Howard Hughes 1905-1976
Biography of a Billionaire
24th December 1905 Howard Hughes was born in Houston, Texas.
1912 He started school.
1924 His father died. He left school.He inherited $750,000. He became director of his father's oil-drilling company.
1925 He married Ella Rice.
1927 He went to Hollywood.
1928 He produced a film. He divorced Ella Rice.
1930 He directed the film Hell's Angels.
1933 He worked as an airline pilot. (He changed his name).
1935 He built a plane. He broke the world air-speed record. (He flew at 352 m.p.h.)
1937 President Roosevelt gave him a special aviation award.
1938 He flew round the world in 91 hours (a new world record).
1942 He designed and manufactured war planes.
1943 He designed a new bra for film-star Jane Russel.
1947 He started T.W.A. (Trans World Airlines). He crashed a new war-plane. He nearly died. In hospital, he designed a new bed. He flew a new 700-seat passenger plane.
1948 He bought RKO Film Studio.
1954 He sold TWA for $546,000,000. He married Jean Peters.
1958 He retired from public life.
1966 He went to Las Vegas. He bought a lot of casinos, clubs, and hotels. (He didn't smoke, drink or gamble.)
1971 He divorced Jean Peters.
1972 He gave $100,000 to President Nixon for the 1972 Election.
5th April 1976 Hughes died in Acapulco. He left $2,000,000,000.