The Amazing Howard Hughes (1977) (TV)

Director:

William A. Graham

Writers:

Noah Dietrich (book)
John Gay
(more)

Release Date:

13 April 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Plot:

Howard Hughes is a driven man who amassed wealth and recognition as a Hollywood mover and shaker, aviation giant and man of mystery. |

Plot Keywords:

Pilot | Director | Howard Hughes | Recluse | Eccentric

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Tommy Lee Jones	...	Howard Hughes
Ed Flanders	...	Noah Dietrich
James Hampton	...	Wilbur Peterson
Tovah Feldshuh	...	Katharine Hepburn
Lee Purcell	...	Billie Dove
Jim Antonio	...	George
Sorrell Booke	...	Fiorello LaGuardia
Marty Brill	...	Lewis Milestone
Marla Carlis	...	Jane Russell
Lee de Broux	...	Jimmy (as Lee Jones-de Broux)
Roy Engel	...	Production Manager
Arthur Franz	...	Barnes
Denise Galik	...	Shirley Whitehead (as Denise Gal)
Howard Hesseman	...	Jenks
Tannis G. Montgomery	...	Mrs. Hughes (as Tannis Montgomery)
Walter O. Miles	...	Gen. Hap Arnold
Garry Walberg	...	Henry J. Kaiser
Carol Bagdasarian	...	Jean Peters
Bart Burns	...	Robert Maheu
Thayer David	...	Floyd Odlum
Barry Atwater	...	Sen. Brewster
William Dozier	...	Sen. Ferguson
Barney Phillips	...	Saunders
James Bacon	...	Himself (as Jim Bacon)
John S. Ragin	...	McKenna
John Lupton	...	Mayor
Art Gilmore	...	Newsreel Announcer
Ray Ballard	...	Forbes
Robert Baron	...	Lewis
James Beach	...	Assistant Cutter
Morgan Brittany	...	Ella Hughes
Susan Buckner	...	Jean Harlow
Ray Buktenica	...	Public Relations Man
Sid Conrad	...	Gresham
Jack Denbo	...	Chauffeur
Johnny Dennis	...	Cutter
Steve Doubet	...	Harris
Shay Duffin	...	Butler
S. John Launer	...	Doctor (as S. J. Louner)
Joel Lawrence	...	Emcee
Jim McKrell
Glenn Miller	...	Pilot
Myron Natwick
Kim O'Brien
Andy Romano	...	Roy Cruickshank
Jette Seear	...	Greta Nissen (as Jetta Seear)
John Bellah	...	Station Attendant
Thom Carney	...	Guard
Peter Dane	...	Rudy DeMarco
Hal England	...	Reeves
Gene Handsaker	...	Himself
Ed Harris	...	Russ
Ted Hartley	...	Attorney
Wayne Heffley	...	Dr. Bergman
Russ McGinn	...	Sheriff
Marvin G. Miles	...	Himself
Ken Sansom	...	Hospital Administrator
Ken Scott	...	Vernon Scott
Dave Shelley	...	Government Official
Wayne Thomas	...	Himself
Jerome Thor	...	Counsel
Bert Williams	...	Mr. Hardesty
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tom Falk	...	Pilot
Ben Hammer	...	Dr. Palmer
Stephen Manley		(as Stephan Manley)
Deborah Dutch	...	The Nurse (uncredited)
Luther Fear	...	#2 Chauffer driving Rolls-Royce (uncredited)
Jimmy Williams	...	Fireman at Crash Site (uncredited)

Directed by
William A. Graham

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Noah Dietrich		book "Howard: The Amazing Mr. Hughes"
John Gay
Bob Thomas		book "Howard: The Amazing Mr. Hughes"

Produced by
Paul Cameron	....	co-producer
Sudy Dostal	....	associate producer
Roger Gimbel	....	executive producer
Herbert Hirschman	....	producer

Original Music by
Laurence Rosenthal

Cinematography by
Jules Brenner
Michael D. Margulies		(as Michael Margulies)

Film Editing by
Aaron Stell

Production Design by
Stan Jolley

Set Decoration by
Ray Molyneaux		(as Raymond Molyneaux)

Makeup Department
Hank Edds	....	makeup artist
Lola 'Skip' McNalley	....	hair stylist
Lynn F. Reynolds	....	makeup artist
Michael Westmore	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Mike Salamunovich	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mike Salamunovich	....	first assistant director
Charles Ziarko	....	assistant director

Art Department
Horst Grandt	....	property master

Sound Department
Willie D. Burton	....	sound (as Willie Burton)
Bill Jackson	....	sound editor
Jerry Pirozzi	....	sound editor
Don Higgins	....	sound editor (uncredited)
John Kline	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Dick Le Grand	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Michael O'Corrigan	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Jerry Rosenthal	....	sound editor (uncredited)
John Strauss	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Jim Yant	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Mike Sweeten	....	camera operator
Serge Poupis	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Frank Novak	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Milton Citron	....	assistant editor
Ronald J. Fagan	....	additional editor (as Ronald Fagan)

Music Department
Rocky Moriana	....	music editor
Steve Livingston	....	music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Paul Casella Jr.	....	transportation (as Paul Casella)

Other crew
Edward J. Duffy	....	location manager
Lynda Karjola	....	production coordinator (as Lynda L. Karjola)
Cynnie Troup	....	script supervisor
Orin Kennedy	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Art Scholl	....	pilot (uncredited)

Production Companies

• EMI Television
• Roger Gimbel Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1977) (USA) (TV)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (????) (USA) (DVD)
• EMI Productions
• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2009) (United Arab Emirates) (DVD) (Middle East)
• Musiikkijakelu (1998) (Finland) (VHS)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2009) (Finland) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Joyce Selznick & Associates  casting
• R.M. Production Service Inc.  sound supervision
• Tallmantz Aviation  aviation coordination
• Westheimer Company  titles

Also Known As:

Runtime:

215 min | USA:123 min (DVD version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Portugal:M/12

Company:

EMI Television

Trivia:

When Hughes shows his stunt pilots on the set of Hell's Angels that he can make a tight turn, he goes up himself to show them but crashes. The crash footage is actually taken from Ace Eli and Rodger of the Skies (1973).

Goofs:

Factual errors: What is supposed to be the Hughes XF-11 aircraft is actually a WWII P-38 fighter (however, this is understandable since the real XF-11 would have been unavailable for the movie).

Movie Connections:

References Two Arabian Knights (1927)

Driven by vision

that just about sums up this compelling portrayal of Howard Hughes. William Graham's direction presents a ruthless, cold and single-minded world of Hughes the entrepreneur. However, for all Hughes' shortcomings when relating to others, Graham allows Tommy Lee Jones to reveal the multi-billionaire had a heart of gold. Whereas people surrounding Hughes saw the coldness he projected, often to their own personal cost, Hughes would repay kindness in ways they never dreamt of.

Such was the enigmatic nature of Hughes and his story has been told countless times by book or film the exact truth is never likely to be known as to the reasoning behind his complex and often contradictory actions. In his lifetime Hughes made fortunes in many ways, although the fact that his massive wealth was initially inherited is not glossed over. Nor are some of the more bizarre practises Hughes utilised - such as hiring people to sit by a telephone that would never ring; or the highly imaginative pointed sacking of a film director by sending the unfortunate man on a location hunt only to remove the entire film set, cast, crew, props, the lot, during the director's absence!!

This work is well acted by Jones and the supporting cast. If you are looking to find out for the first time about one of the world's richest ever men then this is a good place to start as any. Effectively, this turns into a celluloid biography. You'll be fascinated by Hughes' pragmatic working methods but after seeing this its doubtful you'll come away liking the man. Graham's careful direction shows its not hard to see why once someone has accrued such vast wealth (to the point where money almost has no meaning) it becomes harder and harder to trust the people around you. On that basis its possible to see where Hughes' personal life fell apart, how he failed in love, and even to feel a tad of sympathy for him!