Sunset Memorial for TV's Huell Howser Now Underway

A public memorial for longtime local television personality Huell Howser is underway at the Griffith Observatory.

Friends and fans of the longtime host of KCET-TV Channel 28's "California's Gold" are invited by Councilman Tom LaBonge to gather at the landmark observatory at 3:30 p.m. for a sunset memorial.

Howser died of natural causes at age 67 Jan. 7 at his Palm Springs home. The native Tennessean, who had been a feature reporter for television stations in Nashville and New York City before moving to Los Angeles, endeared himself to public television audiences, taking viewers on the road with him to explore little-known attractions across the state.

His "California's Gold" show ran for 19 years on KCET.

"Huell had a tremendous enthusiasm for California landmarks like the Griffith Observatory," according to LaBonge, who was sworn into office by Howser in 2001. "And now we must say goodbye to our own California landmark, Huell Howser."

Howser was a U.S. Marine and an aide to then-Sen. Howard Baker, R-Tenn., before starting his career in television.

A shuttle to and from the observatory from the Greek Theatre parking lot was to be offered for overflow crowds, according to LaBonge's office.