Howard Hughes(1905-1976)

“I’m not a paranoid deranged millionaire. Goddamit, I’m a billionaire.”

The AviatorIn 2004 Martin Scorsese

directed a film documenting the life of Howard Hughes starring Leonardo DiCaprio as “The Aviator”

The film won 5 Oscars and was nominated for 6 categories including best motion picture of the year

ChildhoodHoward was born in Houston, Texas to Howard

Robard Hughes Sr. and Allene Gano Hughes

Hughes Tool CompanyHoward Hughes Sr. left his successful business

founded in the early 1900s to Howard when he died

Howard and Hollywood

Hughes later went into the film industry and produced 40 films from 1926-1957

His films include: Hell’s Angels (1930), The Front Page (1931), Scarface (1932)

Howard ran the film studio RKO Pictures Corporation from 1948-1957

Howard the Aviator1935 set speed record of

352mph with the Silver Bullet, a plane he designed

1936 flew from Los Angeles to Newark, New Jersey in 9 hours and 27 minutes

flew to Paris in another racer in half the time it took Charles Lindbergh

Flew around the world in 3 days

Hughes Aircraft CorporationHoward founded Hughes Aircraft in 1932The company designed and constructed

airplanes for commercial and military use

The Spruce Goose

In the mid 1940s Howard was awarded a federal contract to build the biggest plane ever constructed

He built a cargo plane out of wood that was meant to be used for war but was completed too late

1947 ground-only demonstration of the plane Hughes flew the plane for 60 seconds

Holds record for the largest wingspan 319 ft. 11 in.

In 1953 Hughes founded a Medical Institute and transferred all 75,000 shares of Hughes Aircraft Co. stock to the organization

Based in Miami, Florida it used part of the company’s profits to fund research

One of the largest nonprofit medical research centers in the U.S.