Louella Parsons, 1953 | Photo from the Los Angeles Herald Examiner Photo Collection via the Los Angeles Public Library
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During an era in which Hollywood and Washington are shakily aligned in the witch hunting of actual and reputed socialists, Louella struggles to maintain her position as cheerleader for the status quo, while Hedda grabs a torch and tries to burn it all down, using celebrity gossip to further the racist, xenophobic interests of the FBI. There’s also a new competitor in town, who at once subversively spoke to and for Hollywood’s gay community, while also deflecting attention from his own sexuality by attacking others.
Alfred Eisenstaedt/Hedda Hopper | The LIFE Picture Collection, via Getty Images
SHOW NOTES:
Sources for entire season:
Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood: Celebrity Gossip and American Conservatism by Jennifer Frost
The First Lady of Hollywood: A Biography of Louella Parsons by Samantha Barbas
The Whole Truth and Nothing But by Hedda Hopper
From Under My Hat by Hedda Hopper
Tell it to Louella by Louella Parsons
The Powers That Be by David Halberstam
Hearst Over Hollywood: Power, Passion, and Propaganda in the Movies by Louis Pizzitola
The Chief: The Life of William Randolph Hearst by David Nasaw
Dish by Jeannette Walls
Privileged Son: Otis Chandler And The Rise And Fall Of The L.A. Times Dynasty by Dennis Mcdougal
Hedda and Louella: A Dual biography of Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons by George Eells
Louella Parsons and L.B. Mayer | Time Life Pictures via Getty Images
Sources specific to this episode:
Mike Connolly and the Manly Art of Hollywood Gossip by Val Holley
Behind the Screen: How Gays and Lesbians Shaped Hollywood by William J. Mann
Hollywood Godfather: The Life and Crimes of Billy Wilkerson by W. R. Wilkerson III
The Smearing of Joe McCarthy: The Lavender Scare, Gossip, and Cold War Politics by K.A. Feeley, Palgrave Macmillan
Ronald Reagan,1947-1952, 1959-1960, SAG AFTRA
Cinema: The Gossipist, TIME Magazine, July 28, 1947
Gary Cooper at the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) hearings, Washington, DC, October 24, 1947 | Photo Via Getty Images
Music:
The music used in this episode, with the exception of the intro, was sourced from royalty-free music libraries and licensed music collections. The intro includes a clip from the film Casablanca.
Excerpts from the following songs were used throughout the episode:
"The Records" by Union Hall
"Undercover Vampire Policeman" by Chris Zabriskie
"Chai Belltini" by Vermouth
"Cocoon Transit" by Origami
"Gin Boheme" by Vermouth
"Where it All Happened" by Cold Case
"Roadside Bunkhouse" by Truck Stop
"I Knew a Guy" by Kevin MacLeod
"ZigZag Heart" by Nursery
"Copley Beat" by Skittle
"Glass Stopper" by Vermouth
Mike Connolly c. 1950s
Credits:
This episode was written, narrated, and produced by Karina Longworth.
Our editor this season is Evan Viola.
Research and production assistant: Lindsey D. Schoenholtz.
Social media assistant: Brendan Whalen.
Logo design: Teddy Blanks.
Special thanks to our special guests. Julie Klausner played Louella Parsons. Julie wrote, created, and starred in Difficult People, which you can watch on Hulu. She and Tom Scharpling also have a podcast, Double Threat, which you can and should find wherever you get your podcasts. Cole Escola played Hedda Hopper. Cole can be seen on Search Party and At Home with Amy Sedaris and their self-produced special Help I’m Stuck.