Not Just A Pretty Face...!

We often forget that some famous folks like actors have made significant contributions in fields far removed from the public image. Hedy Lamarr was one of these with plenty of talent beyond acting.

Hedy Lamarr—Wi-Fi

Photo credit: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Austrian-born film star Hedy Lamarr was a box office hit during the Hollywood Golden Age in the late 1930s and early 1940s. She was once called “the most beautiful woman in the world,” but there was much more to the bombshell movie star than a pretty face.

During World War II, Lamarr also worked on a torpedo guidance system which forms the basis of today’s Bluetooth and Wi-Fi communications. Patented in 1942 in conjunction with composer George Anthiel, their “frequency hopping” device was used during the war to prevent enemy forces from jamming radio-guided torpedoes, thus sending them off course.

Surprisingly, neither Lamarr nor Anthiel profited from their groundbreaking invention during their lifetimes.

Next time you watch an old movie, you might want to ponder the fact that what you see isn't always the whole story. Certainly wasn't in Hedy's case.

Coffee out on the patio again...if it doesn't rain.