PRESS RELEASE:

In Mormon history few individuals have captured the hearts and imaginations of church members quite like J. Golden Kimball. The former mule skinner and cowboy who rose to become an L.D.S. General Authority spoke plainly and honestly, and people loved him for it. But it was his gift of wit and spontaneity, combined with his colorful language, that have made his stories part of Mormon folklore today.

In Remembering Uncle Golden, airing Thursday, March 7 at 7:00 p.m., KUED and Jim Kimball, J. Golden Kimball's great-grand nephew, set out to meet with individuals who were touched by the true, genuine wit of J. Golden Kimball. While serving as the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints First Quorum of Seventy, Kimball was assigned to regularly visit Brigham City, Logan and surrounding towns during the 1920s and 1930s. In the film, many Mormons along his former route remember his well-received visits and his unforgettable speeches.

On the Road With J. Golden Kimball, airing Thursday March 7 at 9:00 p.m., follows Jim Kimball as he retraces the route of the colorful church leader, from a grassy baseball diamond in St. George to a backyard in Logan. This program serves as a sequel to Remembering Uncle Golden.

Over his lifetime, J. Golden Kimball witnessed the church's transformation from frontier Mormonism to global Mormonism, yet through it all he remained an authentic remnant of the rugged West. His unique personality was a mixture of unvarnished spontaneity and remarkable wit. Many have compared him to Mark Twain and Will Rogers, but Utah author Wallace Stegner was probably more accurate when he wrote, "J. Golden should have never been compared to anyone because J. Golden was an original... like all originals he defies description. He was himself, no less, no more, and nobody knew it better than he."