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Hedy Lamarr

Hedy Lamarr

Actor, also producer · Died January 19, 2000, aged 85 · Vienna, Austria

Hedy Lamarr (born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler; November 9, 1914 – January 19, 2000) was an Austrian-born actress and technology inventor. She was a film star during Hollywood's Golden Age. After a brief early film career in Czechoslovakia, including the controversial Ecstasy (1933), she fled from her first husband, a wealthy Austrian ammunition manufacturer, and secretly moved to Paris. Traveling to London, she met Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio head Louis B. Mayer, who offered her a movie contract in Hollywood. She became a film star with her performance in Algiers (1938). Her MGM films include Lady of the Tropics (1939), Boom Town (1940), H.M. Pulham, Esq. (1941), and White Cargo (1942). Her greatest success was as Delilah in Cecil B. DeMille's Bible-inspired Samson and Delilah (1949). She also acted on television before the release of her final film, The Female Animal (1958). She was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. At the beginning of World War II, she and avant-garde composer George Antheil developed a radio guidance system for Allied torpedoes that used spread spectrum and frequency hopping technology to defeat the threat of jamming by the Axis powers. This system later became the basis for what is now known as Bluetooth. Description above from the Wikipedia article Hedy Lamarr, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 9, 1914
Died
January 19, 2000 (aged 85)
From
Vienna, Austria
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
29 on MovieCove · 46 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 27% in 30 days

What are Hedy Lamarr's films like?

Across their 26 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Drama11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 55th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 59th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 57th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Documentary4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 82nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
26%
Bonds
26%
Morality
17%
Power
17%
Society
7%
Ideas
5%
Survival
2%
Romantic love9 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception4 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 26 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 12 · Serious 8 · Dark 6

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 13 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 5

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 9 · Charged 15 · Intense 2

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 13 · Shifting 11 · Whiplash 2

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 17 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 4

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 11 · Even-paced 15 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

A split, not a type: Casual 11 · Engaged 14 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 10 · Affecting 11 · Heavy 5

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 21 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

16 analyzed roles

Usually the Shapeshifter: 9 of 16 analyzed roles.

Shapeshifter
9 of 16
Hero
3 of 16
Ally
2 of 16
Mentor
1 of 16
Shadow
1 of 16
Show the 16 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
11
Warm
11
Melancholic
12
Romantic
12
Contemplative
7
Other
9

How their films linger

Bittersweet9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy11
  • Bittersweet9
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous3

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Hedy Lamarr's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 5 of their 29 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Hedy Lamarr's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

46 credits, 29 with a MovieCove page; 17 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Hedy Lamarr: The Invention of a Star (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Actor

  • Hollywood, No Sex Please!(2018)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Marilyn, dernières séances (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as archive footage

  • Calling Hedy Lamarr (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Actor

  • Hedy Lamarr: Secrets of a Hollywood Star (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Actor

  • Edgar G. Ulmer: The Man Off-Screen(2004)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Casting Couch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Actor

  • That's Entertainment! III(1994)

    as (archive footage) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Instant Karma(1990)

    as Movie Goddess (Archival)

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Going Hollywood: The '30s(1984)

    as (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Showbiz Goes to War(1982)

    as (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • That's Entertainment, Part II(1976)

    as (archive footage) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Hollywood Blue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as (archive footage)

  • Mondo Hollywood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Actor

  • The Female Animal(1957)

    as Vanessa Windsor

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • The Story of Mankind(1957)

    as Joan of Arc

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · as Consuela Bowers

  • Loves of Three Queens(1954)

    Producer · as Hedy Windsor / Elana di Troia / Empress Josephine / Geneviève de Brabant

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • The Fate of Two Queens (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Imperatrice Giuseppina / Genoveffa di Brabante / Hedy Windsor

  • My Favorite Spy(1951)

    as Lily Dalbray

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Copper Canyon(1950)

    as Lisa Roselle

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • A Lady Without Passport(1950)

    as Marianne Lorress

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Samson and Delilah(1949)

    as Delilah

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Let's Live a Little(1948)

    as Dr. J.O. "Jo" Loring

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Dishonored Lady(1947)

    as Madeleine Damien

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • The Strange Woman(1946)

    Executive Producer · as Jenny Hager

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Her Highness and the Bellboy(1945)

    as Princess Veronica

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Experiment Perilous(1944)

    as Allida Bederaux

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The Conspirators(1944)

    as Irene Von Mohr

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Heavenly Body (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Vicky Whitley

  • White Cargo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Tondelayo

  • Crossroads(1942)

    as Lucienne Talbot

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Tortilla Flat(1942)

    as Dolores Ramirez

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • H.M. Pulham, Esq.(1941)

    as Marvin Myles Ransome

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Ziegfeld Girl(1941)

    as Sandra Kolter

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Come Live with Me(1941)

    as Johnny Jones

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Comrade X (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Golubka / Theodore Yahupitz / Lizvanetchka 'Lizzie'

  • Boom Town(1940)

    as Karen Vanmeer

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • I Take This Woman(1940)

    as Georgi Gragore

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Lady of the Tropics(1939)

    as Manon deVargnes Carey, aka Kira Kim

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Algiers(1938)

    as Gaby

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Ecstasy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Eva Hermann

  • We Need No Money (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Käthe Brandt

  • The Trunks of Mr. O.F. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Helene, seine Tochter

  • Storm in a Water Glass (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Secretary

  • Money on the Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    as Young Girl at Night Club Table

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 45 titles from 1930 to 2018.

Biggest box office

Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story (2017)

$1.1M worldwide

Highest rated

Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story (2017)

Midcredits 91st

Most popular right now

Samson and Delilah (1949)

Film career

Top draw in 4 MovieCove titles.

  • 1933Screen debut· Ecstasy
  • 1933First top-billed film· Ecstasy
  • 1949Career best· Samson and Delilah

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting45 of 45: 43 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score60thProducing2 of 45: 0 only producing, 2 with another role

By decade

1930s7 · acting1940s17 · 17 acting · 1 crew1950s8 · 8 acting · 1 crew1960s1 · acting1970s2 · acting1980s2 · acting1990s3 · acting2000s3 · acting2010s2 · acting

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 31% of 13 roles
3343

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Hedy Lamarr's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 61st percentile, the median of all 29; across their 26 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 60th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 26

Approval · how many liked their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 26

Reach · how many have seen their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 26

Midcredits score across 29 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up7
  • 50th to 74th13
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

17 of their 29 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Crowd Pleaser17
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · actor

Instant Karma (1990)

80th percentile spread · 51% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

That's Entertainment! III (1994)

Midcredits 90th · 78% liked

Reviewers score the acting 62/100 in their films, across 24 reviewed titles; fans 71, detractors 39. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Hedy Lamarr work with?

People who share at least 2 of Hedy Lamarr's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jack Conway shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers