Sidney Skolsky Sidney Skolsky Sidney Skolsky (2 May 1905 – 3 May 1983) was an American writer best known as a Hollywood gossip columnist. He ranked with Hedda Hopper (with whom he shared a birthday) and Louella Parsons as the premier Hollywood gossip columnists of the first three decades of the sound picture era. A radio personality in addition to having his own syndicated newspaper column, Skolsky also was a screenwriter and movie producer who occasionally acted in the radio and in the movies. Skolsky claimed to be the person who gave the nickname "Oscar" to the Academy Award and was credited
Hedda Hopper Her autobiography, "From Under My Hat" (Doubleday, 1952) was followed by "The Whole Truth and Nothing But" (1962), also published by Doubleday. She remained active as a writer until her death, producing six daily columns and a Sunday column for the "Chicago Tribune" syndicate, as well as writing articles for celebrity magazines such as "Photoplay". On May 8, 1913, Hopper married actor and singer DeWolf Hopper in New Jersey. They had one child, William, who later played Paul Drake in the "Perry Mason" series. They were divorced in 1922. Hopper died on February 1, 1966, of double pneumonia at the