Lamarr was born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler in 1914 in Vienna, the only child of Gertrud "Trude" Kiesler (née Lichtwitz) and Emil Kiesler. See more

Although Lamarr had no formal training and was primarily self-taught, she invested her spare time, including on set between takes, in designing and drafting inventions, which included an improved traffic stoplight and a tablet that would dissolve in water to create a … See more

Hedy Lamarr was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960.
In 1939, Lamarr was selected the "most promising new … See more

Early work
Lamarr was taking acting classes in Vienna when one day, she forged a note from her mother … See more

Louis B. Mayer and MGM
After arriving in London in 1937, she met Louis B. Mayer, head of MGM, who was scouting for talent in Europe. She initially turned down the offer … See more

Lamarr became a naturalized citizen of the United States at age 38 on April 10, 1953. Her autobiography, Ecstasy and Me, was published in 1966. She said on TV that it was not written by … See more

Lamarr was married and divorced six times and had three children:
1. Friedrich Mandl (married 1933–1937), chairman of the … See more