Hedy lamarr last photo

1. Biography of Hedy Lamarr
2. Early Life and Acting Career
3. Marriage and Invention
4. Escape and Hollywood Career
5. Invention of Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum
6. Later Life and Legacy

Biography of Hedy Lamarr

Hedy Lamarr was an Austrian-American actress, scientist, and inventor. She gained fame for her relatively provocative roles and her involvement in the development of several technologies that are still widely used in wireless data transmission today.

Early Life and Acting Career

Hedy Lamarr was born as Hedwig in Vienna, Austria-Hungary. She was the only child of banker Emil Kiesler and his wife Gertrud. At the age of 10, Hedy began learning to play the piano. She had the opportunity to work with Max Reinhardt, who called Lamarr the "most beautiful woman in Europe". As a teenager, she started playing lead roles in German films alongside stars like Heinz Rühmann and Hans Moser. In 1933, Lamarr played the lead role in the controversial film "Ecstasy" by Gustav Machatý, which featured a scene of her swimming naked in a lake and an explicit close-up of her face during an orgasm.

Marriage and Invention

In August 1933, Lamarr married Viennese weapons manufacturer Friedrich Mandl, who was 13 years older than her. Mandl, a controlling and possessive man, did not approve of Lamarr's acting career, especially after the release of "Ecstasy". However, it was through her husband that Lamarr discovered her passion for technology. Mandl often took her to meetings with technicians and business partners, where Lamarr's mathematical skills came in handy. Despite the lack of freedom in her marriage, Lamarr found a new calling thanks to her husband.

Escape and Hollywood Career

In 1937, Lamarr disguised herself as one of her maids and fled from Mandl's castle. She managed to obtain a divorce and moved to Paris, where she met Louis B. Mayer. With Mayer's help, Lamarr returned to the film industry. During this time, she adopted the stage name Hedy Lamarr, inspired by silent film star Barbara La Marr. In Hollywood, Lamarr was often cast as a seductive femme fatale. She made her American film debut in "Algiers" in 1938 and went on to star in films like "Boom Town" (1940) with Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy, and "White Cargo" (1942).

Invention of Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum

While in Hollywood, Lamarr met composer and inventor George Antheil. Together, they developed a system for transmitting information using a technique called "Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum". They initially applied this technology to mechanical pianos. The U.S. Navy later used the system during the Cuban blockade in 1962. Today, frequency hopping spread spectrum is widely used in technologies such as Bluetooth, CDMA, and COFDM. Lamarr's invention was not recognized until years later, and she was posthumously inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

Later Life and Legacy

After leaving MGM in 1945, Lamarr's acting career gradually declined. She turned down numerous script offers and became tired of the excessive fame. Lamarr's desire for privacy, along with vision problems, led her to move to Miami Beach, Florida. Hedy Lamarr passed away on January 19, 2000, at the age of 86. Her contributions as both an actress and inventor continue to be celebrated, and her birthday, November 9, is recognized as "Inventors' Day" in Germany.