Rosebud

[John Boylan]

  The story that "Rosebud" referred to Hearst's pet name of Marion
Davies's clitoris was first circulated by Gore Vidal. This was in '89
I believe. Said the information came from Charles Lederer, a screenwriter
and friend of Mankiewicz (co-writer of CK). This Lederer was also a nephew
of Davies and a frequent guest at Hearst's San Simeon home, and was, in
1940, briefly engaged to Welles's ex-wife.