Television In Episode 14 of Lupin III Part 2, the owner of a cursed ruby is named Howard Heath. Heath is based on Hughes, who had only recently died when the episode aired. In the 1973 episode of the Partridge Family, John Astin plays a reclusive millionaire in "Diary of a Mad Millionaire" who was readily recognized as a reference to Howard Hughes who was famous for being a recluse at that time. In The Greatest American Hero Season 2 episode 3, "Don't Mess Around with Jim", Ralph and Bill are kidnapped by a reclusive tycoon, owner of Beck Air airplane company, who fakes his own death, and seems to know more about the suit than they do. He then blackmails them into retrieving his will to prevent it from being misused by the president of his company. In Benson Season 6, Episode 2, "The Inheritance," Benson learns he has inherited the assets of Hugh Howard, a pastiche of Howard Hughes and Hugh Hefner, including his Playboy-like magazine, which becomes embarrassing for him, the Governor, and the Governor's staff. In The Simpsons Season 5 episode "$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)", Mr. Burns resembles Hughes in his recluse state. Various nods to his life appear in the episode, ranging from casino ownership and penthouse office to the "Spruce Goose" being renamed "Spruce Moose" as well as a lack of hygiene and being a germaphobe. In The Beverly Hillbillies episode, "The Clampett-Hewes Empire", Jed Clampett, while in Hooterville, decides to merge his interests with a man Mr. Drysdale believes is Howard Hughes, the famous reclusive billionaire. Eventually it turns out, to Mr. Drysdale's chagrin, "Howard Hughes" is no billionaire; he is, in fact, nothing but a plain old farmer and severely henpecked husband with the homophonic name "Howard Hewes" (H-E-W-E-S). In the Invader Zim episode, "Germs", the alien Zim becomes paranoid after discovering that Earth is covered in germs. Referencing Howard Hughes, he isolates himself in his home and dons tissue boxes on his feet. In the Superjail! episode "The Superjail! Six", The Warden repeatedly watches a film called Ice Station Jailpup which parodies Hughes' obsession with the film Ice Station Zebra In the Phineas and Ferb episode "De Plane! De Plane!" , Phineas and Ferb are watching an informational TV show, where it tells about Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose, which is the largest plane ever built. Phineas and Ferb set out to build a bigger plane than the wooden Spruce Goose. In the Dark Skies episode Dreamland, John and Kim travel to Las Vegas where they are tasked by Howard Hughes to investigate a possible Hive infiltration of Area 51. Hughes is portrayed as extremely mysophobic and his encounter at the end of the episode with a Hive (extraterrestrial) ganglion is presented as the reason for his final seclusion and mental decline.
Television In Episode 14 of Lupin III Part 2 the owner of a cursed ruby is named Howard Heath Heath is based on Hughes who had only recently died when the episode aired In the 1973 episode of the Partridge Family John Astin plays a reclusive millionaire in "Diary of a Mad Millionaire" who was readily recognized as a reference to Howard Hughes who was famous for being a recluse at that time In The Greatest American Hero Season 2 episode 3 "Don't Mess Around with Jim" Ralph and Bill are kidnapped by a reclusive tycoon owner of Beck Air airplane company who fakes his own death and seems to know more about the suit than they do He then blackmails them into retrieving his will to prevent it from being misused by the president of his company In Benson Season 6 Episode 2 "The Inheritance" Benson learns he has inherited the assets of Hugh Howard a pastiche of Howard Hughes and Hugh Hefner including his Playboy-like magazine which becomes embarrassing for him the Governor and the Governor's staff In The Simpsons Season 5 episode "$pringfield (Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)" Mr Burns resembles Hughes in his recluse state Various nods to his life appear in the episode ranging from casino ownership and penthouse office to the "Spruce Goose" being renamed "Spruce Moose" as well as a lack of hygiene and being a germaphobe In The Beverly Hillbillies episode "The Clampett-Hewes Empire" Jed Clampett while in Hooterville decides to merge his interests with a man Mr Drysdale believes is Howard Hughes the famous reclusive billionaire Eventually it turns out to Mr Drysdale's chagrin "Howard Hughes" is no billionaire; he is in fact nothing but a plain old farmer and severely henpecked husband with the homophonic name "Howard Hewes" (H-E-W-E-S) In the Invader Zim episode "Germs" the alien Zim becomes paranoid after discovering that Earth is covered in germs Referencing Howard Hughes he isolates himself in his home and dons tissue boxes on his feet In the Superjail episode "The Superjail Six" The Warden repeatedly watches a film called Ice Station Jailpup which parodies Hughes' obsession with the film Ice Station Zebra In the Phineas and Ferb episode "De Plane De Plane"  Phineas and Ferb are watching an informational TV show where it tells about Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose which is the largest plane ever built Phineas and Ferb set out to build a bigger plane than the wooden Spruce Goose In the Dark Skies episode Dreamland John and Kim travel to Las Vegas where they are tasked by Howard Hughes to investigate a possible Hive infiltration of Area 51 Hughes is portrayed as extremely mysophobic and his encounter at the end of the episode with a Hive (extraterrestrial) ganglion is presented as the reason for his final seclusion and mental decline