Howard Hughes in Las Vegas

Howard Hughes's life in his later years is marked by escalating mental illness, reclusiveness, and a pattern of obsessive and compulsive behaviors, with his stay at the Desert Inn in Las Vegas offering a particularly vivid case study of his decline.

Hughes's Isolation and Compulsions at Desert Inn

Hughes Unseen Since 1961; Arrived At Desert Inn 1966, Compromised by Opioid Addiction and Neglect, Lost Weight and Height

By 1961, Howard Hughes had vanished from public view, having already become severely impacted by mental illness and substance abuse. In 1966, at age 59, he was covertly transported by private train to Las Vegas’s Desert Inn Hotel and Casino, where he took up residence on the entire ninth floor. Having not been seen publicly for five years, he had lost dozens of pounds and four inches of height due to physical neglect and opioid addiction that originated after a serious plane crash left him in chronic pain. His addiction accelerated throughout the 1950s, further isolating him and propelling a rapid decline in both physical and mental health.

Hughes Isolated On the Ninth Floor, Sealing all Windows With Rotting Curtains

Within the Desert Inn, Hughes transformed his living quarters into a dark, isolated warren. He sealed the windows with heavy curtains, never once opening them. Housekeepers discovered these drapes had rotted in place after he finally vacated the floor. Hughes refused nearly all staff contact, denying housekeeping for four years except possibly a single visit. During this period, he subsisted on a diet of candy bars, very sweet canned fruit, and milk, which left him malnourished and anemic.

Refused Housekeeping For Four Years, Led To Malnutrition and Anemia From Candy Bars, Canned Fruits, and Ice Cream

The combination of his refusal to allow room cleaning and poor dietary choices meant Hughes’s health deteriorated dramatically while at the Desert Inn. His compulsion for isolation intensified both his physical decline and the squalor in which he lived.

Severe Ocd Manifested Through Bizarre Rituals and Impossible Demands

Hughes Had Asymmetrical Contamination Fears, Terrified Of Others' Germs but Indifferent to His Own Filth, Refusing to Bathe While Growing Out His Hair and Fingernails

Hughes suffered from an extreme, idiosyncratic form of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) marked by contamination fears focused on other people's germs while disregarding his own. He rarely bathed, at times only once a year, and quit attending to basic personal hygiene, allowing his hair and fingernails to grow unchecked. He feared tap water, drinking only bottled water, and was convinced that any outside intrusion could bring contamination.

Protocols: Staff to Wear Gloves For Communications

Staff, including secretaries who prepared correspondence for him, had to adhere to rigorous and unusual protocols. They wore gloves when typing documents intended for Hughes, and he issued exhaustive instructions on how to use tissues—requiring staff to use exact numbers of tissue sheets to touch and handle various objects or doors that might come into his presence.

Hughes Wore Tissue Boxes As Slippers and Saved His Urine In Bottles, Viewing Them As Extensions of Himself Requiring Special Handling

Tissues and tissue boxes became central to his self-imposed barrier against contamination. He famously used tissue boxes as makeshift slippers, believing the boxes’ sterile nature would shield him from germs. There is photographic and cultural evidence of this, including lampooning in media like "The Simpsons" and recreation in films such as "The ...

Howard Hughes played a pivotal role in reshaping Las Vegas through a wave of high-profile casino and hotel acquisitions, ultimately shifting the city’s reputation from a mob-controlled gambling den to a respectable, corporate destination.

How Hughes Became a Major Casino Owner

Hughes Arrived At the Desert Inn In 1966 to Address Taxes but Refused to Leave When the Hotel Needed the Floor For New Year's Eve

In 1966, Howard Hughes arrived in Las Vegas at the Desert Inn, seeking a tax shelter after selling all his TWA stock and facing a substantial tax bill. Hughes initially intended to stay just over a week, but he kept extending his stay, occupying an entire floor. Hotel management, facing pressure to prepare for New Year's Eve, asked him to leave. Even Jimmy Hoffa reportedly advocated for Hughes to remain, reflecting his influence, but ultimately hotel staff prepared to remove him.

Hughes Buys Desert Inn to Avoid Relocation

Instead of leaving, Hughes followed the suggestion of his right-hand man, Robert Maheu, and bought the Desert Inn outright for $13.25 million. In a typical Hughes move, he simply instructed his staff to purchase the hotel so he wouldn’t have to vacate his suite. With this unexpected acquisition, Hughes entered the casino business.

Hughes's Acquisition of six Casinos and Hotels (1966-1968)

Hughes Bought Desert Inn, Sands, Castaways, Silver Slipper, Landmark, Frontier From Mob-connected Sellers

From 1966 to 1968, through his Summa Holding Corporation, Hughes bought six major Las Vegas casino-hotels, almost all from mob-connected owners: the Desert Inn, Sands, Castaways, Silver Slipper, Landmark, and Frontier. His acquisition of the Landmark was driven by rivalry with Kirk Kerkorian’s International Hotel; Landmark’s 31 floors would outdo the International’s 30, so Hughes ensured a grand opening just before his competitor’s.

Antitrust Lawsuit Stops Hughes From Acquiring Seventh Casino to Prevent Monopoly

Hughes attempted to purchase a seventh casino, but his growing influence triggered a federal antitrust lawsuit. The government intervened, concerned about the formation of a monopoly in Las Vegas gambling, and barred Hughes from additional acquisitions. By the end of 1968, his collection of six casinos marked the limit of his Las Vegas empire.

Hughes's Plan to Make Las Vegas a Business Hub and Environmental Utopia

Hughes Envisioned Las Vegas As a Respectable and Family-Friendly Corporate Destination

Hughes Proposed a Futuristic City to Eliminate Smog, Ensure Efficient Government, Prevent Taxpayer Exploitation, and Remove Ties to Crime and Corruption

Hughes was not motivated solely by financial gain. He envisioned transforming Las Vegas into a legitimate, corporate-friendly city, potentially even welcoming families in the future. As a germaphobe and futurist, he imagined a smog-free, environmentally conscious city with efficient governance, insulating taxpayers from exploitation. Hughes believed Las Vegas could shake its ...

Howard Hughes, an eccentric billionaire, relied on a complex system of trusted associates to manage his business and personal affairs, compounding his extreme isolation and enabling his increasingly bizarre demands.

Robert Mayhew's Role as Hughes's Representative and Confidant

Robert Mayhew served as Hughes's chief of security and public representative for eight to fifteen years, even acting as a confidant despite never meeting Hughes face-to-face. Mayhew communicated with Hughes only via phone calls, exchanged memos, and occasional conversations through a door. Remarkably, this lack of direct contact did not impede Mayhew’s significant influence; he frequently made decisions on Hughes’s behalf, negotiated with officials and leaders, and committed to enormous purchases all based on instructions relayed through this remote, indirect system. There are accounts that Mayhew may have impersonated Hughes on the telephone and essentially "ran the show," although always following Hughes’s minute, meticulous orders.

The "Mormon Mafia" Managing Hughes's Needs and Isolation

The communication and logistics connecting Hughes and Mayhew were facilitated by a group of six men, five of whom were Mormon and thus nicknamed the "Mormon Mafia." Chosen for their trustworthiness and adherence to religious prohibitions against drinking, smoking, and gambling, these men served as Hughes’s only personal contacts during his period of extreme reclusion. The "Mormon Mafia" handled an array of functions: they conveyed memos and notes between Hughes and Mayhew, provided Hughes with [restricted term] injections (though he often did that himself), and catered to his obsession with cleanliness—always using wads of tissues when interacting with him. They alone witnessed Hughes’s physical and mental decline up close, maintaining his strict isolation from the outside world while scrupulously delivering instructions, materials, and daily necessities.

Managing a Reclusi ...

Howard Hughes’s later years in Las Vegas reveal a pattern of controversial, often discriminatory, ideological positions paired with quixotic political plans. Despite immense personal influence and the power that came with his wealth, Hughes’s proposals frequently reflected a desire for control, resistance to social progress, and personal privilege rather than societal benefit.

Hughes's Racism and Interference With Integrated Events

1968: Hughes Tried to Cancel Desert Inn Tennis Tournament Fearing Damage From Black Spectators Due to Arthur Ashe's Participation

In September 1968, Hughes attempted to cancel the first annual Desert Inn Invitational Tennis Tournament after learning that Arthur Ashe, an African American, would compete. Hughes feared the presence of Black fans at his casino and worried about potential upheaval or damage. He pressured his lieutenant, Mayhew, to call off the high-profile event out of these racist concerns. However, Mayhew resisted, arguing the tournament should proceed.

Ashe's Victory Over Hughes's Discriminatory Intentions

In a noteworthy turn of events, Arthur Ashe not only competed but won the singles title at the tournament, achieving a symbolic victory over Hughes’s attempt to maintain discriminatory practices in his casino.

Political Proposals Reflecting Utopian Planning and Disturbing Ideology

Hughes Suggested Removing Sales, Gas, and Cigarette Taxes, While Supporting Segregated Clark County Schools, Banning Talent From Communist Countries, and Prohibiting Rock Festivals

Hughes pushed for a range of policy changes, many reflecting both dated and disturbing worldviews. He proposed repealing sales, gas, and cigarette taxes, a move with populist appeal. However, he also advocated for keeping Clark County schools segregated, supporting racist educational policy. He sought to prohibit the booking of talent from communist countries—reflecting cold-war era fears—and wanted to outlaw rock festivals. Notably, he insisted that dog racing remain illegal, though the reason for this is unclear.

Hughes Sought Exemption From Court or Board Appearances and Required Las Vegas to Consult Him Before Realigning Streets, Showing His Need For Control and to Avoid Unpredictable Changes

Hughes also demanded extraordinary personal privileges and controls. He wanted to be legally exempt from appearing in court or before any board under any circumstances, ensuring he could avoid public appearances and oversight. Additionally, he attempted to mandate that Las Vegas or Clark County authorities consult with him before realigning any street, reinforcing his penchant for controlling the public realm and preventing unpredictable changes to his environment.

Hughes's Political Agenda Sees Limited Success Despite Influence

Hughes Gained Gaming ...

Hughes's Exit From Las Vegas and 1976 Death

This Is a Heading: Hughes Left Las Vegas On a Stretcher After Four Years in the Desert Inn, Later Relocating To the Bahamas and Repeating His Reclusive Pattern

Howard Hughes, after four years at the Desert Inn, decided he had enough of Las Vegas. On Thanksgiving Eve, 1970—four years to the day after his arrival—Hughes left the city under the cover of night. So debilitated he could not walk, he was carried out on a stretcher down a fire escape, taken to an airplane, and flown to the Bahamas. There, at the Xanadu Beach Resort, Hughes established a similar reclusive existence, camping out for years and eventually overstaying his welcome.

Hughes Died On April 5, 1976, of Kidney Failure; Doctors Cited Chronic Neglect, With His Autopsy Showing He Weighed Ninety-Three Pounds and Had Lethal Codeine Levels

Hughes died on April 5, 1976, on a plane flight from Mexico to Houston at the age of 70. The official cause of death was kidney failure. However, doctors remarked that chronic neglect led to his condition. The autopsy revealed he weighed only 93 pounds and had a codeine concentration high enough to stop five beating hearts.

Hughes's Extreme Physical Deterioration Shocks the Public

Heading:

Psychological Autopsy by Raymond Fowler After Hughes's Death

News of Hughes’s death shocked the world, especially as details of his physical state emerged. Accounts described alarming weight loss, with Hughes leaving his room only three times during his four-year residency in Las Vegas—all for business meetings. On those rare occasions, he would shave, wash, cut his hair and nails, which otherwise grew unchecked. His extreme isolation and self-neglect became widely known after his death.

After Hughes died, the division of his estate among 11 or 12 inheritors prompted a group to hire the head of the American Psychological Association, Raymond Fowler, to conduct a psychological autopsy. Fowler reviewed all available records and evidence to establish a psychological profile of Hughes, reconstructing his mental competence and psychological state in his final years. Despite ethical concerns over posthumous diagnosis, Fowler's work provided a rare and influential psychological sketch based strictly on the evidence, enhancing public understanding of Hughes’s decline.

Transformation of Hughes's Legacy Into Lasting Urban Development

Hughes's Nevada Land Became Summerlin, a Planned Community Outside Las Vegas, As a Tangible Legacy

Hug ...