4. Howard Hughes Had Syphilis
Before becoming one of the most famous recluses of his time, the billionaire oil mogul, aviation enthusiast, and Hollywood producer, Howard Hughes was known for producing provocative films and womanizing in his free time. Born into a wealthy Texas oil family, he used his inheritance to create movies, some of which — like Scarface and Hell’s Angels — are considered to be classics and still have their cult followings. He also used his money on flying, founding his aircraft company and even setting some of his world records in aviation during the 1930s. An airplane accident in 1946 led him to spend much of the rest of his life as a recluse.
Howard Hughes dated the likes of Katharine Hepburn and Ava Gardner, actresses who are still considered to be the gold standard of beauty and femininity. The one woman that he couldn’t seem to win was Joan Crawford. His romantic escapades led to him contracting syphilis, which progressed to the degree that it incapacitated him mentally. He also had head injuries from multiple plane crashes and was suspected of becoming a drug addict in his later years. He ultimately succumbed to kidney failure, due to a drug overdose.