WBZ’s Larry Glick, 1922-2009

By Steve Cichon
steve@buffalostories.com
@stevebuffalo

Did you ever win a Glick University T-shirt? Are you a Glicknick?

My fascination with the Glick Program started when my family spent three years  in Holliston, Massachusetts in the mid 80s, when Larry was doing afternoon drive on WBZ.

glickwbz

I was a pint-sized Glicknick and just mesmerized by the show. After Larry had left WBZ for WHDH, I had the chance to visit the WHDH studios, and wistfully remember seeing LARRY GLICK’S DESK– a great moment in a young life.

photo from the WBZ 75th anniversary booklet
photo from the WBZ 75th anniversary booklet

It might have been Larry’s multi-lingual sign-off as he went into the Peter Meade Show which encouraged me to study three foreign languages in high school and college.  And of course, there was that whistle and singing of the phone numbers (both of which you can hear at the 13:54 portion of the Glick Show below.)

No need to call 254-5678…                               Just click for LARRY!

Larry’s Bio as it appeared on the WMEX website when he worked at the station briefly in 2000:

Larry Glick is a Nationally known Radio Personality and a well known Boston area night club performer, especially for his hypnosis performances. Larry has been heard in 38 states as a radio personality, and he was a part of WMEX from 1964 to 1968. Larry was also a part of WBZ from 1968 to 1988, and a part of WHDH from 1989 to 1993. As well as the owner of an All Girl AM Station, Larry was a pioneer in becoming an owner of an FM station in Florida during the 1950s. He was also a major night time personality at WIOD (CBS) in Miami for several years before moving to the Boston Market. Larry is followed nationwide by all his GlickNick’s, and his popular show is a great addition to WMEX.

The Commander’s death was announced on WBZ’s website Friday, March 27, 2009.

Boston (WBZ Newsroom) — A Boston radio legend has died.

Longtime WBZ radio host Larry Glick died Thursday night in Florida after undergoing 10 hours of open heart surgery. He was 87.

Glick graced WBZ’s airwaves for 20 years, building up a faithful group of fans known as “Glicknics.”

Larry and WBZ-TV’s Jack Williams (right) had been close friends since 1975. Jack made frequent appearances on Larry’s talk show on WBZ.

Larry retired to Florida, where he most recently worked as a greeter at Legal Sea Foods in Boca Raton.

Glick leaves his wife Lisa and a daughter Tali, both in Florida, and a daughter, Nannette in the Boston area. Rest in Peace, Larry!

Reformatted & Updated pages from staffannouncer.com finding a new home at buffalostories.com
Reformatted & Updated pages from staffannouncer.com finding a new home at buffalostories.com

The Plush, Yet Not Overly Ostentatious Norm Nathan Page

By Steve Cichon
steve@buffalostories.com
@stevebuffalo

This is an update to a page that was one of the first to appear on staffannouncer.com in 2005. I’ve added about 12 hours of Norm Nathan audio for the world to enjoy… It’s a great way to spend a night when you can’t fall asleep.

Thanks Norm!

The Plush, Yet Not Overly Ostentatious Norm Nathan Page

“Just trying to leave the world a little sillier than I found it… thank you, jusssdarn much.”

That was Norm’s motto, and his show certainly helped make that come true. Known as a jazz lover with a corn-ball sense of humor on Boston Radio from the 1940’s through the 1990’s, Norm’s largest stage came in the mid-1980’s when he joined Boston’s WBZ– a station that reaches over 68 states, 81 provinces, and 4 planets with it’s 50,000 watt signal.

Always trying to “keep it light,” his weekend all-night talkshow on WBZ never had a real driving topic and never touched on the hot button issues that were the thrust behind other shows.

With no politics or real social issues talked about, every call was taken with a smile on his face, and some of the best times were when he’d come on to octogenarian women or when a gullible listener would be escorted down the road of Norm’s imagination.

He once convinced a listener, complaining about what kids are taught in school these days, that kids were being taught that a man named Sydney Goldfarb discovered America after rowing here from Europe in a kayak made out of paper mache. (Hear the call below!)

He was also gracious. As someone who grew up in awe of him and his show, I once called the station, and asked if I could stop by. Not only did he say yes, but he put me on the air (on BZ?!?!!?) for a half hour. As a 16 year old kid, I was in heaven.

Hear Norm!


The Ultimate NORM NATHAN Collection!

More than 12 hours of Norm Nathan radio goodness from the mid-60s through the mid-90s… From stations WHDH, WRKO, and WBZ.

Originally available as an mp3 CD, now hours and hours of Norm are here on demand!

 


Reformatted & Updated pages from staffannouncer.com finding a new home at buffalostories.com
Reformatted & Updated pages from staffannouncer.com finding a new home at buffalostories.com