Talk:Howard Hughes

Melvin Dummar

I personally believe that Mr.Dummar was cheated out of his money, due to evidence that the supreme court was a little biased on their ruling. I listened to an interview of his on a radio show. Anyone else agree? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.0.21.252 (talk) 07:39, 24 October 2008 (UTC)

popular culture

One of the segments in the movie Creepshow, "They're Creeping Up On You!", has a main character who is a rich germ-phobic recluse businessman who is clearly based on Hughes. Rmd1023 (talk) 00:03, 4 March 2009 (UTC)

If there's no specific mention of Hughes, then you're stuck having to find a critic or popular author who can connect the dots and say that the character is a take-off of Hughes. Until that kind of connection is found, Creepshow is a no-show. Binksternet (talk) 00:49, 4 March 2009 (UTC)

plagiarism

The paragraph

"In 1947, Hughes descended into one of the most bizarre episodes of his life. In December of that year, Hughes told his aides that he wanted to screen some movies at a film studio near his home. Hughes stayed in the studio's darkened screening room for more than four months, never leaving. He subsisted exclusively on chocolate bars and milk, and relieved himself in the empty bottles and containers. He was surrounded by dozens of Kleenex boxes, which he continuously stacked and re-arranged. He wrote detailed memos to his aides on yellow legal pads giving them explicit instructions not to look at him, speak to him, and only to respond when spoken to. Throughout the duration, Hughes sat fixated in his chair, often naked, continuously watching movies, reel after reel, day after day. When he finally emerged in the spring of 1948, his hygiene was terrible, as he had not bathed or cut his hair and nails for weeks. Many believe that during these months he was suffering a massive nervous breakdown and did not want anyone to know about it.[citation needed]"

is almost a word-for-word transcription of a National Geographic special. See

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQGsGd8hmuE

I don't know if other parts of that section are plagiarized. The only reason I don't erase it is it's an interesting anecdote and adds to its section. If only it were rewritten and sourced.

71.194.62.168 (talk) 00:34, 4 July 2009 (UTC)

I've just listened to the videotape and disagree that it is plagiarism. There are similarities but there are no verbatim lifts, rather an attempt to use the content in a rewritten form that has many of the same phrases but still not exactly "word-for-word" as was characterized above. FWiW, I agree that a verifiable source is important. Bzuk (talk) 00:54, 4 July 2009 (UTC).

A transcription of the video:

"Hughes descended into one of the most bizarre episodes of his life. In December 1957, he told his personal aides that he wanted to screen some movies at a nearby studio called Nossax (sp?) on Sunset Boulevard. Hughes stayed in the darkened screening room for more than four months, never leaving. He used a telephone to conduct business, and ate a diet of chocolate bars and milk. But most of the time, he just sat in his own chair, often naked, watching movies, reel after reel, day after day. Hughes issued strict orders to his aides, writing instructions on yellow legal tablets. Do not look at him, do not speak to him, only respond when spoken to. ... After four months, Hughes finally emerged from the screening room in the spring of 1958. By then his clothes were soiled and ragged. He hadn't bathed or shaved for months. ... 'It has been surmised that what happened at Nossax was, Hughes was having a massive nervous breakdown but he didn't want to tell anybody.' "

Some verbatim lifts: "Hughes descended into one of the most bizarre episodes of his life," and "often naked, continuously watching movies, reel after reel, day after day." Plus there are blatant similarities in diction.

71.194.62.168 (talk) 21:45, 10 July 2009 (UTC)

Opiates

"As a result of numerous plane crashes, Hughes spent much of his later life in pain, eventually becoming severely addicted to codeine, morphine, and other pain medication. It is believed that this addiction compounded the symptoms of Hughes' obsessive–compulsive disorder."

What is the source of this theory? Recent studies have actually shown that opiates (hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, ...) can actually be used to treat obsessive–compulsive disorder in some individuals.   — C M B J   06:25, 29 September 2009 (UTC)

Some citations would be nice, although I wouldn't be surprised if you were right - hypercortisolism from untreated pain can cause all sorts of weird mental things (note the relationship between it and depression)... see the Tennant article (on Pseudoaddiction). Allens (talk) 00:59, 22 November 2011 (UTC)

Snobbery

Owen Tudor must have a million descendants by now. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.132.158.95 (talk) 14:13, 28 June 2010 (UTC)

and even then there was talks of marriage

were talks or was talk? I'm not sure which is correct. (fotoguzzi)69.64.235.42 (talk) 04:34, 5 July 2010 (UTC)

NOT a place for an accurate biography of Howard Hughes

I cannot believe all the inaccuracies, flagrant lies, self-posturings and so-called "citations". When one tries to go in and clean up an article and discussion to keep it relative to the subject, Wikipedia decides that false history is better than accuracy. I will NOT be coming back to this site for any kind of historical accuracy and in the future, might I suggest that Wikipedia make major overhalls as to whom is doing the research and editing. If you want accuracy, hire true historians and not people who fued, fuss, fight, lie and generally make offensive and derisive comments! GOODBYE to bad rubbish! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.75.19.234 (talk) 05:42, 27 August 2010 (UTC)

adios.. - 4twenty42o (talk) 05:46, 27 August 2010 (UTC)

Aristotle Onassis bet Howard Hughes result Vietnam War

Was the whole Vietnam War fought over a bet when Howard Hughes lost to Aristotle Onassis? Is this just a theory? Do they have any connection? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.238.151.52 (talk) 23:30, 31 August 2010 (UTC)

Showalter reference

One section says that Showalter revealed in a 2004 interview, but his wiki page says he died in 2000. Um, what? 75.63.62.4 (talk) 02:02, 24 October 2010 (UTC)

Howard Hughes vs. "Howard Hewes"

I added a section under the "popular culture" heading in which Howard Hughes appeared on "The Beverly Hillbillies" - sort of. In the series of episodes, Jed befriended a resident of Hooterville named Howard Hewes (this was one of the crossover episodes they did with "Petticoat Junction"). Naturally, this causes all kind of excitement when Mr. Drysdale hears the news. I just saw that episode this morning, and that's why I added the section. By the time this episode aired, "The Beverly Hillbillies" was in a state of decline, but I do think it was one of the more clever episodes of their last two seasons.97.73.64.164 (talk) 14:17, 28 January 2011 (UTC)

It's a very minor popular culture connection and I will be pruning it. FWiW Bzuk (talk) 14:19, 28 January 2011 (UTC).

I'm taking it out. It has no greater relevance than a short laugh in one TV episode. Binksternet (talk) 14:10, 14 February 2011 (UTC)

AIDS?

Howard Hughes: A Secret Life reports that he died from AIDS. Is Jason Robards related to Hughes? Is Hughes really the father of Larry Ellison? etc. etc. Apple8800 (talk) 17:37, 11 February 2011 (UTC)

Charles Higham did not say that Hughes had AIDS, he insinuated it that he might be suffering from symptoms like AIDS. It really is not a credible source to use. FWiW Bzuk (talk) 17:44, 11 February 2011 (UTC)

Specify why it's not a realiable source. Have you read the book? I did. I insist you defend you OPINION with some substance. In the book, I don't have the page directly, but some expert actually says, without a doubt, quoted by the author, that Howard Hughes had AIDS. So, please, read the book, and then form a better opinion. If you opinion changes on the subject, good; if you opinion doesn't change, good. But realize a book can't go into publication like this, make a claim, and NOT be sued by Hughes' estate. Apple8800 (talk) 12:53, 14 February 2011 (UTC)

Yes, I did read the book and there is no direct reference to Hughes having AIDS, just speculation. Higham is a discredited author whose long career as a celebrity stalker has put him into the category of gossip-monger. FWiW Bzuk (talk) 14:35, 14 February 2011 (UTC)

Removed unverified allegations of tax evasion in section ==Managing the financial empire==

I removed the section which contained the following: As his empire grew, Hughes worked to minimize the company's taxes. In the early years of Hughes Aircraft, Hughes attempted to move his company from Southern California to Nevada in an effort to take advantage of Nevada's low taxes. Ultimately, Hughes donated all his stock in Hughes Aircraft to the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, thereby turning over the ownership and all profits of the military contractor to tax-exempt charity. In addition to avoiding income taxes, this had the effect of silencing the upper management in Hughes Aircraft, who for many years had clamored for stock in the company as part of their compensation.

There are no citations of any kind and no reason to think this is anything other than fiction or character assasination. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 118.210.151.247 (talk) 13:50, 13 May 2011 (UTC)

Tag the section appropriately rather than remove it. FWiW Bzuk (talk) 13:53, 13 May 2011 (UTC).

Video Games

Honestly, if a character in a movie can be a reference to Hughes, then the same goes for a character in a video game. Stop removing Mr. House from Fallout: New Vegas from the popular culture references. House a direct allusion to Hughes. I understand a lot of people dismiss it because it is a video game, but it's still culture. So stop being narrow and stop deleting it from the article. It's an illustration of the magnitude of the man and his achievements. How much more respectful can that get?

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gamehunters/post/2010/10/five-things-you-didnt-know-about-fallout-new-vegas/1

AATroop (talk) 02:09, 1 September 2011 (UTC)

First of all, have you read the notes at the top of the page? Choose your words more carefully, or they will be stricken as inappropriate to a forum, I suggest you do that. Secondly, has the game ever stated that the character is based on Howard Hughes? Although there is more than enough similarity to the real-life person to make that "assumption", it is neither direct nor an "allusion", it is original thought, research or synthesis that is being presented. If there are legitimate connections to Howard Hughes, there needs to be reliable, verifiable and authoritative sources to back up any statement. FWiW, please also read about cruft submissions. Bzuk (talk) 02:45, 1 September 2011 (UTC).

I read both of the sites you specified, and one has a passing mention to a Hughes-like character, and this will probably suffice. Blogs are not typically considered reliable sources as they are unverified, and user-made discussion sites, but I have identified a Ryan Kao, who is identified as the author, being an expert in entertainment articles, so this will probably work. FWiW Bzuk (talk) 22:08, 1 September 2011 (UTC).

All right, I'll give you that.

AATroop (talk) 02:23, 5 September 2011 (UTC)

Nixon scandal?

The section makes very little sense. It begins with one sentence about Hughes giving Donald Nixon a loan, but has no explanation of why this is a scandal. Then, with an absurd nonsequiter, it jumps into a description of the 1972 campaign and false information being given to Donald Nixon (how is that a scandal for Richard Nixon???). I suggest that if someone can't rewrite the section so that it makes sense, is accurate, and is properly sourced, the section should be deleted. 75.177.157.195 (talk) 18:10, 25 February 2012 (UTC)

The latest revision seems to have answered most of the above concerns. FWiW Bzuk (talk) 19:05, 25 February 2012 (UTC).