Howard Hughes

That Howard Hughes was a bizarre man is indisputable. Bizarre is also how I might describe my own encounter - to use the term loosely - with the reclusive billionaire, who is back in the pop culture spotlight thanks to the new film, Hoax. Hoax is Hollywood's version of writer Clifford Irving's outrageous attempt to sell a fake Hughes autobiography back in 1971 and 1972. Despite his claims, Mr. Irving never got close to Mr. Hughes. In 1968, an odd experience left me wondering whether I had. At the time, I was a young reporter for United Press International in New York, assigned to cover Mr. Hughes' attempt to purchase a controlling interest in the American Broadcasting Company.

Why is Howard Hughes Corp. remaining silent on the new Symphony Woods proposal?  Previously the Columbia Association staff requested a delay on implementing the Planning Board approved plan for Symphony Woods so that they "could work collaboratively with Howard County and Howard Hughes. " CA staff is asking the CA Board to adopt this new plan without any estimate of its cost.  Will it be $10 million, $100 million or $500 million? How much of the cost will fall on the backs of the CA lien payers?

As a further sign of its investment in the revitalization of Columbia's town center, the Howard Hughes Corp. last week acquired the former Ryland Group headquarters, a nine-story office building next to The Mall in Columbia and close to land where Howard Hughes plans to build a $100 million apartment and retail complex. The property known as 70 Corporate Center opened in 1992 at Little Patuxtent and Broken Land parkways and is one of Columbia's largest office buildings, with nearly 170,000 square feet of space.

As a further sign of its investment in the revitalization of Columbia's town center, the Howard Hughes Corp. last week acquired the former Ryland Group headquarters, a nine-story office building next to The Mall in Columbia and close to land where Howard Hughes plans to build a $100 million apartment and retail complex. The property known as 70 Corporate Center opened in 1992 at Little Patuxtent and Broken Land parkways and is one of Columbia's largest office buildings, with nearly 170,000 square feet of space.

Why is Howard Hughes Corp. remaining silent on the new Symphony Woods proposal?  Previously the Columbia Association staff requested a delay on implementing the Planning Board approved plan for Symphony Woods so that they "could work collaboratively with Howard County and Howard Hughes. " CA staff is asking the CA Board to adopt this new plan without any estimate of its cost.  Will it be $10 million, $100 million or $500 million? How much of the cost will fall on the backs of the CA lien payers?

James R. Phelan, an author and reporter who made a crusade out of investigating and writing about reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes, died of lung cancer Monday at his home in Temecula, Calif. He was 85.Mr. Phelan died just before the publication of "Money: The Battle for Howard Hughes' Billions," which he wrote with Lewis Chester. The book will be published by Random House next month.Mr. Phelan, who was a staff member at the Saturday Evening Post and a free-lance writer for several other publications, including the New York Times and Paris Match, was fascinated by Mr. Hughes' financial dealings and political machinations.

Some longtime friends long absent from the screen are returning this fall, which should make for some happy reunions in the nation's movie theaters. Among those actors who'll be offering their work up for public inspection after especially long absences are Jodie Foster, off screen since 2002's Panic Room; Annette Bening, off screen since 2000's What Planet Are You From? and even Barbra Streisand, AWOL since 1996's The Mirror Has Two Faces. Babs get the award for returning in the unlikeliest place; she'll be playing Ben Stiller's mother in Meet the Fockers (Dec.

Howard Hughes was rich. Howard Hughes was weird. That may be as much as most Americans know about Hughes, who entered adult life as one of the richest men in America and died in 1976 an emaciated recluse. But there was far more to the man than that. Hughes was an American original - brash, phobic, visionary, flawed, pioneering, obsessive, charismatic, womanizing. Having inherited millions thanks to a drill bit invented by his father, he spent huge chunks of money on his passions: flying and making movies.

LAS VEGAS -- The images endure: flashing neon, sweltering heat, shotgun betrothals, street hawkers selling smut and midnight romance all colliding in this outpost of Elvis impersonators and eternal hope in a slot machine.But across the desert landscape, another image is soaring above the rest: construction cranes silhouetted against the Red Rock Mountains.This is the future of Las Vegas.And Rouse Co., one of the nation's premier real estate developers, has laid its claim here into the next century, buying a legacy of the past: the last remnants of the Howard Hughes estate.

Worked for Howard Hughes Frank William Gay, a senior corporate officer for Howard Hughes and the recent target of a renewed claim on the billionaire's fortune, has died. Mr. Gay, who lived in Humble, Texas, died Monday in a hospital in Kingwood, Texas, according to the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Chevy Chase. The cause was not released. He ran Hughes' holding company, Summa Corp., and was on the executive committee that ran his medical institute. Mr. Gay also served as chairman of Hughes Air Corp.

The Howard Hughes Corp. moved closer this month to firming up plans for an 817-unit residential development in Columbia's town center by naming two partners who well help carry out the project. Howard Hughes announced that it will be working with Kettler, of McLean, Va., a privately held company with a strong record of multi-family housing development.. Also involved with the partnership is Orchard Development of Ellicott City, founded in 1979 by Maryland home builder Earl Armiger.

The Howard Hughes Corp. moved closer this month to firming up plans for an 817-unit residential development in Columbia's town center by naming two partners who will help carry out the project. Howard Hughes announced it will be working with Kettler of McLean, Va., which specializes in multi-family housing development. Also involved with the partnership is Orchard Development of Ellicott City. Howard Hughes officials announced in October that they were seeking county approval to build a mixed-use development containing up to 817 residences and more than 75,000 square feet of retail space next to the Mall in Columbia.

In its first major project planned for downtown Columbia since emerging from bankruptcy last November, the town's master developer has proposed building up to 817 residences and 70,000 square feet of retail space. The Howard Hughes Corp., which controls much of the land once held by the Rouse Co., says the as-yet-unnamed project next to The Mall in Columbia is being designed to attract young professionals and others who work nearby. Robert Jenkins, vice president of engineering for Howard Hughes, said his company chose the site for its first downtown project because it has "major infrastructure" already in place, including water and sewer service, and is centrally located and within easy walking distance of restaurants, stores and other amenities.

John E. DeWolf III has been the new corporate boss of Columbia for nine days, and he's itching to announce the first redevelopment project in the three-decade-long plan to transform the town's center into a real downtown. Given the project's six-year history of discussion, contention and legislation, but no construction, that would take the project to a new level. "We're going to be ready to go forward very soon," the 56-year-old New York lawyer and retail real estate development expert said.

Dorothy W. "Dotty" Taylor, a former WAMPAS Baby starlet and Hollywood movie actress who appeared during the early 1930s in comedies starring Laurel & Hardy and Charlie Chase, died in her sleep Thursday at the Edenwald retirement community in Towson. She was 96. She was born Dorothy Violet Wannenwetch, the daughter of a founder of the Western Southern Life Insurance Co. and a homemaker. During her early years, she moved with her family to Virginia Beach, Va., and later to Baltimore, where she graduated in 1929 from the old Hannah More Academy in Reisterstown.

A Johns Hopkins University molecular biologist is among the 56 researchers who will share $600 million in grants awarded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Duojia Pan, an associate professor of molecular biology and genetics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, will receive about $500,000 a year for five years to study how organs control their own growth. "I'm really excited about this," said Pan, who is known as D.J. "It's not only the money - it's an honor." Announced Monday, the awards will go to innovative scientists who are conducting research on cutting-edge topics.

A Johns Hopkins University molecular biologist is among the 56 researchers who will share $600 million in grants awarded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Duojia Pan, an associate professor of molecular biology and genetics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, will receive about $500,000 a year for five years to study how organs control their own growth. "I'm really excited about this," said Pan, who is known as D.J. "It's not only the money - it's an honor." Announced Monday, the awards will go to innovative scientists who are conducting research on cutting-edge topics.

The life of Howard Hughes, as chronicled here, reminds us that an excess of money can lead not to happiness but to personal chaos.Take Christmas Eve of 1940. Hughes was at home snuggling with actress Gene Tierney. His front doorbell rang. In bounced dancer Ginger Rogers, whom Hughes was also dating, dressed as Santa Claus -- white cotton beard, red velvet suit, black boots -- and carrying a bag stuffed with gifts.As biographer Charles Higham relates, Tierney "made a rather clumsy escape." Ms. Rogers and Hughes "plunged into a furious fight."

Howard Jacob "Jake" Hughes, a retired furniture refinishing company owner who was active in local lacrosse clubs, died of cancer Monday at Gilchrist Center for Hospice Care in Towson. The Loch Raven Village resident was 79. Born in Baltimore and raised on Calvert Street in Charles Village, he graduated in 1945 from Polytechnic Institute. He attended the University of Maryland, College Park and played varsity lacrosse. He then served in the Maryland National Guard for eight years, attaining the rank of master sergeant.

Worked for Howard Hughes Frank William Gay, a senior corporate officer for Howard Hughes and the recent target of a renewed claim on the billionaire's fortune, has died. Mr. Gay, who lived in Humble, Texas, died Monday in a hospital in Kingwood, Texas, according to the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Chevy Chase. The cause was not released. He ran Hughes' holding company, Summa Corp., and was on the executive committee that ran his medical institute. Mr. Gay also served as chairman of Hughes Air Corp.