By Gracie Williams
On Saturday, as part of the annual Savannah Book Festival, author Marie Benedict took the stage at the Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall to discuss her new book, “The Only Woman in the Room.”
This is Benedict’s latest novel in the Historical Fiction genre, and the story follows astounding beauty, Hedy Lamarr, and her contribution to modern technology. Lamarr was a Hollywood actress and self-taught scientist who became a pioneer in the field of wireless communication. Although this story is considered fictional, it is anchored in truth and extensive research, as are her other novels.
Benedict has always felt the call of the untold stories of women in history, and after learning of Lamarr’s scientific contributions from a friend, she immediately knew that this was her next story.
“I learned that every day, many times a day, nearly every person in the world, certainly every person in this room, holds a piece of my character’s history,” Benedict said.
Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler, born in Vienna, Austria, knew she wanted to become an actress at a young age. At age 19, she married an arms dealer known as “The Merchant of Death,” who did business with rising fascist groups. At the many parties she attended with her husband, she found herself in the company of some of the most powerful people in the world at the time and overheard secrets, some of which revealed military plans from Mussolini and The Third Reich.
She eventually escaped to London, fleeing from the overwhelming control of her husband. It was there she met with Louis B. Mayer, the founder of MGM and arguably the most influential man in Hollywood. She then moved to California to pursue a career in acting, and transitioned into her role as the young Hollywood starlet, into Hedy Lamarr.
As the war progressed, her “survivors guilt” from knowing enemy secrets prompted her to act. She decided to use her self-taught science skills to help aid the American Military and allies. She created a radio-controlled Torpedo system at a makeshift lab located in her Hollywood Hills mansion.
Although the Navy rejected her invention during WW2 for unknown reasons, they eventually incorporated it, using it for Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. Despite the fact that her incredible invention was initially deemed insignificant, Lamarr created the foundation for modern wireless devices.
When researching for the book, Benedict came across a major problem. Lamarr died in 2000, and her existing relatives were not necessarily helpful to her research, due to the fact that they weren’t alive during the war.
“I had tons of information about Hedy Lamarr the Hollywood actress, but nothing about the other side of her.” Benedict explained.
Despite its widespread use today, Benedict still questions what would’ve happened if the society of her time had acknowledged her intellect, as well as her beautiful face.
“In some ways, the story I’ve uncovered of Hedy Lamarr, really show you the dangers of underestimating women,” Benedict said.
Through the story revealed in “The Only Woman in the Room,” Benedict shows that every day we are looking into the face of Hedy Lamarr and the undeniable impact she had on the modern world.
