Born Josephine Rose Lederer. Daughter of musical producer George Lederer and Reine Davies, sister of Marion Davies, Lederer's brother Charles was a stage producer and writer. Lederer often was a guest at the Hearst Castle in San Simeon and was considered to be the life of the party, even though she wanted to be taken seriously as an actress and writer. She did some writing for the 'Los Angeles Examiner' newspaper. A known lesbian, she ran around with Tallulah Bankhead and Louise Brooks who became one of her best friends. Upset with a career that was going no where, she turned to alcohol and cocaine and moved to London, returning to New York in early 1930 when she found out she was pregnant, which seemed impossible as she was a lesbian. She had the child aborted which caused serious health complications. In 1935 her drug use was worsening and Marion Davies and William Randolph Hearst had her confined to a mental hospital. The day after she entered the hospital she jumped from a sixth floor window, landed in some shrubbery and died within minutes of a broken neck. A nurse stated that Lederer had appeared agitated and nervous and when the nurse was ordering a meal for Lederer, she ran and leaped headfirst through the screen. Actress in 2 films.
Born Josephine Rose Lederer. Daughter of musical producer George Lederer and Reine Davies, sister of Marion Davies, Lederer's brother Charles was a stage producer and writer. Lederer often was a guest at the Hearst Castle in San Simeon and was considered to be the life of the party, even though she wanted to be taken seriously as an actress and writer. She did some writing for the 'Los Angeles Examiner' newspaper. A known lesbian, she ran around with Tallulah Bankhead and Louise Brooks who became one of her best friends. Upset with a career that was going no where, she turned to alcohol and cocaine and moved to London, returning to New York in early 1930 when she found out she was pregnant, which seemed impossible as she was a lesbian. She had the child aborted which caused serious health complications. In 1935 her drug use was worsening and Marion Davies and William Randolph Hearst had her confined to a mental hospital. The day after she entered the hospital she jumped from a sixth floor window, landed in some shrubbery and died within minutes of a broken neck. A nurse stated that Lederer had appeared agitated and nervous and when the nurse was ordering a meal for Lederer, she ran and leaped headfirst through the screen. Actress in 2 films.
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