— 1 — OFFICERS PRESIDENT Peter Marcus VICE PRESIDENT Bernhard Preisser TREASURER Peter Marcus SECRETARY Rick Palladino DIRECTORS George F. Calvi Bea Caporale Joann D’Emilio Henry Groth Mary Keehan Robert M. Pellegrino Walter M. Schwartz Steve Wittenberg EDITOR George F. Calvi PHOTO EDITOR Rick Palladino GUEST CONTRIBUTOR Walter M. Schwartz Although every attempt is made to maintain accuracy in the newsletter, the editor and the Society assume no responsibility for errors. The editor also reserves the right to edit where necessary. THE CURIOUS SAGA OF HEDVIG KIESLER AND THE INVENTION THAT ALMOST WASN’T “My face has been my misfortune . . . a mask I cannot remove. I must live with it. I curse it.” Though there is no evidence that our subject ever set foot in Ardsley the following story is offered for your review in keeping with the ongoing women’s movement theme. Once proclaimed “the most beautiful woman in the world” Hedvig Kiesler (1914 – 2000) was often touted by publicists as having raven flowing hair, perpetually pouted lips, alabaster skin, and exceptionally large, translucent blue eyes. In their view no other screen goddess during the Golden Age of Film, circa 1930 – 1950, could compare to that of the exotic actress born in Austria. In recent years, however, we have been reminded of a different facet of Hedvig Kiesler; one long overshadowed by her glamorous image. Kiesler was in fact from her earliest days a highly intelligent, intellectually curious inventor. Though her day job was successful screen siren, evenings she would stay home as often as possible, locking herself in her “invention” room devising and perfecting many ideas. As fate would have it she had a chance meeting with a composer named George Antheil at a film studio – mandated social function. FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK: As we rapidly approach the 100th anniversary of universal suffrage in 2020, stories like the one to follow make those of us born with XY chromosomes realize we haven’t often really made it easy for members of the opposite sex. One can only wonder how many great ideas have been thwarted, dismissed, ridiculed, overlooked, and even appropriated through the centuries because the genesis of those ideas was launched,Heavens to Murgatroyd! by a woman! Gents, whether we care to admit it or not, we still have so much to learn. – George F. Calvi Newsletter P.O. BOX 523, ARDSLEY, NY 10502 ARDSLEYHISTORICALSOCIETY.ORG VOL. 31, NO. 3 FALL 2018 continued on page 2 , OCR Text: — 1 — OFFICERS PRESIDENT Peter Marcus VICE PRESIDENT Bernhard Preisser TREASURER Peter Marcus SECRETARY Rick Palladino DIRECTORS George F. Calvi Bea Caporale Joann D’Emilio Henry Groth Mary Keehan Robert M. Pellegrino Walter M. Schwartz Steve Wittenberg EDITOR George F. Calvi PHOTO EDITOR Rick Palladino GUEST CONTRIBUTOR Walter M. Schwartz Although every attempt is made to maintain accuracy in the newsletter, the editor and the Society assume no responsibility for errors. The editor also reserves the right to edit where necessary. THE CURIOUS SAGA OF HEDVIG KIESLER AND THE INVENTION THAT ALMOST WASN’T “My face has been my misfortune . . . a mask I cannot remove. I must live with it. I curse it.” Though there is no evidence that our subject ever set foot in Ardsley the following story is offered for your review in keeping with the ongoing women’s movement theme. Once proclaimed “the most beautiful woman in the world” Hedvig Kiesler (1914 – 2000) was often touted by publicists as having raven flowing hair, perpetually pouted lips, alabaster skin, and exceptionally large, translucent blue eyes. In their view no other screen goddess during the Golden Age of Film, circa 1930 – 1950, could compare to that of the exotic actress born in Austria. In recent years, however, we have been reminded of a different facet of Hedvig Kiesler; one long overshadowed by her glamorous image. Kiesler was in fact from her earliest days a highly intelligent, intellectually curious inventor. Though her day job was successful screen siren, evenings she would stay home as often as possible, locking herself in her “invention” room devising and perfecting many ideas. As fate would have it she had a chance meeting with a composer named George Antheil at a film studio – mandated social function. FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK: As we rapidly approach the 100th anniversary of universal suffrage in 2020, stories like the one to follow make those of us born with XY chromosomes realize we haven’t often really made it easy for members of the opposite sex. One can only wonder how many great ideas have been thwarted, dismissed, ridiculed, overlooked, and even appropriated through the centuries because the genesis of those ideas was launched,Heavens to Murgatroyd! by a woman! Gents, whether we care to admit it or not, we still have so much to learn. – George F. Calvi Newsletter P.O. BOX 523, ARDSLEY, NY 10502 ARDSLEYHISTORICALSOCIETY.ORG VOL. 31, NO. 3 FALL 2018 continued on page 2 , Z ArchiveInABox,Ardsley Historical Society,Archived Issues of The Beacon,Volume 22-33,ArdsleyHistoricalSocietyVol31No3.pdf,ArdsleyHistoricalSocietyVol31No3.pdf Page 1, ArdsleyHistoricalSocietyVol31No3.pdf Page 1