Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Custom House (2019), Edition: Reprint, 576 pages
Description
In this riveting popular history, the creator of You Must Remember This probes the inner workings of Hollywood's glamorous golden age through the stories of some of the dozens of actresses pursued by Howard Hughes, to reveal how the millionaire mogul's obsessions with sex, power and publicity trapped, abused, or benefitted women who dreamt of screen stardom. In recent months, the media has reported on scores of entertainment figures who used their power and money in Hollywood to sexually harass and coerce some of the most talented women in cinema and television. But as Karina Longworth reminds us, long before the Harvey Weinsteins there was Howard Hughes--the Texas millionaire, pilot, and filmmaker whose reputation as a cinematic provocateur was matched only by that as a prolific womanizer. His supposed conquests between his first divorce in the late 1920s and his marriage to actress Jean Peters in 1957 included many of Hollywood's most famous actresses, among them Billie Dove, Katharine Hepburn, Ava Gardner, and Lana Turner. From promoting bombshells like Jean Harlow and Jane Russell to his contentious battles with the censors, Hughes--perhaps more than any other filmmaker of his era--commoditized male desire as he objectified and sexualized women. Yet there were also numerous women pulled into Hughes's grasp who never made it to the screen, sometimes virtually imprisoned by an increasingly paranoid and disturbed Hughes, who retained multitudes of private investigators, security personnel, and informers to make certain these actresses would not escape his clutches. Vivid, perceptive, timely, and ridiculously entertaining, The Seducer is a landmark work that examines women, sex, and male power in Hollywood during its golden age--a legacy that endures nearly a century later.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Dgryan1
Although not a biography of Howard Hughes, this book does place him, from boyhood until his death, at the center of an incredible story. The sheer number of women with whom he was involved in Hollywood is staggering. From silent, then early-sound star Billie Dove through his relationship with Jean
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Peters, the author details Hughes complicated, controlling relationships with many of Hollywood's well-known names, as well as telling the story of the many women Hughes kept "under contract" and under his control for many years, sometimes literally keeping them locked within a house or hotel suite he owned or controlled. His obsessions with airplanes, women and certain of their assets, and movies, as well as the indications of his phobias and possible mental illness are well-documented. I learned much about Hughes and his peculiarities, but the book also takes a reader through the stories of many famous Hollywood stars: Ava Gardner, Katherine Hepburn, Jean Peters, Faith Domergue, Terry Moore, Jane Russell, Ginger Rogers, Ida Lupino, and many others. A fascinating look at Hollywood during Hughes' time. Show Less
LibraryThing member loraineo
Well researched (over 40 pages of biographies and notes listed ) biography of Howard Hughes. With all the attention today on the power of men in Hollywood this book clearly reminds us this is not a new problem. Interesting description of his childhood that I was not aware of ,even having read other
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books on Hughes. I would recommend this book to any one interested in the early Hollywood days. Show Less
LibraryThing member ghr4
Karina Longworth's Seduction: Sex, Lies, and Stardom in Howard Hughes's Hollywood actually tells the much broader story of the eccentric millionaire mogul's life and times, rather than just the seamy and salacious aspects of his often obsessive and compulsive relationships with dozens of actresses.
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The title suggests a much narrower focus than the book actually delivers, as Longworth delves in detail into Hughes's many business enterprises and activities including the Hughes Tool company, his aviation exploits, his film production company, the purchase and ownership of RKO Studios, and his testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee. This expansive approach gives the book considerable heft and substance, but simultaneous distracts from what is ostensibly its main thrust. But there is still a great deal of the promised sex and seduction laced throughout this biography. His sordid and shameful treatment of women is painstakingly detailed: all the abusive relationships, the affairs, the lies, the obsessions, the marriages, the divorces, and later in his life the virtual collection, imprisonment, (albeit in well appointed accommodations) and inevitable discarding of dozens of young and naïve would-be starlets hopelessly hoping to become Hollywood stars under his ultimately non-existant tutelage and attention. Longworth has ably chronicled Hughes's bizarre and shameful treatment of women, but overall the book would have been more effective if she had trimmed away some of the extraneous biographical material. Show Less
LibraryThing member etxgardener
Karina Longworth is the author of the podcast "You Must Remember This" that chronicles stories of the early days of Hollywood. This book is in the same vein and focuses on Howard Hughes' years as a playboy and Hollywood producer. The book highlights many lessor and, these days, unknown starlets of
Extremely well researched, this book paints a fascinating picture of early Hollywood and the people who inhabited it.
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Hollywood's early years.Extremely well researched, this book paints a fascinating picture of early Hollywood and the people who inhabited it.
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LibraryThing member chuck_ralston
Karina Longworth's _Seduction: Sex, Lies and Stardom in Howard Hughes's Hollywood_ is an unrelenting, pyrotechnical display of the enigmatic personae (actor, producer, entrepreneur, financier, engineer, aviator, womanizer, addict, recluse, et al.) that we know, or perhaps more accurately, imagine
Names from the book's 'Cast of Characters', like Homer's catalog of ships in The Iliad, set the tone of this glamorous entertaining tragicomedy: Jean Harlow, Ida Lupino, Ginger Rogers, Katherine Hepburn, Jane Russell, Ava Gardner, Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Gloria Vanderbilt, Yvonne De Carlo, Lana Turner, Gina Lollobrigida.
Longworth puts it succinctly. "This is a book about a few of the dozens of women who encountered Howard Hughes in Hollywood between the mid-1920s and early 1960s, whose lives and careers were impacted by their relationship wwith him. Some of these women were involved remantically with Hughes, others weren't, but all found the course of their careers marked by his presence." (p. 9)
Longworth spent days at the Texas State Archives in Austin perusing The Howard Hughes Files and in Las Vegas at UNLV looking at its Hughes papers. This is a thoughtful, entertaining book.
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as Howard Hughes.Names from the book's 'Cast of Characters', like Homer's catalog of ships in The Iliad, set the tone of this glamorous entertaining tragicomedy: Jean Harlow, Ida Lupino, Ginger Rogers, Katherine Hepburn, Jane Russell, Ava Gardner, Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Gloria Vanderbilt, Yvonne De Carlo, Lana Turner, Gina Lollobrigida.
Longworth puts it succinctly. "This is a book about a few of the dozens of women who encountered Howard Hughes in Hollywood between the mid-1920s and early 1960s, whose lives and careers were impacted by their relationship wwith him. Some of these women were involved remantically with Hughes, others weren't, but all found the course of their careers marked by his presence." (p. 9)
Longworth spent days at the Texas State Archives in Austin perusing The Howard Hughes Files and in Las Vegas at UNLV looking at its Hughes papers. This is a thoughtful, entertaining book.
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LibraryThing member aramisTdawg
Interesting look at sexism, harassment in early Hollywood. The list of key players was especially helpful in keeping everyone straight. Particularly those who were not quite as,well known. Definitely worth the read if you like old,Hollywood.
LibraryThing member frankiejones
Obviously well researched and an interesting read. However, the inconsistent tone of the book was frustrating to me. It sometimes read as if written though a critical feminist lens while at other times seemed to justify behaviors on the basis of the persons gender or unknowingly defend the
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patriarchal ideals it other times appears to condemn. Read for a fun and interesting insight into early Hollywood but don’t hurt yourself trying to read it with a critical eye. Show Less
LibraryThing member SigmundFraud
Seduction: Sex, Lies, and Stardom in Howard Hughes's Hollywood by Karina Longworth covers Howard Hughes's life from a young boy until his death at seventy years old. And what a life. I do think there was something mentally wrong with him. This is the story of Hughes and the many stars and starlets
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who passed through his hands over the years. So many of them well known names today like Jane Russell, Bette Davis, Katherine Hepburn and many more all had their day with Hughes. I was amazed to learn how young many of these women were when first discovered by Hughes. Fifteen, sixteen years old was not unusual. Howard was very rich as a young orphan and he turned that inheritance into vast money: yet he died without a will. The story of him and the stars fascinates but the synopsis of every film he made or "his women" made can be taxing. If you like Hollywood gossip and intrigue you will like this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member RickLA
At first glance one wonders why this book, ostensibly a biography of Howard Hughes, is titled "Seduction: Sex, Lies, and Stardom..." Is the author just using a more sensational title to attract attention? But once you get into it, you realize that this is not just about Hughes. Yes, he is the
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central figure whose birth to death is the through line of the story, with all the various events swirling around him. But the majority of the book is more the careers of the many women in Hughes's life, from Jean Harlow to Katherine Hepburn to Ava Gardner to Terry Moore. And these stories take place against the background of a history of Hollywood, from its silent movie beginnings to the blacklist of the '50s. The book is decidedly oriented toward the view of the women, rather than of Hughes, as it is focused on how Hollywood, and he particularly, treated them, as objects and ways to make money. Their views and interactions are set forth in much detail, so it is a very personal and human story, which keeps it from being a dry historical account. The author is an experienced writer and researcher about Hollywood, and the book shows it in its extensive documentation, down to every detail. However, the author has a light touch and a sense of humor. So although some biographies can be a bit boring, I found myself caught up in the story and eager to follow it through to the final pages, where Hughes ends up in the more publicly known reclusive phase of his life. Show Less
LibraryThing member mrmapcase
No rose-colored glasses here. While primarily a biography of Howard Hughes Longworth portrays a wild west atmosphere of Hollywood in the ‘30s and ‘40s. This is definitely a must read for all those interested in the current climate, as well as those of old time Hollywood.
LibraryThing member kristenembers
Seduction: Sex, Lies, and Stardom in Howard Hughes's Hollywood is a thoroughly researched account of Howard Hughes and his many connections to Hollywood starlets. Hughes ran (into the ground) RKO studios for many years where in concentrated more on "collecting" women that believed he would turn
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them into stars. While he did discover Jane Russel and prior to his RKO years, Jean Harlow, for the most part, Hughes strung these women along on promises and false hope. He would sign them to contracts and keep them busy with acting, singing and dancing classes, but most of them never even ended up appearing in Hughes films. He also dated and pursued stars such as Katherine Hepburn, Ava Gardner, Rita Hayworth and Bette Davis. Show Less
LibraryThing member ghneumann
No matter who we are, female movie stars speak to us. They give us symbols to crush on, or idolize, or reject. For millionaire tycoon Howard Hughes, though, they were what he wanted to collect. Karina Longworth had put together several episodes of her excellent podcast, You Must Remember This,
Longworth mostly eschews the trappings of traditional biography, except for a relatively brief discussion of Hughes' early life. She's not trying to write that book. Instead, she's trying (and succeeds!) in writing a book that focuses on his connections to the movie industry and the actresses who populated it. From his romancing of silent star Billie Dove, to launching the career of Jean Harlow when he cast her to be "the girl" in the long-gestating aviation epic Hell's Angels, to a serious romance with Katharine Hepburn, to his discovery of Jane Russell and controversial ad campaign for The Outlaw, the movie he made with her, Hughes was deeply immersed in cinema and its world. Through the purchase of the studio RKO, he was also able to gain enormous amounts of control over young women who dreamed of being stars.
That this control, that he was able to exert over his contracted actresses and that he attempted (and sometimes succeeded) to exercise over his movie-star girlfriends, tells us a lot about the person Howard Hughes was, how he saw himself, and how he saw women is what Longworth bases her narrative on. A clear pattern emerges, of the type of pretty, busty brunette he tended towards, of the Madonna/whore dichotomy in which he placed them, of the way he allowed many of them to disappear from view because he didn't have anything to give them, but didn't want anyone else to have them. Hughes was not alone among studio runners in his neglect of contracted talent, or his attempts to run the lives of those women to a certain set of standards. That was par for the (gross) course for the time, but his was especially exacting and rigid. Things come to a close for Longworth's purposes not long after he divested himself of the studio and left California for Nevada, though his marriage to actress Jean Peters and continued obsession with film give some shading to that part of his life.
I found this a truly well-crafted, engaging work of non-fiction. Though my tolerance for "boring" history is substantial, I always appreciate a lively narrative that does more than recite a series of events, and Longworth accomplishes that here. Her background with podcasting does show itself a bit in the slightly episodic form of the book (which I didn't think detracted from it at all), but it also shows itself in her ability to think about the work as a storyteller with an audience to engage. She's very skilled at structuring her material to match a narrative arc, and despite being over 500 pages long, it doesn't get dull or drag. Rather, it's a fascinating and sometime enraging portrait of a man with profound psychological demons who was able to mistreat women without consequences because of his wealth and position in the world. I really enjoyed reading this book and recommend it heartily to anyone who enjoys not just Old Hollywood, but the movies/celebrity culture in general...a lot of what we see today is different more in scale than substance.
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about women who'd been involved personally and/or professionally with Hughes, and compiled that information and more into Seduction: Sex, Lies, and Stardom in Howard Hughes' Hollywood. For all that his public memory seems to be tied up with the Spruce Goose and being a famous recluse who at one point maybe wandered around the Nevada desert, he not only dated a string of Tinseltown's most famous women, but bought and ran a studio. He was a significant figure in the Golden Age of Hollywood.Longworth mostly eschews the trappings of traditional biography, except for a relatively brief discussion of Hughes' early life. She's not trying to write that book. Instead, she's trying (and succeeds!) in writing a book that focuses on his connections to the movie industry and the actresses who populated it. From his romancing of silent star Billie Dove, to launching the career of Jean Harlow when he cast her to be "the girl" in the long-gestating aviation epic Hell's Angels, to a serious romance with Katharine Hepburn, to his discovery of Jane Russell and controversial ad campaign for The Outlaw, the movie he made with her, Hughes was deeply immersed in cinema and its world. Through the purchase of the studio RKO, he was also able to gain enormous amounts of control over young women who dreamed of being stars.
That this control, that he was able to exert over his contracted actresses and that he attempted (and sometimes succeeded) to exercise over his movie-star girlfriends, tells us a lot about the person Howard Hughes was, how he saw himself, and how he saw women is what Longworth bases her narrative on. A clear pattern emerges, of the type of pretty, busty brunette he tended towards, of the Madonna/whore dichotomy in which he placed them, of the way he allowed many of them to disappear from view because he didn't have anything to give them, but didn't want anyone else to have them. Hughes was not alone among studio runners in his neglect of contracted talent, or his attempts to run the lives of those women to a certain set of standards. That was par for the (gross) course for the time, but his was especially exacting and rigid. Things come to a close for Longworth's purposes not long after he divested himself of the studio and left California for Nevada, though his marriage to actress Jean Peters and continued obsession with film give some shading to that part of his life.
I found this a truly well-crafted, engaging work of non-fiction. Though my tolerance for "boring" history is substantial, I always appreciate a lively narrative that does more than recite a series of events, and Longworth accomplishes that here. Her background with podcasting does show itself a bit in the slightly episodic form of the book (which I didn't think detracted from it at all), but it also shows itself in her ability to think about the work as a storyteller with an audience to engage. She's very skilled at structuring her material to match a narrative arc, and despite being over 500 pages long, it doesn't get dull or drag. Rather, it's a fascinating and sometime enraging portrait of a man with profound psychological demons who was able to mistreat women without consequences because of his wealth and position in the world. I really enjoyed reading this book and recommend it heartily to anyone who enjoys not just Old Hollywood, but the movies/celebrity culture in general...a lot of what we see today is different more in scale than substance.
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LibraryThing member hardlyhardy
If you find yourself glancing at the periodicals for the latest news each time you pass through the supermarket checkout line you are likely to enjoy Karina Longworth's “Seduction: Sex, Lies and Stardom in Howard Hughes's Hollywood,” even if the Hollywood gossip inside is more than half a
The book is something of a Howard Hughes biography, although Hughes disappears from the text, as he did from the Hollywood scene, for long periods of time. Mostly Longworth writes about the women in his life, and there were many of them. The names of the Hollywood actresses that fell into his orbit include many of the most prominent actresses from the 1920s through the 1950s: Billie Dove, Jean Harlow, Bette Davis, Ginger Rogers, Katherine Hepburn, Jane Russell, Ida Lupino, Ava Gardner, Gina Lollabrigida, Jean Peters and Terry Moore, among others.
Hughes used these women, and shamelessly so, but the women also used him, or at least tried to. Jane Russell was one who actually got the best of him, even if he turned her into more of a sex symbol than she wanted. Some of the women, notably Peters and Moore, fell in love with him and, for a time, were willing to live with his lies and manipulation.
Longworth writes of Hughes, "He seemed to draw comfort, if not pleasure, from knowing women were waiting for him to pay attention to them -- and then withholding that attention." His standard operating procedure was to scout out young beauties, often by watching movies for hours, even days, at a time. Then he would have his agents sign them to contracts, promising them acting lessons and a chance at Hollywood stardom. His spies would follow them everywhere, controlling every part of their lives. Often they would never even meet Hughes, nor ever get a part in a movie. Others became stars more in spite of Hughes than because of him.
From a young age Hughes had been reclusive and afraid of germs. That became worse as he aged, especially after some spectacular air crashes and getting knocked on the head by Ava Gardner after he abused her. Eventually he gave up pursuing woman and was content just to watch them in movies around the clock.
The book, like Hughes in his prime, is seductive, but something less than good.
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century out of date.The book is something of a Howard Hughes biography, although Hughes disappears from the text, as he did from the Hollywood scene, for long periods of time. Mostly Longworth writes about the women in his life, and there were many of them. The names of the Hollywood actresses that fell into his orbit include many of the most prominent actresses from the 1920s through the 1950s: Billie Dove, Jean Harlow, Bette Davis, Ginger Rogers, Katherine Hepburn, Jane Russell, Ida Lupino, Ava Gardner, Gina Lollabrigida, Jean Peters and Terry Moore, among others.
Hughes used these women, and shamelessly so, but the women also used him, or at least tried to. Jane Russell was one who actually got the best of him, even if he turned her into more of a sex symbol than she wanted. Some of the women, notably Peters and Moore, fell in love with him and, for a time, were willing to live with his lies and manipulation.
Longworth writes of Hughes, "He seemed to draw comfort, if not pleasure, from knowing women were waiting for him to pay attention to them -- and then withholding that attention." His standard operating procedure was to scout out young beauties, often by watching movies for hours, even days, at a time. Then he would have his agents sign them to contracts, promising them acting lessons and a chance at Hollywood stardom. His spies would follow them everywhere, controlling every part of their lives. Often they would never even meet Hughes, nor ever get a part in a movie. Others became stars more in spite of Hughes than because of him.
From a young age Hughes had been reclusive and afraid of germs. That became worse as he aged, especially after some spectacular air crashes and getting knocked on the head by Ava Gardner after he abused her. Eventually he gave up pursuing woman and was content just to watch them in movies around the clock.
The book, like Hughes in his prime, is seductive, but something less than good.
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LibraryThing member JamesBanzer
You have heard about people who exhibit a fine line between insanity and genius. That adage could be applied to the man who inherited Hughes Tool Company. Howard Hughes Junior’s fortune started when his father died. The senior Howard Hughes was initially wealthy because of a company that
The younger Hughes parlayed his wealth into new pursuits after transplanting himself from Houston to California. There he veered off into two new lucrative directions. He produced motion pictures with his RKO studio organization, and also was big in early commercial aviation. Have you ever heard of TWA? If you are old enough, you remember TWA. He was the guy behind that venture.
A remarkable young author named Karina Longworth exhaustively researched exploits of the late Mr. Hughes. For an author so young, she shows a surprising interest in the time frame when cinema was transitioning into the era of “talkies.” She was not born until 1980, but the book resurrects names of many actresses with whom Hughes crossed paths. Examples include Clara Bow, Katherine Hepburn, Ava Gardner, Jane Russell, and Ida Lupino.
Hughes was a womanizer. Whether his young starlets slept with Hughes is not always something Ms. Longworth was able to discover, but she certainly dug into it. There are stories of things she learned that could be considered prurient interest. If Hughes were alive today I suspect it not unlikely that he would be sharing the spotlight with Harvey Weinstein.
The book is chock full of fascinating Hughes facts. He was a codeine addict near the end of his life. It could be considered a miracle that he did not meet his demise in a plane crash. There were crashes, and there were times when he barely escaped with his life. Films produced by Hughes came under close scrutiny by the censors. He continually pushed the limits with regards to what was considered acceptable screen fare for the day and age.
Longworth tells us that as Hughes as approached the end of his life, he feared black people and germs. He loved watching old movies and was known to view films in his own screening room. Sometimes he watched for hours while totally naked. To be able to request the movie he wanted to see late at night while watching TV, he purchased a television station in Las Vegas. He was an eccentric, quirky guy.
Thanks for a great book, Karina. It's called Seduction: Sex, Lies and Stardom in Howard Hughes Hollywood. This one is worth the maximum number of stars!
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manufactured drill bits for use in the oil fields. Howard Junior was the only inheritor of that wealth in 1924.The younger Hughes parlayed his wealth into new pursuits after transplanting himself from Houston to California. There he veered off into two new lucrative directions. He produced motion pictures with his RKO studio organization, and also was big in early commercial aviation. Have you ever heard of TWA? If you are old enough, you remember TWA. He was the guy behind that venture.
A remarkable young author named Karina Longworth exhaustively researched exploits of the late Mr. Hughes. For an author so young, she shows a surprising interest in the time frame when cinema was transitioning into the era of “talkies.” She was not born until 1980, but the book resurrects names of many actresses with whom Hughes crossed paths. Examples include Clara Bow, Katherine Hepburn, Ava Gardner, Jane Russell, and Ida Lupino.
Hughes was a womanizer. Whether his young starlets slept with Hughes is not always something Ms. Longworth was able to discover, but she certainly dug into it. There are stories of things she learned that could be considered prurient interest. If Hughes were alive today I suspect it not unlikely that he would be sharing the spotlight with Harvey Weinstein.
The book is chock full of fascinating Hughes facts. He was a codeine addict near the end of his life. It could be considered a miracle that he did not meet his demise in a plane crash. There were crashes, and there were times when he barely escaped with his life. Films produced by Hughes came under close scrutiny by the censors. He continually pushed the limits with regards to what was considered acceptable screen fare for the day and age.
Longworth tells us that as Hughes as approached the end of his life, he feared black people and germs. He loved watching old movies and was known to view films in his own screening room. Sometimes he watched for hours while totally naked. To be able to request the movie he wanted to see late at night while watching TV, he purchased a television station in Las Vegas. He was an eccentric, quirky guy.
Thanks for a great book, Karina. It's called Seduction: Sex, Lies and Stardom in Howard Hughes Hollywood. This one is worth the maximum number of stars!
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LibraryThing member megacool24
I thought this book was fascinating not only in capturing history through the points of view of women entangled in the life of Howard Hughes, but also for how that history is reflected in our own time. The narratives surrounding female film stars, and women in general, today are not radically
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different than they were in the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and on. What Longworth is able to do is show through a series of portraits of women involved with Hughes is how different women were able to shape, or be shaped by those narratives. It is a beautiful work of empathy and respect for the women caught in the net of one powerful and insane man's lies. Show Less
LibraryThing member hhornblower
While seemingly not as "in the open", Hollywood really hasn't changed much. I knew the basics about Howard Hughes, the obsession with female breasts and the later seclusion in Las Vegas, I never fully grasped how poor a businessman he was (buying things because he could afford it and then quickly
I thoroughly enjoy 'You Must Remember This', Ms. Longworth's podcast about Hollywood history, which is mainly the reason I picked up this book. I'm glad I did, completely readable and enjoyable. I will certainly pick up her other books.
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running it to the ground (much like a similar tycoon today)), he was also very much a bit of a scumbag (much like a similar tycoon today). I thoroughly enjoy 'You Must Remember This', Ms. Longworth's podcast about Hollywood history, which is mainly the reason I picked up this book. I'm glad I did, completely readable and enjoyable. I will certainly pick up her other books.
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Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2018
Physical description
576 p.; 9 inches
ISBN
0062440527 / 9780062440525