis and astral projection so well that she was often called a "superwitch" and the "Wicca Wonder." Her sisters were devastated when she died doing battle with the demon Shax.
8. Endora, 'Bewitched'
Played by: Agnes Moorehead
Imagine your mother-in-law. Now, give her a witch's powers. Endora casts spell after spell on the mortal Darrin Stephens, and calls him everything from "Durwood" to "Dum Dum," in an attempt to get him to leave her daughter, Elizabeth. Unfortunately for Endora, love prevails.
7. Phoebe Halliwell, 'Charmed'
Played by: Alyssa Milano
The youngest Halliwell was the first to discover the sisters' witchy heritage. Her power, premonition, was later joined by levitation and empathy, but the latter two were taken away when she misused them. But no amount of magic could help her mess of a love life.
6. Tabitha, 'Passions'
Played by: Juliet Mills
At 300-years-old, Tabitha is the oldest living witch in Harmony. Though she was burned at the stake by Puritans in the 1600s, she's still alive and trying to bring doom to those around her in Harmony. Viewers often get to spy on the townsfolk courtesy of Tabitha's magic cauldron.
5. Sabrina Spellman, 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch'
Played by: Melissa Joan Hart
Sabrina (a character based on the Archie comic book series) was born to a warlock dad and a mortal mom, and she had a talking cat named Salem. Despite her magical abilities, she still struggled with dating, friendship and school like most other teens.
4. Grandmama Addams, 'The Addams Family'
Played by: Blossom Rock
Though she may not have called herself a witch, Grandmama made potions, performed spells and cast hexes, and even did a bit of fortune-telling. Aside from an alligator-wrestling hobby, she enjoyed telling stories of the French Revolution, which prompted Wednesday to decapitate her dolls.
3. Piper Halliwell, 'Charmed'
Played by: Holly Marie Combs
As the middle child, Piper often played peacekeeper to her warring sisters. Initially she was reluctant to accept her magical destiny, wanting to keep her life as normal as possible. But she'd use her ability to freeze and explode objects if it meant protecting her three kids.
2. Willow Rosenberg, 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'
Played by: Alyson Hannigan
Shy, nerdy Willow developed her witchcraft after befriending Buffy. When boyfriend/werewolf Oz broke her heart, she turned to a practicing Wiccan, Tara, for comfort. But when Tara was killed, Willow turned powerfully dark. Later, she had to learn to use magic again for good.
1. Samantha Stephens, 'Bewitched'
Played by: Elizabeth Montgomery
Call her the "Desperate Housewitch." Samantha Stephens wanted to be a regular, suburban wife to her mortal husband, Darrin. But she just couldn't help twitching that adorable nose to save the day (without Darrin knowing). The dishes, though, still got done the
old-fashioned way.
Played by: Julie Kavner
When Moe accused Marge of being a witch, Wiggum's henchmen tossed her off a cliff. But Marge really was a witch, and as she rose up on her broom, cackling that it was she who soured their milk and made their shirts itchy, she unleashed a swarm of bats nesting in her hair.
17. Miss Cackle, 'The Worst Witch'
Played by: Charlotte Rae
Mrs. Garrett ('Facts of Life') as the headmistress of a school for witchcraft? Classic. Rae was spellbinding as the stern head witch in this 1986 TV movie about a young girl struggling to do well in school.
16. Witch Hazel, 'Looney Tunes'
With her green skin, unruly black hair and single tooth, Hazel looks the part of a fearsome witch. She also enjoys Bugs Bunny stew, but the rascally rabbit always manages to escape the pot. One time he tricked her into drinking a Pretty Potion, which turned Hazel into a beautiful redhead. The horror!
15. Amanda Tucker, 'Tucker's Witch'
Played by: Catherine Hicks
This witch (played by Kim Cattrall in the pilot) had the best of intentions -- to use her abilities to help her detective hubby Rick (Tim Matheson) solve crimes. Though her powers allowed her to talk with her cat, they often led to less-than-reliable clues about their cases.
14. Ella, 'Hex'
Played by: Laura Pyper
In the second season of the saucy BBC America series, we met Ella -- the hottest immortal teen witch (actual age: 446) to don corsets and wield swords. She had telekinetic ability but her sexual attraction to evil teen rival Malachi distracted her from her mission to kill him.
13. Endora, 'Passions'
Played by: Nicole Cox
Endora was borne of a drunken one-night stand between her evil witch mother, Tabitha, and the powerful Julian Crane. Because she has a mortal father, Endora has the capacity to love and often uses her pint-sized magic to help her half-brother, Fox, woo the love of his life, Kay.
12. Paige Matthews, 'Charmed'
Played by: Rose McGowan
The result of a forbidden love affair between a witch and a Whitelighter, feisty Paige grew up with an adopted family. But later, she discovered her true origin as a Halliwell, as well as her unique power combination of telekinesis and "orbing" (or teleportation).
11. Tabitha Stephens, 'Tabitha'
Played by: Lisa Hartman
Tabitha went from a cute, nose-twitching kid to a production assistant in this 'Bewitched' spinoff (ah, the magic of television). Her TV parents never visited her in Los Angeles, but her brother Adam showed up. He didn't want her to use magic, but like her mom, she just couldn't help herself.
10. Mildred Hubble, 'The Worst Witch'
Played by: Fairuza Balk
Long before Harry Potter's awkward first year at Hogwarts, Balk starred in this 1986 TV movie about the worst student at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches. Though she meant well, Mildred often acted without thinking, turning herself invisible and changing her nemesis into a pig.
9. Prue Halliwell, 'Charmed'
Played by: Shannen Doherty
The fearless oldest Halliwell honed her powers of telekinesis and astral projection so well that she was often called a "superwitch" and the "Wicca Wonder." Her sisters were devastated when she died doing battle with the demon Shax.
8. Endora, 'Bewitched'
Played by: Agnes Moorehead
Imagine your mother-in-law. Now, give her a witch's powers. Endora casts spell after spell on the mortal Darrin Stephens, and calls him everything from "Durwood" to "Dum Dum," in an attempt to get him to leave her daughter, Elizabeth. Unfortunately for Endora, love prevails.
7. Phoebe Halliwell, 'Charmed'
Played by: Alyssa Milano
The youngest Halliwell was the first to discover the sisters' witchy heritage. Her power, premonition, was later joined by levitation and empathy, but the latter two were taken away when she misused them. But no amount of magic could help her mess of a love life.
6. Tabitha, 'Passions'
Played by: Juliet Mills
At 300-years-old, Tabitha is the oldest living witch in Harmony. Though she was burned at the stake by Puritans in the 1600s, she's still alive and trying to bring doom to those around her in Harmony. Viewers often get to spy on the townsfolk courtesy of Tabitha's magic cauldron.
5. Sabrina Spellman, 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch'
Played by: Melissa Joan Hart
Sabrina (a character based on the Archie comic book series) was born to a warlock dad and a mortal mom, and she had a talking cat named Salem. Despite her magical abilities, she still struggled with dating, friendship and school like most other teens.
4. Grandmama Addams, 'The Addams Family'
Played by: Blossom Rock
Though she may not have called herself a witch, Grandmama made potions, performed spells and cast hexes, and even did a bit of fortune-telling. Aside from an alligator-wrestling hobby, she enjoyed telling stories of the French Revolution, which prompted Wednesday to decapitate her dolls.
3. Piper Halliwell, 'Charmed'
Played by: Holly Marie Combs
As the middle child, Piper often played peacekeeper to her warring sisters. Initially she was reluctant to accept her magical destiny, wanting to keep her life as normal as possible. But she'd use her ability to freeze and explode objects if it meant protecting her three kids.
2. Willow Rosenberg, 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'
Played by: Alyson Hannigan
Shy, nerdy Willow developed her witchcraft after befriending Buffy. When boyfriend/werewolf Oz broke her heart, she turned to a practicing Wiccan, Tara, for comfort. But when Tara was killed, Willow turned powerfully dark. Later, she had to learn to use magic again for good.
1. Samantha Stephens, 'Bewitched'
Played by: Elizabeth Montgomery
Call her the "Desperate Housewitch." Samantha Stephens wanted to be a regular, suburban wife to her mortal husband, Darrin. But she just couldn't help twitching that adorable nose to save the day (without Darrin knowing). The dishes, though, still got done the
old-fashioned way.
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