Hedy Lamarr

Hedy Lamarr, the renowned actress and inventor, was born on November 9, 1914.

At the age of 5, Hedy Lamarr began showing a keen interest in machines, inspired by her father's discussions on the inner-workings of various machines during their long walks. She started dismantling and reassembling her music box to understand its operations.

In 1930, Hedy Lamarr attended drama school to pursue her acting career.

In 1932, Hedy Lamarr gained name recognition as an actress for her role in the controversial film, Ecstasy. This film played a significant role in shaping her career.

Hedy Lamarr married Friedrich Mandl on August 10, 1933, despite objections from her parents due to Mandl's controlling nature and ties to fascist leaders.

After escaping from her controlling husband, Hedy Lamarr met Louis B. Mayer in London, who signed her to MGM. This marked a significant turning point in her career as she transitioned into Hollywood under the name Hedy Lamarr.

Hedy Lamarr and George Antheil submitted a patent on June 10, 1941, for their joint invention of a torpedo guidance system using frequency hopping. This innovative system synchronized rapidly changing radio frequencies to steer a radio-controlled torpedo from a high-altitude observation plane.

The patent for the frequency hopping invention by Hedy Lamarr and George Antheil was granted on August 11, 1942. This patent marked the official recognition of their groundbreaking idea in torpedo guidance technology.

Hedy Lamarr invented a communication system during WWII, but the Navy rejected it. She autographed the cement court at the USO Hollywood Canteen in 1942.

After leaving MGM, Hedy Lamarr formed a production company and made the thriller 'The Strange Woman' in 1946, which went over budget and had minor profits.

Hedy Lamarr and Jack Chertok made the thriller 'Dishonored Lady' in 1947, which went over budget and was not a commercial success.

Hedy Lamarr starred in the religious epic 'Samson and Delilah' in 1949, her most successful film.

Hedy Lamarr achieved her biggest success by portraying Delilah in Cecil B. DeMille's 'Samson and Delilah', which became the highest-grossing film of 1950 and won two Oscars.

In 1951, British moviegoers recognized Hedy Lamarr as the 10th best actress for her remarkable performance in the film 'Samson and Delilah', highlighting her popularity and acclaim internationally.

In 1954, Hedy Lamarr went to Italy to play multiple roles in 'Loves of Three Queens', a production she also produced, but faced financial losses due to distribution issues.

In 1957, the US Navy utilized the frequency hopping technique, originally developed by Hedy Lamarr and George Antheil, as part of the radio link for a sonobuoy. This innovative method was a significant advancement in military communication technology.

In 1958, Hedy Lamarr retired from movies, except for a cameo appearance in 'Instant Karma' in 1990. She decided to step back from her acting career at that time.

In the 1960s, the US Government started utilizing the technology invented by Hedy Lamarr and George Antheil, known as frequency hopping spread device, for various applications.

The Navy utilized Hedy Lamarr's frequency jumping technology during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. This technology is now fundamental in mobile phones and wireless communication.

In 1965, Hedy Lamarr finalized her sixth and last divorce, remaining unmarried for the last 35 years of her life.

In 1966, Hedy Lamarr was arrested on shoplifting charges but was later cleared of them. This incident brought her back into the public eye.

In 1974, Hedy Lamarr filed a $10 million lawsuit against Warner Bros. for using a parody of her name in the Mel Brooks comedy Blazing Saddles without her permission.

In 1981, Hedy Lamarr retreated from public life due to failing eyesight and settled in Miami Beach, Florida.

In the 1986 film adaptation of Little Shop of Horrors, Audrey II mentions Hedy Lamarr in the song 'Feed Me', offering Seymour a date with her.

In 1990, Hedy Lamarr, known as the Most Beautiful Woman in the World, expressed her belief in the importance of intelligence over looks during an interview with Forbes reporter Fleming Meeks.

In 1991, Hedy Lamarr sued the collaborators on her autobiography for misrepresentation and took director Mel Brooks to court for including a character named Hedley Lamarr in 'Blazing Saddles'. She was involved in legal battles during this period.

In 1997, Hedy Lamarr was jointly awarded the Electronic Frontier Foundation Pioneer Award for her invention, recognizing her inventive genius that was previously unrecognized by the public.

WiFi was created with Hedy Lamarr's invention as a basis for its design.

Hedy Lamarr, the inventor whose design served as the basis for WiFi, passes away.

In 2004, Hedy Lamarr's son, Anthony Loder, was featured in the documentary film 'Calling Hedy Lamarr', where he played excerpts from her telephone calls.

In 2006, the Hedy-Lamarr-Weg was established in Vienna Meidling, commemorating the actress and her legacy in her birthplace.

In 2008, an off-Broadway play titled 'Frequency Hopping' featured the lives of Hedy Lamarr and Antheil, winning a prize for best new play about science and technology.

In 2009, the mockumentary 'The Chronoscope' featured a fictional Irish scientist likely modeled after Hedy Lamarr, satirizing the extreme politics of the 1930s.

In 2010, Hedy Lamarr was selected as one of 150 IT people to be featured in a short film launched by the British Computer Society on May 20.

In 2011, the story of Hedy Lamarr's frequency-hopping spread spectrum invention was explored in an episode of the Science Channel show Dark Matters: Twisted But True, which premiered on September 7.

The book 'Hedy's Folly' by Richard Rhodes, published in 2012, explores the life and innovative inventions of Hedy Lamarr, shedding light on her contributions beyond her acting career.

On November 9, 2015, and November 9, 2023, Google paid tribute to Hedy Lamarr on what would have been her 101st and 109th birthdays with a special Google Doodle, celebrating her enduring legacy.

In 2016, Hedy Lamarr was depicted in an off-Broadway play titled HEDY! The Life and Inventions of Hedy Lamarr, a one-woman show written and performed by Heather Massie.

In 2017, actress Celia Massingham portrayed Hedy Lamarr in the sixth episode of the third season of The CW television series Legends of Tomorrow, set in 1937 Hollywoodland.

A documentary film directed by Alexandra Dean that explores the life and inventions of Hedy Lamarr, a prominent figure known as the most beautiful woman in the world.

On August 27, 2019, an asteroid was officially named 32730 Lamarr in honor of the iconic actress, solidifying her impact beyond Earth.