Born in Humble, Texas. Eccentric entrepreneur who turned to film production in the early 1920s. In 1930 Hughes launched the career of Jean Harlow -- the first of many ingenues he would find and promote -- with HELL'S ANGELS, which he both produced and directed. Following a brief interruption in his film career (during which he embarked on a new trajectory as an airplane designer and pilot), Hughes sparked a furor with the appearance of THE OUTLAW (1943), initially withdrawn from theaters thanks to the conspicuous cleavage of Jane Russell. In 1944 Hughes formed a production company with Preston Sturges and four years later he obtained a controlling interest in RKO, which he mismanaged from a distance for nearly ten years. Despite the studio's loss of $20 million by 1953 and bankruptcy by 1957, he managed to sell it to a subsidiary of the General Tire Company for a $10 million dollar profit. Hughes was a recluse for the last ten years of his life, managing his business interests from a Las Vegas hotel. Some of his notable film producing credits include TWO ARABIAN KNIGHTS (1927), THE RACKET and THE MATING CALL (both 1928), HELL'S ANGELS (1930), THE FRONT PAGE and THE AGE FOR LOVE (both 1931), SKY DEVILS and SCARFACE (uncredited) (both 1932), THE OUTLAW (1943), VENDETTA (1950), FLYLING LEATHERNECKS (1951), THE LAS VEGAS STORY (1952), LOUISIANA TERRITORY (1953), THE FRENCH LINE (1954, exec. producer), SON OF SINBAD and UNDERWATER! (both 1955, both exec. producer), THE CONQUEROR (1956, uncredited) and JET PILOT (1957). Hughes has been the subject of a number of films, including MELVIN AND HOWARD, where Jason Robards played him on screen, and Martin Scorsese's 2004 film, THE AVIATOR, in which he was portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio. Hughes' uncle was writer and director Rupert Hughes.    Nominated for Best Production 1927-28: THE RACKET - Producer    Nominated for Best Picture 1930-31: THE FRONT PAGE - Producer 2 nominations