Huell Howser's Final Show is “Producer's Pick” in KCET Marathon of Fan Favorites: Update

See the update at the end of this post on a “Producer's Pick” being added to KCET's marathon of favorite Huell Howser shows selected by fans.

ORIGINAL POST, DEC. 23, 6 A.M.: Remember last month when we told you KCET/Channel 28 was polling viewers for their favorite Huell Howser episodes to be shown during a special January marathon of the late host's Visiting… and California's Gold series?

Well, the votes are in, and with the cooperation of Chapman University of Orange, where the late Howser's life work is housed in perpetuity, the episodes that will be presented are …

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Huell Howser Marathon is On the Way and KCET Lets You Add Your Favorite Episodes

(In alphabetical order)

50s Motels
Amir's Garden
Ansel Adams
California Flowers
Catalina Casino
Disney Concert Hall
Elephant Update
Ferndell
Firefall
Galco's
Golden Gate Bridge
Half-Dome
Hearst Castle Landscape
Hearst Ranch
Hollywood Sign
In-N-Out Burger
Life in Death Valley
Musso and Franks
Newberry Springs
Palm Springs History Tour (1 N 2)
Pink's
Tuoloumne Meadows
Vincent Price Art Museum
Yosemite Buildings

Those eps were selected by fans who went to kcet.org/huellvote and cast more than 6,000 votes for five of their favorite Visiting… and California's Gold shows from a list of 50. They will now air on KCET Sunday, Jan. 5, from 7 p.m.-12 a.m. and each weekday thereafter in the regular 7:30 p.m. Howser programming slot.

Also, a selection of Visting… programs that ranked high with fans will be made into a special commemorative DVD available for purchase at kcet.org/HuellDVD during the tribute period, according to KCET officials.

“As the beneficiary of Huell Howser's legacy, Chapman University is delighted to partner with KCET in presenting these fan favorite episodes,” said Sheryl Bourgeois, the private university's executive vice president for University Advancement, in a KCET statement.

“Huell forged a unique friendship with Chapman and donated his life's work–including all his California's Gold television shows–to be housed in perpetuity at the university, because he wanted the episodes to be available to all. He truly believed that California's real gold is its people.”

For more on Huell Howser's legacy, visit HuellHowserArchive.com or kcet.org/rememberinghuell.

UPDATE, DEC. 31, 10:01 A.M.: Huell Howser's final broadcast has been added to the marathon of the Visiting …/California's Gold host's episodes selected by fans, KCET/Channel 28 announced today.

The “Producer's Pick” is the California's Gold episode “Classic Arts Showcase,” which found Howser touring the Glendale office of the free cable TV program comprised of video samples from the worlds of ballet, opera and theater. (See the full description in the list below.)

The fan favorites run Sunday from 7 p.m. to midnight, at which time the “Classic Arts Showcase” episode rolls. Episodes chosen by viewers then run each weeknight in the Howser programming slot's regularly scheduled time at 7:30 p.m. as well as Saturday at 5 p.m. and Sunday at 7 p.m.

The “Producer's Pick” repeats Sunday, Jan. 12, at 7:30 p.m.

The full, updated schedule follows:

Sunday Marathon Tribute – Jan. 5, 2014

“In-N-Out Burger” – 7 p.m.
Huell takes us on an hour-long California's Gold special which looks at the history of In-N-Out Burger. This is the first time television cameras have ever been allowed to shoot inside a store. And this special also includes an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the In-N-Out Headquarters in Baldwin Park where it all started back in 1948.

“Galco's” – 8 p.m.
Huell first met Galco's Old World Grocery owner John Nese back in 2000 when he did a program about the more than 250 different vintage soda pops he sold in his store. In this special update, we'll discover that not only has his inventory of vintage sodas doubled in size, but he's also added shelves of classic candy bars! The real joy of the story however, is finding out how his family has changed and grown since the first visit.

“Springtime In Death Valley” – 9 p.m.
Leave it to Huell to think he could go kayaking in Death Valley! But it turns out that's exactly what he does as he travels to normally parched Death Valley National Park to kayak on the huge salt lake created by the historic rains in 2005. Ancient Lake Manly at Badwater only reappears about every 100 years, so he figured he better go for it. In addition to the lake, Huell also captures the bounty of endless fields of wildflowers, which covered Death Valley this spring.

“Half Dome” – 10 p.m.
Huell had the adventure of a lifetime when he climbed Yosemite's formidable Half Dome. Join him in this one-hour special documenting his 17-mile round trip trek, along with other avid hikers, to conquer this 4,800-foot high landmark.

“Hollywood Sign” – 11 p.m.
Join Huell for this very special one-hour look at the world famous Hollywood Sign. Huell gets special permission from The Hollywood Sign Trust to actually climb up to and even on the sign. While perched on this landmark Huell learns the full history from 1923 till now from the people who work so hard to preserve this icon. Then he is joined by Raiden Peterson who was part of the construction crew that literally rebuilt the sign in 1978. Raiden not only brings great memories and stories but an incredible bunch of artifacts that he found when working on the sign, including a light bulb that still works! Finally Huell talks to a few pranksters, one of whom was part of a group that changed the sign to read CAL TECH, and another is the infamous RAFFEYSOD. As always, you're invited to come on along as we learn how they did it!

“Classic Arts Showcase” – 12 a.m. (Monday, Jan. 6)
Huell tours the Glendale office of Classic Arts Showcase, a free cable TV program comprised of video samples from the worlds of ballet, opera and theater. The program was the vision of philanthropist Lloyd Rigler, who practiced the cost-effective use of resources in order to achieve the greatest good.

Weekday Tribute – Monday, Jan. 6 – Friday, Jan. 10, 2014

“'50s Motels” – Monday, Jan. 6 at 7:30 p.m.
The '50s live on in Palm Springs, and Huell Howser visits some of the best examples of architecture from that decade: motels.

“Golden Gate Bridge” – Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 7:30 p.m.
California's most recognized landmark takes center stage in an episode which focuses on its history, including rare footage of its construction, its beauty and the incredible maintenance work that goes on daily to keep this towering structure in mint condition.

“Firefall” – Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 7:30 p.m.
Join Huell at the top of Glacier Point with Nic Fiore who was the last to push a pile of burning embers off the edge, creating the beautiful red hot “waterfall” effect known as Firefall. Then, follow Huell down to the bottom at Camp Curry, the best spot to view Firefall, where he talks with Keith and Ginny Bee who, for 42 years, ran the nightly outdoor theater show which led up to the fiery finale of this now lost California tradition.

“California Flowers” – Thursday, Jan. 9 at 7:30 p.m.
One of Huell's favorite things is when California blooms anew, bringing forth a striking display of flowers. Huell visits three places across the state where the splendor of California is in full bloom: Daffodil Hill in the Gold Country, the Ranunculas fields of Carlsbad Ranch, and the California Poppy Reserve in Antelope Valley–all amazing vistas where swaths of color stretch as far as the eye can see.

“Pink's” – Friday, Jan. 10 at 7:30 p.m.
Family owned and operated since 1939, this L.A. institution has been serving up some of the best chili cheese hot dogs this side of Coney Island. Huell gets the lowdown from Mrs. Pink and a handful of enthusiastic patrons, many of whom have been eating at Pink's since their childhood.

Weekend Tribute – Saturday, Jan. 11 – Sunday, Jan. 12, 2014

“Ansel Adams” – Saturday, Jan. 11 at 5 p.m.
Many people are familiar with Ansel Adams' famous landscape photographs of Yosemite, but there is a whole other body of work that is rarely discussed. Huell visits the Los Angeles Public Library to see the “forgotten Los Angeles photographs” taken by Ansel in 1940 for a Fortune magazine article on pre-war L.A. These photographs were later donated to the library by Ansel and are now in their collection. Huell is joined by Jonathan Spaulding, the Executive Director and Chief Curator of the Museum of the American West and Autry National Center, and author of Ansel Adams and the American Landscape. They spend the day in downtown Los Angeles to visit many of the sites where the original photographs were taken.

“Palm Springs History Tour #1” – Saturday, Jan. 11 at 5:30 p.m.
The first part of our Palm Springs history tour begins at the McCallum Adobe Museum (oldest building in Palm Springs). The McCallum family was the first white family to settle in the area. The museum is filled with wonderful photos, including the original Native Americans, Hollywood stars, Palm Springs first health nut and many more. Huell ends the show at the Moorten Botanical Garden which has been a popular family run tourist attraction since 1938.

“Elephant Update” – Sunday, Jan. 12 at 7 p.m.
In 1988, Huell attended a touching reunion between Charlie Franks, an 80-year-old elephant trainer, and Nita, the elephant he had raised from a baby of five years. When Charlie retired in the early 1970s after traveling the world with his beloved performing elephant, he donated her to the San Diego Wild Animal Park, and hadn't seen her for 15 years. Charlie has since passed away, but Huell returns to the San Diego Wild Animal Park to say hello to Nita.

“Classic Arts Showcase” – Sunday, Jan. 12 at 7:30 p.m.
(See previous episode description)

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