Hedy Lamarr

Introduction to Hedy Lamarr

Hedy Lamarr was a Hollywood actress and inventor who contributed to the development of frequency-hopping spread spectrum technology.

Early Life and Family Background

Hedy Lamarr was born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler on November 9, 1914, in Vienna, Austria. Lamarr was the only child of Gertrud Kiesler and Emil Kiesler.

Childhood Interests in Acting and Technology

Lamarr’s interest in acting started from her childhood. She was also fascinated by theater and film. Lamarr won a beauty contest in Vienna at 12.

Influence of Her Father

Aside from enjoying appearing on stages, Hedy also developed an interest in technology and learned a few things from her father about technological inventions, especially during their walks and bonding sessions.

Start of Her Acting Career

Lamarr began her film career in Europe, where she starred in the controversial film Ecstasy. She married a wealthy arms dealer named Fritz Mandl, who tried to prevent her from acting. Lamarr fled from him and moved to Paris.

Move to Hollywood

She later traveled to London, where she met Louis B. Mayer, who was the head of MGM at that time. He offered her a contract in Hollywood, where she became known as the “world’s most beautiful woman.”

Acting Career in Hollywood

After signing this contract with Mayer, Lamarr’s acting career was launched into the limelight with her appearances in numerous movies between the late 1930s and 1950s.

Transition to Science and Technology

After a successful career in acting, Lamarr developed a keen interest in science and technology. She was fascinated by the radio-controlled torpedoes used during World War II and wanted to find a way to make them resistant to jamming and interference.

Invention of Frequency-Hopping Technology

Lamarr joined forces with composer George Antheil, and together, they devised a method of changing the frequency of radio signals at irregular intervals, making them harder to detect and block.

Patenting the “Secret Communication System”

They patented their invention in 1942 under the title “Secret Communication System.” However, the U.S. Navy didn’t adopt their idea until the 1950s, and they never received any compensation for their work.

Impact of Lamarr’s Invention

Lamarr’s invention was later used for various purposes such as satellite communications, cellular phones, and Wi-Fi.

Recognition and Honors

She was posthumously inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2014 and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2018.

Personal Life and Legacy

Lamarr was married and divorced six times. She had three children. She passed away in 2000 at the age of 85.