Hedy Lamarr

 
Hedy Lamarr, widely regarded as one of the most beautiful women ever to grace the silver screen, and who in her spare time just happened to invent and co-patent the precursor to the frequency-hopping wireless signal used by your cell phone, is the center of attention here. Most of the actresses depicted (a couple of them quite unflatteringly) are taken from Photoplay Magazine’s illustrated monthly covers during the 1930s, including Hedy (center, Jan.’39), Dolores del Rio (directly left, Sept.’34), and Joan Crawford (directly right, Nov.’32). If those last two look like the same person, it’s because that’s how Photoplay’s in-house artist portrayed them.

As for the dissolute platinum blonde, choose one from among the following: Mansfield, Harlow, Monroe, Van Doren, Dors, Baker, Other.

At the bottom is Greta Garbo (September’32), reduced in size but sympathetically portrayed, receiving Harriet’s custom marquee treatment.

The redhead is Lucille Ball, the star of the early’50s sitcom “I Love Lucy”, who started out in B-movies and co-founded Desilu Studios, earning herself a lofty place in TV history (and a lot of money). In the photomontage below she is seated next to Hedy Lamarr. In contrast to Lucille, Hedy Lamarr could not evade misfortune and spiraled downward in later life. At age 77 she was arrested for shoplifting.

Clockwise from top left: Greta Garbo, Lucille Ball & Hedy Lamarr, Joan Crawford, Hedy Lamarr. (background: Hedy Lamarr)

The complex mix of dappled acrylic gel dots display against a background of intricate colored patterning, which is shown to excellent effect when the image is enlarged. Harriet Young was overflowing with visual ideas, and the need to give them presence sometimes outran everything else.