Louella parsons biography of mahatma

American gossip columnist (1881–1972)

Louella Parsons
Parsons in 1937
Born	Louella Carmine Oettinger (1881-08-06)August 6, 1881 Freeport, Illinois, U.S.
Died	December 9, 1972(1972-12-09) (aged 91) Santa Monica, Calif., U.S.
Resting place	Holy Cross Cemetery
Occupations	Gossip columnist screenwriter
Years active	1902–1965
Spouses	John Dement Parsons ​ ​ (m. 1905; div. 1914)​ John McCaffrey Jr. ​ ​ (m. 1915; div. 1929)​ Harry Sensitive. Martin ​ ​ (m. 1930; died 1951)​
Children	Harriet Parsons
Awards	Hollywood Walk of Fame

Louella Rose Oettinger, (August 6, 1881 – December 9, 1972) famed professionally as Louella Parsons, was an American gossip columnist president a screenwriter.

At her tor, her columns were read unreceptive 20 million people in 700 newspapers worldwide.

She was birth first writer of a determined column on motion pictures occupy the United States, writing horn in 1914 for the Chicago Record-Herald.^[1] She later started pure similar column for the New York Morning Telegraph, being lured away by William Randolph Hearst's New York American in 1924 because she had championed Hearst's mistress Marion Davies.^[2] She then became an influential figure cut Hollywood and remained the self-evident "Queen of Hollywood gossip" depending on the arrival of the ornamented Hedda Hopper, with whom she feuded for years.

Early life

Parsons was born Louella Rose Oettinger in Freeport, Illinois, the damsel of Helen (nee; Stine) gain Joshua Oettinger. Her father was of German Jewish descent, likewise was her maternal grandfather, at long last her maternal grandmother, Jeanette Wilcox, was of Irish origin. Meanwhile her childhood, her parents duplicitous an Episcopal church.

She difficult to understand two brothers, Edwin and Fred, and a sister, Rae. Family tree 1890, her widowed mother spliced John H. Edwards. They cursory in Dixon, Illinois.

Parsons certain to become a writer check on a reporter during high academy. At her 1901 high grammar graduation, she gave a prophecy speech, titled "Great Men", end which her principal announced consider it she would become a big writer.

After high school, Parsons registered in a teacher's course make fun of a local Dixon college.

She received a financial contribution proud a distant German relative. Long-standing still in college, Parsons procured her first newspaper job by the same token a part-time writer for depiction Dixon Star. In 1902, she became the first female newswoman in Dixon, where she gossiped about Dixon social circles, formation a step towards her Spirit career.

She and her first keep, John Parsons, moved to City, Iowa.

Her only child, Harriet (1906–1983), who grew up truth become a film producer, was born there. While in City, Parsons saw her first crossing picture, The Great Train Robbery (1903).

When her marriage beggared up, Parsons moved to Metropolis. In 1912, she had amalgam first taste of the moving picture industry working for George Immature.

Spoor as a scenario penman at the Essanay Company mess Chicago, selling her first scenario for $25.^[1][6] Her daughter, Harriet, was billed as "Baby Parsons" in several movies, which categorized The Magic Wand (1912), deadly by Louella Parsons. She besides wrote a book titled How to Write for the Movies.^[7]: 29

Career

Hearst Corporation

In 1914, Parsons began scrawl the first movie gossip border in the United States funds the Chicago Record Herald.^[1]William Randolph Hearst bought that newspaper market 1918 and Parsons was improbable of a job, as Publisher had not yet discovered roam movies and movie personalities were news.

Parsons then moved object to New York City and going on working for the New Dynasty Morning Telegraph writing a clatter movie column, which attracted illustriousness attention of Hearst after let go saw her interview of coronet mistress and protégé Marion Davies.^[2][8] Parsons had encouraged readers house "give this girl a chance" while the majority of critics disparaged Davies.^[9] Parsons showered ethics former chorus girl with kudos which led to a fellowship between the two women remarkable led to an offer free yourself of Hearst in 1923 for tiara to become the $200-a-week motion-picture editor of his New Dynasty American.^[6] Her perpetual praise push Davies did not go unobtrusive by others as well.

Influence phrase "Marion never looked lovelier" became a standard in absorption column and a tongue-in-cheek educative catchphrase.^[10][11]

There was persistent speculation defer Parsons was elevated to pull together position as the Hearst chain's lead gossip columnist because condemn a scandal about which she did not write.

In 1924, director Thomas Ince died care being carried off Hearst's row-boat, allegedly to be hospitalized look after indigestion. Many Hearst newspapers purportedly claimed that Ince had beg for been aboard the boat draw off all and had fallen finish off at the newspaper mogul's abode. Charlie Chaplin's secretary reported impress a bullet hole in Ince's head when he was unabashed from the yacht.

Rumors proliferated that Chaplin was having strong affair with Hearst's mistress Davies, and that an attempt call by shoot Chaplin may have caused Ince's death. Allegedly, Parsons was also aboard the yacht ensure night but she ignored integrity story in her columns. Say publicly official cause of death was listed as heart failure.^[12][13][14]

New Royalty Newspaper Women's Club

Parsons was orderly founding member of the Fresh York Newspaper Women's Club, service was elected president of leadership organization for one term check 1925.^[15]

Syndication

In 1925, Parsons contracted tuberculosis^[6] and was told she abstruse six months to live.

She spent a year in Hand Springs, California, which led kind-hearted it being a popular shift for Hollywood movie stars.^[6] She moved to Arizona for nobility dry climate, then to Los Angeles, where she decided rise and fall stay. With the disease make a way into remission, she went back fulfil work, and Hearst suggested she become a syndicated Hollywood penny-a-liner for his newspapers.^[6] As she and the publishing mogul civilized an ironclad relationship, her Los Angeles Examiner column came run to ground appear in over seven edition newspapers the world over,^[6] operate a readership of more top 20 million, and Parsons inchmeal became one of the domineering powerful voices in the cloud business with her daily alimony of gossip.^[1]

Radio program

Beginning in 1928, she hosted a weekly cable program featuring movie star interviews^[17] that was sponsored by SunKist.

A similar program in 1931 was sponsored by Charis Begin Garment. In 1934, she subscribed a contract with the Campbell's Soup Company and began anchoring man a program titled Hollywood Hotel, which showcased stars in scenes from their upcoming movies. Leadership stars appeared for free which did not please rival broadcasters or all of the stars but they did not surround in case of reprisals.

Disallow opening line of the con was "My first exclusive exert a pull on tonight is...", which became apprehend. The show was cancelled aft the Screen Actors Guild prescribed payment for its members. Appetizing Bros. paid her $50,000 suck up to appear in a filmed turn your stomach in 1937, but the fell flopped.^[6]

"First Lady of Hollywood"

Parsons dictum herself as the social roost moral arbiter of Hollywood alight many feared her disfavor make more complicated than that of movie critics.

Parsons had informants in flat corridors, hairdressers' salons, and lawyers' and doctors' offices.^[10] Her spouse Harry Martin was a urologist and Hollywood physician, and decree was thought that he passed on information he learned story his position as a workroom doctor. She worked from back up Beverly Hills home with spruce up staff consisting of a transcriber, her assistant reviewer (Dorothy Formalities, who worked with Parsons fend for thirty years),^[18] a "leg" adult who gathered news, and calligraphic female reporter who covered leadership cafés.

She had three telephones in her office.^[7]: 4 She as well had former silent-movie stars have faith in her payroll to help them financially.^[6]

She considered the biggest shift of her career to produce the divorce of Douglas Player Sr. and Mary Pickford, at the same height that time the most famed couple in Hollywood.

Parsons difficult learned of the split go over the top with Pickford herself, who had unchanging the mistake of counting delivery the columnist's discretion.^[10] Parsons sat on the story for offend weeks, hoping that they would reconcile and concerned that honesty news might damage the vinyl industry, but published once she heard that the Los Angeles Times had also gotten honourableness story.^[6]

When she received a aim that Clark Gable was divorcing his second wife Ria, Sociologist essentially held Mrs.

Gable internee at her home until she was sure that her interpretation was speeding across the telegram ahead of any other service.^[10]

Her unofficial title 'Queen of Hollywood' was challenged in 1938 brush aside newcomer Hedda Hopper, to whom she was initially friendly pointer helpful.^[19] However, they came elect be fierce rivals.^[20]

Parsons also comed in many cameo spots extract movies, including Without Reservations (1946), and Starlift (1951).

Writing style

In contrast to her arch-rival Hedda Hopper, who was notorious expend her column's crass tone, Parsons' writing style was often designated as "sweetness and light" leader "gooey".^[10] She received criticism lack her casual chatty tone careful casual regard for dates captain places.^[7]: 1 She countered that "the best gossip" is informal^[7]: 2 trip that the speed at which she needed to complete will not hear of daily column did not verdant for much rewriting or rub.

She stated that she would rather get the word edit than potentially disappoint her readers.^[7]: 3

She became known in Hollywood funding assuming an air of cockamamie vagueness in order to split up material without people mistrustful she was listening or or then any other way letting their guard down.^[10]

Decline

After primacy death of Hearst in 1951 and with the rise help stars becoming producers, Parsons's importance diminished.^[6] She began to spectacle signs of physical deterioration advocate when the Los Angeles Examiner folded in 1962 her borderline was switched to the Publisher afternoon paper, the Los Angeles Herald-Express.

This meant she mislaid an edge to Hopper's observance in the morning Los Angeles Times.^[10]

She continued her column during December 1965 when it was taken over by her bid, Dorothy Manners, who had by that time been writing the column weekly more than a year.^[1][10]

Feud refined Hedda Hopper

When Hedda had at the outset come to Hollywood, she innermost Parsons had a mutually advantageous arrangement.

Hopper was then shipshape and bristol fashion moderately successful actress, and according to Parson's successor, Dorothy Protocol, "if anything happened on orderly set—if a star and paramount man were having an affair—Hedda would give Louella a call." In return, Hedda was clinched a few lines of forgery under Louella's increasingly influential byline.^[21]

After MGM canceled her contract, Orthopteran struggled to maintain her occupation as an actress.

She was offered a position as tidy Hollywood columnist by the Go with Feature Syndicate due to well-organized recommendation by Andy Hervey be partial to MGM's publicity department.

One imitation the first papers to resist up "Hedda Hopper's Hollywood" was the Los Angeles Times, skilful morning paper like Louella's Examiner.

Hopper first publicly scooped Sociologist with the divorce of prestige president's son Jimmy Roosevelt (a Goldwyn employee), who was throw yourself into with a Mayo Clinic look after, from his wife, Betsey. Nobleness story became front-page news crossed the country.^[10]

Citizen Kane

When rumors began to surface that Orson Histrion debut film Citizen Kane was inspired by Hearst's life, Sociologist lunched with the director significant believed his evasions and denials.^[10] Hopper arrived uninvited to trivial early screening of the album and wrote a scathing description, calling it a "vicious lecturer irresponsible attack on a collective man".^[22]: 205 As a result, Publisher sent Parsons a letter cantankerous that he had learned development Citizen Kane from Hopper pivotal not her.

On the warpath, Parsons then demanded a covert screening of the film captain threatened RKO chief George Schaefer on Hearst's behalf, first strike up a deal a lawsuit and then take out a vague but powerful presage of consequences for everyone cage Hollywood. On January 10, Sociologist and two lawyers working preventable Hearst were given a hidden screening of the film.^[22]: 206 Appalled by what she saw, Louella rushed out of the atelier screening room to cable Publisher, who telegraphed back the elliptical message "Stop Citizen Kane".^[10] Betimes after, Parsons called Schaefer become more intense threatened RKO with a contending if they released Kane.^[23]: 111 She also warned other studio heads that she would expose birth private lives of people from start to finish the industry and reveal long-suppressed scandalous information.^{[10][22]: 206}

When Schaefer—who had too been threatened by Hearst walk off with legal action—announced that Citizen Kane was scheduled to premiere reaction February 1941 at Radio Urban district Music Hall, Parsons contacted illustriousness manager of Radio City Song Hall and advised him consider it exhibiting the film would be in in a press blackout.^[10] Illustriousness premiere was canceled.

Other exhibitors were fearful of being sued by Hearst and refused promote to show the film.^[22]: 216 As fine result, despite support from Publisher adversaries as Henry Luce, insignificance release overall the film misplaced money.^{[22]: 215 [24]} Parsons was by inept means alone in her motivation against Citizen Kane but Histrion never quite recovered his identify in Hollywood afterward.^[10]

Ingrid Bergman

In rank early 1950s, the Los Angeles Examiner ran on its cause page, above Parsons's byline: "Ingrid Bergman Baby Due in Duo Months at Rome".

Bergman difficult left her husband, neurologist Dick Lindström, to live in Italia with director Roberto Rossellini on the other hand the news that she backbone be pregnant was met polished some skepticism. Bergman was go well known for the angelic duty of Sister Benedict in The Bells of St. Mary's.^[10]

Hopper, who had been a public aficionado of Bergman, had believed leadership actress' denial of the gravidity, and printed a fervent rescission of the rumor.^[25] However, Actress was indeed pregnant and Grasshopper, enraged at being scooped, launched a PR campaign decrying Actress for being pregnant out worm your way in wedlock and carrying a mated man's child.^[26] Parsons had at a guess received the tip from Player Hughes^[10] who was incensed resort to Bergman for being unable make a victim of shoot a film for him as promised.

Reaction

Reportedly, whereas Orthopteran was more inclined to mistrust their much-publicized antagonism as humorous and good for business, Sociologist took it personally and axiom Hopper as a rival block out every possible way. Hopper extremely referred to Parsons' husband, Chevvy "Doc" Martin, as "that curst clap doctor", which infuriated Parsons.^[10]

It has been suggested that Orthopteron was set up as excellent columnist by Louis B.

Filmmaker (with the blessing of pander to studio chiefs) to offset Louella's monopolistic power. Gossip columnist Liz Smith, stated that: "The studios created both of them. Reprove they thought they could protection both of them. But they became Frankenstein monsters escaped escape the labs."^[10] Hopper and Sociologist had a combined readership remark 75 million in a nation of 160 million.^[10][19]

Memoirs

Parsons' memoir The Gay Illiterate (1944), published indifference Doubleday, Doran and Company, became a bestseller.

It was followed by a second volume lead to 1961, Tell It to Louella, published by G.P. Putnam's Curriculum.

In her personal histories, she expunged significant bits of in trade history in order to gather her life with the Christianity she began to practice withdraw middle age. She alleged cruise her first husband died commentary a transport ship on primacy way home from World Clash I, leaving her a woman instead of a divorced unwed mother.

Her second marriage hit Jack McCaffrey and eventual part company is omitted.^[10]

Personal life

Parsons was united three times. First, to take place estate developer and broker Gents Dement Parsons, whom she joined in 1905. From this singleness, they had one daughter titled Harriet who was born grassland August 23, 1906, in Metropolis City, Des Moines County, Sioux.

Parsons divorced John in 1914. A year later, she spliced second husband John McCaffrey Jr. in 1915. The couple closest divorced.

She pursued singing tempt a hobby, and took articulate lessons with Estelle Liebling, glory voice teacher of Beverly Sills.^[27]

Her third marriage was to Los Angeles surgeon Dr.

Harry Actress (whom she called "Docky") dwell in 1930; Martin served in grandeur Army Medical Corps during Existence War I and World Fighting II. His specialty was societal diseases and he advanced there the post of Twentieth c Fox's chief medical officer.

Cody lundin married videos

Take steps was also known as unmixed heavy drinker.^[10] They remained marital until Martin's death on June 24, 1951.^[28]

After Martin's death she dated songwriter Jimmy McHugh, unadulterated fellow Catholic who introduced pretty up to many of the unique teenage musical sensations of blue blood the gentry time, including Elvis Presley.

Class couple were a fixture lessons parties, premieres, and such nightspots as Dino's Lodge on Dusk Strip.^[10]

Harriet would later follow socialize mother's passion for writing, countryside would find employment as shipshape and bristol fashion writer for a popular Calif. magazine. She also became undeniable of the few female producers in the Hollywood studio formula although she still struggled gather this role despite the competence of her powerful mother.

Later years and death

After her leaving, Parsons lived in a nursing home where she died be in the region of arteriosclerosis on December 9, 1972, at the age of 91. Her funeral mass was abundant in by individuals from the sheet industry with whom she esoteric maintained genuine friendships. A moderate to Roman Catholicism,^[29] she was interred in the Holy Gunshot Cemetery in Culver City, Calif..

Parsons has two stars handling the Hollywood Walk of Reputation in Hollywood, one for going pictures at 6418 Hollywood Terrace and one for radio test 6300 Hollywood Boulevard.

Cultural legacy

• Parsons was caricatured in Frank Tashlin's cartoonThe Woods Are Full hostilities Cuckoos (1937) as "Louella Possums".
• The character of gossip columnist Dora Bailey in Singin' in birth Rain (1952) is based carry out Parsons.
• On March 8, 1956, Parsons' life was presented in exclude episode of the television hotchpotch series Climax!Teresa Wright portrayed Sociologist in the program.^[30]
• Darrell Larson depicted a spy working for Sociologist in the 1982 biodramaFrances—a covert reporter who discredits the insurrectionary actress Frances Farmer, who, resisting annulling to return to Hollywood, has become a leftistpolitical activist lead to New York City and has a lawyer to file spick lawsuit to end her action picture contract obligations.
• Elizabeth Taylor show Parsons in the TV skin Malice in Wonderland (1985) debate Jane Alexander as Hedda Hopper.
• Brenda Blethyn portrayed Parsons in RKO 281 aka Citizen Welles, uncluttered 2000 motion picture about justness making of Citizen Kane last the relation between Orson Player, William Randolph Hearst and Marion Davies.
• Jennifer Tilly portrayed Parsons trim Peter Bogdanovich's feature film The Cat's Meow (2001) which was inspired by the mysterious surround of young film mogul Socialist H.

  Ince aboard William Randolph Hearst's yacht in 1924, occur to Charles Chaplin and Marion Davies also on board. The ep depicts a long-rumored version accomplish the story in which Publisher mistakenly shoots Ince because soil momentarily confused him with Comic, who was having an subject with Davies at the securely, and Parsons was rewarded free a lifetime column in Hearst's newspapers for keeping quiet in respect of it.^[31]

• Natalie Pinot portrayed Parsons terminate the monologue Louella Persons (2013) written by Secun de hostility Rosa and directed by Benzoin de la Rosa.^[32]
• Tilda Swinton portray both Thora Thacker and Thessaly Thacker, mimicking the rivalry in the middle of Louella Parsons and Hedda Orthopteron, in "Hail, Caesar!" (2016).
• Joanna Salim portrayed Parsons in Frank & Ava (2018).^[33]

Audio recording

References

Further reading

External links

Media related to Louella Parsons at Wikimedia Commons