Posted on 11/08/2014 11:34:06 AM PST by DeaconBenjamin
The Austrian-born Hollywood actress Hedy Lamarr is being given an honorary grave in Vienna's Central Cemetery on Friday, ahead of her 100th birthday on November 9th.
Lamarr was born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler in Vienna in 1914.
Not only was she known as one of the most beautiful women of her day, but she also invented a technology that enables the mass use of mobile phones and other wireless communications.
She died in Florida in 2000, aged 85. On the anniversary of her 100th birthday Austria’s Film Museum is screening a documentary about her.
Lamarr garnered a degree of fame and notoriety when she was 18 after starring in a 1933 film called Ecstasy which featured close ups of her acting out an orgasm, as well as full frontal nude shots of her in another scene.
After her unhappy marriage ended with Fritz Mandl, a wealthy Austrian munitions manufacturer who sold arms to the Nazis, she fled to the United States and signed a contract with the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio in Hollywood under the name Hedy Lamarr.
Her most popular success was as the biblical temptress Delilah in Cecil B. DeMille's 1949 film Samson and Delilah (1949).
Max Reinhardt, who directed her in Berlin, called her the "most beautiful woman in Europe" noting her "strikingly dark exotic looks".
In addition to being one of the most successful actresses of the ‘30's and ‘40's, Lamarr was also a mathematical genius and inventor.
In 1942, she and her friend the American composer George Antheil devised a plan to help the war effort during World War II.
They developed a sophisticated, anti-jamming device for use in radio-controlled torpedoes. This method of radio “frequency hopping” could prevent enemy spies from intercepting the US Military’s messages.
Their invention turned out to be more useful in later military tactics after World War II, particularly during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis when it was installed on ships as part of a blockade on Cuba.
However, their patent expired in 1960 and so they received none of the profits and little recognition. Since the 1960's, the method has been used extensively in military communications.
Not only is the same technology used today in the US defence communication satellite system, but it also enables the mass use of mobile phones, faxes, and other wireless communication.
In the 1990's, Lamarr and Antheil got the recognition they deserved for their invention. They received awards like the Electronic Frontier Foundation Pioneer Award and the BULBIEª Gnass Spirit of Achievement Bronze Award, given to individuals whose creative lifetime achievements in the arts, sciences, business, or invention fields have significantly contributed to society.
After Lamarr died her son Anthony scattered her ashes in the Vienna Woods, as she had asked. It was a homecoming she always dreamed of but which she never managed to make during her lifetime.
Lamarr was married six times, and had three children, one of whom was adopted.
The documentary film Calling Hedy Lamarr will be screened at the Austrian Film Museum on Sunday November 9th at midday. Lamarr’s son Anthony Loder will be present at the screening.
Tickets are free but should be reserved by emailing office@mischief-films.com.
The Bezirksmuseum in Währing is holding an exhibition about Lamarr’s life, which runs until December 21st.
He was perfect in “Gone With the Wind”. Speaking of bit actors, I watched the last 30 minutes of “Arsenic and Old Lace” this afternoon. It’s one of the funniest movies ever made, imho.
Notice her hands-very natural.
Add me to the list. I did ELINT/EW engineering for years.
Thank you for your mention Harold Shea. That’s a very nice remembrance. Sure does embellish my thoughts of her.
Even some of them who have been around for decades open their mouths and make you cringe with what comes forth.
Vivian Leigh was never my type. It's just a blond vs brunettes thing mostly. It's actually good that we don't all like the very same look. I will say though, Lana Turner... wow.
Another thing to take into consideration, is animation. Some women look good in a photo, then pale on screen. Turner had a screen presence that was electrifying.
Tuner was beautiful. So was Rita Hayworth, a goddess. And I have a fondness for Veronica Lake, the “Girl With The Peek-a-Boo Do!’’.
I liked him in most of his roles. He was a character. He had a charming smile and was just pushy enough in most roles to get the job done. Much of it was tongue in cheek anyway.
In him you could see yourself a bit. He reacted to things as a man would. You could get away with that back then.
Yes, her hands do look natural there.
Nice post!
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