Hedy Lamarr

Movie Actress

Hedy Lamarr was an Austrian-born American film actress and inventor. A film star during Hollywood's golden age, Lamarr has been described as one of the greatest movie actresses of all time.

Full Name

Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler

Birthday

Nov 9, 1914

deathday

Jan 19, 2000

AGE

BORN

Austria

BIrth SIGN

Scorpio

RElationship

Divorced

Height

5′ 7″

Net Worth

$100K

About

Hedy Lamarr was born on November 9, 1914 in Vienna, Austria. Her birth name was Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler and her zodiac sign was Scorpio. She was of Jewish descent and was the daughter of Gertrud “Trude” Kiesler and Emil Kiesler. Hedy attended the prestigious Prayner Conservatory for Music and Dramatic Arts in Vienna where she studied drama, musicals, and the piano.

At age 18, she signed a contract with the Austrian film studio Sascha-Film and starred in her first film called ‘Geld auf der Strasse’ (Money On The Street) in 1932. She then went on to appear in several other films within the next few years before gaining international attention with her most famous role in ‘Ecstasy’ (1933), which featured scenes of nudity that made headlines across Europe.

In 1937, Lamarr married Fritz Mandl, an Austrian arms manufacturer who had previously employed Jewish scientists who he later fired due to their political beliefs. After two years of marriage, Lamarr escaped Mandl's home by disguising herself as a maid and fleeing to Paris. It was here that she adopted the stage name "Hedy Lamarr" while filming Algiers (1938).

In 1941, Lamarr moved to Hollywood where she starred in many successful movies such as Boom Town (1940) with Clark Gable and White Cargo (1942) with Walter Pidgeon. During this time, she also co-invented an early version of frequency hopping technology which could potentially be used for radio guided torpedoes during World War II but was never used until decades later when it became integral for cellular phone development.

Lamarr passed away at her Miami Beach home on January 19th 2000 at the age of 85 from natural causes.

Life Timeline

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1914</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Hedy Lamarr is Born</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">On November 9, 1914, Hedy Lamarr was born in Vienna, Austria.</p></div>

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1933</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Starring in Czech Film</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">In 1933, she starred in the Czech film “Ecstasy”, which featured her nude swimming scene.</p></div>

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1937</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Moves to U.S. and Marries MGM Exec</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Fleeing an unhappy marriage, Lamarr moves to the United States and marries MGM executive, Louis B. Mayer.</p></div>

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1940</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Star of Hollywood Films</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Lamarr stars in several popular Hollywood films, including Algiers, Boom Town, and White Cargo.</p></div>

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1941</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Co-Patents Frequency Hopping Technology</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Lamarr and composer George Antheil co-patent their invention of frequency hopping technology.</p></div>

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1960s</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Receives Industry Awards</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Throughout the 1960s, Lamarr receives many awards from the film industry for her work as an actress.</p></div>

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1997</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Honored for Frequency Hopping Invention</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Lamarr is honored for her frequency hopping invention by the Electronic Frontier Foundation.</p></div>

Why We Love Them

<div id="" class="whywelove-item"><h3 id="" class="whywelove-title"><span class="whywelove-leter">A.</span> She Was a Pioneer in Hollywood</h3><p id="" class="whywelove-text">Hedy Lamarr was a pioneer in Hollywood, as she was one of the first actresses to embrace complex and challenging roles. She was also an early advocate for racial and gender equality in the film industry.</p></div>

<div id="" class="whywelove-item"><h3 id="" class="whywelove-title"><span class="whywelove-leter">B.</span> She Was an Inventor</h3><p id="" class="whywelove-text">Hedy Lamarr was not only a talented actress but also an inventor. Together with her partner George Antheil, she invented an early form of frequency hopping technology which is now used in modern Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections.</p></div>

<div id="" class="whywelove-item"><h3 id="" class="whywelove-title"><span class="whywelove-leter">C.</span> She Was Ahead of Her Time</h3><p id="" class="whywelove-text">Hedy Lamarr was ahead of her time, both in terms of her acting and her inventing. She rejected traditional roles for women and instead embraced more complex characters. She also recognized the potential of wireless communication before many others did.</p></div>

Interesting Facts

<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">1.</span> Developed Technology</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Hedy Lamarr was a Hollywood actress and inventor who developed technology that was later used in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.</p></div>

<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">2.</span> Flew her own Plane</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">In 1949, Hedy Lamarr became the first female to fly her own plane across the United States.</p></div>

<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">3.</span> First Female Lead Role in a Major Film</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Hedy Lamarr was the first female lead role in a major motion picture with her performance as Algiers in 1938.</p></div>

<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">4.</span> Filed for Divorce While on Honeymoon</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Hedy Lamarr filed for divorce from her second husband while they were on their honeymoon.</p></div>