WOMEN IN HISTORY - LOUELLA PARSONS
Pioneer in the gossip industry
DATE OF BIRTH
1881
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PLACE OF BIRTH
Freeport, Illinois
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DATE OF DEATH1972
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PLACE OF DEATHSanta Monica, California
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EARLY LIFE
She was born Louella Rose Oettinger in Freeport, Illinois, the daughter of Joshua Oettinger and Helen Stein, both of German Jewish descent.
In her teens, Louella was already a smart and intelligent young woman, but there were few literary outlets for her ambitions. It wasn't until high school that Louella decided to become a writer or a reporter. On June 4, 1901, at her high school graduation, Louella gave a foretelling speech, entitled “Great Men,” after which her principal announced that she would become a great writer.
She and her first husband, John Parsons, moved to Burlington, Iowa. Her only child, Harriet (1906–1983), who grew up to become a film producer, was born there. While in Burlington, Parsons saw her first motion picture, The Great Train Robbery (1903).
When her marriage broke up, Parsons moved to Chicago. In 1912, she had her first taste of the movie industry by selling a script for $25 to the Essanay Company, which would soon be employing Charlie Chaplin. Her small daughter, Harriet, was billed as "Baby Parsons" in several movies, which included The Magic Wand (1912), written by Louella Parsons. She also wrote a book titled How to Write for the Movies.
In her teens, Louella was already a smart and intelligent young woman, but there were few literary outlets for her ambitions. It wasn't until high school that Louella decided to become a writer or a reporter. On June 4, 1901, at her high school graduation, Louella gave a foretelling speech, entitled “Great Men,” after which her principal announced that she would become a great writer.
She and her first husband, John Parsons, moved to Burlington, Iowa. Her only child, Harriet (1906–1983), who grew up to become a film producer, was born there. While in Burlington, Parsons saw her first motion picture, The Great Train Robbery (1903).
When her marriage broke up, Parsons moved to Chicago. In 1912, she had her first taste of the movie industry by selling a script for $25 to the Essanay Company, which would soon be employing Charlie Chaplin. Her small daughter, Harriet, was billed as "Baby Parsons" in several movies, which included The Magic Wand (1912), written by Louella Parsons. She also wrote a book titled How to Write for the Movies.
ACHIEVEMENTS
In 1914, Parsons began writing the first gossip column in the United States or the Chicago Record Herald. William Randolph Hearst bought that newspaper in 1918 and Parsons was out of a job, as Hearst had not yet discovered that movies and movie personalities were news. Parsons then moved to New York City and started working for the New York Morning Telegraph writing a similar movie column, which attracted the attention of Hearst. In 1923, after shrewd bargaining on both sides, she signed a contract and joined the Hearst newspaper the New York American.
In 1925, Parsons contracted tuberculosis and was told she had six months to live. She moved to Los Angeles, where she decided to stay. With the disease in remission, she went back to work, becoming a syndicated Hollywood columnist for Hearst. As she and the publishing mogul had developed an ironclad relationship, her Los Angeles Examiner column came to appear in over six hundred newspapers the world over, with a readership of more than twenty-million, and Parsons gradually became one of the most powerful voices in the movie business with her daily allotment of gossip.
In 1934, she began hosting a program titled Hollywood Hotel, which showcased stars in scenes from their upcoming movies.
She was associated with various Hearst enterprises for the rest of her career. Parsons saw herself as the social and moral arbiter of Hollywood. Her judgments were considered the final word in many cases, and her disfavor was feared by many more than that of movie critics. Eventually, Parson's daily gossip column appeared in more than 400 newspapers, and read by 20 million people around the world.
Parsons also appeared in numerous cameo spots in movies.
In 1944, she wrote her memoirs, The Gay Illiterate, published by Doubleday, Doran and Company, which became a bestseller. That was followed by another volume in 1961, Tell It to Louella, published by G.P. Putnam's Sons.
In 1925, Parsons contracted tuberculosis and was told she had six months to live. She moved to Los Angeles, where she decided to stay. With the disease in remission, she went back to work, becoming a syndicated Hollywood columnist for Hearst. As she and the publishing mogul had developed an ironclad relationship, her Los Angeles Examiner column came to appear in over six hundred newspapers the world over, with a readership of more than twenty-million, and Parsons gradually became one of the most powerful voices in the movie business with her daily allotment of gossip.
In 1934, she began hosting a program titled Hollywood Hotel, which showcased stars in scenes from their upcoming movies.
She was associated with various Hearst enterprises for the rest of her career. Parsons saw herself as the social and moral arbiter of Hollywood. Her judgments were considered the final word in many cases, and her disfavor was feared by many more than that of movie critics. Eventually, Parson's daily gossip column appeared in more than 400 newspapers, and read by 20 million people around the world.
Parsons also appeared in numerous cameo spots in movies.
In 1944, she wrote her memoirs, The Gay Illiterate, published by Doubleday, Doran and Company, which became a bestseller. That was followed by another volume in 1961, Tell It to Louella, published by G.P. Putnam's Sons.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Barbas, Samantha. The First Lady of Hollywood: A Biography of Louella Parsons, University of California Press, 2004.
- Eels, George. Hedda and Louella, W.H. Allen/Virgin Books, 1972.
WEBSITES
QUOTE
"The first person I ever cared deeply and sincerely about was – myself." ~ Louella Parsons
CITATION
This page may be cited as:
Women in History. Louella Parsons biography. Last Updated: 9/29/2024. Women In History Ohio.
<http://www.womeninhistoryohio.com/louella-parsons.html>
Women in History. Louella Parsons biography. Last Updated: 9/29/2024. Women In History Ohio.
<http://www.womeninhistoryohio.com/louella-parsons.html>