Hedy Lamarr: Hollywood Star and Inventor Behind Modern Cell Phone Technology
Discover how Hedy Lamarr, a glamorous Hollywood actress, helped invent the technology that made modern cell phones and Wi-Fi possible.
Born Hedwig Eva Maria Keisler in Vienna, Austria , to Jewish parents, Hedy Lamarr studied ballet and piano before she was 10. As a teenager, she was already acting in German films. In 1933 , she made her debut in Gustav Machaty’s controversial film Ecstasy . The Czechoslovak film, shot in Prague, depicts a young wife yearning for her husband’s love. Close-ups of her face during a supposed orgasm and her running naked through the woods brought her notoriety—and, later, much heartache .
Her husband, Friedrich Mandl (also known as Fritz Mandl), an arms manufacturer , was not happy about marrying a woman with such a background and tried to destroy the film , buying and destroying many of the copies. He controlled her life , preventing her from pursuing her career. To compensate, he took her to meetings with Nazi friends and business partners, where Hedy learned a great deal about military technology .
Escape to America
n 1937 , the actress managed to escape from her husband — disguised as a maid — and went to Paris, where she obtained a divorce. She moved to London , where she met L. B. Mayer , who hired her and suggested that she change her name to Hedy Lamarr , in honor of the star Barbara La Marr , who had died in 1926.
Hollywood Career
Upon arriving in Hollywood , she was hired by MGM and served as a model for actresses such as Joan Bennett and Rita Hayworth . Her sensuality, green eyes and extremely black hair captivated the public and made many men sigh for the Viennese.
She made her American debut with “Algiers” (1938) , followed by “Boom Town” (1940) , “White Cargo” (1942) and “Tortilla Flat” (1942) . In 1941 , she starred alongside Lana Turner and Judy Garland in the musical “Ziegfeld Girl” .
There were 18 films in 9 years . His biggest success was “Samson and Delilah” (1949) , by Cecil B. DeMille, but, after “My Favorite Spy” (1951) , his career went into decline.
Scientist Hedy Lamarr
During World War II , the actress created a radio jamming system to mislead Nazi radars and patented it in 1940 , using her real name, Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler . The idea came to her while playing the piano in a duet with composer George Antheil — hence the concept of frequently changing channels to avoid interception.
The idea was rejected by the U.S. War Department in 1941, but patented in August 1942. The system used 88 different frequencies , but seemed difficult to implement at the time. It was not until 1962 that the technology was used by military troops in Cuba. In 1997 , Hedy received an award for her contribution.
Personal Life and Difficulties
In the United States, she married five more times : to Gene Markey , John Loder (with whom she had two children), Ted Stauffer , Howard Lee and Louis Boies . All of her marriages failed. It is said that only the first two were for love; the others were for financial necessity .
Over time, she lost out to new stars like Marilyn Monroe and Kim Novak . Her body type was no longer in demand, and her agent had trouble finding roles. She was broke and turned down TV jobs, considering it an inferior medium.
She had plastic surgery when she was still 40 (including on her elbows!) and was always criticizing herself in the mirror, according to her son, John Loder .
Her life took a turn for the worse when she was arrested for shoplifting at a department store. The public was shocked to learn that their former idol was on trial for stealing a knitted dress . In court, she said:
“I stole because I had no money. I am in a state of poverty, living in a wooden house, eaten by termites. I cook and wash my own clothes, because I have no way of paying anyone.”
She was unanimously acquitted and advised to write a book. She hired a writer for “Ecstasy and Me,” which eventually earned her $200,000, of which 80 percent went to back taxes, 50 percent went to the writer, and she kept only $20,000. She later sued the publisher, claiming that many of the stories were fabricated by writer Leo Guild , including accounts of alleged sexual abuse during her escape.
Legacy
Hedy died on January 19, 2000 , and her ashes were scattered in the Wienerwald forest . She married five times and had a life marked by scandals, but her greatest legacy was her revolutionary invention .
The frequency system she developed served as the basis for cell phone communication technology , earning her the title of “mother of the cell phone” .
Mais sobre a autora
