They both had quite the reputation of either helping to make a career or destroy one. A strong supporter of the house unamerican activities committee huac hearings, hopper named suspected communists and was a major proponent of the hollywood blacklist. She was also known for her fashion sense, in particular her fabulous hats. Hedda hopper latest gossip programming hollywood actresses hats female actresses sombreros hat. Why hedda hopper belonged on the journalist blacklist. The dressing rooms and offices were in an abandoned barn with thin wooden partitions and no ceilings. First worked as a silent film actress for samuel goldwyn s film company under dismal conditions in fort lee, new jersey, probably around 1917. August 6, 1881 december 9, 1972 was the first american movie columnist and a screenwriter. The powerful rivalry of hedda hopper and louella parsons. Those are words spoken by hedda hopper, popular gossip columnist during hollywoods golden age who would have celebrated her 124th birthday today. Hedda hopper was a famous gossip columnist who wielded power over hollywood as did her competitor louella parsons for decades. May 2, 1885 february 1, 1966 was an american actress and gossip columnist.
Hollywood gossip columnist and rival of film critic and fellow gossip writer louella parsons. As her movie career waned in the mid1930s, hopper looked for other sources of income. Hoppers own name can still chill the blood of hollywood vets. Find video, photos, forums, blogs and shop for some of the best movies ever made only at tcm. At the height of her power in the 1940s she commanded a 35 million strong readership. In 1931 she began the hedda hopper show, which initially ran as a 15minute gossip show mostly devoted to hollywood marriages and divorces. The only child of actor dewolf hopper and actress and hollywood columnist hedda hopper, he appeared in predominantly minor roles in more than 80 feature films in the 1930s and 40s. Hedda hoppers hollywood 1960 a look at the past, present and future of hollywood as seen through the eyes of the movie columnist. Helen mirren glams up as hedda hopper in trumbo movie. The hedda hopper show gossip old time radio downloads. Turner classic movies presents the greatest motion pictures of all time from one of the largest film libraries in the world. Filmography for hedda hopper turner classic movies. In 19 she met and married matinee idol dewolf hopper sr.
Apr 02, 2017 hedda hopper s success was the culmination of a long show business career that started on broadway and then peaked when she became a contract player for mgm during the golden era of film. The new york post called hedda hopper the scariest woman in hollywood. It turned her into a brand and also aided her success in marketing multiple commodities. A glimpse into hedda hopper s hollywood two of the cruelest, most primitive punishments our town deals out to those who fall from favor are the empty mailbox and the silent telephone. These brief portions of that movie survive within the hopper documentary. At her peak, her columns were read by 20 million people in 400 newspapers worldwide. In the short, hopper, farnum, her son william hopper, and william s wife jane gilbert viewed portions of the battle of hearts. In 1937, she was offered the chance of a lifetime and embarked on a career doing something she was quite adept at.
May 02, 2014 an interesting, for lack of a better word, part of hedda hoppers stint in hollywood took place during the house unamerican activities committee hearings during which she played the role of informant, naming those she perceived as suspected communists working in hollywood at the time. An interesting, for lack of a better word, part of hedda hoppers stint in hollywood took place during the house unamerican activities committee hearings during which she played the role of informant, naming those she perceived as suspected communists working in hollywood at the time. Directed by jay roach, trumbo is released in cinemas across the uk. A glimpse into hedda hoppers hollywood once upon a. Find video, photos, forums, blogs and shop for some of. I have only heard how hedda hopper and louella parsons reigned over hollywood as gossip columnists. The silent movie spoof is hilarious a few years later, the beverly hillbillies did another one featuring no less than gloria swanson herself. Hoppers wars in the late 1930s, as a syndicated gossip columnist with a radio show and a growing and eager audience, hedda hopper became a national public figure, allowing her to participate in, and pontificate on, the world of politics beyond hollywood, particularly the politics of war. The first book to explore hoppers gossip career and the publics response to both her column and her politics, hedda hoppers hollywood illustrates how the conservative gossip maven contributed mightily to the public understanding of film, while providing a platform for women to voice political views within a traditionally masculine. This was how hedda hopper held hollywood in thrall.
Hedda hoppers hollywood 1960 utterly fascinating document of hollywood or how hedda wanted us to see hollywood in 1960. Hedda doing her cbs radio program, hedda hoppers hollywood. Hedda hopper was the most important gossip columnist in 1940s50s hollywood. Meet the scariest woman in hollywood new york post. She was wellknown for her extravagant hats and mccarthy era redbaiting. Oh god, dont use my name in this article, says patricia newcomb, the press agent who represented marilyn monroe. Despairing over the number of british oscar nominees in 1964, she suggested creating a tea party of our own. Hollywood columnist hedda hopper looks back over the 30 years she has spent in the movie capital. The 1941 short film hedda hoppers hollywood featuring carole landis, jane withers, mary pickford, joe e. This 1960 nbs special took a look at old hollywood and a group of young hopefuls and is a time capsule of a hollywood long gone. Jun 09, 2016 hedda hopper was the most important gossip columnist in 1940s50s hollywood.
Hedda hopper guides us through some of hollywood s sights. Compared with rival contemporaries louella parsons and walter winchell, hoppers career as a gossip columnist looked strong in the early 1960s. The best news about hedda hopper is that few remember her. Hedda hoppers hollywood makes an extremely valuable point noting the relationship between hopper and her public. Hoppers death in 1966 paralleled the demise of the studio system, while her devotion to laying bare the intimate secrets of hollywood stars presaged the rise of such culturally entrenched scandal sheets as the national enquirer and tmz. Hedda hoppers success was the culmination of a long show business career that started on broadway and then peaked when she became a contract player for mgm during the golden era of film. Check out this biography to know about her childhood, family, personal life, career, and achievements.
The beverly hillbillies 3x04 hedda hoppers hollywood beverly hillbillies beverly hillbillies movie beverly hillbillies theme song beverly hillbillies truck beverly hillbillies movie cast beverly hillbillies cast beverly hillbillies. Another of hoppers ridiculous declarations is rather prophetic. As seen in trumbo, who was hedda hopper, and how did helen. Oct 02, 2015 the oscarwinning actress has plenty to get her teeth into for the part of hopper, who enjoyed a career on stage and screen, before being offered her own column hedda hopper s hollywood for the. Hart and a kay kyser recordingsession being among them. The beverly hillbillies 3x04 hedda hoppers hollywood.
Hedda hopper may 2, 1885 february 1, 1966 was one of america s bestknown gossip columnists, notorious for feuding with her archrival louella parsons. Hedda hoppers hollywood carole landis mary pickford. Of course the whole truth and nothing but is left up to the reader if they want to believe her writing. Rival of the muchhated hollywood gossip, louella parsons, hedda hopper could cluck with the best of the hens. She was also vehemently anticommunist, and helped to lead the brigade to weed out supposed or real communists in hollywood, and is the focal baddie in the film trumbo. After years of hearing louella strut her stuff, former chorus girl and silent screen actress hedda hopper claimed that she could do as well or better, and began broadcasting hollywood gossip on various shows. Former actress and hollywood gossip columnist hedda hopper takes us on a tour of hollywood and interviews the stars of past and present. The 1941 short film hedda hopper s hollywood featuring carole landis, jane withers, mary pickford, joe e. And crawfords close friendship with gossip columnist. Hedda hoppers function as a gossip columnist changed dramatically. In 1938, this 52yearold struggling actress rose to fame and influence writing an incendiary gossip column, hedda hoppers hollywood, that appeared in thelos angeles timesand other newspapers throughout hollywoods golden age. At the height of her power in the 1940s, her readership was 35 million. The legendary hollywood columnists are brought to life as fictionalized twins played by tilda swinton in the coen brothers hail, caesar.
Hedda was a journalist of sorts, who famously wore exotic hats and devoted herself to destroying the careers of. Often eviscerating moviemakers and stars, her column earned her a nasty reputation in the film industry while. Hedda hopper was an american actress and gossip columnist. Hedda hopper s hollywood was a six part series that featured the former actress turning into a gossip. In 1938, this 52yearold struggling actress rose to fame and influence writing an incendiary gossip column, hedda hopper s hollywood, that appeared in thelos angeles timesand other newspapers throughout hollywood s golden age. Hedda hopper was born elda furry on may 5, 1885, in hollidaysburg, pa. In 1963, hoppers daily column was still in newspapers, includ. She examines hollywoods past, present and future, and talks with members of the industry and visits some of their homes and studiostv guide, january 10, 1960. Hopper s death in 1966 paralleled the demise of the studio system, while her devotion to laying bare the intimate secrets of hollywood stars presaged the rise of such culturally entrenched scandal sheets as the national enquirer and tmz. A woman smuggles a thief aboard a train in hopes of stealing some famous diamonds. Oct 31, 2015 hedda hopper may 2, 1885 february 1, 1966 was one of americas bestknown gossip columnists, notorious for feuding with her archrival louella parsons.
Hedda hoppers hollywood show old time radio 1 mp3 cd. Jan 11, 2016 the beverly hillbillies 3x04 hedda hoppers hollywood beverly hillbillies beverly hillbillies movie beverly hillbillies theme song beverly hillbillies truck beverly hillbillies movie cast beverly hillbillies cast beverly hillbillies mansion beverly hillbillies car beverly hillbillies lyrics beverly hillbillies episodes. Helen mirren goes retro to star as hedda hopper in new film. The beverly hillbillies hedda hoppers hollywood tv.
And crawfords close friendship with gossip columnist hedda hopper the great judy davis, who is as much. Hedda hoppers hollywood 1960 william corrigan synopsis. Jan 10, 2011 the first book to explore hoppers gossip career and the publics response to both her column and her politics, hedda hoppers hollywood illustrates how the conservative gossip maven contributed mightily to the public understanding of film, while providing a platform for women to voice political views within a traditionally masculine. Anyone who says society was milder back in the old days doesnt remember hedda hopper. For gossip columnist hedda hopper, flamboyance was her brand. Hedda hopper began her career as an actor, but her most prominent role was off the silver screen. Her portrayal in trumbo 2015 does nothing to refute that claim, as she is played by helen mirren as an elitist, pompous, commanding woman with enough readership to make or destroy the career of anyone in hollywood.
She was retained by william randolph hearst because she had championed hearsts mistress marion davies and subsequently became an influential figure in hollywood. The most feared woman in hollywood 1940s gossip queen. While gossip columns may seem frivolous, hedda hoppers had real political traction and this is a scholarly study of itfor nearly forty years, this exactress and single mother from small town pennsylvania, touting her backing by the american people who read her pieces, built and destroyed careers based on her opinions. Celebrity gossip and american conservatism author jennifer frost wrote that hopper condemned a group of men including trumbo. From wikipedia, the free encyclopedia hedda hopper born elda furry. Jun 09, 2017 hollywood gossip columnist hedda hopper takes us on a tour of hollywood and interviews the stars of past and present. May 2, 1885 february 1, 1966 was an american actress and gossip columnist, notorious for feuding with her archrival louella parsons. January 26, 1915 march 6, 1970 was an american stage, film, and television actor. Hedda hopper biography facts, childhood, family life. Although never just an industry shill, she built her career on publicizing and popular.
716 128 136 973 736 1457 296 996 365 1110 1470 289 1039 151 1416 1218 457 1291 276 674 324 284 1095 1400 6 393 997 580 949 815 1480