Huell Howser! He was not born on Bunker Hill in Los Angeles, or near the Presidio in San Francisco or not even in Selma, the raisin capital of the world in the San Joaquin Valley. He just migrated from Tennessee and became the champion of California, reporting on geographical, historic and ethnic aspects of what makes this great state. His approach was cheerful, endearing to the common man.
He marched on unknown bridges, trekked on small islands and remote trails, explored hidden gardens, unknown mansions, out of place small museums and unimaginable private collections. His flair for the unusual was remarkable. Original trades and customs surprised his viewers. Whether he was wandering on a rocky slope, meddling with workers in the din of factories, or testing exotic dishes, his demeanor had the comfortable outlook of an easy listener, yet serious, passionate and humorous. He created for California and the Californians an epic of visual and historical vignettes, which many of us dreamed to rediscover on our own. We will miss his tireless curiosity and his quest for the unsuspected. One hopes that some university will seek and preserve his work, a fitting tribute for a true Californian.
Martine Jozan Work