Untold Legends: Hedy Lamarr

Hedy’s tumultuous life has taken so many twists and turns. Will she finally get the recognition she deserves as an inventor? We speak to US Navy commanders, a Microsoft inventor and Hedy’s daughter to find out, in the last part of Hedy’s amazing story.What makes someone a “true legend”? Untold Legends gives legendary status to those who deserve it – and tells their story.Untold Legends is from the BBC World Service, Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds.

As Hedy Lamarr gets older, her acting work dries up and she is again embroiled in a public scandal. She is accused of shoplifting. To make things worse, she is taking addictive “remedies” prescribed by Dr Max Jacobson, otherwise known as “Dr Feelgood”. Will Hedy be able to seize back her own narrative?What makes someone a “true legend”? Untold Legends gives legendary status to those who deserve it – and tells their story.Untold Legends is from the BBC World Service, Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds.

Hedy Lamarr and George Antheil’s visionary invention fails to make an impact with the US Navy. The actress decides it’s time to quit MGM Studios to explore new avenues as an independent movie producer. She loses a fortune, and divorces her third husband. Then, there’s a twist in Hedy’s invention tale.What makes someone a “true legend”? Untold Legends gives legendary status to those who deserve it – and tells their story.Untold Legends is from the BBC World Service, Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

The Hollywood star wants to help defeat Hitler, so Hedy Lamarr comes up with an invention. Troubled by what is happening in the Second World War, Hedy works with the avant-garde composer, George Antheil on an idea. France has been invaded and there are torpedo attacks on the ships, SS Volendam and SS City of Benares. Hedy and George want to stop Nazi U-boat forces from jamming the radio signals used to guide Allied torpedoes. They take their idea, an application of frequency hopping, to the National Inventors Council in the US. Will they get their patent?What makes someone a “true legend”? Untold Legends gives legendary status to those who deserve it – and tells their story. Untold Legends is from the BBC World Service, Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

Hedy’s new life in Hollywood isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. The party lifestyle isn’t for her and she struggles to make her MGM debut. Eventually though, the film offers start rolling in, starting with Algiers - Hedy’s big Hollywood break. But while Hedy’s living the Hollywood highlife, across the Atlantic, Europe is descending into World War II. Hedy’s Jewish mother manages to leave Austria, now under Nazi control. Hedy’s also starting to feel unchallenged by the film roles she’s being cast in, so turns her creative mind to inventing. She meets one of America's richest and most eccentric men, Howard Hughes. Hughes’s interest in Hedy is initially romantic, but he soon realises her innovative mind is even more impressive than her beauty. She has plenty of ideas and the technical expertise to make them work. Then eventually, a chance meeting with a kindred spirit - the composer George Antheil - sets in motion a path for Hedy, far beyond Hollywood. Content warning: This episode contains racist language. What makes someone a “true legend”? Untold Legends gives legendary status to those who deserve it – and tells their story. Untold Legends is from the BBC World Service, Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds .