In 1951, when Howard Hughes autographed the bank signature card, he was earning over $2 million a month and would soon become one of America's first billionaires.  Although Hughes spent almost no time in Texas after the 1930s, he continued to list it as the location of his permanent residence.

The foundation of the Hughes fortune was the Hughes Tool Company in Houston, Texas, founded by his father Howard Hughes Sr.  After Hughes Sr. died, his son had the enviable luxury of having a steady stream of tremendous income without direct managerial responsibility.

Hughes moved to southern California and lived briefly with his screenwriter uncle Rupert Hughes.  Enamored with Hollywood, Hughes financed and produced motion pictures, and dated some of Hollywood's most glamorous women such as Billie Dove, Ava Gardner, and Kathryn Hepburn.  Hughes founded the Hughes Aircraft Company in 1932.  The Hughes Aircraft Company produced the famous Spruce Goose transport aircarft.  Hughes's popularity soard and an alleged autobiography allegedly written with the cooperation of Clifford Irvind was proven false.  While in prison Irving wrote, "it's harder to get to the Oracle at Delphi than it is Hughes."  Lockheed executive Jack Real was the only man who came to know Howard Hughes on a deeply personal level.

Hughes founded the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the largest nonprofit institution in the world until the Gates Foundation came into existence.  The Hughes Research Laboratories in Malibu, California, spawned a number of useful devices including the laser, invented by Ted Maiman in 1960.

Howard Hughes left behind a matchless legacy and an unrivaled record of accomplishment that is described in Money Secrets of the Rich and Famous.  Howard Hughes and his bank signature card is a reminder of interesting period of history.

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