Said to be the inspiration behind the iconic J.R. Ewing character in hit 1980s TV show Dallas, the oil baron H.L. Hunt was reportedly the world's wealthiest person by the time of his death in 1974. He was also the patriarch of a dynasty that was on par with the Gettys and the Rockefellers.

A ruthless risk-taker with razor-sharp business acumen, Hunt was also an out-and-out eccentric and philandering bigamist with extreme right-wing political views. Read on for a look at the controversial tycoon's chequered life, and find out how he gambled and speculated his way to incredible wealth. All dollar amounts in US dollars.