Howard Hughes Public Relations Records
MS-00380
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on July 03, 2014.
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
© 2014 The Regents of the University of Nevada. All rights reserved.
University of Nevada, Las Vegas. University Libraries. Special Collections
Division.
Box 457010
4505 S. Maryland Parkway
Las Vegas, Nevada 89154-7010
(702) 895-2234
special.collections@unlv.edu
Howard Hughes Public Relations Records MS-00380
Table of Contents
Summary Information .................................................................................................................................... 3
Biographical Note .......................................................................................................................................... 3
Scope and Contents Note ............................................................................................................................... 4
Arrangement ...................................................................................................................................................
Administrative Information ............................................................................................................................
Related Materials ...........................................................................................................................................
Controlled Access Headings ..........................................................................................................................
Collection Inventory .......................................................................................................................................
- Page 2 -
5
5
6
6
6
Howard Hughes Public Relations Records MS-00380
Summary Information
Creator:
University of Nevada, Las Vegas. University Libraries. Special
Collections Division.
Hughes, Howard, 1905-1976
Creator:
Hannah, Dick (William Hannah)
Repository:
Title:
Howard Hughes Public Relations Records
ID:
MS-00380
Date [inclusive]:
1930-1990
Physical Description:
Language of the
Material:
Abstract:
109.4 Linear Feet 110 boxes
English
The Howard Hughes Public Relations records contain the reference
files, from 1930 to 1990, of Howard Hughes' public relations director
Dick Hannah. The records include news releases and press kits written
by Hannah as well as photographs that were approved by Hughes.
The records contain correspondence pertaining to Hughes' various
businesses, personal matters, and legal disputes. The majority of the
records comprise print material related to Hughes, mainly newspaper
clippings and magazines, but also novels, screenplays, and essays.
Preferred Citation Note
Howard Hughes Public Relations Records, 1930-1990. MS-00380. Special Collections, University
Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.
^ Return to Table of Contents
Biographical Note
American businessman Howard Hughes was born September 24, 1905 in Houston, Texas. Hughes'
business career began when he gained control of Hughes Tool Company in 1924, at the age of 19,
after his father's death. In 1932 he formed Hughes Aircraft as a division of Hughes Tool Company.
His company won defense contracts during the Second World War to develop high speed pursuit and
reconnaissance aircraft and communication systems. Perhaps the most famous of these experimental
prototypes was the HK-1, better known as the 'Spruce Goose' a gargantuan wooden cargo plane that
- Page 3-
Howard Hughes Public Relations Records MS-00380
Hughes himself piloted on its brief and only flight of one mile, 70 feet above Long Beach Harbor in
1947. Also in 1947, the Radio Department of Hughes Aircraft formally morphed into the Electronics
Department. In 1953 Hughes turned over ownership of the Hughes Aircraft Company to the Howard
Hughes Medical Institute.
Hughes also had a career in the movie business as a director and producer. He directed Two Arabian
Nights (1928), Hell's Angels (1930), and The Outlaw (1943). Hughes bought the Hollywood movie studio
RKO in 1948.
Howard Hughes moved to Las Vegas, Nevada November 27, 1966, and took up residence on the top
floor of the Desert Inn hotel. At this point in his life Hughes became increasingly reclusive. Hughes
purchased real estate in Las Vegas and started the Summa Corporation in 1972, a holding company that
managed Hughes' remaining investments and primarily developed and managed the Hughes real estate
holdings on the west side of the Las Vegas Valley. Hughes died on April 5, 1976. Weeks after his death,
a handwritten will was found, known as the "Mormon Will" that gave over a billion dollars to various
charities. The Nevada State Court declared the will a forgery in 1978.
^ Return to Table of Contents
Scope and Contents Note
The Howard Hughes Public Relations records contain the reference files, from 1930 to 1990, of Howard
Hughes' public relations director Dick Hannah. Hannah was the account executive and Vice President
of the Los Angeles public relations firm Carl Byoir and Associates. The records include news releases
and press kits written by Hannah, photographs approved by Hughes, and correspondence pertaining
to Hughes' various businesses, personal matters, and legal disputes. The records contain the archives
of the Hughes subsidiary Rosemont Enterprise, Inc., created by Hughes’ lawyer Chester Davis, with
the purpose of collecting and controlling all literary material past, present, and future about Hughes.
The Rosemont files contain investigative reports on a number of journalists as well as a number of
unpublished pieces, some transparently fictionalized, about Hughes, for which the writer had accepted
payment from Rosemont. The majority of the records comprise print material related to Hughes,
mainly newspaper clippings and magazines, but also novels, screenplays, and essays. Clippings focus
on the construction and "flight" of the Spruce Goose, the Robert Maheu legal affair, Hughes Tool
Company, the "Mormon Will," and publicity for Hughes' RKO films. There are also files on Hughes’ Las
Vegas properties, and articles on things that might affect or threaten Hughes, from the Atomic Energy
Commission; to Clifford Irving; to the Mafia; to the Watergate Hearings; to any writer, journalist, or
television producer who attempted to portray Howard Hughes in the media.
^ Return to Table of Contents
- Page 4-
Howard Hughes Public Relations Records MS-00380
Arrangement
Material remains in original order.
^ Return to Table of Contents
Administrative Information
Publication Statement
© 2014 The Regents of the University of Nevada. All rights reserved.
University of Nevada, Las Vegas. University Libraries. Special Collections Division.
Box 457010
4505 S. Maryland Parkway
Las Vegas, Nevada 89154-7010
(702) 895-2234
special.collections@unlv.edu
Publication Rights
Materials in this collection may be protected by copyrights and other rights. See Reproductions
and Use on the UNLV Special Collections website for more information about reproductions and
permissions to publish.
Acquisition Note
Donated by the Howard Hughes Corporation of Las Vegas in 1996; accession number 1996-021.
Processing Note
The material was partially processed and inventoried by a Special Collections staff member. To
prepare the inventory, the described materials were reviewed to create a contents list, estimate dates,
and identify material types. Some boxes are organized and described at the folder level and others
are unprocessed. In July 2014 Hannah Robinson wrote the collection description and subsequently
entered the data into ArchivesSpace.
- Page 5-
Howard Hughes Public Relations Records MS-00380
Access
Collection is open for research.
^ Return to Table of Contents
Related Materials
Related Materials Note
Howard Hughes Collection. PH-00321. Special Collections, UNLV Libraries, Las Vegas, Nevada.
Olson, Vernon C., Howard Hughes Collection. PH-0373. Special Collections, UNLV Libraries, Las
Vegas, Nevada.
Hughes Electronics Collection, 1940-2003. MS-00485. Special Collections, UNLV Libraries,
University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.
Welcome Home Howard! Digital Collection. http://digital.library.unlv.edu/hughes/. Special
Collections, UNLV Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada, October 2008.
^ Return to Table of Contents
Controlled Access Headings
•
•
•
Public relations
Hughes, Howard, 1905-1976
Hannah, Dick (William Hannah)
Collection Inventory
Title/Description
Instances
Senate Hearings, Newspaper clippings, Washington Hearings, JulyNovember 1947
Box 001
Magazines: Time, Playboy, Newsweek, US News, Archisystems,
1970s
Box 002
- Page 6-
Howard Hughes Public Relations Records MS-00380
Newspaper clippings: Howard Hughes death, Flying boat, Howard
R. Hughes misc. Photographs: Hughes flying boat photos, Connie
photos, 1930-1990
Box 003
Newspaper clippings: Howard R. Hughes, Death, Flying Boat,
Hughes Aircraft, 1950
Box 004
Newspaper and magazine clippings: Flying Boat, 1951
Box 005
Newspaper clippings: miscellaneous, 1975-1976
Box 006
Newspaper clippings: Howard R. Hughes Xeroxes, Howard R.
Hughes, Library, 1972, 1977
Box 007
Syncro Color TV Clips, films, Howard R. Hughes, Richard Nixon
Newspaper clippings, January 1972, 1977
Box 008
Newspaper clippings: Richard Nixon, Nixon and Irving, Clifford
Irving Hoax, 1972-1975
Box 009
Rosemont Enterprises Inc. Library files, Hush-a-bye Murder
screenplay by Brian Degas, Newspaper clippings, 1960s-1970s
Box 010
Newspaper clippings: Watergate, 1970s
Box 011
Newspaper clippings: A-H, House Un-American Activities
Committee (HUAC), 1950-1958
Box 012
Newspaper clippings: miscellaneous, September-December 1974
and March-May 1976
Box 013
Newspaper clippings: H-L, 1971-1974
Box 014
Magazines: Look, Time, LH Journal, Summa Corporation's
Archisystems, Howard R. Hughes Biography magazine articles,
1970s
Box 015
Newspaper clippings: miscellaneous, 1974
Box 016
Newspaper clippings: miscellaneous, 1974
Box 017
Newspaper clippings: Mafia, Underworld, Lottery and Gambling,
Races, 1938 will, Gomar, Terry Moore, 1938, 1970s
Box 018
Newspaper clippings: Mafia, Underworld, Lottery and Gambling,
Races, 1938 will, Gomar, Terry Moore, 1938, 1970s
Box 018A
Newspaper clippings: miscellaneous, 1972, 1974-1976
Box 019
Newspaper clippings: Hughes autobiography, 1971-1972
Box 020
Newspaper clippings: Hughes autobiography, 1971-1972
Box 020A
Newspaper clippings: Flying Boat, Hughes Aircraft, 1974
Box 021
Newspaper clippings: Maheu, Nevada, 1971-1972
Box 022
Newspaper clippings: miscellaneous, 1974
Box 023
Newspaper clippings: Hughes Will, Dupes, Dummar, 1972-1976
Box 024
Newspaper clippings: Howard R. Hughes, Howard R. Hughes Will,
Howard R. Hughes Will Relatives, 1972-1976
Box 025
- Page 7-
Howard Hughes Public Relations Records MS-00380
Newspaper clippings: Tucson, Florida, People connected with
Hughes, AEC, Hughes Aircraft. Noah Dietrich background
information and personal correspondence, 1960s-1970s
Box 026
Newspaper clippings: OTB gambling, Mob Hits, Gambling,
1975-1976
Box 027
Magazines: Fortune, Playboy, Newsweek, 1970s
Box 028
Newspaper clippings: A-G, Library, 1970s
Box 029
Newspaper clippings: Hell's Angels, RKO, Outlaw, TWA, Plane
crash, 1930, 1946, 1948, 1952, 1976
Box 030
Newspaper clippings: miscellaneous, February-March 1973
Box 031
Newspaper clippings: miscellaneous, January-September 1973
Box 032
Newspaper and magazine clippings: Library, Publicity, Reference
files, 1960s-1970s
Box 033
Newspaper and magazine clippings: Library, Nixon, Rebozo,
Greenspun, Watergate, Hughes Tool Company, Hughes, 1970s
Box 034
Newspaper clippings: Glomar Explorer, Airwest, Maheu, Dick
Hannah, 1974-1975
Box 035
Newspaper and magazine clippings: Library reference files; 1956
Look Magazine article by Stephen White. Drafts, transcripts, and
notes of meetings between Hughes and White. Correspondence
written to Hughes about political matters, 1960s-1970s
Box 036
Newspaper clippings: Watergate, 1970s
Box 037
Newspaper clippings: Nixon loan, Actresses, Hughes fellowships,
Biographical, 1950s-1960s
Box 038
Newspaper clippings: Radar, Flying plane, XF-11, April-May 1947
Box 039
Newspaper clippings: Flying boat, Senator Brewster, crash,
1946-1947
Box 040
Newspaper clippings: miscellaneous, 1975-1976
Box 041
Newspaper clippings: Airports, Arrival in Las Vegas and Nevada,
1960s-1970s
Box 042
Newspaper and magazine clippings: Gaming, Other Acquisitions,
AirWest, Hotels, Civic and Community Involvement and Area
Development, 1960s-1970s
Box 043
Newspaper clippings: Nixon, 1973-1974
Box 044
Newspaper clippings: Public Relations, Hughes' health, Jean
Peters marriage to and divorce from Hughes, Corporate library,
1960s-1970s
Box 045
Newspaper clippings: TWA Financing Program, RKO Purchase,
Jane Russell, RKO Sale, 1950s-1960s
Box 046
Newspaper clippings: Jack Anderson, Mormon Will, HRH Death,
Lummis, Gano and Altman, 1976
Box 047
- Page 8-
Howard Hughes Public Relations Records MS-00380
Newspaper clippings: Mafia, 1970s
Box 048
Newspaper clippings: Anti-trust suit, films, Mendetta, Conqueror,
Jarrico, Lloyd, Outlaw, RKO, 1950s
Box 049
Magazines: Life, Time, and Confidential Gossip Magazines,
1950s-1970s
Box 050
Newspaper clippings: Arditto suit, Florida, Senate Hearing, 1949,
1950, 1960s
Box 051
Newspaper clippings: M-O, Manganese Mining, Nixon
Impeachment, Mike O'Callahan and Lawrence F. O'Brien, 1970s
Box 052
Newspaper clippings: miscellaneous, 1975
Box 053
Newspaper clippings: miscellaneous, 1946-1947
Box 054
Bound Court Proceedings Reports: TWA Lawsuit, Las Vegas, H.D.
'B' OPT TAK 741 Rebuttal, N.N. PN5901. Asset sheets. Newspaper
clippings: Caesar's, Apollo 11, 12, Desert Inn and Bonanza Las
Vegas, 1960s-1970s
Box 055
Newspaper clippings: Topics K-Z, Watergate, 1970s
Box 056
Newspaper clippings: Hughes Tool Co., XF-1H test, 1946-1947
Box 057
Newspaper clippings: Airwest, Vietnam, Maheu TWA Suit
Reversal, Reimbursements for Arelo C. Sederberg, 1970s
Box 058
Transcript of Robert A. Maheu v. Hughes Tool Company.
Manuscript of Howard Hughes the Hidden Years by James Phelan.
Newspaper clippings: Glomar, RKO, Las Vegas, 1950s-1970s
Box 059
Newspaper clippings: RKO, 1950s
Box 060
Correspondence. Newspaper clippings: Library Topics M-N, Dick
Hannah, Carl Byoir and Associates, 1970s
Box 061
Newspaper and magazine clippings: Hughes Aircraft, surveyor,
Columnists, Corporate Library, Hughes Air Craft Surveyor,
Teleprompter company. Paperback books: My Life with Howard
Hughes by Noah Dietrich and Bob Thomas, The Book that Never
Was: The Great Conspiracy Against Howard Hughes, A Cabal by
Alan Witwer, 1960s-1970s
Box 062
Newspaper clippings: Flying Boat, 1946-1947
Box 063
Dick Hannah's files: civil subpoena, correspondence, Maheu: libel
suit, slander suit, photocopy of letter firing Maheu, and award.
Newspaper clippings: Maheu, 1972-1974
Box 064
Newspaper clippings: Hughes death, Miscellaneous bureau clips,
Corporate Library, Hughes Death, Movie Reviews, 1976-1977
Box 065
Newspaper clippings: Hotels, clip files, Las Vegas, 1969
Box 066
Publicity, Rosemont Enterprises Inc. archives, Library Screenplays,
"Centrifuge" screenplay by James Beck; Newspaper Clippings,
KLAS correspondence, 1960s-1970s
Box 067
- Page 9-
Howard Hughes Public Relations Records MS-00380
Correspondence, Newspaper clippings, Nevada Gaming
Commission Quarterly Reports, 1969-1975
Box 068
Newspaper clippings: Hughes will, 1970s
Box 069
Newspaper clippings: miscellaneous, 1972-1973
Box 070
Newspaper clippings: Corporate library topics L-Z, Aviation,
1960s-1970s
Box 071
Newspaper clippings: Flying Boat, Outlaw, Hughes' girls, RKO,
After crash, Radar, 1946-1950
Box 072
Photographs: Flying Boat, airplanes, Howard Hughes and
miscellaneous some with press releases, updates on condition after
accident, 1930-1990
Box 073
Newspaper clippings: TWA, Sen. Brewster, Senate Hearings,
1950s-1960s
Box 074
Newspaper clippings: Gaming, Mafia and Organized Crime, 1976
Box 075
Newspaper clippings: Gaming, Organized Crime, 1976
Box 076
Newspaper clippings: Gaming, Organized Crime, 1976
Box 076A
Newspaper clippings: Oil lease, Hughes Aircraft, Northeast, Hughes
Tool Co., 1950s
Box 077
Newspaper clippings: Hughes Tool Co., Northeast, Hyland,
Helicopters, 1950s-1960s
Box 078
Photographs. Newspaper clippings: Flying Boat, 1946-1948
Box 079
Newspaper clippings: RKO, TWA, 1950s-1960s
Box 080
Newspaper and magazine clippings: Hughes Aircraft, Time
magazines, Hughes Aircraft, Tucson, Culver City Falcon, 1950s
Box 081
Newspaper clippings: Watergate, 1970s
Box 082
Newspaper clippings: Library topics A-L, Aviation, 1970s
Box 083
Newspaper clippings: library topics to be filed, Mid-East oil,
Hughes estate, Will search, 1970s
Box 084
Newspaper clippings: Nixon, Irving, 1973
Box 085
Newspaper clippings: Air West, Cable TV, AirWest marketing plan,
Satellites, and ABM, 1960s-1970s
Box 086
Newspaper clippings: miscellaneous unfiled, 1974-1975
Box 087
Newspaper clippings: Hotels, Managua, and Nevada Resort
Association, 1960s-1970s
Box 088
Newspaper clippings: Library topics to be filed, miscellaneous,
1960s-1970s
Box 089
Newspaper clippings: Watergate. Framed magazine covers: Esquire,
Saga, and True, 1960s-1970s
Box 090
- Page 10-
Howard Hughes Public Relations Records MS-00380
Newspaper clippings: Jean Peters, Personal, Las Vegas, AirWest
Crash, 1970-1976
Box 091
Documents: Press releases, Correspondence, Legal. Newspaper
clippings: Outlaw openings, RKO, TWA lawsuit, Flying boat, 1947,
1949
Box 092
Photographs: Biography pictures, RKO, Jane Russell, Flying
boat. Legal Documents: Jarrico case. Correspondence. Essays.
Magazines: Life, Look. Newspaper clippings miscellaneous,
1960s-1980s
Box 093
Press releases, Radio and TV reports, EPI-HAB salute to Howard
Hughes, Paperback books. Newspaper clippings: Hughes' death,
Mormon will, 1946-1947, 1970s
Box 094
Old Vegas photos and negatives. Newspaper clippings: Maheu,
Hotels, Foreign. Various books and plaques, 1947, 1960s-1970s
Box 095
"Great HRH Hoax Book," Jet pilot yellow delivery reports, Aviation
Hall of Fame Award, Maheu libel brief, Technicolor Motion Picture
Corporation Production Requisition forms, various photographs that
include filming of "The Outlaw," Howard Hughes shots and other
unidentified photos. Newspaper clippings, 1950s-1970s
Box 096
Carl Byoir and Associates files and correspondence, Biographies,
essays, TWA, Press releases, 1940s-1960s
Box 097
Newspaper clippings: Las Vegas, Nev. Prostitution, Nev. Politics,
Vectors Vol X, 1968-1974
Box 098
Newspaper clippings: Press releases, Summa Corporation, 1970s
Box 099
Lee Murrin's office documents, Hughes Productions Award,
Old books, Aviation photos, Son of SinBad, correspondence,
1960s-1970s
Box 100
Correspondence, Dick Hannah obituaries, headquarters security
memo, Arlo Sederburg to Hannah about Vaglioti, and Hughes v.
Maheu memos, 1960s-1970s
Box 101
Duplicate photographs from PC-0321, 1930-1990
Box 102
Newspaper clippings: miscellaneous, unprocessed, July-August
1973
Box 103
Newspaper clippings: miscellaneous, unprocessed, March-June 1974
Box 104
Newspaper clippings: miscellaneous, unprocessed, AugustSeptember 1974
Box 105
Newspaper clippings: miscellaneous, unprocessed, OctoberDecember 1975
Box 106
Newspaper clippings: miscellaneous, unprocessed, JanuaryFebruary 1976
Box 107
Newspaper clippings: miscellaneous, unprocessed, February-March
1976
Box 108
- Page 11-
Howard Hughes Public Relations Records MS-00380
Newspaper clippings: miscellaneous, unprocessed, May 1974 and
February-April 1975
- Page 12-
Box 109