Hedy Lamarr, born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler, was educated by tutors and visited private and girls" schools in Switzerland. She worked with Georg Jacoby on several of his early Austrian sound film, such as "Geld auf der Straße" ("Money on the Street") and "Sturm im Wasserglas". After attending actor"s training in Vienna, Kiesler went to Berlin to star in Alexis Granowsky"s contemporary satire "Die Koffer des Herrn O. F." ("The Trunks of Mr. O.F.") and in Carl Boese"s "Man braucht kein Geld" ("His Majesty King Ballyhoo"). She then continued actor"s training at Max Reinhardt"s drama school at Deutsches Theater and sporadically performed in minor roles in some of Reinhardt"s productions.

During 1931 and 1932, Kiesler performed at Theater in der Josefstadt and Raimundtheater in Vienna. Kiesler became known to a wider audience with Gustav Machatý's film "Ekstase" ("Ecstasy"). Due to several mild nude scenes, the film caused a scandal. As a result, film producers stopped to offer Kiesler any new parts. She then moved to London in 1937 and was later engaged by Louis B. Mayer to go to Hollywood and to sign a ten-year contract with M-G-M. In memory of the late Barbara LaMarr, she took Lamarr as her stage name.

During the war, Kiesler did radio plays for Lux Radio Theatre and appeared on the stage of the Hollywood Canteen. Furthermore she developed an electronic control system for torpedoes that was of major importance for modern communication technology together with composer George Antheil. She starred in the leading role of Cecil B. DeMille"s "Samson and Delilah".

In 1946 and 1947, Kiesler produced two films herself for Mars Film corporation, a production company she had co-founded. Kiesler then started a project under the working title "Eterna femmina" in Italy but did not complete it. The episode on Helena was published as "L"Amante di Paride" (Marc Allégret), while other episodes came out under the name of "I cavalieri dell’illusione".

At the end of the 1950s, Kiesler withdrew from the movie business.