

'Most Beautiful Woman' By Day, Inventor By Night - taylorbuley
http://www.npr.org/2011/11/27/142664182/most-beautiful-woman-by-day-inventor-by-night

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srean
The article comes close but does not mention one interesting piece of trivia.
The frequency hopping device was made using (and inspired by) a pianoroll for
an autopiano. An instrument that Lamarr and her collaborator, composer Antheil
would have been familiar with. In their scheme of things, the torpedo and the
sub would play the same "song" and jump frequencies in sync. Their patent lay
ignored till fairly recently

EDIT: here is an Atlantic article that has more detail:

[http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2010/09/celebr...](http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2010/09/celebrity-
invention-hedy-lamarrs-secret-communications-system/62377/)

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Nate75Sanders
Another piece of trivia about her that I remember and am surprised nobody else
pointed out:

She was the woman on the cover of CorelDraw who sued Corel and won because
they used her likeness:

[https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fsDWp0rXAo8/TWyXPD4a_YI/A...](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fsDWp0rXAo8/TWyXPD4a_YI/AAAAAAAACVU/Sh709RqZw3E/Corel+Draw+8+Hedy+Lamarr.jpg)

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EvilTrout
Fun tidbit for gamers: in Half Life 2, the headcrab that causes the portal
mixup is named Lamarr, after Hedy. Get it?

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topa
and it hops around randomly..

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Jun8
Previous coverage on HN: <http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1368176>.

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vilda
I'm quite surprised that they ignored her past - she was married to Friedrich
Mandl, an arms manufacturer. She learned about military technology from his
friends.

So obvious option - that historians considers - is that she basically patented
ideas she obtained/discussed during her marriage. Missing details are also
behind the reason why she could not reproduce some of them.

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yummies
i can think of a few trolls who would love to snatch up that patent and sue
everyone who ever had anything to do with a smartphone.

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lunchbox
The patent is expired.

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yread
She also starred in the first erotic movie ever:

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecstasy_(film)>

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surlyadopter
That's Hedley.

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Ryanmf
Oh, come on.

I _sort of_ get the "quips that don't add materially to the discussion get all
the downvotes" sentiment, but a well executed, topically relevant Mel Brooks
joke in the gray? On a Sunday? _We're very puzzled._

~~~
enneff
It's just noise. If you want pop culture references and one liners go to
Reddit.

~~~
iso8859-1
This whole thread is nothing but trivia. It seems there is double standard.

