Hedda Hopper (born Elda Furry; May , â€" February , ) was an American
gossip columnist and actress. At the height of her influence in the s,
her readership was million. A strong supporter of the House
Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) hearings, Hopper named
suspected communists and was a major proponent of the Hollywood
blacklist. Hopper continued to write gossip until the end of her life,
her work appearing in many magazines and later on radio. She had an
extended feud with another gossip columnist, arch-rival Louella
Parsons.Hopper was born Elda Furry in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, the
daughter of Margaret (née Miller; â€") and David Furry, a butcher,
both members of the German Baptist Brethren. Her family was of
Pennsylvania Dutch (German) descent. The family moved to Altoona when
Elda was three.She eventually ran away to New York City and began her
career in the chorus on the Broadway stage. Hopper was not successful
in this venture, even getting the axe by the renowned Shubert
Brothers. Florenz Ziegfeld called the aspiring starlet a "clumsy cow"
and brushed off her pleas for a slot in his lavish Follies. After a
few years, she joined the theater company of matinee idol DeWolf
Hopper, whom she called "Wolfie" and would later marry.[citation
needed]She remained in the chorus and they toured the country. While
in the Hopper company, she realized that chorus and understudy jobs
were not acting. She wanted to act, and she knew she would have to
prove herself before she could hope to get anywhere in the theater.
Hearing that Edgar Selwyn was casting his play The Country Boy for a
road tour, she went to his office and talked him into letting her
audition for the lead. She was given the role and that show toured for
thirty-five weeks through forty-eight states. She studied singing
during the summer and, in the fall, toured with The Quaker Girl in the
second lead, the prima donna role. The show closed in Albany.
gossip columnist and actress. At the height of her influence in the s,
her readership was million. A strong supporter of the House
Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) hearings, Hopper named
suspected communists and was a major proponent of the Hollywood
blacklist. Hopper continued to write gossip until the end of her life,
her work appearing in many magazines and later on radio. She had an
extended feud with another gossip columnist, arch-rival Louella
Parsons.Hopper was born Elda Furry in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, the
daughter of Margaret (née Miller; â€") and David Furry, a butcher,
both members of the German Baptist Brethren. Her family was of
Pennsylvania Dutch (German) descent. The family moved to Altoona when
Elda was three.She eventually ran away to New York City and began her
career in the chorus on the Broadway stage. Hopper was not successful
in this venture, even getting the axe by the renowned Shubert
Brothers. Florenz Ziegfeld called the aspiring starlet a "clumsy cow"
and brushed off her pleas for a slot in his lavish Follies. After a
few years, she joined the theater company of matinee idol DeWolf
Hopper, whom she called "Wolfie" and would later marry.[citation
needed]She remained in the chorus and they toured the country. While
in the Hopper company, she realized that chorus and understudy jobs
were not acting. She wanted to act, and she knew she would have to
prove herself before she could hope to get anywhere in the theater.
Hearing that Edgar Selwyn was casting his play The Country Boy for a
road tour, she went to his office and talked him into letting her
audition for the lead. She was given the role and that show toured for
thirty-five weeks through forty-eight states. She studied singing
during the summer and, in the fall, toured with The Quaker Girl in the
second lead, the prima donna role. The show closed in Albany.
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