Hedda Hopper

Elda Furry (Hedda Hopper) was born May 2, 1885, in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. She is primarily remembered as one of the two most famous Hollywood gossip columnists ever, the other being rival Louella Parsons. However, Hedda began her career in Hollywood as an actress and had appeared in 121 films before beginning a string of radio shows and debuting her gossip column, "Hedda Hopper's Hollywood" in the Los Angeles Times on February 14, 1938. Up until the time of her death in 1966 she continued to produce six daily columns and a Sunday column for the Chicago Tribune syndicate, as well as writing for various fan magazines.

Hedda was generally hated, or at the least feared by many in the Hollywood community because of the amount of "dirt" she was able to dig up and the innuendos she let drop. Her friendship with J. Edgar Hoover and Joseph McCarthy, and her testimony at the House Un-American Activities Committee, didn’t help her popularity either.

Nevertheless, she has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and it’s not for her mostly forgettable, but workmanlike performances in film.

Some speculate her decided mean streak may have come from never breaking through to lead actress status. In any event, she preceded Perez Hilton and TMZ and would surely hold her own in today’s gossip heavy world.

All that said, this post presents Hedda in her film persona. Few if any of her early films, 1915 through 1930, are available. By the time sound came around, Hedda was 45 and most of her roles, and what you see in this post, have her playing wealthy, married socialites, and similar types. She made few appearances after the mid-thirties, but was in both Topper (1937) and The Women (1939), where she played a columnist.

Her son, actor William Hopper, became famous as investigator Paul Drake in the "Perry Mason" TV series.

Click on the images for a larger view.

Mid to late Twenties publicity still.

Photoplay August 1931 - Hedda shares a fashion spread with Constance Bennett.

Movie Mirror February 1932
I guess Hedda was ok with the term matron, but that wouldn't fly with most 40 somethings I know.

Three MGM publicity stills from the early Thirties.

The Racketeer (1929) , Let Us Be Gay (1930), Rebound (1931)
The Racketeer is available here for download.

Downstairs (1932), Skyscraper Souls (1932)

John Gilbert married Virgina Bruce shortly after filming Downstairs, so ads for the movie proclaimed "starring Mr. and Mrs. John Gilbert".

Hedda Hopper - What do you think - Allure?