"This rambling account of the eccentric, reclusive billionaire stresses Hughes's relationship with Las Vegas, where he spent much of his adult life. Vegas reporter Schumacher draws upon research from other books, interviews and a lifetime of covering his native city to produce an entertaining volume about a relentlessly fascinating character. Hughes (1904 — 1976) became famous as a producer of such Hollywood classics as Hell's Angels, The Front Page and Scarface. Applying his energy to aviation, he designed planes, broke speed records and founded TWA and Hughes Aircraft. Schumacher swiftly covers these accomplishments, then focuses on the last 30 years of Hughes's life. It is a lively record of business deals, legal battles and personality clashes as Hughes's peculiarities and drug use degenerate into serious addiction and obsessive germophobia. Hughes spent his last decade as a secluded, unwashed, unshaved invalid with attendants who overlooked his best interests. Ignoring chronology, Schumacher's book reads like a series of well-researched, opinionated newspaper articles that include cameos by famous supporting characters like Jane Russell and vignettes about the fight over his estate and Clifford Irving's fake Hughes autobiography. Readers should look elsewhere for an organized biography, but they will find plenty to enjoy in this scattershot collection. Photos not seen by PW." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

"Finally someone has written the authentic story of Howard R. Hughes, depicting his impact on American business and particularly Las Vegas and the state of Nevada. Geoff Schumacher clearly describes the Hughes evolution in Nevada." Bob Maheu, co-author of Next to Hughes: Behind the Power and Tragic Downfall of Howard Hughes by His Closest Advisor

"Schumacher has turned a mountain of information about Howard Hughes into a readable book. . . . Anyone who wants a better idea of the man behind the myth should read this book. There are many, many books on Hughes out there, but few are as lucid as this one."David Schwartz, Ph.D., author of Roll the Bones: The History of Gambling

“everything necessary to know about Howard Hughes without having to read all those other voluminous biographies.” The Hollywood Liberal

One of the most famous and enigmatic Americans of the twentieth century, Howard Hughes packed theaters with his blockbuster films, thrilled the world with his aviation exploits, was linked with almost every major film beauty of the 1930s and ’40s, and transformed his father’s small fortune into a vast business empire, becoming one of the world’s first billionaires.

But for all his celebrated achievements, Hughes’ later years in Las Vegas �” when drug addiction, bizarre behavior, and a casino buying spree dominated his days �” continue to fascinate the public. Geoff Schumacher, a veteran journalist and author of Sun, Sin & Suburbia: An Essential History of Modern Las Vegas, delves into the Las Vegas years of Howard Hughes in this engrossing portrait of a man whose impact on the city is still being felt today.

Preface: The Hughes-Vegas connection

Acknowledgments Chapter 1: Before Las Vegas: A Howard Hughes primer Chapter 2: Early Las Vegas: Hughes’ safe haven Chapter 3: Bob Maheu, Part 1: Rise of the alter ego Chapter 4: Outside Looking In: What Las Vegas saw Chapter 5: The Penthouse: In the hermit’s kingdom Chapter 6: The Landmark: The hard luck hotel Chapter 7: The Palace Coup: The manipulation of Howard Hughes Chapter 8: The Governors: Dealing with Hughes Chapter 9: Jack Real: Hughes’ last friend Chapter 10: Bob Maheu, Part 2: Aftermath of the palace coup Chapter 11: Hank Greenspun: Media friend, media foe Chapter 12: Paul Winn: Secretary to Hughes Chapter 13: John Meier: Politics, paranoia, and the mining scam Chapter 14: Clifford Irving: The hoax and the interview Chapter 15: Channel 8: Hughes’ movie source Chapter 16: Melvin Dummar: Good Samaritan or teller of tales? Chapter 17: The Estate: Will and the wills Chapter 18: Legacies: Hughes in hindsight Hughesiana Chapter 19: Uncle Rupert: The renaissance man Chapter 20: RKO Pictures: How to wreck a movie studio. Chapter 21: Jane Russell: ‘Two good reasons to see The Outlaw’ Chapter 22: Terry Moore: Hughes’ secret wife? Chapter 23: Perspectives: Jimmy, Ralph, and Louella on Hughes Chapter 24: Weird Tales: Obscure books about Hughes Chapter 25: The Fictional Hughes: Movies, novels, and beyond Chapter 26: Hughes on Display: He’s everywhere in Las Vegas

Afterword: Haunted by Hughes Bibliography Index