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.
I always found her to be a very attractive actress.
On screen she really appealed to me.
She was no slouch on intellect either, as is noted above.
Contrast that with some of the bobble-heads today.
A brilliant beauty!
“Beuty and Brains”?My “Little Girl”had BOTH!!!!!!!!!!!
“Hedley”Lamarr!Just think,you can “SUE Her”!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That was my first thought when I saw the Hedy[sic] line.
"Ceterum censeo 0bama esse delendam."
Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)
Please let me know if you want on or off the Old Crow ping list.
If you don't like her hopping, jam it.
"Ceterum censeo 0bama esse delendam."
Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)
Interesting Knarf. I hadn’t realized that sort of thing was out there. Thanks for the education. :^)
“That’s Hedley”
I'm amazed that was even printed ... remember, it's 1933 ... Rob and Laura Petri couldn't sleep in the same bed
Pretty racy stuff.
Nowadays the only only thing controversial about that clip is the smoking.
Laughingly, I looked for the foot on the floor. It wasn’t there.
Remember that rule. One foot had to be on the floor.
Thanks for the mention.
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