Howard Hughes one of the wealthiest men in the  world during his lifetime was a Maverick in  

the aviation and film Industries however  Beyond his success Hughes was known for  

his eccentricities and bizarre behavior  which became more pronounced as he aged  

here are 16 scandalous and strange  facts about the enigmatic billionaire

fact number one The globetrotting Aviator in  the Golden Age of Aviation Howard Hughes made  

a Mark that few could rival in 1938 his  desire to conquer the skies led him on a  

daring Journey around the globe completing the  trip in just three days 19 hours and 17 minutes  

Hughes shattered the previous world record this  wasn't just a test of Machinery it was a battle  

against unpredictable weather patterns potential  technical malfunctions and share human endurance  

his successful trip which earned International  accolades underscored hughes's Relentless  

pursuit of excellence and his unwavering  determination in the face of adversity

number two the ambitious Spruce Goose the  H for Hercules affectionately nicknamed  

the Spruce Goose was one of hughes's most  audacious Ventures constructed in 1947 the  

gargantuan flying boat still holds the record for  the largest wingspan of any aircraft ever built  

despite its impressive Dimensions it took to the  skies just once a flight that lasted a mere minute  

this endeavor a testament to hughes's bowless  ambition also became a financial sinkhole  

critics were quick to highlight the  Project's exorbitant costs and its  

limited utility sparking debates  on hughes's financial prudence

number three the Maverick of Hollywood uses  foray into the world of Cinema was as Grand  

as his other endeavors producing the film Hell's  Angels in 1930 he didn't shy away from extravagant  

budgets making it one of the most expensive films  of its era but Hughes wasn't just about opulent  

Productions he was a Relentless Challenger  of societal norms his content often pushed  

the boundaries bringing him into direct conflict  with the stringent censorship Boards of the time  

in hughes's cinematic World pushing the envelope  wasn't just a choice it was a mandate [Music]  

number four a life in sterile seclusion while  hughes's achievements painted a picture of a  

bold innovator his personal life revealed the  man plagued by profound fears his obsessive  

compulsive disorder particularly his intense  dread of germs often dictated his lifestyle  

stories of Hughes burning clothes he  deemed contaminated and sequestering  

himself in sanitized rooms became legendary  his directives to staff on cleanliness were  

not just strict they were exhaustive detailing  procedures down to the minutiae like the precise  

manner in which canned goods should be opened and  presented to him this Obsession while confounding  

to many was a manifestation of the internal  battles Hughes grappled with daily [Music]  

number five the grand  acquisition the desert in drama  

in the glitzy world of Las Vegas during the late  1960s Howard hughes's presence was palpable the  

tycoon's indomitable Spirit was on full display  when faced with an eviction from his suite at the  

Desert Inn instead of adhering to the hotel's  request Hughes made a move only a man of his  

stature could he bought the entire establishment  but Hughes didn't stop there he began acquiring  

more properties eventually becoming one of  the most significant landowners in Las Vegas  

his influence was undeniable and his  vision played a Monumental role in  

shaping the future of the city turning it into  the global entertainment Capital it is today

number six the Paradox of personal hygiene for a  man who was terrified of germs hughes's personal  

hygiene practices were ironically quite  shocking over the years reports began to  

emerge about hughes's deteriorating Personal  Care habits stories recounted a man who would  

go months without a bath allowing his hair to  grow wild and nails to reach alarming links  

this decline was Stark especially when  considering his earlier obsession with cleanliness  

such contradictions only added more  layers to the enigmatic Persona of Hughes

number seven his altercation with a Hollywood  Legend in the 1940s Hughes dated many Hollywood  

actresses one of his relationships  with actress Ava Gardner was tumultuous  

it's rumored that during a heated argument Gardner  struck Hughes with a bronze Bell requiring him to  

get stitches [Music] number eight the Clifford  Irving Scandal hughes's unexpected emergence  

in an era ripe with Sensational news the early  1970s saw one of the most audacious literary  

scams the Clifford Irving hoax Irving an  established author shockingly claimed to  

have co-authored an authorized autobiography  of the secluded hues as the media and the  

public lapped up the tantalizing details of the  autobiography Hughes made an unexpected move  

despite his reclusive nature he orchestrated  a telephone conference vehemently denouncing  

Irving's claims this intervention not  only unmasked one of the 20th Century's  

grandest literary deceptions but also momentarily  thrust The elusive Hughes back into the Limelight

number nine the wills That Shook the world the  death of Howard Hughes in 1976 wasn't the end  

of his enigmatic Saga in fact it was nearly the  beginning of another mystery that would puzzle the  

world in the aftermath of his passing not one but  multiple Wills emerged one of the most perplexing  

of these wolves notably left a portion of his  estate to a seemingly random gas station owner  

in Nevada as The Story Goes this individual had  once aided Hughes after an accident in the desert  

the veracity of these Wills sparked Fierce  debates and led to a series of protracted legal  

battles further entrenching the mysterious  aura that surrounded the late billionaire

number 10. a life in agony  chronic pain Independence  

Hughes a passionate Aviator survived  multiple plane crashes throughout his life  

however the repercussions of these accidents  haunted him till his last days battling incessant  

agonizing pain Hughes found solace in painkillers  and codeine over time his Reliance on these drugs  

crew casting a shadow over his mental stability  and influencing his behavior in unpredictable ways

number 11. the invisible Puppet Master at the  Pinnacle of his career Hughes held the Reigns  

of major companies including the iconic Airline  TWA however in line with his reclusive nature  

Hughes rarely managed these corporations in  a conventional manner preferring the cloak of  

anonymity he largely gave directives through memos  and relied on intermediaries for communications  

this approach further embellished the  aura of mystery around him painting  

the picture of an enigmatic Puppeteer  pulling strings from behind the curtain

number 12. trapped in rituals Hughes and OCD  Howard hughes's Behavior particularly in his  

later years exhibited classic signs  of obsessive-compulsive disorder OCD  

while he was never officially diagnosed  during his lifetime his intense fear of  

germs stringent cleanliness routines and  other repetitive behaviors have led many  

experts to postulate that he suffered from  this mental condition these observations  

have made Hughes a subject of intense study  in the realm of psychology with experts and  

enthusiasts alike attempting to dissect and  understand the mind of this intriguing figure

number 13. the bizarre Mormon will after hughes's  death a will was discovered at the headquarters of  

the Mormon Church in Salt Lake City this document  dubbed the Mormon will left a staggering 156  

million dollars to the church it was highly  suspicious given hughes's known distrust of  

organized religions the will was later declared  a forgery and several individuals faced charges

number 14. the silent telephone due  to his reclusive nature hughes's  

primary means of communication in  his later years was the telephone  

at one point he reportedly had a Non-Stop  telephonic conversation with an aide that  

lasted for over three days despite  long stretches of Silence during this  

call neither party hung up emphasizing hughes's  extreme dependence on a few trusted individuals

number 15. living in the shadows  hughes's life of isolation  

the final chapters of hughes's Life were  shrouded in mystery and intense secrecy  

as the years progressed Hughes retreated  further from the public eye seeking solace  

in dimly lit hotel rooms scattered across the  country the billionaire wants a fixture in the  

media became an elusive figure avoiding almost  all human contact this extreme reclusiveness  

fueled wild rumors and speculations about his  activities mental state and even his whereabouts

number 16. death and Drug addictions  the circumstances of hughes's death  

were shrouded in mystery he died in 1976  on a flight from Acapulco to Houston  

at the time of his death Hughes was  emaciated weighing only 90 pounds  

the autopsy reports indicated kidney failure  but it was also discovered that he had five  

broken up hypodermic needles in his arms  signifying his severe drug addiction [Music]