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 Austrias 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 Militarys 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. Lamarrs 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 Lamarrs life, which runs until December 21st.
The clip is pretty hot (imo) primarily BECAUSE it shows no skin.
She does show skin in a later scene. Nice figure, no tats.
“What the hell are you worried about? This is 1874. You’ll be able to sue her!”
I knew it was coming!
Daddy always smiled when he said how pretty
she was when she sat on his bed when he was
wounded in the war.Said all the guys were really
“perked” up after her visit.
no problem to a hot chick
Married six times. Wow.
Well, she is very popular in my house.
She was a sport - she did some ‘Road to...’ Bob Hope flicks.
“I’ll have what she’s having.”
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=i%27ll+have+what+she%27s+having+quote&FORM=HDRSC3
IIRC she chased nude after her horse and then ended up making love in the open to a young man. Word was that the director stuck needles into the soles of her feet at the appropriate instances.
When she actually married her husband tried to locate, purchase, and destroy all the prints of the film. Fortunately, he did not succeed.
That movie showed her body to be great by European standards by a little full for American tastes. So she slimmed down before she came over here.
Wonderful actress. Great American!
When I worked at the Palm Springs airport in the 60’s she came into the waiting area. I had no idea who she was and after she left someone told that was Hedy Lamarr. I would have been around 20 and she would have been around 50 at the time. I saw a lot of stars and I still remember Walt Disney’s airplane number. It was N234MM for Micky Mouse.
I also forgot. I carried Edger Bergen’s Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd. They were in suitcases.
I read somewhere that she said the director stuck a pin in her behind during the orgasm scene in Ecstasy (not shown in this clip).
I think that was three feet.
Hey, could have been.
It was N234MM for Micky Mouse.
LOL, I thought I was the only one carrying around a tail number in my head. I soloed in N18068. Never forgot it for some reason.
She had flawless skin.
LOL! I still love that movie.
I had no idea.
RIP Hoppy Lammar.
one of the prettiest periods in her beauty IMO. (pictured with some bit actor :^) )
Right click / view for full sized photo.
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