Who Is Howard Hughes? His Biography, Age, Net Worth, Career, Legacy, & More

Howard Robard Hughes Jr., famously known as Howard Hughes, was a renowned American business tycoon, engineer, aerospace engineer, film producer, investor, philanthropist, and pilot. He was widely known throughout his lifetime as one of the world’s wealthiest and most influential people. From his humble career beginning, Howard first rose to fame as a film producer. However, his groundbreaking contributions to the aviation industry truly set him apart. Fast forward, and he later cemented himself for his eccentric behavior and reclusive lifestyle. Read on to learn more about this business tycoon as this comprehensive article dives into his early life, age, career, net worth, personal life, and more.

Unknown Facts About Howard Hughes

Howard had a special house near his California home to interview aspiring actresses.

He attended the prestigious Rice University in the 1920s.

He studied at Cal Tech.

Howard had a strong aversion to black people. 

, Hughes was nominated for two Oscars, as he produced Best Picture nominees The Racket (1928) and The Front Page (1931).

Howard was a staunch supporter of the Republican Party and an active anti-communist.

He was a major stockholder in an airline that later became TWA.

Early Life and Education

Howard Robard Hughes Jr. was born to Howard R. Hughes Sr., a businessman and inventor, and Allene Stone Gano on December 24, 1905, in Houston, Texas, United States. According to his birthday, he was born under the Capricorn astrological sign. He was of mixed descent ( English, Welsh, and some French Huguenot ancestry). Howard was an American national and was raised Christian. At a young age, he showed interest in science and technology, building a wireless radio transmitter when he was only 11.

At the age of 12, he built a bicycle using pieces of a steam engine that belonged to his father; at 14, he had his first flying lesson. Hughes attended the Fessenden School in Massachusetts and the Thacher School in Ojai, California. He then took math and aeronautical engineering classes at Caltech. Howard’s mother died in 1922 as the result of an ectopic pregnancy. His father died two years later from a heart attack. Following this, Hughes received 75% of his family’s income and became an emancipated minor.

Quick Wikipedia

Quick Biography	Answers
Birthday	December 24, 1905
Full Name	Howard Robard Hughes Jr.
Hometown	Houston, Texas, United States
Lived In	N/A
Net Worth (2024)	$2.2 billion
Horoscope/Birth Sign	Capricorn
Age (death)	70 years old
Stage Name	Howard Hughes
Profession	Business tycoon, engineer, aerospace engineer, film producer, investor, philanthropist, and pilot.
Father’s Name	Howard R. Hughes Sr.
Mother’s Name	Allene Stone Gano
Number of Children	N/A
Children’s Name	N/A
Spouse	N/A
Boyfriend	N/A
Birth Year	1905
Trivia	Howard was known for both his incredible financial success and his later eccentric, reclusive lifestyle.
Facebook Handle	N/A
YouTube Handle	N/A
Twitter/X Handle	N/A
Instagram Handle	N/A
Snapchat Handle	N/A
Height	N/A
Body Measurements	N/A
Feet/Shoe Size	N/A
Color of Eye	N/A
Movies Starred	N/A
References	Wikipedia and IMBD

Hollywood Career

In 1926, Howard Hughes debuted in the film industry, producing the short comedy “Swell Hogan.” Nevertheless, the movie was a complete bust and was never released. Hughes’s following two films, “Everybody’s Acting” and “Two Arabian Knights,” were more commercially successful. 1928 saw the release of “The Racket,” another smash for him.

Film tycoon Howard rose to prominence in Hollywood starting in the late 1920s with high-profile, frequently contentious films, including Scarface (1932), Hell’s Angels (1930), and The Racket (1928). Subsequently, in 1948, he bought the RKO Pictures picture studio, one of the Big Five studios of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Despite his efforts, the production firm struggled under his direction and eventually shut down in 1957.

Aviation

1932, Howard founded the Hughes Aircraft Company due to his passion for aviation and space exploration. The company employed many engineers, designers, and defense contractors. The remainder of the 1930s and most of the 1940s were devoted to breaking numerous world air speed records and building the massive H-4 Hercules (the Spruce Goose, 1947), which at the time was the largest flying boat ever built and had the longest wingspan of any aircraft from the time of construction until 2019. He also built the Hughes H-1 Racer in 1935.

Howard Hughes’s contributions to aviation were not only significant but also widely recognized. His acquisition of Air West, which he later renamed Hughes Airwest, and the expansion of TransWorld Airlines further solidified his influence in the industry. In recognition of his pioneering work, Hughes was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal (1939), the Collier Trophy (1938), and the Harmon Trophy twice (1936 and 1938). His impact was further acknowledged when he was ranked No. 25 on Flying magazine’s 2013 51 Heroes of Aviation list and inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1973.

Other Ventures

Howard Hughes’s entrepreneurial spirit extended beyond aviation. In his later years, he diversified his financial empire, venturing into significant Las Vegas businesses such as real estate, lodging, a casino, and media. His influence was such that he is credited with transforming Vegas into a sophisticated, international metropolis, a testament to his business acumen and vision.

Net Worth and Career Earnings

What was Howard Hughes’s net worth at the time of his death? Howard Hughes earned a significant fortune from his career, primarily through his investments in various industries. During his death in 1976, Howard was worth $2.5 billion (11 billion now), a testament to his great work. Howard Hughes began his career as a director and producer of popular films, including ‘The Outlaw,’ which was a commercial success. In addition to his extraordinary financial success, Howard Hughes was well-known for leading an eccentric and solitary existence in his later years.

Hughes Aerospace Group was established in 1948, Hughes Helicopters Division in 1947, and Hughes Aircraft Company in 1932. In 1939, Howard also acquired a majority stake in TWA Airlines, significantly expanding his business empire and contributing to his wealth. In 1970, he acquired the airline Air West and renamed Hughes Airwest, further solidifying his presence in the aviation industry.

Personal Life

Howard Hughes was involved in several high-profile relationships. However, he was limited to actresses Joan Crawford, Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Gene Tierney, Janet Leigh, Ginger Roger, Olivia de Havilland, Ava Gardner, and Hedy Lamarr. He was twice married, but none of them were successful. Howard was first married to Ellas Botts Rice (m. 1925–1929) and later to actress Jean Peters (m. 1957–1971).

Illness and Death

Hughes suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder and mood swings all his life. By the late 1950s, he had become reclusive, spending nearly four months in a darkened screening room without leaving. Following this, he relocated into a room at the Beverly Hills Hotel and sat watching films. His illness was exacerbated by the pain from his numerous aviation injuries, prompting him to acquire a codeine addiction. Hughes remained out of the public glare, moving between Boston, Freeport, and Vancouver hotels. On April 5, 1976, Howard Hughes died on board an aircraft, a Learjet 24B N855W, at the age of 70.

Frequently Asked Question

Q. How old was Howard Hugesh at the time of his death?

Ans: He died at the age of 70.

Q. Did Howard Hughes have children?

Ans: No, there is no record of his children.

Q. Who are Howard Hughes’ parents?

Ans: He was born to Howard R. Hughes Sr. and Allene Stone Gano.