Entertainment Q&A: Why was Hedy Lamarr Famous?

Hedy Lamarr, circa 1943. Photo credit: The Hollywood Archive

Hedy Lamarr was famous for her career as an actress in Hollywood during the 1930s and 1940s. She was known for her beauty, exotic accent, and captivating performances in films such as “Algiers” (1938), “Boom Town” (1940), and “Samson and Delilah” (1949).

In addition to her acting career, Hedy Lamarr was also an inventor and made significant contributions to the field of wireless communication. During World War II, she co-invented a technology called frequency hopping spread spectrum, which was intended to prevent radio-controlled torpedoes from being jammed by enemy signals. This technology paved the way for modern Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and other wireless communication technologies. However, her contributions to science and technology were not widely recognized until much later in her life.

Our Top 10 Hedy Lamarr Films

  1. Samson and Delilah (1949)
  2. Lady of the Tropics (1939)
  3. Algiers (1938)
  4. Ziegfeld Girl (1941)
  5. The Strange Woman (1946)
  6. Boom Town (1940)
  7. The Conspirators (1944)
  8. Tortilla Flat (1942)
  9. Dishonored Lady (1947)
  10. Copper Canyon (1950)