Lecture – Howard Hughes and the Creation of Modern Hollywood
Schedule
Thu, 18 Sep, 2025 at 06:30 pm
UTC-05:00Location
McFaddin-Ward House Museum | Beaumont, TX
Join the McFaddin-Ward House Museum for “Howard Hughes and the Creation of Modern Hollywood,” a free public lecture presented by Jeffrey Richardson on Thursday, September 18, at 6:30 p.m. in the museum’s Visitor Center Lecture Hall (1906 Calder Avenue, Beaumont).Howard Hughes was an aviator, industrialist, and eccentric, but he was also the most important movie producer during the golden age of Hollywood. Author and McFaddin-Ward House Museum Executive Director Jeffrey Richardson will show how Hughes used his enormous wealth to revolutionize the industry, onscreen and off. From starlets to scandals, it is a story of sex, violence, movies, and money told through one of the most colorful characters in American history.
With an extensive background in museum management and historic preservation, Richardson has held key positions at a diverse range of cultural institutions across the country, from regional history museums and historic houses to Native cultural centers and public gardens. In March 2025, he assumed the role of executive director at the McFaddin-Ward House Museum, where he looks to build upon the organization’s remarkable history and legacy.
“I am honored to be the executive director of the McFaddin-Ward House,” Richardson noted, “and I am excited to be the first lecturer for the fall 2026 season. Howard Hughes was a native Texan and true Renaissance man. I look forward to discussing an often-overlooked chapter in his remarkable career.”
In 2019, Richardson wrote Howard Hughes and the Creation of Modern Hollywood, the first in-depth profile of Hughes and his impact on the film industry. He is also the author of Colt: The Revolver of the American West and has appeared as an expert commentator on over a dozen television programs, including Mysteries at the Museum, Pawn Stars, Storage Wars, and History Detectives.
McFaddin-Ward House Museum lectures are admission-free and open to the public, but space is limited. Doors open at 6 p.m. For more information, call 409-832-2134.
For those unable to attend, the full lecture will be available for viewing on the museum YouTube Channel (youtube.com/@mcfaddinwardhouse), Facebook (facebook.com/McFaddinWardHouse) and website (mcfaddin-ward.org/about/videos) after the event.
