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Sarah Jane "Pittypat" Hamilton
Sarah Jane "Pittypat" Hamilton
Where are my smelling salts? I think I shall faint!
Played By: Laura Hope Crews
- Annoying Younger Sibling: Henry sees her as this, but Pitty doesn’t do it intentionally. Rather, Henry was fed up with her feminine traits.
- Beware the Silly Ones: She may be timid and innocent, but she objects to the idea of Scarlett running her own lumber mill and she even stays on India's camp during the feud between Scarlett, Rhett and the other Atlantans. During Melanie's funeral in Scarlett, she gives Scarlett a disapproving look. It's also heavily implied that her Hysterical Woman act is just that, when the one time it would be justified—Melanie's death—she remains completely calm and even gives Dr. Meade a Death Glare when he tries to patronize her. She also calmly thanks Melanie when she stands up to Mrs Merriweather in chapter 12.Aunt Pittypat: Really, I was glad to see somebody take Dolly down a peg. She's so bossy.
- Another scene in the book has Scarlett continuing to wear mourning for Charles because she knows that not doing so will be the final straw for her and Melanie, indicating that as ditzy as she might find her, she still knows that angering her is a bad idea.
- Catchphrase: “My smelling salts!”
- Comic Relief: She has her moments.
- Demoted to Extra: In both versions of the sequel Scarlett.
- The Ditherer: Incapable of making any decision for herself, she defers to her black slave Uncle Peter, who pretty much runs the household in her stead.
- The Ditz: She is much too immature to be a proper mother to Melanie and Charles.
- Drama Queen: Margaret Mitchell pulls no punches in describing Aunt Pittypat as a total wimp and a silly-minded woman who faints and overreacts to even the tiniest scandal. Laura Hope Crews, who plays her in the film adaption, further emphasizes Pitty's personality.
- Foolish Sibling, Responsible Sibling: The foolish to Henry Hamilton's responsible.
- Good Parents: She and her brother Henry raised Melanie and Charles after the death of their parents.
- Large Ham: During her departure from Atlanta, she bemoans it in comparison to the apocalypse.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: The rare times she "forgets" her frailty, such as in the aftermath of Peachtree Creek or when Melanie is on her deathbed.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: Her real name is Sarah Jane Hamilton, but everyone calls her ”Pittypat” because her father liked the sound of her pattering little feet.
- Outliving One's Offspring: She loses both Charles and Melanie, whom she and Henry had been raising since their parents died, near the beginning and near the end of the novel.
Henry Hamilton
Henry Hamilton
- Adapted Out: He does not appear in the 1939 film, but he does appear in the televised adaptation of Scarlett.
- Big Brother Bully: To Pittypat. The only generous thing he does is financing her with a monthly allowance.
- Cain and Abel: He doesn’t like his sister very much and Pitty seems to be scared of him.
- Foolish Sibling, Responsible Sibling: The responsible to Aunt Pittypat's foolish.
- Good Parents: He and Aunt Pittypat raised Melanie and Charles after the death of their parents.
- He-Man Woman Hater: To Pittypat. But he is civil with Scarlett, at least, in the sequel. In the original he is said to be on good terms with his niece Melanie.
- Outliving One's Offspring: He loses both Charles and Melanie, whom he and Pitty had been raising since their parents died, near the beginning and near the end of the novel.
Uncle Peter
Uncle Peter
Played By: Eddie Anderson
- Comic Relief: A scene specifically written for the film adaptation has him trying to catch a chicken.
- Honorary Uncle: He is obviously not a blood relative of the Hamiltons.
- Parental Substitute: Was a true companion to Melanie and Charles whenever Aunt Pittypat was being too immature to take care of them.
- Undying Loyalty: Even after the war, he remains true to the Hamiltons and the Wilkeses.
Dr. Meade
Dr. Meade
Played By: Harry Davenport
A well-respected doctor from Atlanta.
- Adapted Out: He does not appear in the Scarlett miniseries despite appearing in Alexandra Ripley's novel.
- Happily Married: He despises having to use Rhett's excuse of being at Belle Watling's house since it's an insult to his wife, to who he has been faithful to ever since they were married.
- The Medic: Proves invaluable in the war, as he assists the thousands of wounded soldiers pouring back into Atlanta.
- Outliving One's Offspring: Loses both of his sons to the war.
Mrs. Meade
Mrs. Meade
Played By: Leona Roberts
- Adapted Out: She does not appear in the Scarlett miniseries, despite her return in the Alexandra Ripley novel.
- Death Glare: She gives one to Scarlett when she arrived at Ashley’s birthday party.
- Demoted to Extra: In the sequel Scarlett.
- The Dragon: To India in the film, or at least she keeps her in line.
- Gossipy Hens: She’s quite gossipy around Dolly Merriwether and Mrs. Elsing.
- The Lancer: To Mrs. Merriwether, especially when they argue over trivial matters.
- Named by the Adaptation: Nowhere in the book does it mention that her given name is Caroline.
- Oh, Crap!: Gives this look when she and India catch Scarlett with Ashley in the lumber mill in the film’s version of events.
- Outliving One's Offspring: Loses both of her sons to the war.
Mrs. Merriwether
Mrs. Merriwether
Played By: Jane Darwell
- Adapted Out: She returns in Scarlett, but she is nowhere to be seen in the miniseries.
- Gossipy Hens: She’s the local gossip of Atlanta.
- Grande Dame: She is old enough to be one and she dresses rather lavishly.
- Obnoxious Entitled Housewife: She is a busybody, overbearing Southern Matriarch and gossip who openly bosses around other women in her vicinity (plus she is a racist).
Grandpa Merriwether
Grandpa Merriwether
- Action Survivor: Despite his old age, he fights in the Home Guard at the siege of Atlanta and survives.
- Adapted Out: Mrs. Merriwether seldom mentions him in the 1939 film.
Maybelle Merriwether
Maybelle Merriwether
Played By: Mary Anderson
- Demoted to Extra: She only appears in the charity bazaar scene in the film along with her husband René Picard.
René Picard
René Picard
- Babies Ever After: Mrs. Merriwether mentions to Mrs. Meade in the film adaptation that René and Maybelle bore a son named Napoleon.
- Demoted to Extra: He only appears in the charity bazaar scene in the film along with Maybelle.
- Funetik Aksent: He is a Louisiana Zouave, and Margaret Mitchell writes his dialogue with French phonetics, similar to how she writes the dialogue of the black characters.
Belle Watling
Belle Watling
Played By: Ona Munson
The Madam of a well-known brothel and a friend of Rhett's. She is often ostracized by the city's population, but holds her head high.
- Adapted Out: From the 2008 West End musical.
- All of the Other Reindeer: A large number of Atlantans don’t seem to like her because of her reputation as a hooker.
- Because You Were Nice to Me: It's implied that one of the reasons Belle helps save Ashley's life in the second half of the film is because of Melanie's kindness to her in the first half, kindly accepting Belle's wartime donation rather than treat her like a filthy untouchable. Conversely, she states that it been only Frank Kennedy in trouble, she wouldn't have lifted a finger—despite liking Frank—purely out of dislike for Scarlett.
- Foil: To Scarlett, as lampshaded by Rhett himself. Both are tough and shrewd businesswomen, but Belle has a kind heart. They're even both in love with men who don't love them back (Ashley for Scarlett, Rhett for Belle).
- A Friend in Need: If Rhett or Melanie need help, Belle will come through for them with anything, no questions asked.
- Hooker with a Heart of Gold: Practically the Trope Codifier. She's the madam of a local brothel and considered a filthy untouchable by most of polite society, but she'll still happily donate lots of money for the war cause and help a friend in need without any expectation of reward.
- I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: When Rhett is considering leaving Scarlett after Bonnie is born, Belle convinces him to stay on account of the baby. Rhett praises her good heart and decides to go back to Scarlett, which clearly breaks Belle's heart, but nonetheless she lets him go.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: As Rhett points out in the film adaptation, Belle and Scarlett are both tough and shrewd business women, but unlike Scarlett, Belle has a heart.
- Stepford Smiler: Part of her profession is entertaining her guests and being in a good mood all the time. The only time we get a hint that she's unhappy is after Rhett, whom she is implied to pine for, tells her that she is better than Scarlett because she has a heart. Shrewd Belle realizes that in spite of Rhett's compliments and admiration for her, he's still "poisoned" with Scarlett. After he leaves, Belle's expression goes from smiling to heartbroken almost instantly.
- Unrequited Love: It's implied that she is in love with Rhett, and that he might be the father of the son she has.
Johnny Gallagher
Johnny Gallagher
Played By: J.M. Kerrigan
- Bad Boss: He treats his convict laborers horribly and only seems to care about money.
Mr. Johnson
One of Scarlett's mill managers.
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: He cheats Scarlett.
Archie
Archie
A tough old mountain man who's missing an eye and a leg and who Melanie met when he boarded in her basement. Despite being a sour old man, he was hale and intimidating that he was recommended to Scarlet as a coachman and bodyguard, which made him into something of an Atlanta fixture when Scarlet started to lend out his services.
Archie had been serving a life sentence in prison for murdering his wife (after she slept with his brother), and forty years into that sentence, he was recruited for the Confederate Army with the promise of freedom after the war.—-
- Adapted Out: From the film.
- The Dragon: To India.
- Even Evil Has Standards: He's a misogynist who murdered his wife, yet is enraged at Scarlett's plan to lease convicts to work in her mills, citing the inhumane way the men are treated, indicating that he may have gone through this himself. He quits working for her and won't even drive the other women around if Scarlett is with them.
- Forgiven, but Not Forgotten: Mean as he is, he was polite enough to Melanie to explain his story before she invited him into his home. For Scarlet, getting his story, even his last name, was like pulling teeth. It was only until Scarlet considered hiring out convicts, much to Archie's protest, that got him to talk about himself. Scarlet was surprised when she learned that Melanie already knew his old crime, let alone letting Archie into her house. Melanie's reasoning was that while other types of criminal make a habit of crime, no murderer does it more than once.
- Irony: For all his hatred of women, he willingly acts as a bodyguard for them and adores Melanie so much that he's practically her lapdog.
- Laser-Guided Karma: His hatred of Scarlett leads to Melanie throwing him out of her house.
- Morality Pet: Melanie is the sole exception to his hatred of women and he reveres her so much that when someone insults Ashley, he's ready to kill the man out of respect for her."Archie thought, and frequently said, that Grandpa was an old bag of wind and Archie had no intention of letting him insult Miss Melanie's husband, even if Miss Melanie's husband was talking like a fool."
- Politically Incorrect Villain / He-Man Woman Hater: He murdered his wife and with the exception of Melanie, dislikes women, particularly Scarlett, who he treats like shit. He also hates blacks to the point that they're genuinely afraid of him—"Even Mammy walked timorously around him", "No Negro dared to even laugh in Archie's presence", etc.
- Put on a Bus: Melanie sends him packing after he joins India Wilkes in spreading the rumour about Ashley and Scarlett.
- Trading Bars for Stripes: As a lifer, he was technically supposed to be skipped over for recruitment. He argued his case to the warden, who agreed with his reasoning and let out of prison to fight in the war.
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Values Dissonance: Even within the story, his moral principles as mountain folk is offset from other people. He sees himself as justified in killing his wife for cheating on him, but that got him a life sentence.
