Norm Nathan's Vault of Silliness - Ep 55

Hello, Austria!

Thank you for joining us here in leaving the world a little sillier.

Today’s episode hails from September 17^th, 1995.

I have titled it: The Night of Tertiary Talk!

We begin with a Jack Harte traffic report.

Then Norm talks about his rather busy day. He got off the air and went over to the WBZ Farm Stand. Later that day, before he came back to work the overnight, he attended an event at the Hatch Shell: A Swing Celebration in honor of Ballroom Dancing Week!

And later we learn that the next day he and I were going to be doing a show. Norm used to go around to senior centers, private meetings and other places and talk about Old Time Radio. Arthur Levine booked the gigs. Ed Mullen, of Swell Music Quiz fame and fortune, used to do the set up and produce them. When he moved on, Norm asked me, and we worked together on that until his passing. 

It consisted of playing cuts from classic radio broadcasts and commercials, plus a world renown demonstration by Norm and I on sound effects…and talking about all of it with the audiences.

The procession of callers are as follows:

BILLY CLYDE!

I was so thrilled to find this tape with Billy on it. He was a popular caller on the Larry Glick Show and famous for, among other thing, a story he told about an orangutan. He and Larry were laughing uncontrollably. It was so popular that other callers would request to hear it again. I have not come across it here as of yet but I’m sure SOME body has a copy and if I get the chance I will definitely share it!

He loved Norm too and they talk about jazz.

The tape cuts out and returns with Billy again.

He starts the ‘tertiary roads’ discussion that dominates the episode! The bonus is we get to hear that great Billy Clyde laugh!

They move on to talking about some radio personalities and Norm gives us some fun insight.

Just an all-around super moment from Norm’s Show.

We hear from Mel who references Billy Clyde and talks more jazz with Norm.

Then we have a brief call from Diane who will be attending the Old Time Radio show we would be doing later that day.

There’s a bizarre call from someone going by the name of Carmine.

Tertiary Talk carries on with Jane from Woodstock, CT. She also discusses the Brimfield Antique Show. She happens to be a dealer in antique electrical goods!

Providence, RI chimes in with their ‘tertiary sewage treatment.’

Then we cut to the close of a Dumb Birthday Game. Players were Reed, Marge, Margaret, Ken in traffic and Patrick Murray who was producing and in studio.

Before Norm lets Patrick go we discover that someone has parked a moped IN the mailroom at WBZ!

We return to calls:

A listener talks all about their love affair with the Corvette.

Pam from Saugus asks Norm about the Lynn Item newspaper and Norm tells of his losing battle with a vending machine.

We close with Irene from Dayton, OH looking for the answer to trivia question she heard on Bob Raleigh’s show. Stick around because Norm leafs through his leather-bound tombs of useless info to help her out.