JW & Howard Hughes

[Cindyrella]

I read in one of my books that JW and Howard Hughes were friends. Has anyone here heard about that? Hughes hated any person that he suspected of being a Nazi and even stirred things up a bit in Hollywood over the matter. Can't think of much else the two would have had in common though, at least not on a personal level. Maybe The Duke liked the Grand Prize beer Hughes sold at Huges Tool Co....

[Cindyrella]

Just read a thread made in 2005 about Hughes. Did not know he did the flight scenes for Jet Pilot. This place is a treasure trove of good information!

My aunt's first husband was a nephew of Ella Rice. She was also married to a man that flew a plane in "Hell Fighter's."

I have a special interest in Hughes. He is connected to my family in more ways than one. Have to be careful though in saying that or people think you're nuts...

A good friend of mine, James (Jim) Spiller, was the P.I. hired by Noah Dietrich during the "Mormon Will" trial. He introduced me to the attorney George Parnham, who he worked with on the trial. There's a lot of things going on behind the scenes, especially now that the movie, "The Aviator," came out. And now even more nuts are coming out of the woodwork. Wonder if JW and Howard are up there getting a good laugh at it all?

[Lt. Brannigan]

Yes, it's well known that Duke and Hughes were friends. Why, I don't know but I assume that they shared the same interests.

[etsija]

They shared political opinions and patriotism, at least. Hughes thought the world of Wayne - and ironically ended up producing his two arguably worst movies, The Jet Pilot and The Conqueror. Hughes loved those movies, however, he probably watched them hundred times in his private theatre during the years he had closed himself from the rest of the world.

[DukePilgrim]

Poor old Howard gets a bad press I always think. Whilst he had his problems he was no way as bad as he was portrayed. He still ran his companies successfully until the end of his life. His only connection with Duke was those two movies and political opinions

Mike

[dukefan1]

Hughes does get the treatment whenever talked about, DukePilgrim. But most of it is because of his lifestyle choice. I have read several books on him and am left in a daze as to how a man who was as brilliant as he was, could have the fears (real and imagined) that he lived with, and still manage his many companies up to about the time he died. If you want to get an idea of his life after he locked himself up in his casino in Vegas, I recommend a book titled "Citizen Hughes" by Michael Drosnin. Hughes had a lot of influence on events of the time and had his hands in more things than you would imagine. A good book.

Mark

[DakotaSurfer]

Howard wasn't as bad as everyone one makes him out to be... he was a businessman and a damn good one in some respect. The book I'm reading has several pages about Hughes in it, I may be able to quote a bit here.

The first section about Hughes was when he had a problem with Red River and accused Hawks of stealing a scene from Hughes movie The Outlaw that Hawks was directing then walked out. It was the big fight scene in Red River, they had to cut and re-cut until Hughes was satisfied. Wayne even filed a lawsuit against the backers since they never paid him what they promised him for the film. And it was delayed about a year.

The next section only mentions a load The Duke asked Hughes for to buy his house and land in Encino to shut Chata up. It was then he found out was a leech Chata really was and she only thought of herself, Wayne felt degraded. He turned his attention to his crusade at the time, the fight against Communism.

That fight was another thing he shared with Hughes and from that Wayne made Jet Pilot (which I personally like, somewhat) which is probably the biggest blunder Wayne ever made. That's also when Hughes spent 8 years filming hours and hours of jets flying.

The next section is when Wayne comes back to film Flying Leathernecks. Hughes paid Wayne the highest salary ever at that time, $3,000.000. The same time he spent millions on all those flying scenes.

There two or three more sections but you'll have to get the book.

[Cindyrella]

Good evening Dakota,

What's the title of the book you mentioned?

I own 13 books on Hughes. Most of them I had to get through a book search as they were out of print. He was brilliant and contributed so much to the world. I can understand some of his eccentricities and phobia's. And he did not imagine the fact that there were people out to steal his empire. And in the end, they succeeded. I have what you might call, "an inside view", of things related to him. Some of which I can share.

My Uncle Rice was of the well known Rice family of Houston. And from what I have been told there was a falling out between his dad and the other Rice's. Uncle Rice had a friend named Jerry Reed aka Henry Grady Reed. They were both one's who helped Hughes find young girl's. You can read about Reed in a book called, "Howard Hughes In Las Vegas."

My Grandmother's Uncle Charlie worked for Hughes at the tool company and knew Hughes well. My Mother Barbara would ride with my grandparent's to get cases of Grand Prize beer when it was sold there. She and my grandparent's lived across from the Hughes Tool Co hanger at Hobby Airport and mom would go over there and was taken in one of the planes. She said that the carpet, seats and curtains were red. She was 16...

When I was about 2 years old mom married a man and he took us to California as he was given a job at Hughes Aircraft. While we were there mom discovered the man already had a wife living close to us. Needless to say, she came back to Texas.

I think it's cool that Hughes and JW were friends. In my book that says a lot about Hughes, because to me, they don't come any better than JW.

[DakotaSurfer]

My books isn't a Hughes book but a book about The Duke with several references to Hughes and many other people Wayne dealt with during his career. The book was written in 2003 by a Michael Munn is called: John Wayne: The Man Behind The Myth. It's a little less than 400 pages. No photos, but lots of reading.

[DukePilgrim]

I think Howard's problems started after the plane crash in LA. He was on painkillers for the rest of his life which after long term use had signicant side effects added to the fact that he had an severe hearing impairment which ironically could have been cured with surgery.The deafness he experienced would have added to his isolation from the rest of the world.


Mike

Mike

[William T Brooks]

Back in the early 1970s on one of the Trips to the 26 Bar Ranch Duke said that Howard Hughes was an Aviation Genius but not much of a Film Maker.

Then Duke said "One thing about Howard was that His Hearing was so Bad, after all those years of Flying those early Aircraft, that if you said something to Him, or made a suggestion on a Film Scene, Howard could not Hear You, and Howard would just do it His Way Anyhow !"

Below is a little News Clip that I did on Howard Hughes after we had done a T.V. Documentaries back in the 1980s.

http://www.ranch26bar.com/HOWARDHUGHES.html

Chilibill

[DukePilgrim]

Hi William

I remember reading in one of the Hughes books that his haring problem was growth of bone pressuring against the ear drum that could have been corrected by surgery but Hughes was so paranoid of doctors that he wouldnt have the operation.

In a book on Cary Grant, Cary wrote in his notes that whilst Hughes hearing was generally bad he could hear much better when he was in a plane.

Would this be something to do with pressurised cabins?


Mike

[Cindyrella]

Hello again Dakota,

I knew you were talking about Hughes being in a book on JW, just wasn't sure which one. I have it ordered! Thank you.

William, I liked your clip. Does my heart good to see positive comments, with correct information on Hughes. Thank you as well.

[DakotaSurfer]

Cindy... You'll enjoy the book.

DP... Early pressurized cabins were not as adjustable as they are today. Today they can set the cabin pressure according to altitude, back then they made a device that look like the blood pressure machines in a doctors office. Usually when I fly I ask what altitude they are going to set the cabin at, it typically by the pilots preference with FAA minimums and maximums. Some I get on and they said they do it at 6000 - 8000 feet, I have asked previously due to my health to lower the pressure to 5000 or so, it makes it easier for heart patients. For normal people it doesn't matter but higher pressures is why I never fly through Denver.

[William T Brooks]

DakotaSufer,

Here is Something that I Know a Little About, after Over 60 Years of Flying all types of Aircraft at Altitudes from Below Sea Level at Death Valley, on up to 45,000 Ft in Jet Aircraft.

Duke had to Quit Going over to the 26 Bar Ranch in the Mid - 1970s Because He Could Not Breath Very Well over there. The Main Ranch is at 7100 Ft. and Duke was Not About to be Seen Walking Around in the Towns of Springerville, Eagar with a Oxygen Bottle, that would Not Be All That Good For Duke's Image At That Time.

Below will Show You what the F.A.A. Rules are for Flying at Altitudes in a Aircraft.

http://www.ranch26bar.com/OXYGEN.html

Bill