HOWARD HUGHES - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED CO-SIGNED BY: JEAN PETERS - HFSID 36784

HOWARD HUGHES and JEAN PETERS
Hughes writes to his wife, saying he was very sick earlier, and that he needs her to love him. She writes back saying she did not noticed his note at first, and he goes on to discuss his sickness in more detail. A reclusive billionaire, Hughes lived in separate quarters (but in the same house) from his wife and was mostly confined to his bedroom, speaking to her almost entirely in notes and letters.
Autograph letter signed: "Howard", "J", 1 page, 8½x14 (front and verso). No place, no date, but circa 1964. Hughes' letter begins: "Dearest My most and only one". In full: "Dr. is due. I will send word the minute I feel better. I finally went thru with what I have been postponing for so long, and I have never been so sick. This was a real killer. Honey I love you and need you to love me so much.". Peters' letter, written beneath her husband's, begins: "Dear Love -". In full: "I was in bathroom when note was left - Did not know you wanted answer. Whenever you feel better send Roy to tell me - I love you". Hughes has penned several notes on the front and verso: "Always before within 24-36n hrs. after enemea and some food it has all returned. I may be having some kind of a prolonged spasm of the semi-cir. Canal. I am worried. I ate a lot of sugar + had a good sleep. I was sure everything would be normal. My head is just ringing like the loudest bell you ever heard. What I am hearing is evidently thru my skull + teeth - bone conduction", "he can't be bothered", "Is the TV as loud as usual?", "That certainly makes me feel better", "I used to have trouble with remote", "I haven't wanted to talk to boys about it", "I love you so - I even made a probe with a paper clip", "I put a tiny loop on the end but I touched the drum on both sides", "The real Sundance Kid type". The relationship between business tycoon HOWARD HUGHES (1905-1976) and actress JEAN PETERS (1926-2000), which was marked with strange meeting rituals and periods of little or no direct contact, was anything but normal, yet their sincere devotion to each other endured throughout their 14-year marriage. The dashing aviator and movie mogul had met Peters in 1946, when she had come to Hollywood as a prize for winning the Miss Ohio state title. Hughes was intrigued by Twentieth Century-Fox's rising star, who made her film debut in 1947. Following 11 years of sporadic dating, the two were married in a small mining town outside of Las Vegas on January 12, 1957. Hughes, known for working odd hours into the night, preferred to relay his business and personal directives via memos and hand-written notes rather than the spoken word, and he would communicate with his wife in this same manner. They jotted notes about planned meetings, films, business and opinions in general. In 1964, Mr. and Mrs. Hughes lived at the fashionable address of 1001 Bel Aire. However, their marital arrangements included separate living quarters, and Jean often was required to make an appointment with Hughes' aides in order to see her husband. By this time in their marriage, the couple was known to usually spend a half hour together after 11 p.m. before retiring to their separate bedrooms. In November 1966, Howard Hughes confined himself to a hotel penthouse in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 1970, after having spent most of her married life with Hughes in separate accommodations, Jean Peters Hughes was granted a divorce. Fold in center. Light surface creases. Fine condition.