Hedy Lamar
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Hedy Lamarr (; born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler; November 9, 1914 January 19, 2000) was an Austrian-born American actress and inventor. After a brief early film career in
Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...
, including the controversial erotic romantic drama ''
Ecstasy Ecstasy most often refers to: * Ecstasy (emotion), a trance or trance-like state in which a person transcends normal consciousness * Religious ecstasy, a state of consciousness, visions or absolute euphoria * Ecstasy (philosophy), to be or stand o ...
'' (1933), she fled from her first husband,
Friedrich Mandl Friedrich Alexander Maria Mandl colloquially Fritz Mandl (9 February 1900 – 8 September 1977) was an Austrian industrialist, armament manufacturer, private investor and prominent fascist. He would be known as the King of Ammunition for leading ...
, and secretly moved to Paris. Traveling to London, she met
Louis B. Mayer Louis Burt Mayer (; born Lazar Meir; July 12, 1884Mayer maintained that he was born in Minsk on July 4, 1885. According to Scott Eyman, the reasons may have been: * Mayer's father gave different dates for his birthplace at different times, so ...
, who offered her a film contract in Hollywood. Lamarr became a film star with her performance in the romantic drama ''
Algiers Algiers is the capital city of Algeria as well as the capital of the Algiers Province; it extends over many Communes of Algeria, communes without having its own separate governing body. With 2,988,145 residents in 2008Census 14 April 2008: Offi ...
'' (1938). She achieved further success with the Western '' Boom Town'' (1940) and the drama ''
White Cargo ''White Cargo'' is a 1942 American drama film starring Hedy Lamarr and Walter Pidgeon, and directed by Richard Thorpe. Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it is based on the 1923 London and Broadway hit play by Leon Gordon (playwright), Leon Gord ...
'' (1942). Lamarr's most successful film was the religious epic '' Samson and Delilah'' (1949). She also acted on television before the release of her final film in 1958. She was honored with a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
in 1960. At the beginning of
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, along with
George Antheil George Johann Carl Antheil ( ; July 8, 1900 – February 12, 1959) was an American avant-garde composer, pianist, author, and inventor whose modernist musical compositions explored the sounds – musical, industrial, and mechanical – of the ear ...
, Lamarr co-invented a radio guidance system for
Allied An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not an explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are calle ...
torpedo A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, such ...
es that used
spread spectrum In telecommunications, especially radio communication, spread spectrum are techniques by which a signal (electrical engineering), signal (e.g., an electrical, electromagnetic, or acoustic) generated with a particular Bandwidth (signal processi ...
and
frequency hopping Frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) is a method of transmitting radio signals by rapidly changing the carrier frequency among many frequencies occupying a large spectral band. The changes are controlled by a code known to both transmitter ...
technology to defeat the threat of
radio jamming Radio jamming is the deliberate blocking of or interference with wireless communications.https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-12-347A1.pdf Enforcement Advisory No. 2012-02 FCC Enforcement Advisory Cell Jammers, GPS Jammers, and Other J ...
by the
Axis powers The Axis powers, originally called the Rome–Berlin Axis and also Rome–Berlin–Tokyo Axis, was the military coalition which initiated World War II and fought against the Allies of World War II, Allies. Its principal members were Nazi Ge ...
. However, the technology was not used in operational systems until after World War II, and then independently of their patent. Her invention has led her to be known as the "mother of
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for Wireless LAN, local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by ...
", though she didn't directly ''invent'' the technology in the modern sense.


Early life

Lamarr was born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler in 1914 in
Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
, the only child of Gertrud "Trude" Kiesler (née Lichtwitz) and Emil Kiesler. Her father was born to a Galician-Jewish family in
Lemberg Lviv ( or ; ; ; see #Names and symbols, below for other names) is the largest city in western Ukraine, as well as the List of cities in Ukraine, fifth-largest city in Ukraine, with a population of It serves as the administrative centre of ...
in the
Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria The Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria, also known as Austrian Galicia or colloquially Austrian Poland, was a constituent possession of the Habsburg monarchy in the historical region of Galicia (Eastern Europe), Galicia in Eastern Europe. The Cr ...
, part of
Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...
(now
Lviv Lviv ( or ; ; ; see #Names and symbols, below for other names) is the largest city in western Ukraine, as well as the List of cities in Ukraine, fifth-largest city in Ukraine, with a population of It serves as the administrative centre of ...
in
Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
) and was, in the 1920s, deputy director of
Wiener Bankverein The Wiener Bankverein or Bank-Verein (WBV, ) was a major bank in the Habsburg Monarchy and the First Austrian Republic, founded in 1869. In 1888 it was the fourth-largest bank of Austria-Hungary by market capitalization, behind the Austro-Hunga ...
, and at the end of his life a director at the united Creditanstalt-Bankverein. Her mother, a pianist and a native of
Budapest Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...
, in the
Kingdom of Hungary The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from 1000 to 1946 and was a key part of the Habsburg monarchy from 1526-1918. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coro ...
, had come from an upper-class
Hungarian-Jewish The history of the Jews in Hungary dates back to at least the Kingdom of Hungary, with some records even predating the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin in 895 CE by over 600 years. Written sources prove that Jewish communities lived i ...
family. She had converted to Catholicism and was described as a "practicing Christian" who raised her daughter as a Christian, although Hedy was not baptized at the time. As a child, Lamarr showed an interest in acting and was fascinated by theater and film. At the age of 12, she won a beauty contest in Vienna. She also began to learn about technological inventions with her father, who would take her out on walks, explaining how devices functioned.


European film career


Early work

Lamarr was taking acting classes in Vienna when one day, she forged a note from her mother and went to
Sascha-Film Sascha-Film, in full Sascha-Filmindustrie AG and from 1933 Tobis-Sascha-Filmindustrie AG, was the largest Austrian film production company of the silent film and early sound film period. History The business was established in 1910 by Alexander ...
and was able to have herself hired as a
script girl A script supervisor (also called continuity supervisor or script) is a member of a film crew who oversees the continuity of the motion picture including dialogue and action during a scene. The script supervisor may also be called upon to ensure wa ...
. While there, she had a role as an
extra Extra, Xtra, or The Extra may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Film * The Extra (1962 film), ''The Extra'' (1962 film), a Mexican film * The Extra (2005 film), ''The Extra'' (2005 film), an Australian film Literature * Extra (newspaper), ...
in the romantic comedy ''
Money on the Street ''Money on the Street'' () is a 1930 Austrian-German romantic comedy film directed by Georg Jacoby and starring Lydia Pollman, Georg Alexander, and Franz Schafheitlin. It is notable for the screen debut of Hedy Lamarr, who made a short appea ...
'' (1930), and then a small speaking part in the comedy '' Storm in a Water Glass'' (1931). Producer
Max Reinhardt Max Reinhardt (; born Maximilian Goldmann; 9 September 1873 – 30 October 1943) was an Austrian-born Theatre director, theatre and film director, theater manager, intendant, and theatrical producer. With his radically innovative and avant-gard ...
then cast her in a play entitled ''The Weaker Sex'', which was performed at the
Theater in der Josefstadt The Theater in der Josefstadt is a theater in Vienna in the eighth district of Josefstadt. It was founded in 1788 and is the oldest still performing theater in Vienna. It is often referred to colloquially as simply ''Die Josefstadt''. Following ...
. Reinhardt was so impressed with her that he brought her with him back to
Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
. However, she never actually trained with Reinhardt or appeared in any of his Berlin productions. Instead, she met the Russian theatre producer
Alexis Granowsky Alexis Granowsky (), born Abram Mikhaylovich Azarkh (; – 11 March 1937), was a Russian theatre director who later became a film director. Life Alexis Granowsky was born as Abraham Azarkh into a Jewish family in Moscow. After studying in St. Pe ...
, who cast her in his film directorial debut, '' The Trunks of Mr. O.F.'' (1931), starring
Walter Abel Walter Abel (June 6, 1898 – March 26, 1987) was an American stage, film, and radio actor whose career spanned nearly seven decades. Life Abel was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, the son of Christine (née Becker) and Richard Michael Abel. Abel ...
and
Peter Lorre Peter Lorre (; born László Löwenstein, ; June 26, 1904 – March 23, 1964) was a Hungarian and American actor, active first in Europe and later in the United States. Known for his timidly devious characters, his appearance, and accented vo ...
. Granowsky soon moved to Paris, but Lamarr stayed in Berlin and was given the lead role in ''
No Money Needed ''No Money Needed'' () is a 1932 German comedy film directed by Carl Boese and starring Hedy Lamarr, Heinz Rühmann, and Hans Moser. It was shot at the Babelsberg Studios in Berlin with sets designed by the art director Julius von Borsody. It ...
'' (1932), a comedy directed by
Carl Boese Carl Eduard Hermann Boese (; 26 August 1887 – 6 July 1958) was a German film director, screenwriter, and film producer, producer. He directed 158 films between 1917 and 1957. Selected filmography * ''Farmer Borchardt'' (1917) * ''Donna Luci ...
. Lamarr then starred in the film which made her internationally famous.


''Ecstasy''

In early 1933, at age 18, Lamarr was given the lead in
Gustav Machatý Gustav Machatý (9 May 1901 – 13 December 1963) was a Czech film director, screenwriter and actor. He directed films in Czechoslovakia, the United States, and Germany, including '' Erotikon'' and '' Ecstasy''. Life He was born Augustín O ...
's film ''
Ecstasy Ecstasy most often refers to: * Ecstasy (emotion), a trance or trance-like state in which a person transcends normal consciousness * Religious ecstasy, a state of consciousness, visions or absolute euphoria * Ecstasy (philosophy), to be or stand o ...
'' (''Ekstase'' in German, ''Extase'' in Czech). She played the neglected young wife of an indifferent older man. The film became both celebrated and notorious for showing Lamarr's face in the throes of orgasm as well as close-up and brief scenes of nudity. Lamarr claimed she was "duped" by the director and producer, who used high-power telephoto lenses, although the director contested her claims."A Candid Portrait of Hedy Lamarr", ''Liberty'' magazine, December 1938, pp. 18–19 Although she was dismayed and now disillusioned about taking other roles, the film gained world recognition after winning an award at the
Venice Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival (, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival held in Venice, Italy. It is the world's oldest film festival and one of the ...
. Throughout Europe, it was regarded as an artistic work. In America, it was considered overly sexual and received negative publicity, especially among women's groups. It was banned there and in Germany.''Extraordinary Women: Hedy Lamarr,'' documentary, 2011


Withdrawal

Lamarr played a number of stage roles, including a starring one in ''Sissy'', a play about
Empress Elisabeth of Austria Elisabeth (born Duchess Elisabeth Amalie Eugenie in Bavaria; 24 December 1837 – 10 September 1898), nicknamed Sisi or Sissi, was Empress of Austria and List of Hungarian consorts, Queen of Hungary from her marriage to Franz Joseph I of Austri ...
produced in Vienna. It won accolades from critics. Admirers sent roses to her
dressing room Dressing commonly refers to the activity of putting on clothing. Dressing may also refer to: Technique * Dressing (medical), a medical covering for a wound, usually made of cloth * Dressing (knot), the process of arranging a knot * Dressing, the ...
and tried to get backstage to meet her. She sent most of them away, including a man who was more insistent,
Friedrich Mandl Friedrich Alexander Maria Mandl colloquially Fritz Mandl (9 February 1900 – 8 September 1977) was an Austrian industrialist, armament manufacturer, private investor and prominent fascist. He would be known as the King of Ammunition for leading ...
. He became obsessed with getting to know her."A Movie Star, Some Player Pianos, and Torpedoes"
, Lemelson Center, November 12, 2015.
Mandl was an Austrian military arms merchant and munitions manufacturer who was reputedly the third-richest man in Austria. She fell for his charming and fascinating personality, partly due to his immense financial wealth. Her parents, both of
Jewish descent ''Zera Yisrael'' (), also known as ''Zera Kadosh'' (), is a legal category in ''Halakha'' that denotes the blood descendants of Jews who, for one reason or another, are not legally Jewish according to religious criteria. This is usually due to a ...
, did not approve due to Mandl's ties to Italian fascist leader
Benito Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who, upon assuming office as Prime Minister of Italy, Prime Minister, became the dictator of Fascist Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 un ...
and, later, German Führer
Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
, but they could not stop the headstrong Lamarr. On August 10, 1933, Lamarr married Mandl at the
Karlskirche The Karlskirche (English: Charles Church) is a Baroque architecture, Baroque church in the Karlsplatz in Vienna, Austria. The church is dedicated to Charles Borromeo, Saint Charles Borromeo, a leading figure of the Counter-Reformation.Brook 201 ...
. She was 18 years old and he was 33. In Lamarr's ghostwritten autobiography, '' Ecstasy and Me'', Mandl is described as an extremely controlling husband who strongly objected to her simulated orgasm scene in ''Ecstasy'' and prevented her from pursuing her acting career. She claimed she was kept a virtual prisoner in their castle home, . Mandl had close social and business ties to the Italian government, selling munitions to the country, and had ties to the
Nazi Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...
regime of Germany as well, even though his own father was Jewish, as was Hedy's. Lamarr wrote that the dictators of both countries attended lavish parties at the Mandl home. Lamarr accompanied Mandl to business meetings, where he conferred with scientists and other professionals involved in military technology. These conferences were her introduction to the field of applied science and nurtured her latent talent in science. Lamarr's marriage to Mandl eventually became unbearable and she decided to separate herself from both her husband and country in 1937. In her
autobiography An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life, providing a personal narrative that reflects on the author's experiences, memories, and insights. This genre allows individuals to share thei ...
, she wrote that she disguised herself as her maid and fled to
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, but according to other accounts she persuaded Mandl to let her wear all of her jewelry for a dinner party and then disappeared afterward. She wrote about her marriage:


Hollywood career


Louis B. Mayer and MGM

After arriving in London in 1937, she met
Louis B. Mayer Louis Burt Mayer (; born Lazar Meir; July 12, 1884Mayer maintained that he was born in Minsk on July 4, 1885. According to Scott Eyman, the reasons may have been: * Mayer's father gave different dates for his birthplace at different times, so ...
, head of
MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...
, who was scouting for talent in Europe. She initially turned down the offer he made her (of $125 a week), but then booked herself onto the same New York–bound liner as him, and she managed to impress him enough to secure a $500-a-week contract. Mayer persuaded her to change her name to Hedy Lamarr (to distance herself from her real identity, and "the ''Ecstasy'' lady" reputation associated with it), choosing the surname in homage to the beautiful silent film star
Barbara La Marr Barbara La Marr (born Reatha Dale Watson; July 28, 1896 – January 30, 1926) was an American film actress and screenwriter who appeared in twenty-seven films during her career between 1920 and 1926. La Marr was also noted by the media ...
, on the suggestion of his wife, who admired La Marr. He brought her to Hollywood in 1938 and began promoting her as the "world's most beautiful woman". Mayer loaned Lamarr to producer
Walter Wanger Walter Wanger (born Walter Feuchtwanger; July 11, 1894 – November 18, 1968) was an American film producer active from the 1910s, his career concluding with the turbulent production of ''Cleopatra,'' his last film, in 1963. He began at Paramo ...
, who was making ''
Algiers Algiers is the capital city of Algeria as well as the capital of the Algiers Province; it extends over many Communes of Algeria, communes without having its own separate governing body. With 2,988,145 residents in 2008Census 14 April 2008: Offi ...
'' (1938), an American version of the French film ''
Pépé le Moko ''Pépé le Moko'' () is a 1937 French film directed by Julien Duvivier starring Jean Gabin, based on a novel of the same name by Henri La Barthe and with sets by Jacques Krauss. An example of the 1930s French movement known as poetic realism ...
'' (1937). Lamarr was cast in the lead opposite
Charles Boyer Charles Boyer (; 28 August 1899 – 26 August 1978) was a French-American actor who appeared in more than 80 films between 1920 and 1976. After receiving an education in drama, Boyer started on the stage, but he found his success in American fi ...
. The film created a "national sensation", says Shearer. She was billed as an unknown but well-publicized Austrian actress, which created anticipation in audiences. Mayer hoped she would become another
Greta Garbo Greta Garbo (born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson; 18 September 1905 – 15 April 1990) was a Swedish-American actress and a premier star during Hollywood's Silent film, silent and early Classical Hollywood cinema, golden eras. Regarded as one of the g ...
or
Marlene Dietrich Marie Magdalene "Marlene" DietrichBorn as Maria Magdalena, not Marie Magdalene, according to Dietrich's biography by her daughter, Maria Riva ; however, Dietrich's biography by Charlotte Chandler cites "Marie Magdalene" as her birth name . (, ; ...
. According to one viewer, when her face first appeared on the screen, "everyone gasped ... Lamarr's beauty literally took one's breath away." In future Hollywood films, she was invariably
typecast In film, television, and theatre, typecasting is the process by which a particular actor becomes strongly identified with a specific character, one or more particular roles, or characters having the same traits or coming from the same social or ...
as the archetypal glamorous seductress of exotic origin. Her second American film was to be '' I Take This Woman'', co-starring with
Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Classical Hollywood cinema, Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the ...
under the direction of regular Dietrich collaborator
Josef von Sternberg Josef von Sternberg (; born Jonas Sternberg; May 29, 1894 – December 22, 1969) was an American filmmaker whose career successfully spanned the transition from the Silent film, silent to the Sound film, sound era, during which he worked with mos ...
. Von Sternberg was fired during the shoot, replaced by
Frank Borzage Frank Borzage ( né Borzaga; April 23, 1894 – June 19, 1962) was an American film director and actor. He was the first person to win the Academy Awards, Academy Award for Academy Award for Best Director, Best Director for his film ''7th Heaven ...
. The film was put on hold, and Lamarr was put into '' Lady of the Tropics'' (1939), where she played a mixed-race seductress in Saigon opposite Robert Taylor. She returned to ''I Take This Woman'', re-shot by
W. S. Van Dyke Woodbridge Strong Van Dyke II (March 21, 1889 – February 5, 1943) was an American film director who made several early sound films, including '' Tarzan the Ape Man'' in 1932, ''The Thin Man'' in 1934, ''San Francisco'' in 1936, and six popular ...
. The resulting film was a flop. Far more popular was '' Boom Town'' (1940) with
Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American actor often referred to as the "King of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". He appeared in more than 60 Film, motion pictures across a variety of Film genre, genres dur ...
,
Claudette Colbert Claudette Colbert (koʊlˈbɛər/ kohl-BAIR, born Émilie "Lily" Claudette Chauchoin (ʃoʃwɛ̃/ show-shwan); September 13, 1903 – July 30, 1996) was an American actress. Colbert began her career in Broadway theater, Broadway productions dur ...
and
Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Classical Hollywood cinema, Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the ...
; it made $5 million.. MGM promptly reteamed Lamarr and Gable in ''
Comrade X ''Comrade X'' is a 1940 American comedy spy film directed by King Vidor and starring Clark Gable and Hedy Lamarr. The supporting cast features Oskar Homolka, Felix Bressart, Sig Rumann and Eve Arden. In February 2020, the film was shown at ...
'' (1940), a comedy film in the vein of ''
Ninotchka ''Ninotchka'' is a 1939 American romantic comedy film made for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer by producer and director Ernst Lubitsch and starring Greta Garbo and Melvyn Douglas. It was written by Billy Wilder, Charles Brackett, and Walter Reisch, b ...
'' (1939), which was another hit. Lamarr was teamed with
James Stewart James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military aviator. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart's film career spanned 80 films from 1935 to 1991. With the strong morali ...
in '' Come Live with Me'' (1941), playing a Viennese refugee. Stewart was also in ''
Ziegfeld Girl The term "Ziegfeld Girl" (or "Ziegfeld Follies Girl") is used broadly to describe the "singers, showgirls, comediennes, nddancers" who appeared in Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.'s theatrical Broadway revue spectaculars known as the ''Ziegfeld Follies'' ...
'' (1941), where Lamarr,
Judy Garland Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922June 22, 1969) was an American actress and singer. Possessing a strong contralto voice, she was celebrated for her emotional depth and versatility across film, stage, and concert performance. ...
and
Lana Turner Julia Jean "Lana" Turner ( ; February 8, 1921June 29, 1995) was an American actress. Over a career spanning nearly five decades, she achieved fame as both a pin-up model and a film actress, as well as for her highly publicized personal life. ...
played aspiring showgirls – a big success. Lamarr was top-billed in '' H. M. Pulham, Esq.'' (1941), although the film's protagonist was the title role played by Robert Young. She made a third film with Tracy, ''
Tortilla Flat ''Tortilla Flat'' (1935) is an early John Steinbeck novel set in Monterey, California. The novel was the author's first clear critical and commercial success. The book portrays a group of 'paisanos'—literally, countrymen—a small band of e ...
'' (1942). It was successful at the box office, as was ''
Crossroads Crossroads is a junction where four roads meet. Crossroads, crossroad, cross road(s) or similar may also refer to: Film and television Films * ''Crossroads'' (1928 film), a 1928 Japanese film by Teinosuke Kinugasa * ''Cross Roads'' (film), a ...
'' (1942) with
William Powell William Horatio Powell (July 29, 1892 – March 5, 1984) was an American actor, known primarily for his film career. Under contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, he was paired with Myrna Loy in 14 films, including the ''The Thin Man (film), Thin M ...
. Lamarr played the exotic Arab seductress Tondelayo in ''
White Cargo ''White Cargo'' is a 1942 American drama film starring Hedy Lamarr and Walter Pidgeon, and directed by Richard Thorpe. Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it is based on the 1923 London and Broadway hit play by Leon Gordon (playwright), Leon Gord ...
'' (1942), top billed over
Walter Pidgeon Walter Davis Pidgeon (September 23, 1897 – September 25, 1984) was a Canadian-American actor. A major leading man during the Golden Age of Hollywood, known for his "portrayals of men who prove both sturdy and wise," Pidgeon earned two Academy ...
. It was a huge hit. ''White Cargo'' contains arguably her most memorable film quote, delivered with provocative invitation: "I am Tondelayo. I make
tiffin Tiffin is a South Asian English word for a type of meal. It refers to a light breakfast or a light tea-time meal at about 3 p.m., consisting of typical tea-time foods. In certain parts of India, it can also refer to the midday luncheon or ...
for you?" This line typifies many of Lamarr's roles, which emphasized her beauty and sensuality while giving her relatively few lines. The lack of acting challenges bored Lamarr. She reportedly took up inventing to relieve her boredom. She was reunited with Powell in a comedy ''
The Heavenly Body ''The Heavenly Body'' is a 1944 American romantic comedy film directed by Alexander Hall and starring Marietta Canty, Phyllis Kennedy, William Powell, Hedy Lamarr and James Craig. Based on a story by Jacques Théry, with a screenplay by Mi ...
'' (1944), then was borrowed by Warner Bros for '' The Conspirators'' (1944). This was an attempt to repeat the success of ''Casablanca'' (1943), and RKO borrowed her for a melodrama ''
Experiment Perilous ''Experiment Perilous'' is a 1944 American melodrama film set at the turn of the 20th century. The film is based on a 1943 novel of the same name by Margaret Seymour Carpenter, Margaret Carpenter, and directed by Jacques Tourneur. Albert S. D'Ago ...
'' (1944). Back at MGM Lamarr was teamed with Robert Walker in the romantic comedy ''
Her Highness and the Bellboy ''Her Highness and the Bellboy'' is a 1945 American romantic comedy film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Hedy Lamarr, Robert Walker, June Allyson and Rags Ragland. Written by Richard Connell and Gladys Lehman, the film is about a be ...
'' (1945), playing a princess who falls in love with a New Yorker. It was very popular, but would be the last film she made under her MGM contract. Her off-screen life and personality during those years was quite different from her screen image. She spent much of her time feeling lonely and homesick. She might swim at her agent's pool, but shunned the beaches and staring crowds. When asked for an autograph, she wondered why anyone would want it. Writer Howard Sharpe interviewed her and gave his impression: Author
Richard Rhodes Richard Lee Rhodes (born July 4, 1937) is an American historian, journalist, and author of both fiction and nonfiction, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning '' The Making of the Atomic Bomb'' (1986), and most recently, ''Energy: A Human History ...
describes her assimilation into American culture: Lamarr also had a penchant for speaking about herself in the third person.


Wartime fundraiser

Lamarr wanted to join the National Inventors Council, but was reportedly told by NIC member
Charles F. Kettering Charles Franklin Kettering (August 29, 1876 – November 25, 1958) sometimes known as Charles Fredrick Kettering was an American inventor, engineer, businessman, and the holder of 186 patents. For the list of patents issued to Kettering, see, Le ...
and others that she could better help the war effort by using her celebrity status to sell
war bonds War bonds (sometimes referred to as victory bonds, particularly in propaganda) are debt securities issued by a government to finance military operations and other expenditure in times of war without raising taxes to an unpopular level. They are ...
. She participated in a war-bond-selling campaign with a sailor named Eddie Rhodes. Rhodes was in the crowd at each Lamarr appearance, and she would call him up on stage. She would briefly flirt with him before asking the audience if she should give him a kiss. The crowd would say yes, to which Hedy would reply that she would if enough people bought war bonds. After enough bonds were purchased, she would kiss Rhodes and he would head back into the audience. Then they would head off to the next war bond rally.


Producer

After leaving MGM in 1945, Lamarr formed a production company with
Jack Chertok Jack Chertok (July 13, 1906 – June 14, 1995) was an American film and television producer perhaps best known to modern viewers as producer for the 182 black and white episodes of ''The Lone Ranger''. Career Born in Atlanta, Georgia, to Russi ...
and made the thriller ''
The Strange Woman ''The Strange Woman'' is a 1946 American historical melodrama film directed by Edgar G. Ulmer and starring Hedy Lamarr, George Sanders and Louis Hayward. It is based on the 1941 novel of the same title by Ben Ames Williams. The screenplay was w ...
'' (1946). It went over budget and only made minor profits. p203 She and Chertok then made ''
Dishonored Lady ''Dishonored Lady'' (also known as ''Sins of Madeleine'') is a 1947 American film noir crime film directed by Robert Stevenson and starring Hedy Lamarr, Dennis O'Keefe and John Loder. It is based on the 1930 play ''Dishonored Lady'' by Edward ...
'' (1947), another thriller starring Lamarr, which also went over budget – but was not a commercial success. She tried a comedy with
Robert Cummings Charles Clarence Robert Orville Cummings (June 9, 1910 – December 2, 1990) was an American film and television actor who appeared in roles in comedy films such as ''The Devil and Miss Jones'' (1941) and ''Princess O'Rourke'' (1943), and in d ...
, ''
Let's Live a Little ''Let's Live a Little'' is a 1948 American romantic comedy film directed by Richard Wallace and starring Hedy Lamarr, Robert Cummings and Anna Sten. Written by Howard Irving Young, Edmund L. Hartmann, Albert J. Cohen, and Jack Harvey, the fi ...
'' (1948).


Later films

Lamarr enjoyed her biggest success playing
Delilah Delilah ( ; , meaning "delicate";Gesenius's ''Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon'' ; ) is a woman mentioned in the sixteenth chapter of the Book of Judges in the Hebrew Bible. She is loved by Samson, a Nazirite who possesses great strength and serves as t ...
against
Victor Mature Victor John Mature (January 29, 1913 – August 4, 1999) was an American stage, film, and television actor who was a leading man in Hollywood during the 1940s and 1950s. His best known film roles include '' One Million B.C.'' (1940), '' My Darli ...
as the Biblical strongman in
Cecil B. DeMille Cecil Blount DeMille (; August 12, 1881January 21, 1959) was an American filmmaker and actor. Between 1914 and 1958, he made 70 features, both silent and sound films. He is acknowledged as a founding father of American cinema and the most co ...
's '' Samson and Delilah'', the highest-grossing film of 1950. The film won two Oscars. Lamarr returned to MGM for a
film noir Film noir (; ) is a style of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood Crime film, crime dramas that emphasizes cynicism (contemporary), cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of Ameri ...
with
John Hodiak John Hodiak ( ; April 16, 1914 – October 19, 1955) was an American actor who worked in radio, stage and film. Early life Hodiak was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the son of Anna (Pogorzelec) and Walter Hodiak. He was of Ukrainian and ...
, ''
A Lady Without Passport ''A Lady Without Passport'' is a 1950 American film noir film directed by Joseph H. Lewis and starring Hedy Lamarr and John Hodiak. Written by Howard Dimsdale, the film is about a beautiful concentration-camp refugee who waits in Cuba for permiss ...
'' (1950), which flopped. More popular were two pictures she made at Paramount, a Western with
Ray Milland Ray Milland (born Alfred Reginald Jones; 3 January 1907 – 10 March 1986) was a Welsh-American actor and film director. He is often remembered for his portrayal of an alcoholic writer in Billy Wilder's ''The Lost Weekend'' (1945), which wo ...
, ''
Copper Canyon Copper Canyon (Spanish: Barrancas del Cobre) is a group of six distinct canyons in the Sierra Madre Occidental in the southwestern part of the state of Chihuahua in northwestern Mexico that is in size. The canyons were formed by six rivers th ...
'' (1950), and a
Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, entertainer and producer with a career that spanned nearly 80 years and achievements in vaudeville, network radio, television, and USO Tours. He appeared ...
spy spoof, '' My Favorite Spy'' (1951). Her career went into decline. She went to Italy to play multiple roles in ''
Loves of Three Queens ''Loves of Three Queens'' (), also known as ''The Face That Launched a Thousand Ships'', is a 1954 Italian anthology film. It was directed by Marc Allégret and Edgar G. Ulmer and stars Hedy Lamarr. Plot A woman going to a costume party tries t ...
'' (1954), which she also produced. However she lacked the experience necessary to make a success of such an epic production, and lost millions of dollars when she was unable to secure distribution of the picture. She played
Joan of Arc Joan of Arc ( ; ;  – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the Coronation of the French monarch, coronation of Charles VII o ...
in
Irwin Allen Irwin Allen (born Irwin O. Cohen; June 12, 1916 – November 2, 1991) was an American film and television producer and director, known for his work in science fiction, then later as the "Master of Disaster" for his work in the disaster film genr ...
's critically panned epic, ''
The Story of Mankind ''The Story of Mankind'' is a book written and illustrated by Dutch-American journalist, professor, and author Hendrik Willem van Loon. It was published in 1921. In 1922, it was awarded the Newbery Medal for an outstanding contribution to children ...
'' (1957) and did episodes of ''
Zane Grey Theatre ''Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre'' is an American Western anthology television series broadcast on CBS from October 5, 1956 until May 18, 1961. Synopsis Many episodes were based on novels by Zane Grey, to all of which Four Star Films held ...
'' ("Proud Woman") and ''
Shower of Stars A shower is a place in which a person bathes under a spray of typically warm or hot water. Indoors, there is a drain in the floor. Most showers are set up to have adjustable temperature, spray pressure and showerhead nozzle angle. The sim ...
'' ("Cloak and Dagger"). Her last film was a thriller ''
The Female Animal ''The Female Animal'' is a 1958 American CinemaScope drama film directed by Harry Keller and starring Hedy Lamarr, Jane Powell, Jan Sterling and George Nader. Although she lived until 2000, this was Lamarr's final film in a film career of ne ...
'' (1958). Lamarr was signed to act in the 1966 film '' Picture Mommy Dead'', but was let go when she collapsed during filming from nervous exhaustion.Hedy Lamarr Fired From Comeback Film: HEDY LAMARR Berman, Art. Los Angeles Times (1923–Current File) os Angeles, CalifFeb 4, 1966: 3. She was replaced in the role of Jessica Flagmore Shelley by
Zsa Zsa Gabor Zsa Zsa Gabor ( , ; born Sári Gábor ; February 6, 1917 – December 18, 2016) was a Hungarian Americans, Hungarian-American socialite and actress. Her sisters were socialites and actresses Eva Gabor and Magda Gabor. Gabor competed in the ...
.


Inventing career

Although Lamarr had no formal training and was primarily self-taught, she invested her spare time, including on set between takes, in designing and drafting inventions, which included an improved traffic stoplight and a
tablet Tablet may refer to: Medicine * Tablet (pharmacy), a mixture of pharmacological substances pressed into a small cake or bar, colloquially called a "pill" Computing * Tablet computer, a mobile computer that is primarily operated by touching the sc ...
that would dissolve in water to create a flavored
carbonated drink A soft drink (see § Terminology for other names) is a class of non-alcoholic drink, usually (but not necessarily) carbonated, and typically including added sweetener. Flavors used to be natural, but now can also be artificial. The sweetener ...
. During the late
1930s File:1930s decade montage.png, From left, clockwise: Dorothea Lange's photo of the homeless Florence Owens Thompson, Florence Thompson shows the effects of the Great Depression; due to extreme drought conditions, farms across the south-central Uni ...
, Lamarr attended arms deals with her then-husband, arms dealer Fritz Mandl, "possibly to improve his chances of making a sale". From the meetings, she learned that navies needed "a way to guide a torpedo as it raced through the water." Radio control had been proposed. However, an enemy might be able to
jam Fruit preserves are preparations of fruits whose main preserving agent is sugar and sometimes acid, often stored in glass jars and used as a condiment or spread. There are many varieties of fruit preserves globally, distinguished by the meth ...
such a torpedo's guidance system and set it off course. When later discussing this with a new friend, composer and pianist
George Antheil George Johann Carl Antheil ( ; July 8, 1900 – February 12, 1959) was an American avant-garde composer, pianist, author, and inventor whose modernist musical compositions explored the sounds – musical, industrial, and mechanical – of the ear ...
, her idea to prevent jamming by frequency hopping met Antheil's previous work in music. In that earlier work, Antheil attempted synchronizing note-hopping in the avant-garde piece written as a score for the film ''
Ballet Mécanique ''Ballet Mécanique'' (1923–24) is a Dadaist, post-Cubist art film conceived, written, and co-directed by the artist Fernand Léger and the filmmaker Dudley Murphy (with cinematographic input from Man Ray).Chilvers, Ian & Glaves-Smith, John ...
'' (1923–24) that involved multiple synchronized
player piano A player piano is a self-playing piano with a pneumatic or electromechanical mechanism that operates the piano action using perforated paper or metallic rolls. Modern versions use MIDI. The player piano gained popularity as mass-produced home ...
s. Antheil's idea in the piece was to synchronize the start time of identical player pianos with identical player piano rolls, so the pianos would play in time with one another. Together, they realized that radio frequencies could be changed similarly, using the same kind of mechanism, but miniaturized. Based on the strength of the initial submission of their ideas to the National Inventors Council (NIC) in late December 1940, in early 1941 the NIC introduced Antheil to Samuel Stuart Mackeown, Professor of Electrical Engineering at
Caltech The California Institute of Technology (branded as Caltech) is a private university, private research university in Pasadena, California, United States. The university is responsible for many modern scientific advancements and is among a small g ...
, to consult on the electrical systems. Lamarr hired the legal firm of Lyon & Lyon to draft the application for the patent 4 minutes which was granted as on August 11, 1942, under her legal name Hedy Kiesler Markey. The invention was proposed to the Navy, who rejected it on the basis that it would be too large to fit in a torpedo, and Lamarr and Antheil, shunned by the Navy, pursued their invention no further. It was suggested that Lamarr invest her time and attention to selling war bonds since she was a celebrity.


Later years

Lamarr became a
naturalized citizen Naturalization (or naturalisation) is the legal act or process by which a non-national of a country acquires the nationality of that country after birth. The definition of naturalization by the International Organization for Migration of the ...
of the United States at age 38 on April 10, 1953. Her
autobiography An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life, providing a personal narrative that reflects on the author's experiences, memories, and insights. This genre allows individuals to share thei ...
, '' Ecstasy and Me'', was published in 1966. She said on TV that it was not written by her, and much of it was fictional. on ''
The Merv Griffin Show ''The Merv Griffin Show'' is an American television talk show starring Merv Griffin. The series had runs on two different networks on NBC (1962–1963) and CBS (1969–1972) but is most known for its run on first-run syndication from 1965 to 1 ...
'' with
Woody Allen Heywood Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American filmmaker, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades. Allen has received many List of awards and nominations received by Woody Allen, accolade ...
, 1969
Lamarr later sued the publisher, saying that many details were fabricated by its
ghost writer A ghostwriter is a person hired to write literature, literary or journalism, journalistic works, speeches, or other texts that are credited to another person as the author. Celebrities, executives, participants in timely news stories, and pol ...
, Leo Guild. Lamarr, in turn, was sued by Gene Ringgold, who asserted that the book plagiarized material from an article he had written in 1965 for ''Screen Facts'' magazine. In the late 1950s, along with former husband W. Howard Lee, Lamarr designed and developed the Villa LaMarr ski resort in Aspen, Colorado. In 1966, Lamarr was arrested in Los Angeles for
shoplifting Shoplifting (also known as shop theft, shop fraud, retail theft, or retail fraud) is the theft of goods from a retail establishment during business hours. The terms ''shoplifting'' and ''shoplifter'' are not usually defined in law, and genera ...
. The charges were eventually dropped. In 1991, she was arrested on the same charge in
Orlando, Florida Orlando ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States. The city proper had a population of 307,573 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville ...
, this time for stealing $21.48 worth of laxatives and eye drops. She pleaded no contest to avoid a court appearance, and the charges were dropped in return for her promise to refrain from breaking any laws for a year.


Seclusion

The 1970s was a decade of increasing seclusion for Lamarr. She was offered several scripts, television commercials, and stage projects, but none piqued her interest. In 1974, she filed a $10 million lawsuit against
Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...
, claiming that the running parody of her name ("Hedley Lamarr") in the
Mel Brooks Melvin James Brooks (né Kaminsky; born June 28, 1926) is an American actor, comedian, filmmaker, and songwriter. With a career spanning over seven decades, he is known as a writer and director of a variety of successful broad farces and parodie ...
comedy ''
Blazing Saddles ''Blazing Saddles'' is a 1974 American satirical postmodernist Western black comedy film directed by Mel Brooks, who co-wrote the screenplay with Andrew Bergman, Richard Pryor, Norman Steinberg and Alan Uger, based on a story treatment by Be ...
'' infringed her right to privacy. Brooks said he was flattered. The studio settled out of court for an undisclosed nominal sum and an apology to Lamarr for "almost using her name". Brooks said that Lamarr "never got the joke".Interview: Mel Brooks. ''Blazing Saddles'' (DVD). Burbank, California: Warner Brothers Pictures/Warner Home Video, 2004; . In 1981, with her eyesight failing, Lamarr retreated from public life and settled in
Miami Beach, Florida Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida. The municipality is located on natural and human-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean ...
. A large
Corel Cascade Parent Limited, doing business as Alludo ( ), is a Canadian software company headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, specializing in graphics processing. Formerly called the Corel Corporation ( ; from the abbreviation "Cowpland Research Laborat ...
-drawn image of Lamarr won
CorelDRAW CorelDRAW is a vector graphics editor developed and marketed by Alludo (formerly Corel Corporation). It is also the name of the Corel graphics suite, which includes the bitmap-image editor Corel Photo-Paint as well as other graphics-related progr ...
's yearly software suite cover design contest in 1996. For several years, beginning in 1997, it was featured on boxes of the software suite. Lamarr sued the company for using her image without her permission. Corel countered that she did not own rights to the image. The parties reached an undisclosed settlement in 1998. For her contribution to the motion picture industry, Lamarr has a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
at 6247
Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It runs through the Hollywood, East Hollywood, Little Armenia, Thai Town, and Los Feliz districts. Its western terminus is at Sunset Plaza Drive in the Hollyw ...
adjacent to
Vine Street Vine Street is a street in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, that runs north–south between Franklin Avenue, Los Angeles, and Melrose Avenue. The intersection of Hollywood and Vine being symbolic of Hollywood itself. The intersection has be ...
where the walk is centered. Lamarr became estranged from her older son, James Lamarr Loder, when he was 12 years old. Their relationship ended abruptly, and he moved in with another family. They did not speak again for almost 50 years. Lamarr left James Loder out of her will, and he sued for control of the US$3.3 million estate left by Lamarr in 2000. He eventually settled for US$50,000. In the last decades of her life, the telephone became Lamarr's only means of communication with the outside world, even with her children and close friends. She often talked up to six or seven hours a day on the phone, but she spent hardly any time with anyone in person in her final years.


Death

Lamarr died in
Casselberry, Florida Casselberry is a city in Seminole County, Florida, United States. The city is part of the Greater Orlando, Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its population was 28,794 at the 2020 census. Geography The approximate coor ...
, on January 19, 2000, of heart disease, aged 85. Her son Anthony Loder spread part of her ashes in Austria's
Vienna Woods The Vienna Woods (, ) are forested highlands that form the northeastern foothills of the Northern Limestone Alps in the states of Lower Austria and Vienna. The and range of hills is heavily wooded and a popular recreation area with the Viennese ...
in accordance with her last wishes. In 2014, a memorial to Lamarr was unveiled in Vienna's Central Cemetery. The remainder of her ashes were buried there.


Awards, honors, and tributes

On January 7, 1939, Hedy Lamarr was selected the "most promising new actress" of 1938 in a poll of
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
film fans conducted by Elsie Finn, the ''
Philadelphia Record ''The Philadelphia Record'' was a daily newspaper published in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from 1877 until 1947. It became among the most circulated papers in the city and was at some points the circulation leader. History ''The Public Record'' ...
'' film critic. On January 26, 1939, Lamar was chosen the "ideal type" of woman in a poll of both male and female students conducted by the
Pomona College Pomona College ( ) is a private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Claremont, California. It was established in 1887 by a group of Congregationalism in the United States, Congregationalists ...
newspaper. On May 9, 1939, Lamarr was named the "most beautiful actress" in "a secret poll of 30 Hollywood correspondents" conducted by the American magazine '' Look''. On August 30, 1940, Lamarr won "top honors for facial features" in a poll of 400 members of the California Models Association. In December 1943, makeup expert Max Factor, Jr. included Lamarr among the ten glamorous Hollywood actresses with the most appealing voices. In 1951, British moviegoers voted Lamarr the year's 10th best actress, for her performance in '' Samson and Delilah''. In 1960, Lamarr was honored with a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
for her contributions to the motion picture industry. In 1997, Lamarr and
George Antheil George Johann Carl Antheil ( ; July 8, 1900 – February 12, 1959) was an American avant-garde composer, pianist, author, and inventor whose modernist musical compositions explored the sounds – musical, industrial, and mechanical – of the ear ...
were jointly honored with the
Electronic Frontier Foundation The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is an American international non-profit digital rights group based in San Francisco, California. It was founded in 1990 to promote Internet civil liberties. It provides funds for legal defense in court, ...
's Pioneer Award and Lamarr also was the first woman to receive the Invention Convention's BULBIE Gnass Spirit of Achievement Award, known as the "Oscars of inventing". given to individuals whose creative lifetime achievements in the arts, sciences, business, or invention fields have significantly contributed to society. The following year, Lamarr's native Austria awarded her the Viktor Kaplan Medal of the Austrian Association of Patent Holders and Inventors. In 2006, the ''Hedy-Lamarr-Weg'' was founded in Vienna
Meidling Meidling () is the 12th district of Vienna (). It is located just southwest of the central districts, south of the River Wien, west of the Gürtel belt, and east and southeast of Schönbrunn Palace. Meidling is a heavily populated urban area w ...
(12th District), named after the actress. In 2013, the IQOQI installed a quantum telescope on the roof of the
University of Vienna The University of Vienna (, ) is a public university, public research university in Vienna, Austria. Founded by Rudolf IV, Duke of Austria, Duke Rudolph IV in 1365, it is the oldest university in the German-speaking world and among the largest ...
, which they named after her in 2014. In 2014, Lamarr was posthumously inducted into the
National Inventors Hall of Fame The National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) is an American not-for-profit organization, founded in 1973, which recognizes individual engineers and inventors who hold a US patent of significant technology. Besides the Hall of Fame, it also operate ...
for frequency-hopping spread spectrum technology. The same year, Anthony Loder's request that the remaining ashes of his mother should be buried in an honorary grave of the city of
Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
was realized. On November 7, her urn was buried at the
Vienna Central Cemetery The Vienna Central Cemetery () is one of the largest Cemetery, cemeteries in the world by number of interred, and is the most well-known among Vienna's nearly 50 cemeteries. The cemetery's name is descriptive of its significance as Vienna's big ...
in Group 33 G, Tomb No. 80, not far from the centrally located presidential tomb. On November 9, 2015,
Google Google LLC (, ) is an American multinational corporation and technology company focusing on online advertising, search engine technology, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, consumer electronics, and artificial ...
honored her on the 101st anniversary of her birth, and on her 109th on November 9, 2023 with a
doodle A doodle is a drawing made while a person's attention is otherwise occupied. Doodles are simple drawings that can have concrete representational meaning or may just be composed of random and abstract art, abstract lines or shapes, generally w ...
. On August 27, 2019, an asteroid was named after her: 32730 Lamarr. On August 6, 2023 '' Star Trek: Prodigy'' showrunners Dan and Kevin Hageman debuted the first five minutes of footage from season two, showing the new Lamarr-class USS Voyager-A, in tribute to her.


Marriages and children

Lamarr was married and divorced six times and had three children: #
Friedrich Mandl Friedrich Alexander Maria Mandl colloquially Fritz Mandl (9 February 1900 – 8 September 1977) was an Austrian industrialist, armament manufacturer, private investor and prominent fascist. He would be known as the King of Ammunition for leading ...
(married 1933–1937), chairman of the ''Hirtenberger Patronen-Fabrik'' #
Gene Markey Eugene Willford "Gene" Markey (December 11, 1895 – May 1, 1980) was an American writer, producer, screenwriter, and highly decorated naval officer. Biography Early life Markey was born in Michigan. His father, Eugene Lawrence Markey, wa ...
(married 1939–1941), screenwriter and producer. She adopted a boy (however this was later contested by the child, see below) during her marriage with Markey. Lamarr became estranged from the boy when he was 12 years old, their relationship ended abruptly, they did not speak again for almost 50 years, and Lamarr left him out of her will. Lamarr and Markey lived at 2727 Benedict Canyon Drive in Beverly Hills, California during their marriage, at a place called Hedgerow Farm. The home still exists. # John Loder (married 1943–1947), actor. The two had a daughter, Denise, who married Larry Colton, a writer and former baseball player, and a son, Anthony, who worked for illustrator
James McMullan James McMullan (born June 1934) is an Irish-Canadian illustrator and designer of theatrical posters. Born in Tsingtao, Republic of China, where his grandparents had emigrated from Ireland as missionaries for the Anglican Church, he and his moth ...
. Anthony Loder was featured in the 2004 documentary film ''Calling Hedy Lamarr''. # Ernest "Teddy" Stauffer (married 1951–1952), nightclub owner, restaurateur, and former bandleader # W. Howard Lee (married 1953–1960), a Texas oilman (who later married film actress
Gene Tierney Gene Eliza Tierney (November 19, 1920November 6, 1991) was an American stage and film actress. Acclaimed for her great beauty, Tierney was a prominent Leading actor, leading lady during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. Sh ...
) # Lewis J. Boies (married 1963–1965), Lamarr's divorce lawyer Following her sixth and final divorce in 1965, Lamarr remained unmarried for the last 35 years of her life. Throughout her life, Lamarr claimed that her first son, James Lamarr Loder, was not biologically related to her and was adopted during her marriage to Gene Markey. However, years later, her son found documentation that he was the
out-of-wedlock Legitimacy, in traditional Western common law, is the status of a child born to parents who are legally married to each other, and of a child conceived before the parents obtain a legal divorce. Conversely, ''illegitimacy'', also known as ''b ...
son of Lamarr and actor John Loder, whom she later married as her third husband. However, a later DNA test proved him not to be biologically related to either.


Filmography

Source:


Radio appearances


In popular culture

In the 1952 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel ''
The Caine Mutiny ''The Caine Mutiny'' is a 1951 Pulitzer Prize–winning novel by Herman Wouk. The novel grew out of Wouk's personal experiences aboard two destroyer-minesweepers in the Pacific Theater in World War II. Among its themes, it deals with the mo ...
'' by
Herman Wouk Herman Wouk ( ; May 27, 1915 – May 17, 2019) was an American author. He published fifteen novels, many of them historical fiction such as ''The Caine Mutiny'' (1951), for which he won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, Pulitzer Prize in fiction. ...
, Hedy Lamarr is mentioned by name in Chapter 37 when defense attorney Lieutenant Barney Greenwald confronts Lieutenant Tom Keefer at a party after Lieutenant Stephen Maryk's court-martial acquittal in the ''Caine'' mutiny. The
Mel Brooks Melvin James Brooks (né Kaminsky; born June 28, 1926) is an American actor, comedian, filmmaker, and songwriter. With a career spanning over seven decades, he is known as a writer and director of a variety of successful broad farces and parodie ...
1974 western parody ''
Blazing Saddles ''Blazing Saddles'' is a 1974 American satirical postmodernist Western black comedy film directed by Mel Brooks, who co-wrote the screenplay with Andrew Bergman, Richard Pryor, Norman Steinberg and Alan Uger, based on a story treatment by Be ...
'' features a villain, played by
Harvey Korman Harvey Herschel Korman (February 15, 1927May 29, 2008) was an American actor and comedian who performed in television and film productions. He is best remembered as a main cast member alongside Carol Burnett, Tim Conway and Vicki Lawrence on the ...
, named "Hedley Lamarr". As a running gag, various characters mistakenly refer to him as "Hedy Lamarr" prompting him to testily reply "That's Hedley." In the 1982
off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
musical ''
Little Shop of Horrors Little Shop of Horrors may refer to: * '' The Little Shop of Horrors'', a 1960 American film * ''Little Shop of Horrors'' (musical), a 1982 musical based on the 1960 film * ''Little Shop of Horrors'' (1986 film), a 1986 American film based on th ...
'' and subsequent film adaptation (1986), Audrey II says to Seymour in the song "Feed Me", that he can get Seymour anything he wants including "A date with Hedy Lamarr." In the 2004 video game ''
Half-Life 2 ''Half-Life 2'' is a 2004 first-person shooter game developed and published by Valve Corporation. It was published for Windows on Valve's digital distribution service, Steam. Like the original ''Half-Life'' (1998), ''Half-Life 2'' is played ent ...
'', Dr. Kleiner's pet
headcrab This is a list of characters in Half-Life (series), the ''Half-Life'' videogame series, which comprises ''Half-Life'', ''Half-Life 2'', ''Half-Life: Alyx'', and their respective expansion packs and episodes. Introduced in ''Half-Life'' and expan ...
, Lamarr, is named after Hedy Lamarr. Her son, Anthony Loder, was featured in the 2004 documentary film ''Calling Hedy Lamarr'', in which he played excerpts from tapes of her many telephone calls. In 2008, an
off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
play, ''Frequency Hopping'', features the lives of Lamarr and Antheil. The play was written and staged by Elyse Singer, and the script won a prize for best new play about science and technology from
STAGE Stage, stages, or staging may refer to: Arts and media Acting * Stage (theatre), a space for the performance of theatrical productions * Theatre, a branch of the performing arts, often referred to as "the stage" * ''The Stage'', a weekly Brit ...
. In the 2009 mockumentary ''The Chronoscope'', written and directed by Andrew Legge, the fictional Irish scientist Charlotte Keppel is likely modeled after Hedy Lamarr. The film satirizes the extreme politics of the 1930s and tells the story of a fictionalized fascist group that steals a device invented by Keppel. This chronoscope can see the past and is used by the group to create propaganda films of their heroes from the past. In 2010, Lamarr was selected out of 150 IT people to be featured in a short film launched by the
British Computer Society image:Maurice Vincent Wilkes 1980 (3).jpg, Sir Maurice Wilkes served as the first President of BCS in 1957. The British Computer Society (BCS), branded BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, since 2009, is a professional body and a learned ...
on May 20. Also during 2010, the
New York Public Library The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second-largest public library in the United States behind the Library of Congress a ...
exhibit ''Thirty Years of Photography at the New York Public Library'' included a photo of a topless Lamarr () by Austrian-born American photographer
Trude Fleischmann Trude Fleischmann (22 December 1895 – 21 January 1990) was an Austrian-born American photographer. After becoming a notable society photographer in Vienna in the 1920s, she re-established her business in New York in 1940. Early life Born in Vi ...
. In 2011, the story of Lamarr's
frequency-hopping spread spectrum Frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) is a method of transmitting radio signals by rapidly changing the carrier frequency among many frequencies occupying a large spectral band. The changes are controlled by a code known to both transmitter ...
invention was explored in an episode of the
Science Channel Science Channel (often simply branded as Science; abbreviated to SCI) is an American pay television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The channel features programming focusing on science related to wilderness survival, engineering, manu ...
show '' Dark Matters: Twisted But True'', a series that explores the darker side of scientific discovery and experimentation, which premiered on September 7. Her work in improving wireless security was part of the premiere episode of the
Discovery Channel Discovery Channel, known as The Discovery Channel from 1985 to 1995, and often referred to as simply Discovery, is an American cable channel that is best known for its ongoing reality television shows and promotion of pseudoscience. It init ...
show ''How We Invented the World''. Also during 2011,
Anne Hathaway Anne Jacqueline Hathaway (born November 12, 1982) is an American actress. List of awards and nominations received by Anne Hathaway, Her accolades include an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime ...
revealed that she had learned that the original Catwoman was based on Lamarr, so she studied all of Lamarr's films and incorporated some of her breathing techniques into her portrayal of
Catwoman Catwoman is a character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, she debuted as "the Cat" in ''Batman (comic book), Batman'' #1 (spring 1940). She has become one of the superhero Batman' ...
in the 2012 film ''
The Dark Knight Rises ''The Dark Knight Rises'' is a 2012 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan, who co-wrote the screenplay with his brother Jonathan Nolan, and the story with David S. Goyer. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, it is the final instal ...
''. In 2015, on November 9, the 101st anniversary of Lamarr's birth, Google paid tribute to Hedy Lamarr's work in film and her contributions to scientific advancement with an animated
Google Doodle Google Doodle is a special, temporary alteration of the logo on Google's homepages intended to commemorate holidays, events, achievements, and historical figures. The first Google Doodle honored the 1998 edition of the long-running annual Bu ...
. In 2016, Lamarr was depicted in an off-Broadway play, ''HEDY! The Life and Inventions of Hedy Lamarr'', a one-woman show written and performed by Heather Massie. Also in 2016, the off-Broadway, one-actor show ''Stand Still and Look Stupid: The Life Story of Hedy Lamarr'', starring Emily Ebertz and written by Mike Broemmel, went into production. Also during 2016, Whitney Frost, a character in the TV show ''Agent Carter'' was inspired by Hedy Lamarr and
Lauren Bacall Betty Joan Perske (September 16, 1924 – August 12, 2014), professionally known as Lauren Bacall ( ), was an American actress. She was named the AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars, 20th-greatest female star of classic Hollywood cinema by the America ...
. In 2017, actress Celia Massingham portrayed Lamarr on
The CW The CW Network, LLC (commonly referred to as The CW or simply CW) is an American commercial broadcast television network which is controlled by Nexstar Media Group through a 75% ownership interest. The network's name is derived from the firs ...
television series ''
Legends of Tomorrow ''DC's Legends of Tomorrow'', or simply ''Legends of Tomorrow'', is an American Time travel in fiction, time travel superhero fiction, superhero television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg, and Phil Klemmer, ...
'' in the sixth episode of the third season, titled "Helen Hunt". The episode is set in 1937 Hollywoodland. The episode aired on November 14, 2017. Also during 2017, a documentary about Lamarr's career as an actress and later as an inventor, '' Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story,'' premiered at the 2017
Tribeca Film Festival The Tribeca Festival is an annual film festival organized by Tribeca Enterprises. It takes place each spring in New York City, showcasing a diverse selection of film, episodic, talks, music, games, art, and immersive programming. The festival ...
. The documentary was written and directed by Alexandra Dean and produced by
Susan Sarandon Susan Abigail Sarandon (; née Tomalin; born October 4, 1946) is an American actor. With a career spanning over five decades, she is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award and a British Academy Film Award, in addition to ...
;"Bombshell: Interview with Richard Rhodes on Hedy Lamarr"
, Sloan Science and Film, April 18, 2017.
it was released in theaters on November 24, 2017, and aired on PBS ''
American Masters ''American Masters'' is a PBS television series which produces biographies on enduring writers, musicians, visual and performing artists, dramatists, filmmakers, and those who have left an indelible impression on the cultural landscape of the U ...
'' in May 2018. In 2018, actress
Alyssa Sutherland Alyssa Sutherland (born 23 September 1982) is an Australian actress. She is best known for her role as Ellie in '' Evil Dead Rise'', the fifth installment of the ''Evil Dead'' franchise. Early life Sutherland was born in Brisbane. She is of Sco ...
portrayed Lamarr on the NBC television series '' Timeless'' in the third episode of the second season, titled "Hollywoodland". The episode aired March 25, 2018. In 2019, actor and musician
Johnny Depp John Christopher Depp II (born June 9, 1963) is an American actor and musician. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Johnny Depp, multiple accolades, including a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for ...
composed a song called " This Is a Song for Miss Hedy Lamarr" with
Tommy Henriksen Tommy Henriksen (born February 21, 1964) is an American musician from Port Jefferson Station, New York, best known for his work as a guitarist, bassist and songwriter with Alice Cooper, Hollywood Vampires, Crossbone Skully and German metal ban ...
. It was included on Depp and
Jeff Beck Geoffrey Arnold Beck (24 June 1944 – 10 January 2023) was an English musician. He rose to prominence as the guitarist of the rock band the Yardbirds, and afterwards founded and fronted the Jeff Beck Group and Beck, Bogert & Appice. In 1975, ...
's 2022 album ''18''. Also in 2019, ''The Only Woman in the Room'', a novel based on Hedy Lamarr's life by Marie Benedict, was published by Sourcebooks Landmark. The book is a ''New York Times'' and USA Today bestseller and
Barnes & Noble Barnes & Noble Booksellers is an American bookseller with the largest number of retail outlets in the United States. The company operates approximately 600 retail stores across the United States. Barnes & Noble operates mainly through its B ...
Book Club Pick. In 2019, it received a space in Library Reads's Hall of Fame. In 2021, Lamarr was mentioned in the first episode of the Marvel's '' What If...?''. The episode aired on August 11, 2021. In May 2023, a dance production called ''Hedy Lamarr: An American Muse'' was made in her honor by Linze Rickles McRae. She was accompanied by her daughter, Azalea McRae, with whom she performed it, alongside her students at her dancing school, Downtown Dance Conservatory in Gadsden, AL. In July 2024, the principal setting of the second season of the Netflix/Nickelodeon/Paramount television series ''Star Trek Prodigy'' is the science vessel USS Voyager, NCC-74656-A, a Starship of the Lamarr class, classified in honor of Lamarr's scientific contributions.


See also

*
Inventors' Day Inventors' Day is a day of the year set aside by a country to recognise the contributions of inventors. Not all countries recognise Inventors' Day. Those countries which do recognise an Inventors' Day do so with varying degrees of emphasis and on ...
*
List of Austrians This is a list of notable Austrians. Actors/actresses * Helmut Berger (1944–2023), actor * Senta Berger (born 1941), actress * Klaus Maria Brandauer (1943–2025), actor * Wolfgang Cerny (born 1984), actor * Marie Geistinger (1836–1903), ...
* Whitney Frost A character in the
Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on List of Marvel Cinematic Universe films, a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appe ...
is loosely based on Ms Lamarr, her character having been both an actress and a physicist.


Explanatory notes


References


Further reading

* * * * * *


External links

* * * *
''Hedy Lamarr'' at Reel Classics
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lamarr, Hedy 1914 births 2000 deaths 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American inventors 20th-century American Jews 20th-century American women writers 20th-century Austrian actresses 20th-century Austrian inventors 20th-century Austrian Jews 20th-century Austrian women writers Actresses from Beverly Hills, California Actresses from Florida Actresses from Vienna American anti-fascists American film actresses American people of Austrian-Jewish descent American people of Hungarian-Jewish descent American women autobiographers American women in World War II 20th-century American women inventors Austrian autobiographers Austrian emigrants to the United States Austrian film actresses Austrian women biographers Burials at the Vienna Central Cemetery Illeists Jewish American actresses Jewish American military personnel Jewish Austrian actresses Jewish American film people Jews from Austria-Hungary Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players Naturalized citizens of the United States Entertainers from Miami Beach, Florida Radio pioneers Writers from Florida Writers from Los Angeles County, California Writers from Vienna