Isla Bennett
Howard Robard Hughes Jr. was an American business magnate, film producer, and aircraft pilot, who was known for being one of the richest and most influential people in the world during his lifetime. He was also known for his eccentric behaviour and reclusive lifestyle, which was caused in part by his worsening obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), chronic pain from a near-fatal plane crash, and increasing deafness. At the time of his death in 1976, Hughes was in a state of extreme emaciation and poor physical condition. He was reported to have long hair, a beard, and long fingernails and toenails. This paragraph will explore the question of whether Howard Hughes had long nails at death and will provide an insight into the intriguing life and eccentricities of this complex individual.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Death | April 5, 1976 |
| Age at Death | 70 |
| Cause of Death | Kidney failure |
| Weight at Death | 90 pounds |
| Height | 6'4" |
| Appearance | Long hair, beard, fingernails, and toenails |
| Health Issues | OCD, chronic pain, deafness, malnutrition, anemia, arthritis, bedsores |
| Behavior | Eccentric, reclusive, germaphobic |
| Drug Addiction | Codeine |
| Will | Handwritten, found after death, disputed |
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What You'll Learn
Howard Hughes's eccentricities
Howard Hughes was an American business magnate, aviator, film producer, and director. He was known for his eccentric behaviour and reclusive lifestyle, which was caused in part by his worsening obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), chronic pain from a near-fatal plane crash, and increasing deafness.
Hughes had a reputation as a ladies' man, dating many famous women, including Katharine Hepburn, Ava Gardner, Bette Davis, and Rita Hayworth. He also had a passion for aviation and cinema, producing several iconic films and breaking multiple world air speed records.
However, Hughes became increasingly reclusive and eccentric in his later years. He was reported to have long fingernails and toenails, and he rarely cut his hair or beard. He also suffered from various health issues, including anemia, arthritis, and an addiction to codeine. Hughes was so thin that observers likened him to a prisoner of war. He was also said to have kept urine in jars and had an aversion to buttons, metal snaps, and zippers.
Hughes' eccentricities extended to his professional life as well. He once became so fixated on a flaw in one of Jane Russell's blouses during a movie shoot that he designed a unique kind of underwire bra to fix the problem. He also bought every copy of his film "The Conqueror" for $12 million after it flopped critically and commercially, watching it on repeat.
In addition to his OCD, chronic pain, and deafness, Hughes' behaviour may have been influenced by the trauma of his parents' early deaths and his mother's obsession with disease. He also struggled with addiction to drugs such as codeine and Valium. By the end of his life, he had become completely reclusive, rarely leaving his rooms shielded by black curtains.
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His battle with OCD
Howard Hughes' behaviour became increasingly eccentric in his later years, and he is now known to have suffered from worsening obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). His OCD was likely caused or exacerbated by a number of factors, including chronic pain from injuries sustained in several plane crashes, and increasing deafness.
Hughes' OCD manifested in a number of ways. He was obsessed with the idea of contamination and germs, and would insist on using tissues to pick up objects to insulate himself from germs. He also had a team of staff who would screen all his communications and act as his "keepers". He demanded that anyone serving him food cover their hands with paper towels, and wrote a manual for his employees on the proper procedure for serving canned peaches, which included removing the label, scrubbing and washing the can, and pouring out the peaches without touching the fruit. He also had an aversion to buttons, metal snaps, and zippers, and would only wear drawstring underpants.
Hughes' fear of contamination and germs was so severe that he rarely left the rooms he worked in, which were shielded by black curtains. He also neglected his own hygiene, rarely bathing or brushing his teeth, and letting his hair and nails grow long. His diet was poor, and he suffered from malnutrition, which left him emaciated. He was also addicted to codeine, which may have been caused or exacerbated by his OCD.
Hughes' OCD had a significant impact on his life and made him reclusive. He spent his final days both mentally and physically incarcerated by his own contamination terrors and elaborate cleaning rituals. He died on a private jet en route from his penthouse in Mexico to a hospital in Houston, Texas. His body was so thin and emaciated that observers likened him to a prisoner of war.
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Drug addiction
Howard Hughes, the billionaire aeronautics pioneer and Hollywood mogul, was known for his eccentric behaviour and reclusive lifestyle. He was also a drug addict.
Hughes' addiction to codeine, which he injected intramuscularly, is well documented. This addiction is believed to have been caused or exacerbated by his worsening obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and the chronic pain he experienced due to injuries from several aircraft crashes.
Hughes' OCD manifested in extreme germophobia and elaborate cleaning rituals. He insisted on using tissues to pick up objects and would notice and demand the removal of any dust, stains, or other imperfections on people's clothes. He also developed specific rituals for serving food, such as removing the label from and thoroughly scrubbing cans of peaches.
In addition to his drug addiction, Hughes' mental and physical health declined severely in his later years. He neglected his personal hygiene, rarely bathing, brushing his teeth, or cutting his hair and nails. He also suffered from malnutrition, anemia, arthritis, and kidney failure, which ultimately led to his death on April 5, 1976, at the age of 70.
Hughes' reclusiveness and drug use made him practically unrecognisable by the time of his death. His long hair, beard, fingernails, and toenails, as well as his emaciated frame, weighed barely 90 pounds, shocked those who saw him. The FBI had to use fingerprints to identify his body.
Hughes' life and death remain shrouded in mystery and intrigue, with numerous accounts of his eccentricities and obsessions. His story has inspired several films and TV shows, including "The Aviator" and "Rules Don't Apply."
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Reclusiveness
Howard Hughes is known for his eccentric lifestyle and reclusive nature. His behaviour has been attributed to his worsening obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), chronic pain from a near-fatal plane crash, and increasing deafness.
Hughes' OCD was characterised by his obsession with germs and contamination fears. He would use tissues to pick up objects and insisted that anyone serving him food cover their hands with paper towels. He also had specific rituals for cleaning and opening canned food. His mother, who was also obsessed with disease, instilled these deep-seated hang-ups about health and hygiene from a young age.
In addition to his OCD, Hughes suffered from chronic pain due to injuries sustained in multiple aircraft crashes. He became addicted to codeine, which he injected intramuscularly to manage his pain. This addiction, along with a poor diet, led to kidney failure, which ultimately caused his death.
Hughes' reclusiveness increased in the decades before his death. He rarely left his rooms, which were shielded by black curtains, and he worked for days without sleep. He also stopped taking care of his personal hygiene, including rarely bathing or brushing his teeth. His hair and nails were allowed to grow, with his fingernails reaching two inches in length, and his toenails taking on a corkscrew-like appearance.
Hughes' extreme wealth enabled him to indulge his obsessions and eccentricities. He had a team of executive assistants who kept a 24-hour watch over him and screened all his communications. They acted as his keepers, earning high salaries for their services.
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His will and inheritance
Howard Hughes, the American business magnate, investor, aviator, film producer, and manufacturer, died a multibillionaire. Unmarried and childless, he left no clear heir. In the final decade of his life, Hughes worked for days without sleep in rooms shielded by black curtains. His diet and addiction to codeine left him emaciated, and he neglected his personal hygiene, rarely bathing or brushing his teeth. He also stopped cutting his nails, allowing them to grow to a length of two inches.
Hughes' mental and physical health was in a poor state at the time of his death. He had developed a fear of germs and contamination, and his OCD had worsened. He had also become addicted to codeine, which he injected intramuscularly, to manage the pain caused by injuries from numerous aircraft crashes.
Hughes' inheritance was the subject of a fierce public battle, with multiple wills appearing and numerous people claiming to be his heirs. The first will to appear was the "Mormon Will", which gave $1.56 billion to various charitable organizations, $470 million to his company's upper management and aides, $156 million to his cousin William Lummis, $156 million to his two ex-wives, and $156 million to Melvin Dummar, a gas station owner who claimed to have given Hughes a ride to Las Vegas in 1967. However, this will was deemed a forgery, and a jury determined that Dummar had fabricated the story.
Another will was introduced by Noah Dietrich, a former aide who had worked for Hughes until 1956. This will was also disputed, with handwriting experts testifying that it was likely a forgery.
Hughes' estate attorney called on Raymond D. Fowler, a psychologist, to conduct a psychological autopsy to determine Hughes' mental state in his final years. This involved evaluating newspaper reports, court documents, letters, transcripts of phone calls, and pilot logs, as well as interviewing former staff.
The final piece of Hughes' estate was not settled until 2010, 34 years after his death. His fortune was ultimately divided among his cousins and other heirs, as no will was found.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Howard Hughes had long nails at the time of his death. His toenails and fingernails were described as "grotesque" and "two inches long".
Howard Hughes suffered from worsening obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and germophobia. He was also reported to have stopped cutting his nails in the final decade of his life.
Howard Hughes was reported to have neglected his hygiene in his later life, rarely bathing or brushing his teeth. He also had a fear of buttons, metal snaps, and zippers.
Yes, Howard Hughes' OCD and germophobia severely impacted his daily life. He would only eat food served by people wearing paper towels on their hands and had specific, elaborate instructions for serving canned peaches. He also demanded that people take care of any dust, stains, or imperfections on their clothes.
