I Caught Flies for Howard Hughes: An Intimate Look at the Eccentric Billionaire by his Personal Aide

by Ron Kistler

An unbelievably funny, revealing memoir from a man who served as Howard Hughes’ bodyguard in the years that the legendary eccentric became a recluse.


The man in Bungalow Four is very particular about his flies. Anytime one sneaks into the room, he calls one of the three bodyguards who are always on call in the next building to come and kill it. They are not allowed to use fly swatters or bug spray, and the fly must never touch their hand. The man in Bungalow Four commands his bodyguards to kill the flies with a Kleenex, and the bodyguards do what he says, because everybody listens to Howard Hughes.


In the late 1950’s, Hughes was one of the wealthiest men in the world, but his hold on reality had started to slip. He spent all his time inside, stark naked save for a napkin covering his private parts, and men like Ron Kistler were his only contact with the outside world. In his three years working for the mad billionaire, Kistler saw the crazy side of money and power—and somehow lived to tell the tale.


“Loony!” —Kirkus Reviews

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography

127 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1976

Reviews

[Pamela Conley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as a kid back when Hughes was still someone people cared about. My dad read it and passed it on to me. It is funny but sad. It is a testament that great genius can also lead to great self destruction if not directed.

[Lewis A Boys · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to put down!!

A very funny inside look at some of the peculiar habits of Howard Hughes apparently after one of his nervous breakdowns and the bizarre inner workings of his empire..

[Heidi Bakk-Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the weird little paperbacks I picked up at the big used bookstore I worked at 20 years ago. A fun read, especially if you've ever had a terrible boss, because you've never had a boss this bad, this rich, and this powerful. Thank your lucky stars.

[Simeon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Humorous, Silly, Pitiful but true. It was well worth the read. Howard Hughes was a different breed.

[Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always in my top 5 recommended reads!

[Kristen Kief · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting to learn what it was like to work with HH, but it was not great writing. It was slow going, but I enjoyed the perspective. How do you stay in a job like this?

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just read this book in one three-hour sitting. Compulsively readable and very funny, it's a very different look at Howard Hughes than you get in the more clinical biographies. Here is Hughes as the naked, unkempt, bone-thin shut-in, eating only Hershey bars and mindlessly stacking boxes of Kleenexes in a darkened screening room. Ron Kistler is the goofball who works his way up from an overnight job keeping watch over one of Hughes' junked airplanes to be the guy whose job it is to keep Hughes company around-the-clock in his cluttered bungalow at the Beverly Hills Hotel. While it's far too light on historical context to be a standalone biography, this is a great companion piece to the Brown and Broeske bio and definitely a worthwhile read for anyone who's fascinated by one of the most bizarre characters in the American popular imagination.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you happen to have chance to read this rare book, do so. The author gives amazing glimpse of what it was like to personally work for the mystery man and what his quirks were really like. The accounts that take place are weird and funny at times. It is also sad that he spent so much time isolated from the world just sitting and watching movies or just sitting. Its a quick and short read but very interesting.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found it necessary to dispose of a house fly last night. I remembered learning the technique from this book (With a tissue in each hand, attack from two different fronts). Its one of the books I donated to the library after I was finished, so it didn't make it to my "read" shelf until now. The book tells what its like to be a flunky for an extremely eccentric millionaire.

[M.duffett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book with a salutary point about the danger of focussing exclusively on money. HH went completely bonkers!

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

the true face of capitalism.

[Caroline Chiasson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good stuff.. but I don't believe about 90% of it.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating account of one man's employment with famous recluse Howard Hughes. A quick, breezy read that is very much of it's time.