Showing posts with label The Outlaw. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Outlaw. Show all posts
July 3, 2021
September 13, 2017
April 5, 2017
Howard Hughes ~ a strange life
1905 ~ 1976
Howard Robard Hughes Jr. died over forty years ago today on April 5, 1976. He was an American entrepreneur,
known during his lifetime as one of the most financially successful
individuals in the world. He first made a name for himself as a film
producer, and then became an influential figure in the aviation
industry. Later in life, he became known for his eccentric behavior and reclusive lifestyle, oddities that were caused in part by a worsening obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and chronic pain from a plane crash.
The Odd Beginning
The birthplace of Howard Robard Hughes Jr. is recorded as either Humble or Houston, Texas.
The date remains uncertain due to conflicting dates from various
sources. He repeatedly claimed that his birthday was on Christmas Eve. A
1941 affidavit birth certificate
of Hughes that was signed by his aunt Annette Gano Lummis and Estelle
Boughton Sharp states that he was born on December 24, 1905, in Harris County, Texas. However, his certificate of baptism recorded on October 7, 1906, in the parish register of St. John's Episcopal Church in Keokuk, Iowa, listed his birth as September 24, 1905 without any reference to the place of birth.
At a young age, Hughes demonstrated interest in science and technology. In particular, he had great engineering aptitude and built Houston's first "wireless" radio transmitter at age 11. He went on to be one of the first licensed ham radio operators in Houston, having the assigned call sign W5CY (originally 5CY). At 12, Hughes was photographed in the local newspaper, identified as being the first boy in Houston to have a "motorized" bicycle, which he had built from parts from his father's steam engine.
At a young age, Hughes demonstrated interest in science and technology. In particular, he had great engineering aptitude and built Houston's first "wireless" radio transmitter at age 11. He went on to be one of the first licensed ham radio operators in Houston, having the assigned call sign W5CY (originally 5CY). At 12, Hughes was photographed in the local newspaper, identified as being the first boy in Houston to have a "motorized" bicycle, which he had built from parts from his father's steam engine.
Howard Hughes 12yo
photographer unknown
The Bizarre End
In his final reclusive state, Hughes kept his urine stored in jars in
his room and wore Kleenex boxes as slippers due to his crippling fear of
germs. He also had a fear of radiation and pollution. During one reclusive stretch, Hughes lived for five months in a
screening studio in Hollywood. During that time, he ate and drank
exclusively Hershey Bars, pecans, and milk. One of his more odd obsessions was with peas: he would arrange them on his plate according to size.
His appearance when he was found dead was extremely grotesque. He
was covered in uncut, matted hair, had extremely long toenails, and the
once strapping, 6′ 4″ man weighed only 90 pounds.
Hughes Family grave site
photographer unknown
Time magazine cover
July 19, 1948
"Money can't buy happiness."
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Styrous® ~ Wednesday, April 5, 2017
April 2, 2017
February 18, 2015
Jack Buetel & Jane Russell ~ The Outlaw
Grit TV (Chanel 66.4) has been running The Outlaw recently and it's triggered some long forgotten memories for me. It
was 72 years ago this month that the film was originally released; I
was too young to have any recollection of it on that go around. It was released to the theaters on February 5, 1943 but after one week it was pulled due to violations of the Production Code on morals grounds.
Because of the moral code violations Century-Fox cancelled the agreement with Howard Hughes, who produced and directed the film, to release The Outlaw. As Hughes stood to lose millions of dollars, he worked out a scheme and had all his managers call ministers, women's clubs and housewives telling them about the 'lewd picture' Hughes was about to release starring Jane Russell. The public responded by protesting and trying to have the film banned, which turned into the publicity Hughes needed to create demand for the film and it was released on April 23, 1946, in San Francisco. And that's when I saw the billboard (above).
I was five but I remember walking down the street with my mom and dad. I remember seeing the billboard advertizing the movie for an instant. My mom put her hand over my eyes and they walked me quickly away. This was not unusual as it was the mid-forties, after all, and that was the usual reaction to public displays of sensuality in those days.
Because of the moral code violations Century-Fox cancelled the agreement with Howard Hughes, who produced and directed the film, to release The Outlaw. As Hughes stood to lose millions of dollars, he worked out a scheme and had all his managers call ministers, women's clubs and housewives telling them about the 'lewd picture' Hughes was about to release starring Jane Russell. The public responded by protesting and trying to have the film banned, which turned into the publicity Hughes needed to create demand for the film and it was released on April 23, 1946, in San Francisco. And that's when I saw the billboard (above).
I was five but I remember walking down the street with my mom and dad. I remember seeing the billboard advertizing the movie for an instant. My mom put her hand over my eyes and they walked me quickly away. This was not unusual as it was the mid-forties, after all, and that was the usual reaction to public displays of sensuality in those days.
The entire incident couldn't have lasted more than a few seconds so the sight of the billboard must have been only a billionth of a second; but the image was burned in my mind for the rest of my life. Along with the image, however, came the message sent to a five year old brain that it was not nice to look at things like this. Of course I had seen women's busts in clothes and sometimes at the beach with full-body swim suits and thought nothing of them but having them almost right out there in the open was a mind blowing thing to me at that age and it was reinforced by the reaction of my parents.
Now, flash forward not quite twenty or so years later; I finally got to see the film in my late teens. There is no doubt that the attributes of Jane Russell were outstanding; however, I remember I kept trying to avoid looking at her. I didn't know why until I watched the film recently on Grit TV (remember, that's where I started?). I realized that as a teen, I had reacted as the five-year old me had been taught. Then, there is the homoerotic overtone of the film I wasn't aware of at the time (see link below).
So,
if you don't look at Jane Russell, where do you look? Everywhere
else, that's where. Thus, it was amazing how much of the details and
visuals (other than Jane) of the film I remembered. After Jane, the next major item to focus on was Jack Buetel. He was intensely handsome in a dark and broody way. His looks were akin to that of Tyrone Power.
The next item to focus on: although they were unearthly beautiful, the acting of both Jane and Jack was not Academy Award winning material.
Even Howard Hughes, the director of the film, realized the limits of their acting abilities and utilized movie star security in the way of Thomas Mitchell, and Walter Huston to cover for them.
Buetel never became a major movie star and limped along in minor roles and movies, however, the film catapulted Russell into a star of major proportions (links below).
I think it was the first film by Hughes I saw and I looked for and enjoyed seeing his other work as well (see link below). Jack
Howard Hughes on the movie set of
The Outlaw, Hollywood, circa 1941
photo by Bob Landry
Howard Hughes Collection
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
photographer unknown
The next item to focus on: although they were unearthly beautiful, the acting of both Jane and Jack was not Academy Award winning material.
photographer unknown
Even Howard Hughes, the director of the film, realized the limits of their acting abilities and utilized movie star security in the way of Thomas Mitchell, and Walter Huston to cover for them.
Buetel never became a major movie star and limped along in minor roles and movies, however, the film catapulted Russell into a star of major proportions (links below).
I think it was the first film by Hughes I saw and I looked for and enjoyed seeing his other work as well (see link below). Jack
The Outlaw, Hollywood, circa 1941
photo by Bob Landry
Howard Hughes Collection
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
And, of course, there was Jane!
photographer unknown
(pretty tame by today's standards but pretty racy back then)
I've having a fun time watching it again fifty years or so later. Good job Grit, and thanks for the memories.
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