Howser was born in Gallatin, Tennessee, on October 18, 1945, to Harold Chamberlain and Jewell Havens (Burnley) Howser. Howser’s first name is a portmanteau of his parents’ given names, Harold and Jewell, as Howser explained in the California’s Gold episode “Smartsville.”

After working in New York City as the host of WCBS-TV’s “Real Life” show, Howser moved to Los Angeles, California in 1981 to work as a reporter for KCBS-TV. During 1982 and 1983, he served as weekend host and correspondent for Entertainment Tonight. In 1983, he joined KCET (then a PBS affiliate) as host and producer of Videolog, a series of brief human-interest segments running less than 10 minutes each, that aired in between the station’s shorter programs to fill up air time. “Videolog” eventually became one of the more popular programs on KCET, and in 1990, the show was expanded to half hour-long episodes. Included in Videolog was lint artist Slater Barron among other topics relevant to Los Angeles and adjacent communities.

In 1991, after spending his vacation driving across the Golden State and visiting with all 13 PBS stations in California, California’s Gold premiered in April of that year. California’s Gold highlights small towns, landmarks, events, or places of interest throughout California that are not well known to the general public. Howser conducted informal, often impromptu, interviews with locals involved with the sites he visited. He also produced California’s Communities, California’s Golden Fairs, Downtown, California’s Water, California’s Green, California’s Golden Coast, California’s Golden Parks, Road Trip, Visiting… with Huell Howser, California Missions, Palm Springs, Our Neighborhoods, The Bench, and various specials.

In 1997, he featured prominently as himself alongside Tracey Ullman in character as Ruby Romaine in the Tracey Takes On… episode “Hollywood.”

In 2003, Howser purchased the 1,800-square-foot (170 m) Volcano House, situated on a volcanic cinder cone just outside Barstow in Newberry Springs, along with 60 acres (24 ha) of desert and a man-made lake. In 2010, Howser put the unusual residence on the market for $650,000.

In 2011, Howser voiced the Backson in the post-credits scene of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ feature film Winnie the Pooh.

Howser donated his videotaped collection of California’s Gold episodes, as well as those of his other series, to Chapman University in 2011. He also donated his personal papers, and a large collection of books on California history to the university. The school established the Huell Howser Archives, which, when completed, will offer the public free access to the entire digitized collection of his life’s work. The archives can be accessed at Chapman University as well as on the internet. He also gave his extensive art collection, which consists mostly of “found-object” art collected during his travels, to the university, and endowed the California’s Gold Scholarship Fund. Upon his death he bequeathed his remaining two homes to the university, the proceeds from the sale of which will be added to the scholarship fund.

Visiting… with Huell Howser was a weekly PBS series hosted by Howser that originally aired from 1991 until his retirement in 2012 that focused on “the diverse people, places, and events that make southern California such a unique community.” As of 2020, KCET, and other Southern California PBS continue to rerun this popular series. Episodes can be viewed on demand on the Chapman University, and PBS affiliates’ websites.

In June 2012, The Panther, a student-run newspaper for Chapman University, announced that Howser had donated the Volcano House to the school. On September 3, 2015, Chapman University sold the Volcano House for $750,000.

On November 27, 2012, The Sacramento Bee reported that Howser was retiring from making new shows, amid speculation in the television community that he was seriously ill.

On January 7, 2013, Howser died at his Palm Springs home, at the age of 67. He had been battling cancer for several years and his death certificate listed metastatic prostate cancer as the cause. Howser’s body was cremated and his ashes were scattered at sea off the coast of Los Angeles County.

On January 15, 2013, a memorial was held for Howser, who said before his death that he did not want a funeral as he did not want attention.

On June 29, 2015, Howser’s Twentynine Palms home became available for rentals and weddings.

In 2015, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars was dedicated to him.