By Sharon Oliver
Contributing Writer
BOSTON – WBZ and WHDH talk radio host Larry Glick had a large following for a long time and for good reason. Glick began his radio career in Florida in 1953, was hired by WBZ in 1967 after leaving WMEX (“the ever-new Wee-Mex, Home of Modern Radio”) and his long-running broadcast covered 38 states. A master of wittiness and storytelling, Glick’s cast of characters included “Champagne Lady,” “Charlie DiGiovanni the Cab Driver” and he reported the news as “Streeter Glick,” a takeoff on WBZ newsman Streeter Stuart.
Friendly conversations
Known for his friendly conversations, callers would ask, “Is this Larry?” to which he would reply, “Let me check.” Fans of Glick recalled some special moments on Facebook.
Joe Leahy wrote:
“I loved Larry’s radio show; he also was a hypnotist. In the summer of ‘68, he was MC’ing a female impersonator show at the Showboat in Hull outside Paragon Park. great guy, down to earth, and a great entertainer.”
Rich Labbe added:
“Great radio program. One night he tried to call Fidel Castro, so funny! How about ‘Grace, Queen of the Cockamamies,’” she was a regular caller. Larry’s birthday is coming soon, May 16, Happy Birthday Larry, I miss your radio talk show.”
Kevin Spencer shared:
“He was a pilot, and I was an air traffic controller. On several occasions I had the opportunity to work his flight. Incredibly, this radio personality would experience “mike fright” when talking to the tower. We all happened to notice this trait that he had and one day he paid a visit to the tower, at which time he both apologized and, openly, admitted his problem. We talked to him about this issue, and we succeeded in settling him down. I think that, at some point, he thought that controllers were somewhat like fire-breathing dragons!!”
Nightclub hypnotist
As one person commented, Larry Glick was indeed a hypnotist who practiced the art of hypnosis in nightclubs. He also operated a hypnotism school in Newton as well as Larry Glick’s Better Life Institute health and profit centers. Glick’s programs dealt with smoking addiction, weight imbalance and stress-related issues. He was a pilot and founding partner in a commercial hypnotherapy business located in Brookline.
In 1991, he told The Boston Globe, “I like people better at night. During the day, they’re in a more business frame of mind. At night they might be the same callers, but they’re more relaxed and less stressed. They might have their feet up, with a drink next to them while they’re listening to the radio.”
A long career
Before his move to WHDH, night owls enjoyed listening to Glick for over 20 years at WBZ. So much so that, The Tweets recorded an “Ode to Larry Glick” song. Faithful fans, Glicknics, wore maroon-colored T-shirts from “Glick University.” In 2008, he was inducted into the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame in Dedham and ended his radio career at WHDH in 1992. Glick retired to Florida and had worked as a “Goodwill Ambassador” at Legal Sea Foods in Boca Raton.
On the eve of his surgery at Boca Raton Community Hospital, Tali Israel stated that her father seemed 20 years younger, was making jokes and full of spirit and energy. According to Israel, he said, “I really have a good feeling about it.” She recalled his last words being, “Hey, I’m going into surgery looking good.”
Larry Glick died on March 26, 2009, following complications during a 10-hour open-heart surgery at the age of 87. In honor of his former colleague, former WBZ morning news anchor Gary LaPierre said to The Boston Globe, “His radio show just made him a legend in New England, no question about it.”
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