#20. Gary Burghoff
This may depend on which city you live in, but chances are you despise public bathrooms just like me. On the one hand, they can come in handy if you’re going to your office, class, or whichever place you’re supposed to be after a nice breakfast. But on the other hand…
Public restrooms also tend to be extremely dirty; hence people avoid using them except for emergencies. Apparently, actor Gary Burghoff was very concerned with this issue; therefore, he created a toilet seat handle that allows you to modify the filthy seat's position without getting dirty!
#19. Steve McQueen
Maybe the name Steve McQueen doesn't ring a bell to you, but many people can easily recall his face. The iconic actor was the definition of style and wealth in the 60s and 70s (in fact, he was literally nicknamed The King of Cool)
Due to the fact that McQueen starred in many box-office hits like The Great Escape, The Magnificent Seven, or The Sand Pebbles, he became the highest-paid actor in the world in 1974. However, after this accomplishment, he took a 4-year hiatus, and during this period, he almost became a professional racer.
#18. Francis Ford Coppola
That's right, McQueen loved fast cars, and that's why he invented his own seat, exclusively designed for race cars. Francis Ford Coppola is also familiar with the exuberant success that's reserved for Hollywood legends.
Having directed unforgettable masterpieces such as The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, and Patton, Ford Coppola is one of the most influential figures in cinema history. Let's just say his invention isn't as brilliant as his movies: Francis created a shirt with numbered squares in the back, their purpose being to scratch a pal's back in the most important spots.
#17. Harry Houdini
Like Francis Ford Coppola and his back-scratching shirt, some of the artists of this list came up with some devices or products that aren't the least bit related to their professions. On the opposite side, you have celebrities like Harry Houdini, who use their creativity to design an object that will help them in their field.
The renowned illusionist used to dazzle every audience with his dangerous stunts. Harry Houdini could be tied and immobilized with several handcuffs or caught in a Chinese water torture cell, but he always managed to escape. Using his experience, he invented a special diving suit that could be rapidly unfastened underwater.
#16. James Cameron
James Cameron's invention has two things in common with Houdini's special diving suit: both creations are meant to be used underwater, and they probably helped many others with these innovative objects. Cameron's tendency to shoot scenes that took place in wide oceans in his movies was becoming a problem.
Indeed, the famous director of classics like Titanic, Avatar, and Terminator was fed up with the lack of technology required to obtain solid shots underwater. What's more, the costs of that type of equipment were huge, so David invented a waterproof dolly type that lets you use a propeller. The camera attached to the dolly's front allowed the cameramen to obtain perfect underwater shots with ease.
#15. Hedy Lamarr
Hedy Lamarr was a famous Australian actress who starred in Hollywood films like Algiers and Lady of the Tropics back in the 30s and 40s. But Lamarr wasn't merely a skilled and attractive actress that received the honor of a Hollywood Walk of Fame star.
Hedy Lamarr was also a brilliant inventor. That's right, she even got inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame! Wondering why? Here's the reason: along with composer George Antheil, she developed a complex technology that used frequency-hopping to prevent the foes from radio-jamming their torpedoes.
#14. Marlon Brando
Lamarr's stunning creation was later used for Bluetooth and WiFi technology. How about that! Though Marlon Brando's invention wasn't as crucial in the history of mankind as the one by Heidi, we have to admit that his development is pretty clever.
According to his best friends and some directors, the man who won the Best Actor Academy Award —not once but twice— was also a skilled bongo player. The star of The Godfather and A Streetcar Named Desire was annoyed that no one knew how to tune his drums, so he designed an automatic drum tuner. Pretty useful, right?
#13. Marc Jacobs
If you're one of those people that constantly lurk on Twitter and Reddit, you probably think about the famous Marc Jacobs by Marc Jacobs meme whenever you read the fashion tycoon's name. But truth be told, many tend to forget about the designer's mindblowing success and creative drive.
In fact, I bet you aren't aware that he was the main creative director of Louis Vuitton for almost two decades. What an accomplishment! Marc has also used his knack for inventing stuff outside his comfort zone. Once, for instance, he developed a tiny ring that included secret compartments… for a spy, maybe?
#12. Neil Young
Neil Young is hailed as one of the most notorious folk and rock artists in history. Whether it be with Crosby, Stills and Nash, as a solo performer, or with his band called Crazy Horse, the Canadian is always delivering memorable tunes like Old Man or Heart of Gold.
In fact, both After the Gold Rush and Harvest, which were released in the 70s, are considered some of the best albums of all time. What many fans of his don't know is that one of Neil's most cherished hobbies is playing with model trains. His fandom for these is such that he invented 7 personal devices for his passion, including a train that's driven by electromagnetic waves.
#11. Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg is yet another film director that loves to think outside the box and apply his innovative ideas for different creations. One would assume that directing huge movies like Jurassic Park, E.T., Jaws, and Schindler's List drains any ordinary human's energy. However, it seems Spielberg can't keep still!
That's right, instead of taking a long vacation, the director usually prefers to work on his next project or to invent something that might come in handy in the future, such as the audio editing apparatus that he created to save new ideas for scripts without having to write them down.
#10. Bill Nye
Most people are aware that Bill Nye is called "The Science Guy" and that he's famous, but they have no clue about the reasons behind those things. In case you belong to that group, here's the explanation: Bill, who's not only an engineer but also a TV presenter, had a science program on Disney Channel in the 90s.
The show was called Bill Nye the Science Guy, hence his famous nickname. One of his most helpful creations has little or nothing to do with science, though. As an admirer of ballet dancing, Bill designed a special pointe shoe with a tiny toe box that adds support to the dancers' feet.
#9. Andy Warhol
Everybody assumes that Andy Warhol was a genius, one of those unique artists who had the capacity to excel in different areas. Even people who aren't familiar with his work or enduring influence assume this, and they aren't the least wrong.
Not only did Warhol pioneer the pop art movement, but he also managed The Velvet Underground (one of the most groundbreaking rock bands of all time) during their first years. Amongst Andy's numerous inventions, this one has got to be the most pointless of them all: he designed a watch with five faces instead of numbers.
#8. Michael Jackson
While Andy Warhol's five-faced watch was probably one of the most trivial ideas in his career, the invention we're about to disclose was crucial in Michael Jackson's career. Here's a hint: does any memorable dance move by the king of pop come to mind (aside from the moonwalk)?
We're talking about the astonishing dance step he manages to pull off in the Smooth Criminal video. Everyone went mad, trying to decipher the explanation behind his move: how could he lean forward so close to the ground without bending his legs? Was it an optical illusion, an editing trick? Actually, he created a shoe with a special heel that could hook up with a peg from the floor.
#7. George Lucas
Imagine having the intelligence and creativity needed to invent a whole universe full of fascinating creatures, events, and characters. The Lord of The Rings, Harry Potter, One Piece ... few people have the gift of conceiving such magical worlds!
Well, George Lucas is amongst the visionaries that had the talent to envision not one but two of those stories with the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises. The legendary filmmaker also has the patent for the android C-3PO and the wise Yoda and many other cherished characters… those are some pretty cool inventions!
#6. Eddie Van Halen
You may have recently seen numerous "boomers" mad at Billie Eilish after she admitted in an interview that she didn't know who Van Halen was. In her defense, it's not like I come across a whole bunch of Van Halen fans every day… they're not The Beatles or Nirvana!
But yeah, I guess she had it coming since some rock fans are very compelled by Eddie Van Halen's thundering solos. The guitarist was known for his extravagant two-handed technique, which, albeit cool, it was also a disadvantage. How could he prevent the guitar from falling to the ground? That's how Eddie came up with a solution: he invented a special strap that would be put on his waist to attach the instrument.
#5. Prince
Contemporary artists like Janelle Monáe and Kendrick Lamar still put Prince on a pedestal, and his neverending relevance is no mystery! With 1999 and Purple Rain, he released two of the best albums of all time. Besides, his figure was intriguingly enigmatic, and he played more than 30 instruments with ease.
Prince was obviously one of the most creative musicians of the 20th Century. For instance, he once invented a symbol called "the love symbol" and began to perform under this new name (a legal fight with his record label was the reason behind this strategy). But Prince didn't stop at that; he even began to use love symbol-shaped guitars!
#4. Fabio Lanzoni
Anyone who grew up in the 80s and 90s can recognize this man's face. Indeed, the actor and model Fabio Lanzoni seemed to be everywhere you looked during those days. From roles on TV shows and movies to commercials and modeling for the covers of romantic novels, Lanzoni was on fire!
However, Fabio's modeling days seem to be over. The star didn't want to know anything about taking a break, though, for he now spends his time promoting the fat-burning drinks he invented. Slide on to discover our top three!
#3. Christie Brinkley
Is Christie Brinkley the greatest supermodel of all time? It may sound like a stretch to some, but she was featured on about 600 magazine covers! Impressive, right? Most people are only aware of Christie's talent as a model, but did you know she's also a photographer and an illustrator?
What's more, she's also a committed activist for many causes. Once, Brinkley began being concerned with the hardships that some children face when trying to learn the alphabet, and she came up with a solution: a special version of it that broke down the 26 letters into seven parts. She realized that organizing the alphabet with her method helped many kids in the learning process.
#2. Jamie Lee Curtis
Does the woman in this picture remind you of something? A movie that was a sensation in the early 2000s, maybe? We're talking about one of Jamie Lee Curtis' biggest achievements: her role in the hilarious Freaky Friday, which came out in 2003.
In case you haven't seen it (what's wrong with you, really?), the movie's idea is the following: Jamie plays Lindsay Lohan's mom's, but a magic fortune cookie makes them inexplicably switch bodies. In real life, Lee Curtis is also a parent, and she decided to make her motherhood easier by designing a new type of diaper that includes a mini compartment with several clean-up wipes.
#1. Charlie Sheen
And finally, for our number one celebrity who created an invention, we have none other than Charlie Sheen! I bet you're surprised, aren't you? That's why we left him for last! Indeed, the controversial star of Two and a Half Men and Anger Management once tried to patent an idea that he considered brilliant.
The winner of the Golden Globe for Best Actor in Television Series had a moment of brightness when driving through California: he realized that it was painfully hard to use Chapstick with only one hand. Therefore, he called the company and suggested a version with a retractable cap, but sadly they ignored his revolutionary design.