Howard Robard Hughes, an incredibly innovative and captivating person, gained recognition for his ambitious pursuits in the film and aviation industries. His inherited wealth enabled him to start following his dreams from a young age. Despite frequently being in the spotlight throughout his life, public perception of Howard was not always positive. During his later years, intense paranoia led him to withdraw from society entirely, resulting in a twenty-year span where he remained invisible and unphotographed.
Howard Hughes was born in Houston, Texas on Christmas Eve 1904. He was the sole offspring of Howard Robard Hughes Senior and Alene Gano Hughes. At the age of sixteen, his mother passed away followed by his father at eighteen. Despite a difficult upbringing, Howard’s luck turned when he received a $2,000,000 inheritance and ownership of the Hughes Tool Company after becoming an orphan. It is worth mentioning that his uncle was renowned Hollywood writer Rupert Hughes. Moreover, Howard experienced his inaugural airplane journey at just fourteen years old.
Howard Hughes received his education at private elementary and high schools in California and Massachusetts, as well as the Rice Institute in Houston, Texas, and the California Institute of Technology. This prestigious educational background provided him with a quality education.
After his father’s death, Howard inherited a substantial fortune valued at $871,000. Additionally, he inherited a lucrative patent for an oil drilling drill. At the age of twenty in 1925, Howard married Ella Rice but they divorced in 1928. In that same year, he obtained his first pilot’s license.
Howard achieved great success in life through two careers. He established Hughes Aircraft Company, driven by his passion for aviation. Additionally, in 1927, he embarked on an acting career, starring in films such as Hells Angels (1930), Scarface (1932), and The Outlaw (1941).
Howard achieved impressive feats throughout his career. In 1935, he set a world speed record of 352 mph, although it unfortunately led to a crash. Several attempts were required to reach this speed. On July 10, 1969, Howard and his crew embarked on a journey to circumnavigate the globe. Despite making several stops along the way, they successfully returned home in just four days, landing at 2:37 on July 14.
Howard Hughes crashed the new XF-11 aircraft at the LA Country Club golf course on July 7, 1946. The crash resulted in injuries including unconsciousness, a punctured lung, a fractured leg, and multiple cuts and burns. A Marine sergeant bravely rescued Hughes from the burning plane and rushed him to Beverly Hills Emergency Hospital. Doctors gave his chances of survival as fifty percent. During his recovery, Hughes developed an addiction to painkillers and regularly self-administered morphine injections. Over time, his mental state deteriorated and he became increasingly paranoid. To feel secure, he surrounded himself with a loyal group of seven Mormons who were always by his side. In addition, Hughes had an unusual habit of insisting on covering any object handed to him with a Kleenex tissue. Despite facing challenges, Hughes remained actively involved in various projects such as constructing the Spruce Goose – recognized as the largest plane ever built.
The Spruce Goose gained significant fame due to its immense size, boasting a wing span comparable to a football field and the capacity to accommodate over six hundred passengers. This aircraft featured eight propellers, each measuring seventeen feet in length, and its interior resembled the set of the popular TV series, Time Tunnel. On November 2, 1945, it took flight in San Pedro Harbor but only managed to travel a mere seventy yards.
Another noteworthy accomplishment by Hughes was his construction of the world’s first communications satellite. He collaborated with Arthur C. Clark on this groundbreaking concept and envisioned a future where communication would be possible between anyone on or near Earth. By the mid-1960s, their vision became a reality.
Throughout his life, Howard received numerous accolades including trophies, plaques, and ribbons. In 1941, he earned the Congressional Medal of Honor and in 1959 he was honored with the Collier Trophy. Additionally, he received the Harmon Trophy and was celebrated with a ticker tape parade in New York City following his world flight. Shortly before his death in 1973, he was posthumously inducted into the Aviation Hall of Fame.
Before his death in 1976, Howard Hughes began to experience a decline. It all started with a nervous breakdown in 1944, which marked the beginning of his downfall. Hughes had a strong aversion towards the public and reporters, and he highly valued his privacy. In 1950, he disappeared for nine months, leaving everyone wondering where he went. Eventually, he made the Desert Inn his new residence in 1966. Hughes was transported to the inn by train during the early hours of the morning. Strict protocols were in place, with nobody being allowed to enter the hotel lobby. Immediately after his arrival, he was taken to the luxurious penthouse on the fifteenth floor. However, after six months, the management decided that Hughes needed to vacate as he occupied their most extravagant rooms. Consequently, Hughes instructed his manager to purchase the entire hotel. The very next day, he paid twice its worth and ventured into the gambling business. Subsequently, Howard went on to acquire the Sands, the Frontier, the Castaway, and even the small Silver Slipper. It was Hughes’ annoyance with the Silver Slipper’s brightly lit rotating marquee shining through his window that led him to buy it.
Howard Hughes, a man with great vision and innovation, made valuable contributions to society and will always be remembered as an exceptional individual. Unfortunately, he passed away on an airplane while traveling from the Bahamas to Houston. Remarkably, Howard Hughes had not been seen or photographed for twenty years before his death. On April 5, 1976, heart failure took his life. Several wills were found after his death; however, investigations later revealed that all of them were fraudulent. Despite facing many challenges, Howard Hughes ultimately had a fulfilling life and will forever be remembered for his groundbreaking achievements.
