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Hedda Hopper (May 2, 1885 – February 1, 1966) was an American actress and gossip columnist, whose long-running feud with friend turned arch-rival Louella Parsons became at least as notorious as many of Hopper's columns. She was born Elda Furry in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, the daughter of David D. (born 1857) and Margaret Miller (born 1856) Furry, members of the German Baptist Brethren. Her siblings included Dora Furry (born 1880); Sherman Furry (born 1882); Cameron Furry (born 1887); Edgar Furry (1889–1975); Frank M. Furry (born 1891); and Margaret Furry (born 1897). The family... MORE

Hedda Hopper (May 2, 1885 – February 1, 1966) was an American actress and gossip columnist, whose long-running feud with friend turned arch-rival Louella Parsons became at least as notorious as many of Hopper's columns. She was born Elda Furry in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, the daughter of David D. (born 1857) and Margaret Miller (born 1856) Furry, members of the German Baptist Brethren. Her siblings included Dora Furry (born 1880); Sherman Furry (born 1882); Cameron Furry (born 1887); Edgar Furry (1889–1975); Frank M. Furry (born 1891); and Margaret Furry (born 1897). The family moved to Altoona when Elda was three. Her father was a butcher who owned a shop. She eventually ran away to New York 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 the Follies. After a few years, she joined the theater company of matinee idol DeWolf Hopper, whom she called "Wolfie." In her words, "Dancing came easy to me. And in singing, what my voice lacked in quality it made up for in volume." LESS