The House that Norm Built: A Special Tribute to Norm Abram, Master Carpenter and TV Trailblazer

• Christina Zeiders
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  Christina Zeiders is the Communications Specialist at WITF. She helps get the word out about all of WITF's programs, events and community conversations.

After more than 4 decades, This Old House master carpenter and pioneer of the home improvement television genre, Norm Abram, is leaving the show and hanging up his toolbelt. He’ll be sent off with style, though, with a special one-hour tribute – The House That Norm Built – premiering on Monday, October 3 at 9pm on WITF TV or the PBS Video app livestream.

The special recounts 43 years of Norm’s career – featuring classic moments, archived footage, interviews, and memories from celebrities, friends, and those who have worked alongside him.

Norm has appeared in over 1000 episodes of This Old House and has worked on more than 50 home renovation projects.

A humble man with a trademarked plaid shirt, he’s become the ultimate authority in home improvement through his uncompromising craftsmanship – and stints on morning shows, countless impersonations on popular sitcoms and bits on late-night TV, and nationally syndicated cartoons.

“Norm is a living legend that helped create the home improvement television genre and entire networks are now in existence because of the trusted expertise to generations of homeowners that he provided,” said Dan Suratt, Vice President of This Old House, Roku. “‘Measure twice, cut once’ is a familiar slogan to anyone who knows Norm – it will be hard for anyone to measure up to Norm. We’re honored to have had him as part of our family.”

Norm’s journey all started on Christmas Eve in 1958 as he went with his father, a Boston carpenter, on a job installing hardwood floors. The installation was done the old-fashioned way – with cut nails and a skill saw turned upside down on a milk crate. That first job led to many weekends and summer breaks spent with his dad learning the discipline of methodical pace and common sense.

20 years later, Norm was “discovered” by creator Russell Morash, who had commissioned him to build a barn. So impressed with his work, he invited the carpenter to help renovate a house in Boston’s historic Dorchester section – with a WGBH camera crew recording the process for a series.

It was an instant success and Norm catapulted into home improvement guru status. He has served as Master Carpenter for This Old House since the series premiered in 1979.

Watch The House That Norm Built Monday, October 3 at 9pm on WITF TV or the PBS Video app livestream. You can also stream it on The Roku Channel.