Hacker Culture A to Z

Chapter 12. L

Lamarr, Hedy

Hedy Lamarr (1914–2000) was one of the most famous Hollywood movie stars of the 1930s and 1940s. Born in Austria, she played a few roles in Austrian and German films from 1930 to 1932. Her starring role in 1932’s Czech erotic romance drama Ecstasy (Ekstase) caught the attention of MGM head Louis B. Mayer. Lamarr moved to Hollywood and starred in some of MGM’s most notable films of the era, such as 1938’s Algiers, 1941’s Ziegfeld Girl, 1944’s The Conspirators, and 1949’s Samson and Delilah.

Despite being considered one of the most beautiful women in the world, she was often cynical of beauty standards and once said, “The brains of people are more interesting than the looks, I think.”

What does any of this have to do with hacker culture? Plenty—you can thank Ms. Lamarr for WiFi technology.

Lamarr’s inventor mindset began with disassembling music boxes as a young child. At the peak of Lamarr’s filmmaking career, she dated eccentric, mega-wealthy businessman and pilot Howard Hughes, who encouraged her talents by giving her mechanical and electric equipment to work with in her film-set trailers.

When World War II broke out, Lamarr began designing seriously. Hughes asked her to help him develop faster airplanes for the US military, and she designed wings that combined elements of the natural aerodynamics of fish fins and the wings of fast birds. “You’re a genius!” Hughes exclaimed.

To address the problem of Axis powers jamming US radio torpedo-control systems, ...