Glinda is a

fictional character In fiction, a character (or speaker, in poetry) is a person or other being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life perso ...

created by

L. Frank Baum Lyman Frank Baum (; May 15, 1856 – May 6, 1919) was an American author best known for his children's books, particularly ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' and its sequels. He wrote 14 novels in the ''Oz'' series, plus 41 other novels (not includ ...

for his ''Oz'' novels. She first appears in Baum's 1900 children's classic ''

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' is a children's novel written by author L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. It is the first novel in the Oz series of books. A Kansas farm girl named Dorothy ends up in the magical Land of Oz afte ...

'', and is the most powerful sorceress in the

Land of Oz The Land of Oz is a fantasy world, magical country introduced in the 1900 children's novel ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by William Wallace Denslow, W. W. Denslow. Oz consists of four vast quadrants, th ...

, ruler of the Quadling Country South of the Emerald City, and protector of

Princess Ozma Princess Ozma is a fictional character from the Land of Oz, created by American author L. Frank Baum. She appears in every book of the Oz series except the first, '' The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' (1900). She is the rightful ruler of Oz, and Baum ...

Literature

L. Frank Baum

Baum's 1900 children's novel ''

'' refers to Glinda as the "Good Witch of the South"; she does not appear in the novel until late in its development. After the Wizard flies away in his balloon, the Cowardly Lion, Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, Dorothy, and Toto travel South to the land of the Quadlings to ask Glinda for her advice.Baum, L. Frank, ''Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' (1900), Ch. 18 In the well-known 1939 film version, Glinda is a composite character with the Witch of the North. Later books call her a "Sorceress" rather than a "

witch Witchcraft traditionally means the use of magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually women who were believed to have us ...

",Michael O. Riley, ''Oz and Beyond: The Fantasy World of L. Frank Baum'', p 104, though Baum's writings make clear that he did not view witches as inherently wicked. In the books, Glinda is depicted as a beautiful young woman with long, rich rare red hair and blue eyes, wearing a pure white dress. She is much older than her appearance would suggest, but "knows how to keep young in spite of the many years she has lived" - a fact that is established in ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', by the Soldier with the Green Whiskers. She has ruled the Quadling Country ever since she overthrew the

Wicked Witch of the South This is a list of characters in the original Oz books by American author L. Frank Baum. The majority of characters listed here unless noted otherwise have appeared in multiple books under various plotlines. ''Land of Oz, Oz'' is made up of four ...

during the period when Ozma's grandfather was king of Oz. Glinda plays the most active role in finding and restoring

, the rightful heir, to the throne of Oz, the search for whom takes place in the second book, ''

The Marvelous Land of Oz ''The Marvelous Land of Oz: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman'', commonly shortened to ''The Land of Oz'', published in July 1904, is the second of L. Frank Baum's books set in the Land of Oz, and th ...

'', although Glinda had been searching for Ozma ever since the princess disappeared as a baby. It may well be that she did not overthrow the Wicked Witches of the East and West, despite being more powerful than they were, because she wanted all of Oz to be unified under its rightful ruler, Ozma, first. After Ozma's ascent to the throne, Glinda continues to help the Princess of Oz shape the future of the Land of Oz as a whole, no longer confining her powers to guarding her Quadling Kingdom in the South alone; true to her character, Glinda does not interfere in affairs of State unless Ozma seeks her counsel or help specifically. In addition to her vast knowledge of

magic Magic or Magick most commonly refers to: * Magic (supernatural), beliefs and actions employed to influence supernatural beings and forces * Ceremonial magic, encompasses a wide variety of rituals of magic * Magical thinking, the belief that unrela ...

, Glinda employs various tools, charms, and instruments in her workshop. ''

The Emerald City of Oz ''The Emerald City of Oz'' is the sixth of L. Frank Baum's fourteen Land of Oz books. It was also adapted into a Canadian animated film in 1987. Originally published on July 20, 1910, it is the story of Dorothy Gale and her Uncle Henry and Aunt E ...

'' reveals that she owns a Great Book of Records that allows her to track everything that goes on in the world from the instant it happens. Starting with ''

The Road to Oz ''The Road to Oz: In Which Is Related How Dorothy Gale of Kansas, The Shaggy Man, Button Bright, and Polychrome the Rainbow's Daughter Met on an Enchanted Road and Followed it All the Way to the Marvelous Land of Oz.'' is the fifth of L. Frank B ...

'' she trains the formerly humbug Wizard in magic; he becomes a formidable practitioner, but acknowledges that she is more powerful yet. Glinda lives in a palace near the Northern border of the Quadling Country, attended by fifty beautiful maidens from each country of Oz.Baum, L. Frank, ''The Scarecrow of Oz'' (1915), Ch. 13 She also employs a large army of female soldiers, with which she takes on General Jinjur's Army of Revolt, who had conquered the Emerald City in ''

''. Men are not prominent in Glinda's court. Glinda is strongly protective of her subjects in the South. She creates walled, gated communities for the rabbits of Bunnybury and the paper dolls of Miss Cuttenclip, showing a personal interest in the concerns of not only the humanoid Quadlings, but also the other inhabitants of her jurisdiction. In ''

'', when Ozma goes to consult Glinda about the security of her Ozian citizens, the Sorceress seals off all of Oz from the Great Outside World, making Oz invisible to the eyes of mortals flying overhead in airplanes and such. However, unlike Ozma, Glinda is willing to ignore strife and oppression in remote corners of Oz like Jinxland and the Skeezer territory as long as it does not threaten the Emerald City or innocent outsiders. The readers are left with the sense that Glinda is experienced and seasoned to the point of knowing that there is not a magic cure for everything, and that certain things cannot be changed or perhaps should not be changed for better or for worse. One of the more obscure facts about Glinda is that she created the Forbidden Fountain with the Waters of Oblivion, at the center of Oz, whose waters redeemed a former King of Oz who was exceptionally cruel. This happened "many centuries ago" according to Ozma (again alluding to Glinda's advanced age), and it is this fountain that saves Oz from the invading Nome King and his allies in ''

'', by making them forget their nefarious intentions. Glinda clearly made the Fountain at a point in Oz's history when the Land was unified under one of the members of the Royal Family of Oz, albeit a tyrannical king in this isolated incident, and so she was able to intervene in a way that she could not when the country was divided between the Wizard and the Wicked Witches of the East and West et al., prior to Dorothy's arrival. Most intriguingly, in ''

'', when the Nome King considers invading Oz, he is told by a minion, General Guph, that Glinda the Good's castle is located "at the North of the Emerald City," when it has been established that Glinda rules the South, while another Witch (the one who welcomed Dorothy to Oz, and was retroactively named Tattypoo) reigned in the North. Guph may have gotten his facts muddled, as none of the Gnomes had been to Oz at that time, but it portends the depiction of Glinda as the Good Witch of the North rather than the South in the 1939 MGM film (which is the most widely known version of Oz to date). General Guph also tells the Nome King that Glinda "commands the spirits of the air,". As mentioned above, he is not an expert on Oz, but this statement made by Guph once again foreshadows a much later cinematic rendition of Glinda, in the film version of the Broadway musical ''

The Wiz ''The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical "Wonderful Wizard of Oz"'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls (and others) and book by William F. Brown. It is a retelling of L. Frank Baum's children's novel '' The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' ...

'' in which Glinda (played by Lena Horne) and the original (played by Billie Burke) is responsible for the twister that brings Dorothy's house to Oz and sets all subsequent events into motion. Of all the characters in L. Frank Baum's Oz, Glinda is the most enigmatic. Despite being titled "Glinda the Good," she is not a one-dimensional caricature whose sole purpose is to embody and generate all that is generically considered "good," as indicated above. She ultimately becomes the adult anchor in the Oz books, because she is never distracted or swayed, and always maintains absolute firmness of purpose - something that cannot be said for the other adult characters in the series such as the Wizard and the Shaggy Man or even the Good Witch of the North. They all fall short of Glinda's wisdom and resoluteness. In Baum's final book, ''

Glinda of Oz ''Glinda of Oz'' is the fourteenth Land of Oz book written by children's author L. Frank Baum, published on July 10, 1920. It is the last book of the original Oz series, which was later continued by other authors. Like most of the Oz books, the p ...

'', we learn that Glinda resides in a castle with one hundred of the most beautiful women in Oz at her beck and call. In Alexander Volkov's Magic Land series, the witch is called Stella and appears very rarely. However, she is often referred to by the author and the characters and always offers people help or refuge during hard times. She is described as a golden-haired eternally young beauty in a pink dress. She rules the Pink Country which is inhabited by the tribe of Chatterboxes. She seems to be a good friend of the

Winged Monkeys Winged monkeys are fictional characters created by American author L. Frank Baum in his children's novel ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' (1900). They are jungle monkeys with bird-like feathered wings. They are most notably remembered from the fam ...

ever since releasing them. In

Philip Jose Farmer Philip, also Phillip, is a male given name, derived from the Greek (''Philippos'', lit. "horse-loving" or "fond of horses"), from a compound of (''philos'', "dear", "loved", "loving") and (''hippos'', "horse"). Prominent Philips who popularize ...

's novel '' A Barnstormer in Oz'', Glinda is portrayed as young and beautiful enough to attract the protagonist, though the interest is not mutual.

''Wicked'' (novel)

Gregory Maguire Gregory Maguire (born June 9, 1954) is an American novelist. He is the author of '' Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West'', '' Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister'', and several dozen other novels for adults and children. Many ...

's 1995 revisionist novel '' Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West'', she is initially called "Galinda," and (through her mother) is descended from the noble clan of the Arduennas of the Upland. Her character is seen extensively in the first half of the novel, but disappears for most of the second half, compared to her musical counterpart. Though originally snobbish and superficial, she is also intelligent enough to be accepted to Shiz University's Crage Hall, where she is assigned to share a room with Elphaba. After a long period of mutual loathing, the two girls later become close friends. Galinda drops the first 'a' in her name in the middle of the story, in tribute to Doctor Dillamond, a martyred Goat who taught at Shiz (Dillamond made the habitual mistake of calling her "Glinda" instead of "Galinda" while they shared a carriage, before her arrival to the university). The Goat's death also prompts Glinda to re-evaluate her life, and she dedicates herself to studying sorcery, at which she proves to be quite skilled. It is stated that she marries Sir Chuffrey in the second half of the novel, and they have no children. She initially dislikes Elphaba's sister Nessarose (who goes on to become the Wicked Witch of the East), but becomes close to her after Elphaba leaves Shiz, and enchants the Silver Shoes that enable Nessarose to walk without any assistance. As in the original Oz books, she is revered as a powerful sorceress. Maguire follows the 1939 movie in having Glinda ultimately become the Witch of the North, not the South. Glinda also appears in ''

Son of a Witch ''Son of a Witch'' (2005) is a fantasy novel by American writer Gregory Maguire. The book is Maguire’s fifth revisionist story and the second set in the land of Oz originally conceived by L. Frank Baum. ''Son of a Witch'' continues the story ...

'', Maguire's sequel to ''Wicked'', now

widow A widow (female) or widower (male) is a person whose spouse has died. Terminology The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed ''widowhood''. An archaic term for a widow is "relict," literally "someone left over". This word can so ...

ed from Sir Chuffrey.

Films and popular culture

''The Fairylogue and Radio-Plays'' (1908)

In ''

The Fairylogue and Radio-Plays ''The Fairylogue and Radio-Plays'' was an early attempt to bring L. Frank Baum's Oz books to the motion picture screen. It was a mixture of live actors, hand-tinted magic lantern slides, and film. Baum himself would appear as if he were giving a ...

'', Glinda was portrayed by Evelyn Judson. She was played by Olive Cox i
the 1910 version
of ''

''. In the latter, she appears in one scene in which she enlarges Toto to make him a better protector for Dorothy.

''The Wizard of Oz'' – 1939 MGM film

Billie Burke and Judy Garland The Wizard of Oz (1939)

In the 1939 film version of '' The Wizard of Oz'', Glinda is the Good Witch of the North. She is played in the film by

Billie Burke Mary William Ethelbert Appleton Burke (August 7, 1884 – May 14, 1970) was an American actress who was famous on Broadway and radio, and in silent and sound films. She is best known to modern audiences as Glinda the Good Witch of the North ...

. Glinda performs the functions of not only the novel's Good Witch of the North and Good Witch of the South, but also the novel's Queen of Field Mice, by being the one who welcomes Dorothy to Oz, sends her "off to see the Wizard," and orchestrates her rescue from the deadly poppy field in addition to revealing the secret to going back home. Like

Aunt Em Aunt Em is a fictional character from the Oz books. Jack Snow, ''Who's Who in Oz'', Chicago, Reilly & Lee, 1954; New York, Peter Bedrick Books, 1988; p. 10. She is the aunt of Dorothy Gale and wife of Uncle Henry, and lives together with them on ...

and

Uncle Henry Uncle Henry is a fictional character from The Oz Books by L. Frank Baum.Jack Snow (writer), Jack Snow, ''Who's Who in Oz'', Chicago, Reilly & Lee, 1954; New York, Peter Bedrick Books, 1988; p. 227. He is the uncle of Dorothy Gale and husband of A ...

, who do not have Oz counterparts, Glinda does not have a sepia-tone Kansas counterpart. However, when performed on stage, the actress playing Aunt Em will sometimes also play Glinda.

''The Wonderful Land of Oz'' (1969)

The Wonderful Land of Oz ''The Wonderful Land of Oz'' is a 1969 film directed by Barry Mahon. It is a low budget but faithful adaptation of the 1904 novel ''The Marvelous Land of Oz'' by L. Frank Baum. Cast * Chandos Castle Mahon (credited as Channy Mahon) as Tip * Z ...

, Glinda is played by Hilary Lee Gaess; her singing voice was dubbed. She is portrayed as much younger than the Billie Burke incarnation, although her pink costume/gown is similar. She sings 2 stirring solos titled "Try To Touch a Star" and "I've Watched Over You." In the latter song, she makes the touching and astute observation that the Scarecrow possesses not only a brain, but also a heart (at least metaphorically). She is able to summon the powers of "all the good fairies" when restoring Princess Ozma to her rightful form, almost making her equal to L. Frank Baum's Queen Lurline (whereas Baum's Glinda is a stately sorceress showing no association with fairy magic or "unscrupulous" witchcraft, insisting that the witch Mombi herself disenchant Ozma unlike in this film). Apart from undoing Mombi's evil magic herself, this incarnation of Glinda also tells the old Gillikin witch that she has "allowed" her to practice some of her "less horrible tricks" thus far, suggesting that every practitioner of magic in Oz is ultimately answerable to Glinda should they go too far.

Filmation's ''Journey Back to Oz'' (1972)

In '' Journey Back to Oz'', the unofficial sequel to the 1939 film, operatic mezzo-soprano

Risë Stevens Risë Stevens (; June 11, 1913 – March 20, 2013) was an American operatic mezzo-soprano and actress. Beginning in 1938, she sang for the Metropolitan Opera in New York City for more than two decades during the 1940s and 1950s. She was most ...

provides the voice of "Glinda, the Good Fairy" as she is described in the opening title sequence (however, the

Cowardly Lion The Cowardly Lion is a character in the fictional Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum. He is depicted as an African lion, but like all animals in Oz, he can speak. Since lions are supposed to be "The Kings of Beasts," the Cowardl ...

refers to her as the Good Witch of the North later in the film). In L. Frank Baum's novel, ''

The Lost Princess of Oz ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' is the eleventh canonical Oz book written by L. Frank Baum. Published on June 5, 1917, it begins with the disappearance of Princess Ozma, the ruler of Oz and covers Dorothy and the Wizard's efforts to find her. Th ...

'', the Wizard says: "Ozma is a fairy, and so is Glinda, so no power can kill or destroy them, but you girls are all mortals and so are

Button-Bright This is a list of characters in the original Oz books by American author L. Frank Baum. The majority of characters listed here unless noted otherwise have appeared in multiple books under various plotlines. '' Oz'' is made up of four divisions ...

and I, so we must watch out for ourselves." However, the only fact established by this statement is that Glinda is one of Oz's "fairy people" (L. Frank Baum's term for anyone native to an enchanted land) rather than a Fairy proper. Even the citizens of Oz who do not possess magical powers are referred to as "fairy people" by Baum in ''

'', meaning that they are not mortals like Dorothy and the Wizard who were born in the outside world. In this film, it is revealed that this Glinda's magic is no match for Mombi's (the exact opposite was true in Baum's original books). Still, she helps Dorothy confront Mombi and her army of green elephants in a way that evokes the help offered by the Queen of Field Mice in Baum's '' The Land of Oz''. She sings a climactic song called "You Have Only You (To Look To)" to Dorothy, making her look inside herself for the strength that is not forthcoming from old companions such as the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion. In this regard, Glinda reveals how in touch she is with stark reality, a trait that hearkens back to Baum's original Glinda. At the end of the film, she sends Dorothy back to Kansas by conjuring up another tornado. This too is in keeping with L. Frank Baum's original Glinda, who had the power to "command the spirits of the air" according to ''

''.

''The Wizard of Oz'' (1982)

In the 1982 film '' The Wizard of Oz'', Glinda, looking very young and with long blonde hair, voiced by Wendy Thatcher, claims to be the sister of the Good Witch of the North despite the appearance of quite a large age gap (Baum did always say she is much older than she looks), and appears in the Emerald City in a

deus ex machina ''Deus ex machina'' ( , ; plural: ''dei ex machina''; English "god out of the machine") is a plot device whereby a seemingly unsolvable problem in a story is suddenly and abruptly resolved by an unexpected and unlikely occurrence. Its function ...

similar to the MGM film.

''Return to Oz'' (1985)

Glinda appears in ''

Return to Oz ''Return to Oz'' is a 1985 dark fantasy film released by Walt Disney Pictures, co-written and directed by Walter Murch. It stars Nicol Williamson, Jean Marsh, Piper Laurie, and Fairuza Balk as Dorothy Gale in her first screen role. The film is ...

''. She is seen in the background at the coronation of Princess Ozma.

''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' (1986 anime)

In Panmedia's 1986 animated series, Glinda is portrayed as a tall and very slender sorceress with long blue hair. It is she who offers to make Dorothy a Princess of Oz in this series, during their very first encounter, but Dorothy maintains that she wishes to return to Kansas. In Baum's '' The Land of Oz'', Glinda categorically states that she does not engage in "transformations" because "they are not real", but in this series, the Good Witch transforms into an eagle in order to pursue

Mombi Mombi is a fictional character in L. Frank Baum's classic children's series of Oz Books. She is the most significant antagonist in the second Oz book ''The Marvelous Land of Oz'' (1904), and is alluded to in other works. Mombi plays a very impor ...

, who attempts to fly away from the Emerald City in the form of a dragon. After restoring Princess Ozma to the throne, Glinda uses her magic on

and

Jinjur General Jinjur is an antagonist in ''The Marvelous Land of Oz''. She is a character in the Oz books by L. Frank Baum and his successors.Jack Snow, ''Who's Who in Oz'', Chicago, Reilly & Lee, 1954; New York, Peter Bedrick Books, 1988; pp. 109 ...

to ''make'' them reform, when the witch and the rebel queen refuse to mend their villainous ways. Having thus changed Mombi and Jinjur's inherent natures, Glinda ensures that they will never create trouble for anyone again. Glinda entrusts Dorothy with the task of preparing Ozma for her official coronation ceremony, confident that the maturer Dorothy will mould the series' playful young Ozma into a responsible queen. As the series draws to an end, Glinda telepathically contacts and saves Dorothy from falling to her death from a tower, following a confrontation with the

Nome King The Nome King is a fictional character created by American author L. Frank Baum. He is introduced in Baum's third Oz book ''Ozma of Oz'' (1907). He also appears in many of the continuing sequel '' Oz'' novels also written by Baum. Although the c ...

and his minions.

''DiC's The Wizard of Oz'' (1990)

Glinda appears in '' The Wizard of Oz'' voiced by B.J. Ward. Glinda's portrayal in this short-lived series is much more in keeping with the 1939 MGM film, although the character looks significantly younger than

did, wears a white gown with pink embroidery (rather than a wholly pink gown), and has blonde hair. However, her voice and her personality are extremely close to the 1939 version of this Oz character. She arranges for Dorothy to return to the Land of Oz by means of the Ruby Slippers, because the

Wicked Witch of the West The Wicked Witch of the West is a fictional character who appears in the classic children's novel ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' (1900), created by American author L. Frank Baum. In Baum's subsequent ''Oz'' novels, it is the Nome King who is ...

has been brought back to life, and Glinda needs Dorothy's help to set things right again.

''Wild at Heart'' (1990)

Actress

Sheryl Lee Sheryl Lynn Lee (born April 22, 1967) is a German-born American film, stage, and television actress. After studying acting in college, Lee relocated to Seattle, Washington to work in theater, where she was cast by David Lynch as Laura Palmer and ...

portrays a version of the Good Witch, who appears in a

hallucination A hallucination is a perception in the absence of an external stimulus that has the qualities of a real perception. Hallucinations are vivid, substantial, and are perceived to be located in external objective space. Hallucination is a combinati ...

Nicolas Cage Nicolas Kim Coppola (born January 7, 1964), known professionally as Nicolas Cage, is an American actor and film producer. Born into the Coppola family, he is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Gui ...

's character, Sailor Ripley, in David Lynch's 1990 black comedy thriller '' Wild at Heart''. Glinda persuades Sailor to return to Lula Fortune (

Laura Dern Laura Elizabeth Dern (born February 10, 1967) is an American actress. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a BAFTA Award, and five Golden Globe Awards. Born to actor Bruce Dern and a ...

), his lover, and Pace, his six-year-old son during an hallucinatory conversation with her near the end of the film.

''The Oz Kids'' (1996)

In '' The Oz Kids'', Glinda becomes a mother and has a daughter Andrea. Voiced by Erika Schickel. Her daughter Andrea has a similar dress like Princess Ozma.

''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' (2005)

In ''

The Muppets' Wizard of Oz ''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' is a 2005 musical fantasy television film directed by Kirk R. Thatcher. It is the second film to be made for television in ''The Muppets'' franchise. The film stars Ashanti, Jeffrey Tambor, Quentin Tarantino, Davi ...

'', Glinda is the Good Witch of the South and is played by

Miss Piggy Miss Piggy is one of the Muppet characters known for her breakout role in Jim Henson's ''The Muppet Show''. Since her debut in 1976, Miss Piggy has been notable for her temperamental diva superstar personality, tendency to use French phrases i ...

, as are her sisters the Good Witch of the North and the two Wicked Witches. In keeping with the traditions of Muppet films, she is attracted to the Scarecrow (played by

Kermit the Frog Kermit the Frog is a Muppet character created and originally performed by Jim Henson. Introduced in 1955, Kermit serves as the everyman protagonist of numerous Muppet productions, most notably ''Sesame Street'' and ''The Muppet Show'', as well ...

). She is portrayed in a lavender dress with a feather boa, an archetypal Hollywood starlet much more in keeping with the character of Miss Piggy rather than Glinda. Miss Piggy's other role is herself. Prior to Dorothy's journey, she appears with Kermit and tries to get rid of Dorothy. After Dorothy's journey, she returns for the Muppets' show.

''Tom and Jerry and the Wizard of Oz'' (2011)

Frances Conroy Frances Hardman Conroy is an American actress. She is best known for playing Ruth Fisher on the television series '' Six Feet Under'' (2001–2005), for which she won a Golden Globe and three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and received four Prime ...

voices Glinda in ''

Tom and Jerry and the Wizard of Oz This is a list of feature length films of the ''Tom and Jerry'' franchise. Theatrical films Direct-to-video films All direct-to-video films are produced by Turner Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation. ''Tom and Jerry: The Magic Ring'' ...

'' and '' Tom and Jerry: Back to Oz'' in 2016.

''Supernatural'' (2013)

In the "LARP and the Real Girl" an episode of season 8 of '' Supernatural'' appears a fairy based in Glinda called Gilda. She describes herself as the good kind of fairy and is portrayed by

Tiffany Dupont Tiffany Dupont (born March 22, 1981) is an American actress, known for playing the lead character, Hadassah, a Jewish girl who will become the Biblical Esther, Queen of Persia, in the Hollywood film ''One Night with the King''. From 2007 to 20 ...

''Oz the Great and Powerful'' (2013)

Glinda is portrayed by Michelle Williams, in the 2013 Disney film ''

Oz the Great and Powerful ''Oz the Great and Powerful'' is a 2013 American fantasy adventure film directed by Sam Raimi and written by David Lindsay-Abaire and Mitchell Kapner from a story by Kapner. Based on L. Frank Baum's early 20th century ''Oz'' novels and set 20 y ...

''. In this prequel, she is Glinda the Good Witch of the South as well as the daughter of the slain king of Oz. Theodora (

Mila Kunis Milena Markovna "Mila" Kunis (born August 14, 1983) is an American actress. Born in Chernivtsi and raised in Los Angeles, she began playing Jackie Burkhart on the Fox television series ''That '70s Show'' (1998–2006) at the age of 14. Since ...

) and Evanora (

Rachel Weisz Rachel Hannah Weisz (; born 7 March 1970 ) is an English actress. She is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Laurence Olivier Award, and a BAFTA Award. Weisz began acting in British stage and television in the ...

), are the future Wicked Witches of the West and East, respectively. In the film, she helps a good-hearted con artist named Oscar Diggs (

James Franco James Edward Franco (born April 19, 1978) is an American actor and filmmaker. For his role in '' 127 Hours'' (2010), he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. Franco is known for his roles in films, such as Sam Raimi's ''Spider-M ...

) defeat her sisters and become the Wizard of Oz.

''Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return'' (2013)

Glinda was voiced by

Bernadette Peters Bernadette Peters ( ''née'' Lazzara; born February 28, 1948) is an American actress, singer, and children's book author. Over a career spanning more than six decades, she has starred in musical theatre, television and film, performed in solo co ...

in the 3D animated film '' Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return'', which was released in 2014.

''RWBY'' (2013)

In the American 3D anime ''

RWBY ''RWBY'' (pronounced "Ruby") is an American anime-influenced computer-animated web series created by Monty Oum for Rooster Teeth. It is set in the fictional world of Remnant, where young people train to become warriors (called "Huntsmen" and ...

'', Glinda the Good Witch is represented by Glynda Goodwitch, a skilled Huntress with telekinetic abilities. Unlike her inspiration, Goodwitch, voiced by Kathleen Zuelch, possesses a noticeably short temper. Goodwitch serves as the right-hand associate of Professor Ozpin (whose likeness alludes to the Wizard of Oz) and plays an integral part in training the students of Beacon Academy to protect the world from evil forces.

''Once Upon a Time'' (2014)

Glinda appears in the second half of

Season Three A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and pol ...

of ''

Once Upon a Time "Once upon a time" is a stock phrase used to introduce a narrative of past events, typically in fairy tales and folk tales. It has been used in some form since at least 1380 (according to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'') in storytelling in t ...

'' played by

Sunny Mabrey Sunny Mabrey (born November 28, 1975) is an American actress and model. Prior to debuting in films, Mabrey appeared in music videos, such as "Nookie" from Limp Bizkit. Her breakthrough came after she played the lead role, man-eating alien Sara, i ...

. In a sisterhood of witches, Glinda, the Witch of the South, along with the Witch of the East ( Sharon Taylor) and the Witch of the North (Karen Holness), protect Oz with each of their magic affinities. Only the fourth seat of the sisterhood—representing innocence—remains empty, but through Glinda's guardianship of the Book of Records, a prophecy foretells of a sorceress coming to Oz via a cyclone to join them. Secondly, the book also states this witch will "unseat the greatest evil the realm has ever seen". After seeing Zelena (

Rebecca Mader Rebecca Leigh Mader (born 24 April 1977) is an English actress, best known for her roles as Charlotte Lewis in the ABC series '' Lost'', and as Zelena, the Wicked Witch of the West, on ABC's ''Once Upon a Time'', for which she garnered criti ...

) punish the deceitful Walsh/Wizard of Oz ( Christopher Gorham), Glinda believes this woman, who arrived to Oz many years ago from a cyclone, will fulfill the prophecy. Though Zelena is more interested in changing her past, Glinda convinces the unsure redhead that her destiny lies in changing her own future by becoming a good witch, however, she does not tell Zelena about the second part of the prophecy. From joining the sisterhood, she gifts Zelena a pendant to harness her powers. While showing Zelena the western area of Oz, they approach wreckage from a cyclone and take in a girl,

Dorothy Gale Dorothy Gale is a fictional character created by American author L. Frank Baum as the protagonist in many of his ''Oz'' novels. She first appears in Baum's classic 1900 children's novel '' The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' and reappears in most of it ...

(

Matreya Scarrwener Matreya Natasha Fedor (born March 11, 1997) is a Canadian actress. She is known for her role as Echo Zizzleswift in '' Mr. Young'', and for her recurring roles as Phoebe Collins in '' The Troop'' and as Allison Weston in '' Cedar Cove''. Life ...

). Zelena, from reading the Book of Records, believes Dorothy will become the Witch of the West and defeat her. Glinda doesn't believe this to be true, but she witnesses Zelena attack Dorothy, who causes her assailant to melt with water. Realizing the prophecy was right, Glinda offers Dorothy a place with the sisterhood, but the latter wishes to go home. With Zelena defeated, the Wizard reverts to his old self and thus Glinda helps her to return home with his assistance. Only after, Zelena reveals she masqueraded as the Wizard to get rid of Dorothy. Glinda vows to find another sorceress to fulfill the prophecy, but Zelena banishes her to the Enchanted Forest. In this new realm, she begins living in the north of woods, south of

Rumpelstiltskin "Rumpelstiltskin" ( ; german: Rumpelstilzchen) is a German fairy tale. It was collected by the Brothers Grimm in the 1812 edition of '' Children's and Household Tales''. The story is about a little imp who spins straw into gold in exchange for a ...

's (

Robert Carlyle Robert Carlyle (born 14 April 1961) is a Scottish actor. His film work includes '' Trainspotting'' (1996), ''The Full Monty'' (1997), ''The World Is Not Enough'' (1999), ''Angela's Ashes'' (1999), '' The Beach'' (2000), ''28 Weeks Later'' (20 ...

) castle, hidden in a pocket dimension of ice and snow, which only the pure of heart may enter through. Sensing the incoming presence of

Snow White "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" is a 19th-century German fairy tale that is today known widely across the Western world. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection '' Grimms' Fairy Tales'' and numbered as T ...

(

Ginnifer Goodwin Jennifer Michelle "Ginnifer" Goodwin (born May 22, 1978) is an American actress. She is known for her starring role as Margene Heffman in the HBO drama series ''Big Love'' (2006–2011) and Snow White / Mary Margaret Blanchard in the ABC fan ...

) and

Prince Charming Prince Charming is a fairy tale stock character who comes to the rescue of a damsel in distress and must engage in a quest to liberate her from an evil spell. This classification suits most heroes of a number of traditional folk tales, includi ...

(

Josh Dallas Joshua Paul Dallas (born December 18, 1978) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Prince Charming/ David Nolan in the ABC television series '' Once Upon a Time'' and as Ben Stone in the NBC/Netflix sci-fi drama series '' Manife ...

) crossing into her realm, Glinda makes herself known to them. When Snow White asks for Regina's whereabouts since she was just with them, Glinda states that the Queen didn't meet the qualifications needed for entering through the door. The banished Good Witch briefly explains her past friendship with Zelena and tells them the Wicked Witch's greatest weakness is light magic. Recalling that her own daughter, Emma, is a product of the strongest magic of all—true love, Snow White believes she may be able to defeat Zelena. Glinda agrees with this sentiment; further prompting Snow White to go through with casting another Dark Curse to send everyone back to Storybrooke.

''Emerald City'' (2015)

Glinda appears in the first season of ''

Emerald City The Emerald City (sometimes called the City of Emeralds) is the capital city of the fictional Land of Oz in L. Frank Baum's Oz books, first described in ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' (1900). Fictional description Located in the center of the L ...

'', portrayed by

Joely Richardson Joely Kim Richardson (born 9 January 1965) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Julia McNamara in the FX drama series ''Nip/Tuck'' (2003–10) and Katherine Parr in the Showtime series ''The Tudors'' (2010). She has also appea ...

(based on both the characters of Glinda the Good Witch and the Good Witch of the North from the L. Frank Baum's Oz Books). The Mistress of the North "Maiden of the Northern Light, Mother of the Sound and Pure" and one of the last Cardinal Witches of Oz, Glinda is an authoritative woman who has had a deep-seated hatred towards the Wizard (

Vincent D'Onofrio Vincent Philip D'Onofrio (; born June 30, 1959) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for his supporting and leading roles in both film and television. He has been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award. His roles include Private Leonar ...

) ever since he outlawed magic. Since the change of regime in Oz, Glinda also runs a boarding house for orphaned girls where she oversees their education and chooses the best of them to join the Wizard's High Council. It is revealed that she in fact conspires against the Wizard's rule and prepares to overthrow him, using the Wizard's councilwomen as spies and aiming to use the secretly raised young witches for war. ''Emerald City'' also has another witch half based on the Witch of the South, named Mother South, that is a cardinal witch together with her daughters Glinda, West and East. Mother South gave birth to all of the witches in Oz, over a thousand years ago.

''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' (2017)

Glinda appears in the cartoon series ''

Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' is an American animated children's television series loosely based on L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel '' The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' and its subsequent books, as well as its 1939 film adaptation. The series debute ...

'', voiced by

Grey Griffin Grey DeLisle (; born Erin Grey Van Oosbree; August 24, 1973), sometimes credited as Grey Griffin, is an American voice actress, comedian and singer-songwriter. DeLisle is known for various roles in animated productions and video games. On Sept ...

. In this show, she is depicted as having an evil twin sister named Melinda the Mean (also voiced by Grey Griffin).

''Lost in Oz'' (2017)

Glinda is one of the main characters in the animated TV series '' Lost in Oz''. Voiced by

Jennifer Hale Jennifer Hale is a Canadian-American voice actress. She is best known for her work in video game franchises such as ''Baldur's Gate'', '' Mass Effect'', '' Metal Gear Solid'', '' BioShock Infinite'', '' Metroid Prime'', ''Overwatch'', and '' Sta ...

, she is sought by Dorothy and her friends to help her return to Kansas.

''Wicked: Part One'' and ''Two'' (2024 and 2025)

Ariana Grande was cast as Glinda The Good Witch in the upcoming ''

Wicked Wicked may refer to: Books * Wicked, a minor character in the ''X-Men'' universe * '' Wicked'', a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire that inspired the musical of the same name * ''Wicked'', the fifth novel in Sara Shepard's ''Pretty Little Liars'' s ...

'' two-part film adaptation. Both parts being released on Christmas day 2024 and 2025, respectively.

Musicals

''The Wizard of Oz'' (1942, stage adaptation)

In 1942 the 1939 film was adapted into a stage musical for performance at

The MUNY The St. Louis Municipal Opera Theatre (commonly known as The Muny) is an amphitheatre, amphitheater located in St. Louis, Missouri. The theatre seats 11,000 people with about 1,500 free seats in the last nine rows that are available on a first ...

in St. Louis. This version has been performed widely throughout the United States. Glinda in this version is called the Sorceress of the North; and Broadway star and ballerina

Patricia Bowman Patricia Bowman (December 12, 1908 – March 18, 1999) was an American ballerina, ballroom dancer, musical theatre actress, television personality, and dance teacher. Dance critic Jack Anderson described her as "the first American ballerina t ...

portrayed the role in its initial staging.

''The Wiz''

In the Broadway musical ''

'', Glinda is the Good Witch of the South, as she appears in the Oz books. She appears only once at the end of the musical to help Dorothy return to Kansas from the Land of Oz. Glinda is the sister of Addaperle (Abrakadabra), Evillene (Sadista), and Evvamean, the other three witches of Oz. The role was originated by Dee Dee Bridgewater. In the film version, she is played by Lena Horne, and she causes the snowstorm that brings Dorothy to Oz. She is portrayed by

Uzo Aduba Uzoamaka Nwanneka Aduba (; born February 10, 1981) is an American actress. She gained wide recognition for her role as Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren on the Netflix original series ''Orange Is the New Black'' (2013–2019), for which she won an E ...

in the 2015 television special.

''Wicked''

'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by

Winnie Holzman Winnie Holzman (born August 18, 1954 in Manhattan) is an American dramatist, screenwriter, and poet. She is known for having created the ABC television series ''My So-Called Life'', which led to a nomination for a scriptwriting Emmy Award in 199 ...

. It is based on the 1995

novel '' Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West'', an alternative telling of the 1939 film '' The Wizard of Oz'' and

's classic 1900 story, ''

''. The musical is told from the perspective of the witches of the

; its plot begins before and continues after Dorothy's arrival in Oz from

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to th ...

, and it includes several references to the 1939 film and Baum's novel. ''Wicked'' tells the story of two unlikely friends, Elphaba (the

) who was born in Munchkinland as well as Glinda of the Upper Uplands, Gillikin County. The two friends struggle through opposing personalities and viewpoints, rivalry over the same love-interest, reactions to the Wizard's corrupt government and, ultimately, Elphaba's public fall from grace.

Kristin Chenoweth Kristin Dawn Chenoweth (; born Kristi Dawn Chenoweth; July 24, 1968)Kristin Cheno ...

originated the role. Ariana Grande is slated to play the role in the upcoming film adaptation of the musical.

Actresses who have played Glinda in ''Wicked''

=Broadway, New York City

= *

Kristin Chenoweth Kristin Dawn Chenoweth (; born Kristi Dawn Chenoweth; July 24, 1968)Kristin Cheno ...

(October 2003 - July 2004) *

Jennifer Laura Thompson Jennifer Laura Thompson (born December 5, 1969) is an American actress and singer, best known for her theatrical performances. She originated the role of Cynthia Murphy in the Tony Award-winning musical, ''Dear Evan Hansen'', and received a Tony ...

(July 2004 - May 2005) *

Megan Hilty Megan Kathleen Hilty (born March 29, 1981) is an American actress and singer. She rose to prominence for her roles in Broadway musicals, including her performance as Glinda the Good Witch in '' Wicked'', Doralee Rhodes in '' 9 to 5: The Musical' ...

(May 2005 - May 2006) * Kate Reinders (May 2006 - January 2007) *

Kendra Kassebaum Kendra Kassebaum (born May 12, 1973) is an American theatre actress, who has performed in many different musicals (both Broadway and non-Broadway), and is perhaps best remembered for playing the role of Glinda in the first national tour, Broadway, ...

(January – October 2007; May – November 2008) * Annaleigh Ashford (October 2007 - May 2008) * Alli Mauzey (November 2008 - August 2009; October 2012 - April 2013; September 2013 – February 2014) *

Erin Mackey Erin Ashley Mackey (born June 19, 1986) is an American stage actress and singer, known for playing the role of Glinda in the Chicago, Los Angeles, Broadway, and Second National Tour productions of the musical '' Wicked''. She was also a double i ...

(August 2009 - January 2010) * Katie Rose Clarke (January 2010 - September 2011; April – September 2013; December 2018 - April 2019) * Chandra Lee Schwartz (September 2011 - October 2012) *

Jenni Barber Jenni Barber (born July 22, 1983) is an American actress and singer best known for her performances in musical theatre and for her role as Lisa Heffenbacher on ''The Electric Company'' (2009 - 2011). Early life Barber was born in Mansfield, O ...

(February – November 2014) * Kara Lindsay (December 2014 - January 2016; November 2016 - July 2017) *Carrie St. Louis (February – October 2016) * Amanda Jane Cooper (July 2017 - December 2018) *Ginna Claire Mason (April 2019 – March 2020; September 2021 - January 2022) *Brittney Johnson (February 2022 - Current)

=First North American Tour (Emerald City)

= *

(March 2005 - September 2006) *

(September - December 2006) *Christina DeCicco (January - November 2007) * Katie Rose Clarke (November 2007 - August 2009; November 2011 - February 2012) * Chandra Lee Schwartz (August 2009 - April 2011; July 2014 - March 2015) * Amanda Jane Cooper (April - November 2011) * Alli Mauzey (February - August 2012) *

Patti Murin Patti Murin (born September 28, 1980) is an American actress, singer and dancer. On Broadway theatre, Broadway, she has originated the title role in ''Lysistrata Jones'' (2011) and Anna (Frozen), Princess Anna in ''Frozen (musical), Frozen'' (20 ...

(August 2012 - February 2013) *

Jennifer Gambatese Jenn Gambatese (born September 10, 1975) is an American actress and singer. Gambatese has performed in the musical production of Disney's ''Tarzan'' as Jane. Gambatese also played Glinda on the first National Tour of '' Wicked''. Early life an ...

(February - December 2013) *

Gina Beck Gina or GINA or ''variation'' may refer to: Gina Gina may refer to: * Gina (given name), multiple individuals * Gina (Canaan), a town in ancient Canaan * Arihant (Jainism), also called gina, a term for a human who has conquered his or her inner p ...

(December 2013 - July 2014)

=Second North American Tour (Munchkinland)

= * Heléne Yorke (March 2009 – March 2010) *Natalie Daradich (March 2010 – September 2011) *Tiffany Haas (September 2011 – June 2012) *Jeanna De Waal (June 2012 – April 2013) *

Hayley Podschun ''Hairspray'' is a 2007 musical romantic comedy film based on the 2002 Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was based on John Waters's 1988 comedy film of the same name. Produced by Ingenious Media and Zadan/Meron Productions, and ...

(April 2013 – March 2014) * Kara Lindsay (April – November 2014; October 2018 – February 2019) *Carrie St. Louis (November 2014 – December 2015) * Amanda Jane Cooper (December 2015 – March 2017) *Ginna Claire Mason (March 2017 – October 2018) *

(February – September 2019) *Allison Bailey (September 2019 – March 2020; August 2021 – March 2022) *Jennafer Newberry (March 2022 – Current)

Chicago, Illinois

* Kate Reinders (June 2005 - January 2006) *Stacie Morgan Lewis (January - October 2006) *

(October 2006 - April 2008) * Kate Fahrner (April - June 2008) * Annaleigh Ashford (June 2008 - January 2009)

Los Angeles, California

(February 2007 - May 2008; October 2008 - January 2009) *

(May - September 2008)

San Francisco, California

(January 2009 - June 2010) * Alli Mauzey (June - September 2010)

=West End, London

= *

Helen Dallimore Helen Dallimore (born 31 October 1971) is an Australian actress, known for originating the role of Glinda in the West End production of ''Wicked''. Early life Dallimore grew up in Oxford, England and Sydney, Australia. She trained at the Nat ...

(September 2006 - July 2007) *

Dianne Pilkington Dianne Lesley Pilkington (born 7 June 1975) is an English theatre actress and singer. Personal life Pilkington was born in Wigan. She trained at the Guildford School of Acting, graduating in 1997 with the Principal's Award. Pilkington marrie ...

(July 2007 - March 2010) *

Louise Dearman Louise Dearman (born 13 March 1979) is a British actress and singer, perhaps best known for playing Glinda and Elphaba in the West End production of the musical '' Wicked.'' Notably, she is the only actress to have played both witches in any prod ...

(March 2010 - December 2011) *

(December 2011 - November 2013) * Savannah Stevenson (November 2013 - September 2016) * Suzie Mathers (September 2016 - July 2017) * Sophie Evans (July 2017 - July 2019; September 2021 - January 2022) *Helen Woolf (July 2019 – March 2020; February 2022 - Current)

1st UK/Ireland Tour

*Emily Tierney (September 2013 - July 2015)

UK/International Tour

*Carly Anderson (July 2016 - July 2017)

2nd UK/Ireland Tour

*Helen Woolf (November 2017 - January 2019)

=Melbourne, Australia

= * Lucy Durack (June 2008 - August 2009)

=Sydney, Australia

= * Lucy Durack (September 2009 - September 2010)

=Australian Tour

= * Lucy Durack (January - September 2011)

=Asian Tour

= * Suzie Mathers (December 2011 - October 2012)

=Australasian Tour

= * Suzie Mathers (September 2013 - May 2014; February - May 2015) * Lucy Durack (May 2014 - February 2015)

=Mexico City

= *Cecilia de la Cueva *Majo Pérez Seoul, Korea * Jung Sun Ah *

Ivy ''Hedera'', commonly called ivy (plural ivies), is a genus of 12–15 species of evergreen climbing or ground-creeping woody plants in the family Araliaceae, native to western, central and southern Europe, Macaronesia, northwestern Africa and ...

* Kim So Hyun * Kim Bo Kyung * Na Ha Na

=São Paulo, Brazil

= * Fabi Bang(March 2016 - December 2016)

= Stuttgart/Oberhausen, Germany

= * Lucy Scherer (2007-2008) * Jana Stelley (2008) * Joana Fee Würz (2010-2011) * Valerie Link (2011)

= The Hague, The Netherlands

= *

Chantal Janzen Chantal Janzen (; born 15 February 1979) is a Dutch actress, singer and TV presenter. She had parts in '' The Preacher'', ''Full Moon Party'' and '' Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo'' and presented '' Idols''. She also played Belle in the Dutch mu ...

(2011-2012) Prague, Czech Republic * Natálie Grossová * Sára Milfajtová * Nikola Ďuricová

=Distinctions

= *Katie Rose Clarke has appeared in the role for more performances than any other actress. *Louise Dearman is the first actress to have portrayed both lead roles of Elphaba and Glinda. *Gina Beck is the first actress to play the role both in the UK (London) and U.S. (First National Tour). *Kristin Chenoweth, the original Broadway cast Glinda, can sing the song "Popular" in German, Japanese, Chinese, and Italian.

Explanatory motes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Glinda The Good Witch Characters in Wicked Oz (franchise) witches Musical theatre characters Female characters in literature Female characters in film Female characters in television Literary characters introduced in 1900 Fictional characters with air or wind abilities Fictional characters with weather abilities Fictional fairies and sprites Female characters in musical theatre