Huell Howser, a Travel Lover’s Friend
Who else misses this sweet guy?
I think most people in California know Huell Howser. And those that do know him, have a fondness for this dear man. For 30 years, he produced shows all about some great and often unknown people and places in California. His shows appeared on PBS stations up and down the state; and, in fact, one of these shows, California’s Gold is still being aired today.
He loved being on the road, finding interested places and people and sharing what he found and his conversations on shows that didn’t feel overly produced.
He became our friend because of his unassuming mannerisms. He showed genuine interest in the people and places he highlighted on his show and never demeaned or derided even people who chose very unique hobbies and obscure passions.
He might be known for saying “That’s Amazing” but even that exclamation always felt very sincere.
Born in Tennessee, and given an unusual name that was a combo of his parents’ first names, Harold and Jewell, Huell came out here to California and just jumped right into his role of showcasing what’s great about California (during times, like now, that are easy to see only what’s wrong). But he never focused on politics or what was wrong here.
Huell loved the California Desert and owned several homes and properties in the vast desert out beyond Palm Springs.
Most of this travels and tapings were just him and his cameraman (who he often spoke to while being filmed “Hey Louie…get a shot of this”.) What we saw was Huell, not really interviewing people, but just having a friendly conversation with them at their homes, at their jobs or in historical places. Huell used to say “TV’s not brain surgery.” And with that, his “less is more” production style is what made these shows feel like it was just Huell and me visiting with some new friends.
At the beautiful campus of Chapman College in Orange, California, you can visit a permanent exhibit “That’s Amazing! Thirty Years of Huell Howser and California’s Gold.” It’s in the basement of the library there and part of the Huell Howser Archives. When Huell knew his health was failing, he donated everything he had to this private university. They host a website where you can access of Huell’s various shows as well.
At the on-campus exhibit, you’ll see a timeline of his life and career highlights, a reproduction of his office (he kept manila file folders for upcoming episode ideas), collections from his many visits (like some dryer lint art), and some of the huge art pieces he saw and collected from industrial trash and other, non-obvious sources.
Some of the episodes of Huell Howser shows I remember best:
- Hiking Half Dome (it was this episode that made me commit to doing this myself for my 50th birthday.)
- The Dryer Lint Lady. A woman saved the colored lint from her dryer and made art pieces.
- A visit to an avocado grove and distribution facility in Fallbrook. It was on that episode that an employee let it slip that the first choice avocados go to Costco.
- The first In N Out in Baldwin Park
- Philippe’s Original Beef Dip Sandwich restaurant near Union Station in Los Angeles
- The enormous and beautiful swimming pool at Hearst Castle
- A visit and interview with the man who created Salvation Mountain out in the desert near the Salton Sea
- Visiting the South Ontario dairy of our long-time next door neighbors The Haakma Family.
What episodes do you remember?
Please leave a message sharing the episodes you remember best.
