20 Celebrities Who Invented Amazing Things
No matter how creative they may be in their respective fields, when you think
of celebrities you usually don’t imagine they would make great inventors. While
most public figures would make terrible inventors, a surprisingly large number
of them have made a variety of creations. In some cases it came out of
necessity in relations to their work, while other times it was the result of a
hobby.
20) Fabio –
Slim-Fit Fat Burning Water
The well known model, Fabio, launched his unique brand of water called “Slim-Fit
Fat Burning Water" that claimed to slim down consumers by burning
fat. Fabio claimed that the water possessed both fatburning and
energy producing properties. It was made up primarily of spring water but also
featured vitamins such as B-12 and B-6. Fabio insisted that the fat burning
properties were due to the water’s key ingredient, L-carnitine, which had
supposedly been demonstrated to speed up the rate at which cells burn fat.
Fabio
original image source
19) Julie Newmar –
Body Shaping Pantyhose
Actress Julie Newmar is best known for her role as Catwoman in the ‘Batman’
television series (1966 – 1968). At some point in her career, she was inspired
to create a piece of clothing, a special pair of pantyhose that adjusted and
enhanced the appearance of woman's backside. Newmar patented the
pantyhose In 1974, which were made of a combination of nylon and spandex that pre-dated
any other such line of clothing.
Julie Newmar
Julie Newmar's Body Shaping Pantyhose Patient
18) Christie
Brinkley – Children’s Alphabet Toy
In 1991, supermodel Christie Brinkley took out a patent on an educational toy
that she developed in order to assist children in learning the alphabet. She'd
always had a passion for solving puzzles and she wanted to share that love by
helping educate kids all over the world. Although the design of the toy was
sound in regards to its objective of teaching kids about the alphabet, it wasn’t
embraced by the marketplace due to its emphasis on education over
entertainment value.
Christie Brinkley
By David Shankbone, via
Wikimedia Commons
17) Bing Crosby
(1903-1977) – Window Sash Holder
Screen Actor, Bing Crosby, was an icon in American cinema due to his distinct
voice and screen presence. While all celebrities encounter a variety of ups
and downs on account of being in the public eye, one issue that really bothered
Crosby was his window blinds as well as the difficulty he had adjusting them.
Apparently, he had such a problem with his blinds that he developed a device
called “The Window Sash Holder”, which was used to secure the strings that
open and close the blinds covering windows. In 1976, Crosby patented the
product.
Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby's Window Sash Holder Patient
16) Harry Houdini
(1874-1926) – Diving Suit
There’s no doubt that Harry Houdini was the greatest magician ever. His
inventiveness was always obvious in regards to the elaborate and remarkable
stunts that he performed over his lifetime. His creativity was also evident when
it came to designing pieces used in his acts. For the sake of a number of his
performances, Houdini designed a special type of diving suit that enabled him to
put on and remove the suit easier. Also, it handled water pressure better
than the average diving suit.
Harry Houdini
Harry Houdini's Diving Suit Patient
15) Uri Geller –
Cell Phone Radiation Shield
Illusionist, Uri Geller, is best known for his spoon bending trick. While he
claims that he is able to bend the utensil using just his mind, critics argue
that it is just a trick. Whatever the case may be one thing is clear, that
Geller is inventive. This is perhaps most evident in the fact that Geller helped
co-develop a cell phone radiation shield. Like with his performances, there are
some critics who regard the invention as nothing more than a fancy cell phone
case since there has been no real test performed to prove whether it really does
anything at all.
Uri Geller
By Dmitry Rozhkov, via
Wikimedia Commons
14) Prince –
Portable Keyboard
There’s little doubt that Prince is a musical genius and his creativity doesn’t
just lie in the writing as well as performing of his music. In 1992, Prince developed
an instrument that was basically a portable keyboard or keytar.
Prince
Prince's Keytar Patient
Courtesy of
www.google.com
13) Steve McQueen
(1930-1980) – Automobile Bucket Seat
The movie legend, Steve McQueen, was a talented driver both on and off the
screen. He was a serious motor enthusiast, he even considered pursuing a career
as a professional race car and motorcycle driver. He had
successfully competed in a number of prestigious races throughout his life, most
notably the 12 Hours of Sebring. Given his love of cars and motors, McQueen
often played around with a variety of automobile elements. He developed
a new design for bucket seats in 1969 and patented the product, the invention was called
the "Bucket Seat Shell". The design was a futuristic looking, curvy seat for
automobiles. Although they were never mass produced, they can still be seen in
the Ford Mustang McQueen drives in ‘Bullitt’ (1968). He also designed a transbrake for race cars.
Steve McQueen
Steve McQueen's Bucket Seat Shell patent
Courtesy of
www.google.com
12) Jamie Lee Curtis
– Disposable Diapers
Actress Jamie Lee Curtis gained tremendous fame in the 1980s and not just for
being Hollywood royalty, daughter of legends Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, but for her numerous appearances in cult-classic films from the era. Her fame
dubbed her as the “Queen of Scream” because she was always running and
screaming from one psychotic killer to another in horror films. There is more to
Curtis than just her acting and screaming. In 1987, Curtis developed a unique
and helpful disposable baby diaper. The design featured a waterproof clip that
could hold baby wipes, thus making changing the baby easier. Despite the
high marketability potential and gold-winning idea, Curtis is yet to license the
patent to interested companies. She refuses to let anyone use the design until
the manufacture agrees to use completely biodegradable products.
Jamie Lee Curtis
By Josh Hallett, via
Wikimedia Commons
Jamie Lee Curtis Disposable Diaper patent
11) Gary Burghoff –
Chum Magic
Gary Burghoff gained fame for his depiction of the much-loved character, Walter
“Radar” O’Reilly on the television series ‘M*A*S*H’ (1972 – 1983). Burghoff
isn’t known for much other than that iconic role but off-screen he was
inventive. Due to his passion for fishing, Burghoff developed a device that he
named Chum Magic that was patented in 1992. It's a floating device that fisherman can use to lure fish to their
vessels. Fisherman fill the device with Chum Magic, which keeps it
secured on the surface of the water.
Gary Burghoff as "Radar" from "M*A*S*H"
Gary Burghoff's Chum Magic patent
Courtesy of
www.google.com
10) Robert Heinlein
(1907 -1988) – The Waterbed
Although the name Robert Heinlein isn’t well known to the general community, he
is a legend in the field of science fiction writing. His literature is
considered as important and influential as other legends of the field, such as
Arthur C. Clarke and Isaac Asimov. His talents extended beyond writing and in
the 1930s, Heinlein created the design for the first waterbed. While serving in
the Navy, he contracted pulmonary tuberculosis. As a result, he spent a lot of
time in hospital beds, which he found incredibly uncomfortable. He spent his
time drawing up meticulously detailed designs for the waterbed. From thereon, he
mentioned the waterbed in his written work. Someone else attempted to
patent the design in 1968 and they were rejected because Heinlein had detailed the
product so thoroughly in his writing that, despite never trying to patent it, he
was clearly the mind behind the product.
Robert Heinlein autographing a copy of his book "Midmericon"
By Dd-b, via
Wikimedia Commons
9) Neil Young –
Model Train Control
Musician, Neil Young, is one of the greatest vocalists and performers of all
time. He had much influence on fellow musicians over the years. Surprisingly,
Young's passion outside of music is model trains. He was at one time co-owner of
Lionel LLC, the train model business that sold Young’s alterations to
pre-existing train models. Perhaps his most significant invention resulted from
his attempt get his son Ben involved in the hobby. Because Ben has cerebral
palsy, he lacked the physical ability to use the standard controls found on most
train sets. Young set about inventing a whole new control that Ben would be able
to use. His design was called the “Trainmaster Command Control” and it was a
programmable system that reduced complicated maneuvers to something that Ben
could handle just by tapping a button.
Neil Young
By Andy Roo, via
Wikimedia Commons
Neil Young's Model Train Control patent
Courtesy of
www.google.com
8) Eddie Van Halen –
Guitar Support
Eddie Van Halen is a guitar legend who is best known for his involvement in the
rock group Van Halen. He is particularly remembered for doing a signature move
while performing that involves a two-hand tapping technique. The move
involves him playing the guitar’s fret board with all ten fingers at once, an
inherent problem with this move is holding up the guitar neck. Van Halen (Eddie) developed a unique way around the issue
in 1985 by designing a special
support system that could come out of the instrument’s back, stabilizing the
fret board while playing. Although he designed the invention to use himself, his
patent specified that it was applicable to any stringed instrument.
Eddie Van Halen
By Alan Light, via
Wikimedia Commons
Eddie Van Halen's Guitar Support patent
Courtesy of
www.google.com
7) Marlon Brando
(1924-2004) – Drum Tuning Device and Exercise Shoes
Screen legend, Marlon Brando, was an eccentric recluse with a number of curious
interests and obsessions. Nevertheless, one wouldn’t usually associate Brando
with having a passion for drums. Surprisingly, Brando ended up designing a
groundbreaking tuning system for the percussive instrument. In 2002, he had a
device patented that stretches a drum's skin when it starts to wane in tension.
It can tune a drum either manually or automatically. He had patents for a number
of other devices he developed in relation to drums. According to his attorney,
Brando also invented a special exercise shoe that he would wear in his pool. The
shoe creates friction with the surface of the pool,
making a better way for him to work out. Although Brando never patented this
particular design, his attorney is reportedly aiming to market the product.
Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando's Drum Tuning Device
Courtesy of
www.google.com
6) Harry Connick,
Jr. – Digital Sheet Music Display
Musician and actor, Harry Connick, Jr., has had success in a variety of fields,
but many people are not aware of this celebrity’s inventiveness. Connick created
a digital sheet music reader that can be edited. He first came up with the idea
in 1999 when an outdoor performance went wrong due to the wind. The extensive
band that accompanied him during his performance kept having their sheet music
blown away. The electronic system allows for the coordination of sheet music to
be used amongst the entire orchestra. The music is displayed on a screen and
operates similar to the iPad. Even though Connick’s invention was developed long
before Apple’s product, he still uses the device for his performances.
Harry Connick Jr.
By Wendy Piersall, via
Wikimedia Commons
Harry Connick Jr. Digital Sheet Music Display patent
5) Michael Jackson
(1958-2009) – Anti-Gravity Shoes
Pop legend, Michael Jackson, was famous for a number of reasons, including his
distinct dance moves. One particular move that was deemed iconic and legendary
was the “Moon Walk”. This was a move where he would appear to defy gravity by
walking on the moon. The dance involved Jackson smoothly gliding across the
stage, appearing to be beyond the center of gravity. The famous steps were first
featured in the music video ‘Smooth Criminal". While making the video, the move
was pulled off through the use of elaborately configured cables and a harness.
However the move became possible for concert performances due to the special
shoes that Jackson co-developed. In 1992, he had the design patented. Basically,
the shoes worked by locking onto the stage right before Jackson performed the
move.
Michael Jackson
By OguzJackson, via
Wikimedia Commons
Michael Jackson's Anti Gravity Shoes Patent
4) William Marston
(1893-1947) – The Lie Detector
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William Marston
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William Marston and his wife Elizabeth created the comic book
superhero “Wonder Woman” in 1941. One of her most important weapons is the Lasso
of Truth, which makes people caught in it confess the truth. While the lasso
was made up in the comics, Marston spent a large portion of his time
creating a real-life equivalent of the weapon. This led to the development
of the lie detector. Specifically, Marston was responsible for the version
of the machine that monitored and measured a person’s blood pressure when
they were attached to it. While attending Harvard in 1915, Marston
constructed the lie detector machine. It was 1917 by the time he finished
the invention and showed it to the government.
3) Zeppo Marx
(1901-1979) – Heart Attack Alarm
The Marx Brothers were cinematic comedy legends. While Groucho Marx received
most of the attention, the other three brothers certainly left their own
personal marks on the world. In Zeppo Marx’s case, his contribution was in more
than just acting. Zeppo was the youngest brother and he contributed to
the comedy acts but never had a distinct appearance on screen. What he lacked in
his performance, Zeppo made up for in his creativeness.
Zeppo’s passion had always been engineering and immediately after leaving the
entertainment world, he established a business that went on to produce a number
of products that proved useful in everyday life. In 1969,Zeppo and a team of
researchers developed a cardiac pulse rate monitor (a heart attack
alarm) that alerted people when their pulse was misfiring to a dangerous level.
The design featured two clock faces, one told the time and the other followed a
person’s heart rate. If an individual’s pulse deviated significantly, the device
would sound an alarm. Zeppo helped design one of the most beneficial medical
devises.
Zeppo Marx
Zeppo Marx Cardiac Pulse-Rate Monitor Patent
Courtesy of
www.google.com
2) Barbara Cartland
(1901-2000) – Military Gliders
Many people know the name Barbara Cartland if they have read her classic romance
novels. Cartland wrote 723 books between 1922 and 2000, , which made her one of
the most productive authors ever. Despite her prolific writing, she did have
time for hobbies and one of them was gliding. When she combined her passion with
her creativity, she developed a glider that could be towed by a plane. Although
her plan for the glider was for personal use, the British military saw combat
applications in the design during World War II. Cartland’s gliders were
specifically crucial in the Normandy landing, due to their affordability and
expendability. The gliders were so important in the war effort that she was
awarded the Bishop Wright Air Industry Award.
Barbara Cartland
By Allan warren, via
Wikimedia Commons
1) Hedy Lamarr
(1914-2000) – Wi-Fi
Actress, Hedy Lamarr, was a superstar in the 1930s and 1940s. She starred in
more than 35 films and worked with other A-list celebrities: Clark
Gable, Bob Hope and Judy Garland. She was largely famous for appearing in one of
the big screen’s first sex scenes. In addition to acting, science was another
passion of hers. One of Lamarr’s greatest roles in life was the one she had in
essentially creating the current day cell phone networks and Wi-Fi internet.
In 1942, Lamarr, along with composer George Antheil, got a patent for their
"secret communication system". It was a device that could utilize carrier waves
of various frequencies to remotely control things like torpedoes and zeppelins.
It was a guidance system that would ultimately become the basis of
the modern wireless communications we use today. The origin of the idea was from
Antheil, who assisted in developing the system that encrypted radio signals
using the similar principles in a piano that uses perforated paper rolls.
It was a relatively primitive device but it was indeed an analogue
version of "spread-spectrum communication technology", which is the fundamental
technology of Wi-Fi.
The reason why Lamarr and Antheil never received the recognition they
deserved is because when they showed their technology to the military, those in
charge failed to appreciate what they were being offered. It wasn’t until the
1960s, when the military was faced with the Cuban Missile Crisis that the
government realized the genius of the technology. However, the patent had
expired by then. Other creations by Lamarr include a fluorescent dog collar and
alterations to the Concorde.
Hedy Lamarr
Hedy Lamarr's Secret Communication System patent
Courtesy of
www.google.com
Conclusion
It’s not uncommon for celebrities to be multi-talented, which is why it’s so
remarkable when you see celebrities demonstrate great inventiveness in the least
likely of areas. Not all celebrities get creative and develop something
that is commonly used but the sheer act of creating something impressive is
remarkable, even if their product isn’t exactly praised and thus goes
unappreciated.
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