BRAINS AND BEAUTY: HEDY LAMARR
THE LIFE: 1913-2000
  • 1913 - Birth of Hedwig Eva Marie Keisler in Vienna, Austria
  • 1931 - First Feature Film: "Money on the Street"
  • 1937 - Signed contract with MGM; Moved to America; Changed name to Hedy Lamarr;
  • 1937-1941 - Met composer, George Antheil; Refined radio-controlled torpedo idea
  • 1941 - Received first patent
  • 1942 - New patent for invention (modified by Sylvania)
  • 2000 - Death of Hedy Lamarr in Florida at age 86

Biography

A movie star and an inventor? It seems impossible, yet one woman was both! Hedy Lamarr was a glamorous and provocative actress and an "Edison" of her time! Hedy Lamarr was born Hedwig Eva Marie Kiesler in Vienna, Austria in 1913. In 1931, at age 17, she starred in her first feature film, "Money on the Street." She soon married Fritz Mandl. Fritz's career, selling weapons, exposed Hedwig to the functions and design of weapons. As a result of this exposure, Hedwig envisioned a radio controlled torpedo. Unfortunately, the signal for this idea could be jammed too easily. When Hitler took over Germany, Hedy fled alone to London. While there, Hedwig signed an "MGM Studios, Hollywood" contract with Louis B. Mayer and she changed her name to Hedy Lamarr. In 1937, she migrated to America. While working with composer, George Antheil she collaborated with him on her radio controlled torpedo idea. By making the frequency change randomly, they made it work. They received a patent for their device, designed to protect U.S. radio-guided torpedoes from being intercepted by the Nazis, in June 1941. Although it was not used during the war and the patent expired, Sylvania then used a slightly modified method in satellite technology. The new patent for this technology was granted on August 11, 1942, under the name "Hedy Keisler Markey" and George Antheil for a "Secret Communications System." Hedy Lamarr's invention has revolutionized Satellite Science and Wireless Technology.

Click below to see photos of Hedy Lamarr...


Links
References

Hedy Lamarr Memorial- ABC NEWS


Hedy, The Inventor

http://www.inventorsmuseum.com/hedylamarr.htm
http://www.clevernet.net/hedylamarr/
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Hills/1797/
http://www.hoxie.org/news99/senior99


Made By: Zachary M. Baer