The Amazing Howard Hughes

The Amazing Howard Hughes
Based on Howard: The Amazing Mr. Hughes by Noah Dietrich
Written by John Gay
Directed by William A. Graham
Starring Tommy Lee Jones
Ed Flanders
Tovah Feldshuh
Lee Purcell
Music by Laurence Rosenthal
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of episodes 2
Production
Executive producer(s) Roger Gimbel
Producer(s) Herbert Hirschman
Cinematography Michael Margulies
Editor(s) Aaron Stell
Running time 185 minutes
Production company(s) EMI Television
Roger Gimbel Productions
Distributor CBS
Release
Original network CBS
Original release April 13 – 14, 1977

The Amazing Howard Hughes is a 1977 American made-for-television biographical film about American aviation pioneer and filmmaker Howard Hughes, based on the book Howard: The Amazing Mr. Hughes by Hughes' business partner Noah Dietrich. The film starred Tommy Lee Jones, Ed Flanders, and Tovah Feldshuh and was made a year after Hughes's death, in 1976, while aboard a private flight to Mexico. It was originally broadcast in two parts on CBS on April 13 and 14, 1977.

The film was a major break-through for Jones.[1]

Synopsis

This film recounts the life and times of Howard Hughes, from his being a Hollywood producer and an aviator to a 1946 experimental plane crash that left him with a concussion that left him with brain damage and mental dysfunction, going into his old age and eventual death.

He is portrayed an eccentric perfectionist and hypochondriac. Pouring money into films and projects (from steam-cars to huge planes) he is also seen as a romantic, and has multiple women in his life: Jean Harlow, Ginger Rogers, Katharine Hepburn, Jane Russell etc.

He also is obsessed with record-breaking in both speed and endurance.

Alternate versions

Some versions of this DVD only contain 130 minutes. The original mini-series contained 185 minutes.

Cast

Production

Development

In 1971 Bob Thomas was contacted by director George Sidney, who had gotten to know the writer while the latter was researching King Cohn, a biography of Harry Cohn. Sidney said Stanley Meyer, the financier, was looking for someone to help write Noah Dietrich's memoirs. Thomas met with Dietrich and wrote a book about Hughes. They struggled to find a publisher due to the fact Clifford Irving had released Hughes' diaries. When it was revealed the diaries were fake, the book found a publisher, Fawcett, the next day.[2]

Fawcett released a million copies but only sold a third of them, which Thomas attributed to Irving's book. On the death of Hughes in 1976 numerous producers announced Hughes projects, including Warren Beatty and David Wolper, the latter based on Irving's book. Thomas' agents succeeded in selling the film rights to Thomas' book to Roger Gimbell who had a deal with EMI Television.[2]

The project was originally developed by Roger Gimbell's production company.[3]

Casting

At one stage Gimbel had negotiations with Warren Beatty to play Hughes. But when these broke down the produced decided to go "180 degrees the other way" and cast an unknown. He picked Tommy Lee Jones who had appeared in some films such as Jackson County Jail and who Gimbel said "matches the image the public has of Hughes".[4]

Shooting

Filming took eight weeks.[5] During filming, Gimbel's company was bought out by EMI Television.[6]

Reception

Reviews were strong.[7]

Part one was the fifth highest-rated show of the week; part two was the highest rated.[8] It was seen by over sixty million people.[9]

Universal agreed to distribute the film theatrically outside the US.[10]

The film was the original release of EMI Television, an off shoot of EMI Films.[11]

See also

References

  1. ↑ AN ACTOR NAMED JONES PLAYS A MAN NAMED HUGHES Smith, Cecil. Los Angeles Times 10 Apr 1977: k4.
  2. 1 2 Traveling a tortured route to a Howard Hughes biography Thomas, Bob. Los Angeles Times 10 Apr 1977: m3.
  3. ↑ The Taming of Hatter Fox Smith, Cecil. Los Angeles Times 12 Oct 1977: g18.)
  4. ↑ Actor to Play Howard Hughes Los Angeles Times 8 Nov 1976: e12.
  5. ↑ People Chicago Tribune 8 Apr 1977: 18.
  6. ↑ The Taming of Hatter Fox Smith, Cecil. Los Angeles Times 12 Oct 1977: g18.
  7. ↑ TV:Howard Hughes Saga By JOHN J. O'CONNOR. New York Times 13 Apr 1977: 76.
  8. ↑ Hughes and 'Sexes' Give CBS Top Weekly Rating Los Angeles Times 20 Apr 1977: e17.
  9. ↑ book notes: Master chef of the media-mix Lochte, Dick. Los Angeles Times 1 May 1977: x2.
  10. ↑ Altman Engaged by 'A Wedding' Kilday, Gregg. Los Angeles Times 18 Apr 1977: e11.
  11. ↑ EMI: Hard to Pronounce but It's Music All Over World: RECORDINGS Getze, John. Los Angeles Times 14 Mar 1977: d11.


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