born james marion fidler in st. louis, missouri, fidler was a hollywood publicist and advertising man who became a highly successful syndicated columnist with his "jimmie fidler in hollywood" column in 187 outlets, including the "new york post" and the "los angeles times". in 1933-34 his 15-minute nbc radio show, "hollywood on the air", sponsored by tangee lipstick, was broadcast from the hollywood roosevelt hotel. he was regarded in hollywood as a genuine threat to gossip queen louella parsons, especially after he scooped her in november 1935 on a major story about clark gable, an incident so embarrassing to parsons that she lied about it in her autobiography.