Huell Howser PBS "California's Gold" host is retiring, (now, RIP)

Huell Howser quietly retires from public TV's 'California's Gold

[ Edited by: Bora Boris - Cleaned up. - 2013-01-11 06:21 ]

Amazing!

Here is the link:

Amazing

He never made that "Tiki" episode that he kept promising to make......

Ummm... yeah he did!

http://www.kcet.org/shows/visiting_with_huell_howser/tiki.html

He also went to the Cook Islands:

http://www.calgold.com/specials/Default.asp?Series=11

Well I know about the OA episode "is that Tiki?"
but he has been saying for a couple of years that he was
going to film an episode at Tiki Oasis or Tiki Caliente
but it never came to fruition.

[ Edited by: Atomic Tiki Punk 2012-11-29 19:19 ]

OOOOOOoooooooo Myyyyyy

On 2012-11-29 19:15, Atomic Tiki Punk wrote:
Well I know about the OA episode "is that Tiki?"
but he has been saying for a couple of years that he was
going to film an episode at Tiki Oasis or Tiki Caliente
but it never came to fruition.

His retirement is a loss for us all, but we do have the body of work which he created.
Huell Howser owns a house in Palm Springs, so maybe he will do a segment for the local news on Tiki Oasis.

Hopefully all the Huell fans have experienced the majesty of Adam Carolla's Basic Cable Commentary of the movie Showgirls with Dana Gould acting like Huell Hauser. If you haven't, it is on itunes.

When my job transferred me to So Cal 7 years ago I watched Huell to learn about strange and off-beat places to visit in my new home state. The book 'Weird California', the Los Angeles Times and Sunset Magazine have also been travel guides for me.
Texas has the same type of show called Texas Country Reporter with Bob Phillips, but he isn't as colorful as Huell Howser is. There is also a 'Weird Texas' book. Texas and California are almost tied with weird and unusual people, religions and places.
Howser will be missed, maybe Charles Phoenix will be the next host of California's Gold.

When we saw Charles Phoenix last month, he said he would he would love to host
Huell's show.

Took this photo with Huell at Tiki Caliente 2 (The Caliente Tropics years). Huell was drinking a mai tai out of a Tiki Tony volcano. I asked him to do the mai tai dance referring to the Oceanic Arts epsiode but he just kind of laughed probably not recalling his dance that still haunts me. He was just being social and having a good time with everyone and was interested in all the different vendors items. I remember he had to pick up everything and hold it and had that fascination with everything just like he does on his show. He did show up later that night and kind of hung out in the shadows and watched some of the bands. Huell is tiki at heart for sure!

Truly a lover of life and sharing with the world. I love his show. He just recently did a special on the pottery producer in the town where I live (Lincoln, Ca). http://www.calgold.com/calgold/Default.asp?Series=400&Show=36

I will miss his laid back but always inquisitive reporting. He made the simplest things wonderfully exciting.

he will be missed

Huell Howser passed away yesterday.
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Huell-Howser-Death-California-Gold-185922911.html

California television personality Huell Howser has died at age 67, according to KCET.

Howser, the host of TV's "California's Gold," retired from the show at the end of November. The show was broadcast on public television stations. Howser died Sunday night from "natural causes," according to KCET.

Howser moved to Los Angeles in 1981. The Tennessee native worked at a television station in Nashville before serving in the Marine Corps.

He worked at WCBS in New York before moving to LA. "California's Gold" became the best known of Howser's magazine-style TV shows about his travels in the state, but he also hosted "Visiting with Huell Howser," "Road Trip with Huell Howser" and other programs.

He was known for his affable style during his behind-the-scene interviews at resturants, businesses and other locations throughout the state.

-Lori

[ Edited by: tikilongbeach 2013-01-07 13:23 ]

Great guy. He will be missed.

Wow, sad news. I was just talking about his show on the Santa Barbara Stagecoach this morning at work. He worked to the end.

DC

:(

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=539jdK3eN1o

It is really sad, he definitely opened my eyes up to many of the places, the history and most of all, the people that helped make California what it was and is today. The guy had one of the greatest jobs in the world.

It was also just his luck that the old KCET studios where he had an office was located right next door to the Tiki Ti!

This photo of the Tiki Ti's west wall was taken today by Mike Buhen Jr. It confirms that Huell experienced that "Tiki Mood" early on, courtesy of Ray and Mike Buhen, and most likely while sippin' on a Mai Tai or two after a tough day of filming in LA! :)

RIP Huell...you were AMAZING!!!

Good one, Anders!

"Everyone and everything was important. He was so engaging that even a show about a sandwich, a plant, anything, could be so fun to watch."

What a sad loss. It is a special person who works at an exceptional level while being ill. Bless him for his love of California and make so many of us even more proud of where we live. Love to see all the pictures of him hanging with Tikiphiles.

Mr. Howser hadda been the most likable fella . Well said Anders.

Although some people liked to make fun of him,
he wouldn't be so recognizeable if he was just a regular joe.
I am thankful for all the shows that he did over the years.

Keep on traveling Huell
Jeff(btd)

Well put, Jeff. He was a character... but he was also very endearing with his quirky interviewing and low production value shows. He's gonna be missed.

As an east coaster, I am completely unfamiliar with him, but from all the things I've read and seen, he seemed like a heck of a guy.
Are his shows available anywhere?

Huell Howser donated his life's work to Chapman University, and they host the entire "California's Gold" archive on their website. Every episode is available for streaming here:

http://blogs.chapman.edu/huell-howser-archives/

If you're interested in watching Huell's visit to Oceanic Arts in 2005, the direct link is:

http://blogs.chapman.edu/huell-howser-archives/2012/10/16/tiki-visiting-1310/

What a swell guy - he'll be missed.

He also donated THIS to Chapman University:

http://takesunset.com/2010/04/the-volcano-house-50451-silver-valley-newberry-springs/

It's not too far from Amy's Mojave Oasis

On 2013-01-08 05:27, Dolewhip wrote:
Huell Howser donated his life's work to Chapman University, and they host the entire "California's Gold" archive on their website. Every episode is available for streaming here:

http://blogs.chapman.edu/huell-howser-archives/

If you're interested in watching Huell's visit to Oceanic Arts in 2005, the direct link is:

http://blogs.chapman.edu/huell-howser-archives/2012/10/16/tiki-visiting-1310/

What a swell guy - he'll be missed.

Thank you for posting this link. I enjoyed watching the OA show.

Thanks a heap, DoleWhip.

Huell Howser taught me to see the wonder all around.
He had the best job in the state, and I will miss him and his shows.

Huell was part of a New York show called "Lifetimes" in the 80s
here he does a show on the "Clash"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8BwJc1t9a0

Nice ATP - I felt watching that was a must since I am wearing my Clash shirt.

Huell was always fun to watch. He would keep me glued to my TV whenever his show came on. He had a way of making even the least intresting subjects fun and entertaining. I have seen so many of his shows that it is difficult to pick a favorite. I think the episode that sticks out in my mind is the frog jumping competition. So great!

He had a job that he loved and was always in high spirits. He lived life to the fullest.

I remember once sitting next to Huell Howser at the Musso and Frank counter. At the time I didn't know who he was until someone came up to ask for his autograph.

What a chatterbox this guy was, he acknowledged my selection of the Thursday's special (chicken pie) as a wise one and then emphatically tried to get a German tourist to order something more befitting to the classic menu than ham and eggs. The German tourist looked at him like he was nuts. :D

Unlike other TV celebrities, Huell Howser was always "ON" !! :)

For those inclined:

http://echopark.patch.com/articles/huell-howser-memorial-set-for-tuesday-at-griffith-observatory?ncid=newsltuspatc00000003

Huell take off video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unlG8KeJ5x4&sns=em

Huell was an interesting guy. I met him when I was bar-tending at the Riviera in Palm Springs and lined him up some tropical drinks and we had a great 2 hour conversation. I invited him to Tiki Caliente 3 which was a couple weeks later and he was kind enough to show.

I have a great Huell story to tell but not on a public forum. So if you see me at TC5 I will hit you up with an interesting conversation.

R.I.P.

W

Rory, I don't think that you should keep it a secret that Huell hired you as his house boy.
:o

Jeff(btd)

http://www.mydesert.com/article/20130109/NEWS01/301090005/TV-host-Huell-Howser-spent-final-days-Palm-Springs-refuge?nclick_check=1

That's the first report I've seen which mentions the illness he was struggling with.

Wow, so Palm Springs was his personal hidey-hole. What a great place. Lots of neat things to see and do there, and always with the feeling -- a real palpable sensation -- that you're in a special and unique place, not in a crowded area like LA or Orange Counties. It's no wonder to me that he felt so at home there.

He was fortunate that he not only had fun, but he left a legacy to us from doing what he realy enjoyed. How very cool.

Simpsons pay tribute to Huell on Jan 13, 2013 show

On 2013-01-15 10:20, King Bushwich the 33rd wrote:
Simpsons pay tribute to Huell on Jan 13, 2013 show

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/14/huell-howser-simpsons-tri_n_2472794.html?ir=los-angeles&utm_campaign=011413&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Alert-los-angeles&utm_content=FullStory

http://echopark.patch.com/articles/hundreds-remember-huell-howser-at-griffith-observatory-with-sunset-salute?ncid=newsltuspatc00000001#photo-12985656

wanna smile?

courtesy of good ol' Huell and King Kukulele in before he became a superhero.

http://blogs.chapman.edu/huell-howser-archives/1999/10/03/ukulele-visiting-732/

tiki1963, That was beyond awesome. Definitely made me smile. Thank you so much for posting this. Cheers!

"And its true you'll never rue the day." :wink:

And now....I'm a little sad.

[ Edited by: chrisandsarahb 2013-01-16 12:32 ]

For all you Mid Century Modern enthusiast's
here is Huell's tribute to Julius Shulman

http://blogs.chapman.edu/huell-howser-archives/2010/10/24/julius-shulman-palm-springs-21/

Nice post ATP...

I think Huell and the Salton Sea were a great match:

http://blogs.chapman.edu/huell-howser-archives/1999/10/03/salton-sea-visiting-705/

Visit Bombay Beach! - with its three closed bars and restaurant...

....at minute 20:00, they show the cool stuff. :)

"Anybody can go to Disneyland, but this is something the likes of which you'll see nowhere else"

Westways, magazine for the Southern California Auto Club, remembers Huell...

Westways Magazine: Offramp-Huell Howser

The grand opening of the permanent Huell Howser exhibit at Chapman University in Orange, CA will be March 29, 2014.

http://blogs.chapman.edu/huell-howser-archives/