Hedy Lamarr

Hedy Lamarr was an Austrian-American actress and inventor, celebrated both for her Hollywood glamour in the 1930s and 40s and for co-inventing frequency-hopping spread spectrum technology during World War II.

The patent, developed with composer George Antheil, became foundational to modern wireless communications including Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

Her name now invokes the idea of unexpected genius—beauty paired with scientific brilliance.

actress

Hollywood

American film industry center

leading lady · starlet · studio system · filmography · Samson and Delilah · Algiers · Cecil B. DeMille · MGM · Paramount · costume drama

inventor

patent

Obvious; inventor's monopoly

signal · technology · innovation · player piano · synchronization · military · World War II · radio control · jamming · engineer

beauty

glamour

Fascinating, elegant attractiveness

  • eleganceRefined, graceful quality
  • allureAttractive, tempting quality
  • graceEffortless beauty of motion

stunning · radiance · sophistication · poise · icon · pinup · photogenic · striking · comeliness · attractiveness

legacy

pioneer

Early explorer or settler

rediscovered · underestimated · Wi-Fi · Bluetooth · GPS · recognition · posthumous · documentary · biography · feminist icon

Categories
Opposites
intellectual contribution

Hedy LamarrMarilyn Monroe

Rita Hayworth · Lana Turner · Ann-Margret · Brigitte Bardot

recognition vs. obscurity of achievements

Hedy LamarrThomas Edison

Prolific American inventor

Alexander Graham Bell · Nikola Tesla · Marie Curie · Albert Einstein · Steve Jobs

Family

Hedwig

Familiarity
Top 1,000,000
Profile
Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G