Once quoted as saying, "every man has a price, or a guy like me couldn't exist."  He was a billionaire, aviator, and among the greatest producers & directors the world has ever known.  Gem's to his credit include, "Hell's Angels," in 1930, "Scarface," in 1932, and "The Outlaw," in 1943.

He was born Howard Robard Hughes, Jr., December 24, 1905, in Humble, Texas.  His childhood days were spent in this house in Humble.  The son of inventor and oil tycoon, Howard Hughes, Sr., who, four years after the birth of young Howard, invented a rotary drill with 166 cutting edges that penetrated thick rock, revolutionizing oil drilling worldwide. Hughes Sr., formed his own company, the Hughes Tool Company and began leasing the rotary bits to drillers for as much as $30,000 per well. 

 

Young Howard was a bright kid, taking a liking to school, flying, and building things from spare parts.  His father died in the summer of 1924, when Hughes was 18.  He was said to have inherited an estimated $900,000 dollars, although the official count was never released.  He also would inherit 75% of his dad's MEGA MONEY PRODUCING Hughes Tool Company, whose TOTAL control - he assumed a year later.

In his later years, he lived in this house-on-a-ranch, when in Las Vegas, and this house when in California.  

After the death of his father in 1924, Hughes set his eyes on Hollywood.  He was fascinated by the motion picture industry.

 

In 1925, he moved to Los Angeles.  There he produced and financed his first three films.. He wanted to break out and make a name for himself in the movie industry, (& hey hey, DID HE EVER, amigo!) much the same as his father had, in the oil industry. 

 

His first directorial debut, came in the form of an epic movie about Royal Air Force fighter pilots in World War I. The film was "Hell’s Angels," which Hughes came to direct, as well as produce.  It was during the filming of this that Hughes attained another dream....getting his pilots license.  The film Hell's Angels - was epic, to the point of over the top. He acquired the largest private air force in the world – 87 vintage Spads, Fokkers and Sopwith Camels - for $560,000, then spent another $400,000, to house and maintain them. He even bought a dirigible to be burned in the film. Hughes personally directed the aerial combat scenes over Mines Field (what is now LAX). Three stunt pilots died in crashes during the filming. (Darn it, MAN!) Hughes also crashed in his scout plane and was pulled unconscious from the wreckage, his cheekbone crushed. With expenses already exceeding $2 million, Hughes was forced to re-shoot large segments of the film with dialogue to accommodate the advent of talking pictures. We'll put it this way folks - Hughes gave new meaning to, SPARING NO EXPENSE!!  FoSho!! 👍 ANYwaay - due to this new phenomenon of 'talking films' (aka talkies) - his originale femme fatale star, Greta Nissen, spoke with a thick and inappropriate Norwegian accent, Hughes cast about for a replacement, finally deciding on a bit actress, with platinum proxy blonde hair-  named Harlean Carpenter, also known as Jean Harlow. The film cost Hughes 3.8 million dollars to make, and was a huge success at the box office. The pricetag staggered & dropped jaws all around the Hollywood executive brass!!  3.8 million to make a film at that time was unheeaaard of!!  Mainly due to it being IMPOSSIBLE to make that kinda money back at the box office.. 

In amidst the Hollywood hills, Harry Warner, no doubt, was heard saying, 'the boy has more money than he does sense!'.. & Jack Warner, no doubt, was seen - creaming in his pants!! 

 

He lost $1.5 million at the box office but it allowed Hughes to indulge his interest in flying, and it made his mark WELL known, in Hollywood (& everywhere, for that matter!! FoSho!!  

 

Cue the ass-smoochers to his door with invites to their  teeny-weeny-beanie parties, eh??  Absolutely.. Anyway..

Hughes wanted to test limits, and break records with the release of Scarface, in 1932.  It was censored - and Hughes was sued for it's release. Exactly the bingo he wanted - press coverage!!   It was released and became an instant classic.  In 1941, Hughes tested the controversial waters again with, The Outlaw.  It was met with controversialness due to sexual content in the film.  This inspired Hughes to invent the half cup bra.  Throughout Hughes film career - he only made films about flying, beautiful women, savage conquests, and glitz - much of what his life was centered around.  

In his later years, he started to become more recluse. 

 

In 1966, Hughes moved into the Desert Inn Hotel in Las Vegas, which he proceeded to buy (because renting???  Well??  THAT'S what everyone ELSE does! SHHHHHHHHHHeet!!  NOT I, Howard Hughes!!), along with four other Las Vegas casinos (only one of which still standing), AND - a television station (so that he could watch movies HE wanted to, into the night. If he fell asleep during a film, he would call up the station and order that the scene he missed be replayed... A very REAL-LIFE version of Mr. Muffet, on his tuffet, a radio station (so he could listen to what HE wanted as he cruised around to & fro WHEREVS HE wanted to GO, YO, you know?!), and other Nevada properties. He hired an ex-FBI agent, Robert Maheu, to protect his privacy AND, keep him out of court, even when his own legal interests were at stake. He had become "the hermit gambling entrepreneur of Las Vegas."  He reportedly indulged more in women, drugs, and the good life, than the highest roller that EVER (before or since), rolled into Vegas!!  

Almost 20 years after leaving the limelight, In 1976, Hughes died on an airplane - en route from his penthouse in Mexico to the Methodist Hospital in Houston on April 5th, 1976 at the age of 70. He was unrecognizable, and the FBI insisted on fingerprints to identify Hughes' remains.  Hughes campaign, no doubt today, would be - DON'T sleep & fly!!

 REST IN PEACE AVIATOR!  Visit his grave here - leave him a rose & tell him something or something!!!  

 

TRIVIA

He once had an air purifier installed into a car with sealed windows. The purifier cost more than the car, and took up most of the trunk. (Are we REALLY amazed at ALL at this point??🙄)

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