Eppie Lederer
For nearly half a century, she was America's trusted confidante, dispensing no-nonsense advice to millions from behind the name Ann Landers.
1918–2002 (age 84)·American journalist·Birthday: July 4·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Eppie Lederer didn't set out to become a national institution; she won a contest. In 1955, the Chicago Sun-Times held a competition to replace the original Ann Landers, and Lederer, a housewife with sharp wit and boundless common sense, submitted the winning entry. Overnight, she transformed into Ann Landers, tackling letters about love, loss, etiquette, and existential dread with a voice that was direct, often funny, and unflinchingly pragmatic. She worked 18-hour days, researching medical and legal issues to back her counsel, treating every letter as a sacred trust. Her column became a public square, reflecting and shaping American social more. Her famous rivalry with her identical twin sister, who wrote as 'Dear Abby', was both a personal heartache and a publishing legend, fueling the advice column wars that captivated readers for decades.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Eppie was born in 1918, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Eppie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1918
Eppie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1918Born
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1923Started school
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1931Became a teenager
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1934Could drive
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1936Could vote
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Turned 21
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1948Turned 30
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1958Turned 40
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1968Turned 50
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1978Turned 60
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 70
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 80
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2002Died at 84
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
Key Achievements
- Wrote the 'Ask Ann Landers' advice column for 47 years, growing its readership to an estimated 90 million people.
- Was named the most influential woman in the United States in a 1978 World Almanac survey.
- Her column was syndicated in over 1,200 newspapers at its peak, making it one of the most widely read features in publishing history.
- Authored several bestselling books compiling her advice and observations on modern life.
Did You Know?
She was an identical twin; her sister, Pauline Phillips, was the rival advice columnist 'Dear Abby'.
She initially applied for the Ann Landers job as a lark, encouraged by friends, and beat out 28 other finalists.
She and her sister, both advice columnists, did not speak to each other for five years during the height of their professional rivalry.
She was a close friend and confidante of many powerful figures, including several U.S. presidents.
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