Famous Stars Who Quietly Hold Patents: 15 Inventions From Michael Jackson to Jamie Lee Curtis

Famous Stars Who quietly hold patents are more common than you might think, and their inventions are delightfully surprising. We usually know celebrities for their movies, songs and TV shows, yet some of them spent their free hours sketching gadgets at the kitchen table. A baby diaper with a built in pocket, a drum that tunes itself more easily, a shoe that helped a pop icon defy gravity and a self pasting scrapbook all came from famous minds. Publishers on MSN keep running stories about celebrity inventors because readers love the surprise. We checked each fact against trusted biographies and then added a simple, budget friendly DIY inspired by every invention, so you can get creative too. Some of these names will make you smile, and a few will truly amaze you. Let us meet the inventors..

Famous Stars Who Became Inventors

Fame usually comes from the stage or the screen, but the famous stars who appear in this gallery also left their mark in the world of inventions. Some ideas were practical, some were playful, and one was decades ahead of its time. Their names show up in patent records next to engineers and scientists, which is a fun twist for fans. Every slide also includes an easy project inspired by the invention, perfect for a cozy afternoon. Get ready to see a few familiar names in a totally new light..

You will need: A small notebook, a pencil, a ruler, colored pens.

How to make it: 1. Label the notebook as your idea book. 2. Each time something at home annoys you, sketch a fix. 3. Pick your favorite idea each month and try to build a simple model.

Famous Stars Who Invented Baby Gear: Jamie Lee Curtis

In 1987, actress Jamie Lee Curtis filed a U.S. patent application that became Patent No. 4,753,647. Her idea was a diaper with a moisture proof pocket holding wipes that a parent could pull out with one hand. Anyone who has changed a wriggly baby knows why that matters. Curtis refused to let the design be sold until companies started making biodegradable diapers, and the patent has since expired. Isn’t it fun that one of the most practical ideas from famous stars who invent came from the changing table?

You will need: A small zip pouch, travel wipes, a ribbon, fabric glue, a diaper bag.

How to make it: 1. Fill the zip pouch with a few travel wipes. 2. Glue a ribbon loop to the pouch so it can hang inside the bag. 3. Clip it where you can reach it with one hand.

Marlon Brando and His Drum Tuning Idea

The legendary actor Marlon Brando was also a keen conga player. He designed a new drum tuning mechanism and had several U.S. patents issued in his name between 2002 and 2004, all about a method of tensioning drumheads. Tuning a conga usually means tightening lugs one by one, and Brando wanted to make that easier. It is a sweet reminder that hobbies can lead somewhere unexpected, even late in life. What hobby could you improve with a clever idea of your own?

You will need: A clean empty coffee can, a large balloon, a strong rubber band, colored tape, two pencils.

How to make it: 1. Cut the neck off the balloon. 2. Stretch the balloon over the open can and hold it with the rubber band. 3. Decorate with tape and tap it with pencil drumsticks.

Michael Jackson and the Shoe That Defied Gravity

For the Smooth Criminal video, Michael Jackson experimented with leaning forward at a 45 degree angle, far beyond a normal center of gravity. To pull the move off live on stage, Jackson and designers developed a special shoe that locked the performer’s feet to the stage. They were granted U.S. patent 5,255,452 for the device. Fans still try to copy that lean today, usually with a lot of laughing. Of all the famous stars who hold patents, this is probably the coolest. Have you ever tried the lean?

You will need: An old pair of loafers or flats, fine glitter, decoupage glue, painter’s tape, a soft brush.

How to make it: 1. Tape off the soles and inside edges of the shoes. 2. Brush on decoupage glue and sprinkle glitter over it. 3. Let it dry and seal with one more thin coat.

Mark Twain and His Self Pasting Scrapbook

Mark Twain wrote Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, but he also patented three inventions, including adjustable straps for garments meant to replace suspenders and a history trivia game. His most commercially successful invention was a self pasting scrapbook. The pages already had dried glue on them, so you only needed to moisten them before adding clippings. More than 25,000 were sold. Scrapbookers today would totally understand the appeal. Do you still keep a paper scrapbook?

You will need: Card stock pages, a glue stick, photos and clippings, a hole punch, ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Arrange photos and clippings on each page before gluing. 2. Glue them down and add short handwritten notes. 3. Punch holes along the edge and tie the pages together with ribbon.

Famous Stars Who Changed Technology: Hedy Lamarr

Hedy Lamarr was a Hollywood star of the 1930s and 1940s, and today she is just as famous as an inventor. During World War II, she and composer George Antheil co-invented a radio guidance system for torpedoes that used frequency hopping to stop enemies from jamming the signal. Similar technology was only used in real systems starting in 1962, after their patent had expired. You can read more in her Wikipedia biography. Talk about being ahead of your time!

You will need: Two paper plates or card circles of different sizes, a brass fastener, a marker, scissors.

How to make it: 1. Write the alphabet around the edge of both circles. 2. Stack the smaller circle on top and join them with the fastener in the center. 3. Turn the inner circle to create and crack secret codes.

Zeppo Marx and the Pulse Watch

Zeppo was the youngest of the Marx Brothers comedy team, and he had a real talent for machines. He obtained patents for a wristwatch that monitored pulse rate and sounded an alarm if the heartbeat became irregular, and for a therapeutic pad that delivered moist heat to a patient. It is amazing how close that watch idea sounds to the gadgets many people wear on their wrists today. Would you have guessed that a comedian was behind it?

You will need: An old watch face, colorful beads, stretchy jewelry cord, scissors.

How to make it: 1. Remove the old strap from the watch face. 2. Thread beads onto two lengths of cord. 3. Tie the cords to the watch lugs to make a beaded bracelet watch.

Eddie Van Halen and the Folding Guitar Prop

Guitar hero Eddie Van Halen was awarded three patents related to guitars: a folding prop to support a guitar in a flat position, a tension adjusting tailpiece and an ornamental headstock design. The flip out support attached to the back of an electric guitar so it could be played lying flat. Until it expired in 2005, that patent was his. Among famous stars who invent, musicians seem to be the most hands on. Do you think more musicians should design their own gear?

You will need: A small canvas, painter’s tape, acrylic paints in red, white and black, a flat brush.

How to make it: 1. Paint the canvas red and let it dry. 2. Lay painter’s tape in crisscross stripes. 3. Paint over it in white and black, then peel the tape for bold stripes.

Famous Stars Who Love Model Trains: Neil Young

Rock legend Neil Young has loved model trains for decades. He was part owner of a toy train company, helped design a model train control system and is named as co-inventor on seven U.S. patents related to model trains. His passion helped make the hobby more fun for collectors. Model railroads are still a cozy winter project for families, especially around the holidays. Did anyone in your family set up a little train around the tree?

You will need: Small cardboard boxes, acrylic paint, cotton balls, twigs, glue, a toy train.

How to make it: 1. Paint small boxes to look like little houses and shops. 2. Arrange them along the track with twig trees. 3. Add cotton ball snow and let the train roll through town.

Harry Connick Jr. and the Smart Music Stand

Singer and pianist Harry Connick Jr. holds U.S. patent 6,348,648 for a system and method for coordinating music display among players in an orchestra. In plain words, it is a way for musicians to see the right music on screens at the right moment instead of flipping paper pages. Anyone who has watched a page blow off a music stand at an outdoor concert will appreciate it. Of the famous stars who hold patents, he may be the most musical. Do you play an instrument?

You will need: A plain photo frame, printed copies of old sheet music, decoupage glue, a foam brush.

How to make it: 1. Tear the sheet music copies into small pieces. 2. Brush glue on the frame and press the pieces on, overlapping them. 3. Seal with a top coat of glue and let it dry.

Gary Burghoff and His Fishing Invention

Gary Burghoff, loved by millions as Radar on the TV series M*A*S*H, is also an inventor. He holds U.S. patents 5,117,577 and 5,235,774 for a fishing tackle invention that attracts fish toward the user’s boat. His other inventions include a toilet seat lifting handle. For an actor famous for always knowing what was coming next, it seems fitting that he found a smarter way to bring in the fish. Do you have an angler in the family?

You will need: Smooth flat stones, acrylic paints, fine brushes, clear outdoor sealer.

How to make it: 1. Wash and dry the stones. 2. Paint them to look like colorful fishing lures. 3. Seal them and use them as paperweights or garden decor.

Paul Winchell and the Artificial Heart

Paul Winchell was a famous ventriloquist and voice actor whose career flourished in the 1950s and 1960s, and he also had medical training. He became one of the first people to patent a mechanical artificial heart that could be implanted in the chest, U.S. Patent 3,097,366 from 1963. He owned more than 30 patents in his lifetime. Famous stars who make puppets talk are not usually found in medical history books, which makes his story so special. Which name on this list surprised you most?

You will need: Red and pink felt, scissors, a needle and thread or fabric glue, twine.

How to make it: 1. Cut out a dozen felt hearts in two sizes. 2. Layer small hearts on big ones and glue or stitch them. 3. Thread them onto twine to make a sweet garland.

Bill Nye and His Ballet Shoe Patent

Bill Nye the Science Guy started his career as a mechanical engineer at an aircraft company, and he never stopped inventing. He holds three U.S. patents: one for ballet pointe shoes, one for an educational magnifying glass made by filling a clear plastic bag with water, and one for a device that trains athletes to throw a ball. The water magnifier is something you can try at home in a few minutes. Will you test it with the kids tonight?

You will need: A clear zip top bag, water, a book or newspaper.

How to make it: 1. Fill the bag halfway with water and seal it tightly. 2. Lay it flat on a page of small print. 3. Press gently and watch the letters grow bigger.

Steve McQueen and the Racing Bucket Seat

Steve McQueen, the King of Cool, loved racing cars and motorcycles as much as acting. He designed a motorsports bucket seat, and a patent for it was issued in 1971. Bucket seats hug the driver and help them stay in place through fast corners. It is no surprise that a star with such a passion for racing wanted a better seat for the track. Are you a car lover too?

You will need: A square of foam, sturdy fabric, ribbon ties, a sewing machine or fabric glue.

How to make it: 1. Cut fabric to wrap around the foam like a pillowcase. 2. Stitch or glue the edges closed. 3. Add ribbon ties at the back corners to hold it on a chair.

Famous Stars Who Loved Their Craft: Lawrence Welk

Bandleader Lawrence Welk was famous for his accordion and his cheerful TV music show. He was awarded four U.S. design patents, including a musically themed restaurant menu and an accordion themed tray for serving food. It may be the most charming invention on this list, and it shows how much he loved his instrument. Love creative celebrities? Meet these famous stars who knit and the cozy projects they inspired. Which invention would you most like to own?

You will need: A plain wooden tray, white and black acrylic paint, painter’s tape, clear sealer.

How to make it: 1. Paint the tray white and let it dry. 2. Tape off thin strips and paint black keys along one edge like a piano. 3. Peel the tape and seal the tray before using it.