Wickes never operated as a traditional Hollywood leading lady. Her appeal rested in her ability to arrive for two scenes, deliver biting lines with impeccable deadpan timing, and completely walk away with the audience's attention.
| Production & Year | Role / Contribution | Industry Impact & Legacy |
|---|---|---|
| The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942) | Miss Preen (The Nurse) | Reprised her breakthrough Broadway role; established her sharp comedic identity opposite Bette Davis. |
| Studio One: Mary Poppins (1949) | Mary Poppins | First screen portrayal of the character; delivered a faithful, tart interpretation of P.L. Travers' books. |
| White Christmas (1954) | Emma Allen (Housekeeper) | Played the eavesdropping emotional anchor of the Columbia Inn; remains a holiday broadcast fixture. |
| One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961) | Cruella de Vil (Live-Action Model) | Provided the body mechanics, wild gesticulations, and physical posture for Marc Davis’s animation team. |
| Sister Act (1992) & Sequel (1993) | Sister Mary Lazarus | Delivered dry, deadpan choir direction; grossed over $231M worldwide and introduced her to younger viewers. |
| The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) | Laverne the Gargoyle (Voice) | Her final film role; recorded her dialogue shortly before her death in October 1995 at age 79. |
Wickes worked with meticulous discipline. She avoided agent gossip, arrived on sets with lines memorized, and refused to play characters with cheap sentimentality. That practical focus kept her employed across seven decades when many of her glamorous peers faded from the public eye.
