Hopper, Hedda (1890–1966)

US celebrity reporter. From 1938 she wrote a syndicated newspaper column about the private lives of the Hollywood stars. She carried on a widely publicized feud with her rival columnist Louella Parsons.

Born Elda Furry in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, she left home as a teenager to begin a theatrical career. First appearing on the Broadway stage in 1909, she adopted her professional name after marrying actor DeWolf Hopper. From 1915 she appeared in many silent films. A retired actor, she was hired as a radio gossip reporter in 1936.