KCET Presents Special Huell Howser Tribute January 5 - 12
In addition to fan
favorites polled from viewers, schedule also includes
a special "Producer's
Pick"
Burbank,
Calif. - Dec. 31, 2013 - KCET, the nation's largest independent public
television station serving Southern and Central California, will broadcast a
special Huell Howser marathon on Sunday, Jan. 5 from 7 p.m. - 12 a.m. The
marathon will feature the top episodes voted on by fans from the "Visiting..."
and "California's Gold" series.
During
the following week, more shows chosen by viewers will air each weeknight during
Huell Howser's regularly scheduled time at 7:30 p.m. as well as Saturday
from 5-6 p.m. and Sunday at 7 p.m.
In
addition, a "Producer's Pick,"Classic
Arts Showcase
--which was the final show Huell produced before his
death--will air Sunday, Jan. 5 at midnight and Sunday, Jan. 12 at 7:30 p.m.
A full
schedule of Huell Howser episodes airing during the special tribute are below.
Sunday
Marathon Tribute - Jan. 5, 2014
"In-N-Out Burger" - 7 p.m.
Huell
takes us on an hour-longCalifornia's
Gold
special which looks at the history of In-N-Out Burger. This is thefirst 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 ofClassic Arts
Showcase
, a free cable TV program comprised of video samples from theworlds 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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