Editing Norm Abram

{{short description|American carpenter and television personality (born 1949)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name          = Norm Abram
| image         = Norm Abram.jpg
| caption       = Abram in 2019
| birth_date    = {{birth date and age|1949|10|3}}
| birth_place   = {{nowrap|[[Woonsocket, Rhode Island]], U.S.}}
| occupation    = {{hlist|Master carpenter|television host|writer}}
| website       = {{URL|https://www.newyankee.com/}}
| spouse        = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Laura Cone|<!-- unknown -->|1996|end=div}}
* {{marriage|Elise Hauenstein|September 1999}}
}}
| children      = 
|signature = Norm Abram signature.svg
}}

'''Norm Abram''' (born October 3, 1949)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wgbh.org/foundation/digital-mural/2022-10-03/monday-october-3 |title=Monday, October 3  |author=<!-- Not stated --> |date=2022-10-03 |website=[[WGBH Educational Foundation|WGBH]] |access-date=2023-11-06 |quote=Norm Abram...turns 73 on October 3...}}</ref> is an American carpenter, writer, and television host best known for his work on the [[PBS]] television programs ''[[This Old House]]'' and ''[[The New Yankee Workshop]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Bowker |first=Brittany |date=2022-05-26 |title='This Old House' star Norm Abram to hang up his tool belt after more than 40 years on television |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/05/26/arts/this-old-house-star-norm-abram-hang-up-his-toolbelt-after-more-than-40-years-television/ |work=[[The Boston Globe]] |access-date=2023-06-28}}</ref>  He is a Master carpenter and has published several books and articles about the craft.

==Early life and education==
Abram was born in [[Woonsocket, Rhode Island]],<ref name="Smith">{{cite web |url = http://www.projo.com/projohomes/onthego/norm.htm |title = Building a reputation: TV woodworking guru Norm Abram visits R.I. for a This Old House segment |work = [[The Providence Journal]] |author = Smith, Andy |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110622073832/http://www.projo.com/projohomes/onthego/norm.htm |archive-date = June 22, 2011 |url-status = dead }}</ref> and raised in [[Milford, Massachusetts]], where he attended high school.<ref name="Boesel">{{cite magazine |last1 = Boesel |first1 = Jim |title = Norm Abram: Carpenter Turned Furnituremaker |url = https://www.finewoodworking.com/1993/04/01/norm-abram-carpenter-turned-furnituremaker |magazine = [[Fine Woodworking]] |url-access = subscription |access-date = June 27, 2021 |pages = 46–51 |date = April 1, 1993 }}</ref><ref name="Boesel-print">{{cite magazine |last = Boesel |first = Jim |date = March–April 1993 |title = Norm Abram: Carpenter Turned Furnituremaker |magazine = Fine Woodworking |volume = 99 |pages = 46–51 }}</ref><ref name="TOH-Bio">{{cite web |title = Norm Abram |url = https://www.thisoldhouse.com/21071269/norm-abram |website = This Old House |access-date = June 27, 2021 |language = en |date = January 17, 2020 }}</ref> His father was a carpenter, who taught his son many of his practical skills.<ref name="Wolfe">{{cite web |last1 = Wolfe |first1 = Leslie |title = Hands-on kind of guy |url = https://www.umass.edu/umassmag/archives/1998/spring_98/spg98_f_norm.html |website = UMass Magazine |publisher = University of Massachusetts |access-date = June 26, 2021 |date = 1998 }}</ref> Norm first worked on a client's site at the age of 9, helping his father install hardwood floors.<ref name="Pratt">{{cite web |last1 = Pratt |first1 = Mark |title = He's got it nailed |url = https://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20080107/NEWS/301079879 |website = Milford Daily News |access-date = June 26, 2021 |language = en |date = January 7, 2008 }}</ref> He worked with his father during summer vacations in high school and college.<ref name="Pratt"/>

Abram initially studied [[mechanical engineering]] at the [[University of Massachusetts Amherst]],<ref name="TOH-Bio"/><ref name="Wolfe"/><ref name="Doten"/> where he became a brother of the [[Pi Lambda Phi]] fraternity.<ref name="Wolfe"/> He found theoretical engineering courses to be uninteresting,<ref name="Wolfe"/><ref name="Doten"/> and switched to studying [[business administration]].<ref name="TOH-Bio"/><ref name="Doten"/> He realized that he enjoyed practical hands-on work, and left UMass just short of finishing a degree.<ref name="Wolfe"/><ref name="Doten"/>

==Career==

===Early career===
After leaving college, Abram worked for three years for a multimillion-dollar New England–based construction firm,<ref name="TOH-Bio"/> and was rapidly promoted to a position as a site supervisor.<ref name="Wolfe"/>  In 1976, Abram went into business for himself, founding the general contracting firm Integrated Structures Inc. and operating it until 1989.<ref name="TOH-Bio"/> His first major independent project was building a general store on [[Nantucket]].<ref name="Wolfe"/>

===''This Old House''===
[[File:Norm Abram and The New Yankee Workshop tries out a tool used in space while wearing gloves that are part of the spacewalking suits.jpg|thumb|Norm Abram recording an episode of ''This Old House'' at [[Kennedy Space Center]], 2000]]
In 1979, Norm Abram took a construction job building a small barn/garage/toolshed/workshop in the backyard of television producer [[Russell Morash]],<ref name="Natt">{{cite web |last1 = Natt |first1 = Amy |title = Carolina Conversations With This Old House Master Carpenter Norm Abram |url = https://agingoutreachservices.com/life/carolina-conversations/carolina-conversations-with-this-old-house-master-carpenter-norm-abram/ |website = Aging Outreach Services |access-date = June 21, 2021 |date = May 24, 2017 }}</ref> who had produced [[Julia Child]]'s popular cooking program ''[[The French Chef]]'' for [[WGBH-TV]] in Boston. Impressed by Abram's small scrap pile<ref name="TOH-Bio"/> and efficient work habits, Morash invited Abram to help with the renovation of a rundown [[Victorian house]] in [[Dorchester, Boston|Dorchester]]. A WGBH camera crew recorded the process for the first ''[[This Old House]]'' project, hosted by [[Bob Vila]]. Morash then asked Abram to appear as a regular on ''This Old House'', and Abram became a fixture on the show.

On May 19, 2022, it was announced that after 43 years, Abram would retire from the show. A one-hour special titled ''The House that Norm Built'' aired online and on PBS stations on October 3, 2022, surveying his career with the program.<ref>{{cite news |first = Ross |last = Cristantiello |date = May 24, 2022 |url = https://www.boston.com/news/tv/2022/05/24/this-old-house-norm-abram-retire/#:~:text=Norm%20Abram%2C%20master%20carpenter%20for,will%20air%20on%20Monday%2C%20Oct. |title = 'This Old House' legend Norm Abram set to retire |work = [[Boston.com]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.thisoldhouse.com/23126199/this-old-house-to-air-tribute-special-to-master-carpenter-and-television-trailblazer-norm-abram |title = This Old House® To Air Tribute Special to Master Carpenter and Television Trailblazer, Norm Abram |date = May 19, 2022 |website = This Old House |access-date = September 7, 2022 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220705184054/https://www.thisoldhouse.com/23126199/this-old-house-to-air-tribute-special-to-master-carpenter-and-television-trailblazer-norm-abram/ |archive-date = July 5, 2022 |url-status = live }}</ref>
[[File:Deputy Secretary Roy Bernardi, (center, with master carpenter Norm Abram, left, and host Kevin O'Connor, right, from the) public television show, This Old House, (at renovation site - DPLA - ab09d753027079848e33a729a5d3c0f2.jpg|thumb|Norm Abram (left), with [[United States Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development|HUD Deputy Secretary]] [[Roy Bernardi]] (center), and ''This Old House'' host [[Kevin O'Connor (TV personality)|Kevin O'Connor]] (right), at a renovation site in 2006]]

===''The New Yankee Workshop''===
In 1988, Morash planned to launch a spinoff of ''This Old House'' called ''[[The New Yankee Workshop]]'', featuring Abram. They needed a convenient place to videotape, and used the shop in the small building that Abram built in 1979 in Morash's backyard.<ref name="Natt"/> The shop's layout and equipment were expanded and adapted to match Abram's preferences, in a space measuring {{convert|36|by|26|ft}}.<ref name="Harder">{{cite web |last1 = Harder |first1 = Nick |title = The House Norm Built: Viewers of His Hit Show Have Come to Trust the Steady Presence of Master Carpenter Norm Abram |url = https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1992-02-21-9201090926-story.html |website = South Florida Sun-Sentinel |access-date = June 26, 2021 |date = February 21, 1992 }}</ref><ref name="Rice">{{cite web |last1 = Rice |first1 = Marjorie |title = Norm Abram does it himself |url = https://www.sfgate.com/style/article/Norm-Abram-does-it-himself-3206239.php |website = [[SFGATE]] |access-date = June 26, 2021 |date = March 19, 1998 }}</ref> ''The New Yankee Workshop'' was first aired in 1989 with Abram as the host.<ref name="Boesel"/> The program showcased furniture or other projects and emphasized classic, elegant designs, made using a combination of simple handtools and newer power tools and equipment.<ref name="Boesel"/> The show aired for 21 seasons on PBS, then was suspended indefinitely as Abram decided to focus on other projects.<ref name="Natt"/><ref name="Eide">{{cite magazine |last1 = Eide |first1 = Gina |title = New Yankee Workshop Ends, a New Show Begins |url = https://www.finewoodworking.com/2009/10/17/new-yankee-workshop-series-ends |magazine = Fine Woodworking |access-date = June 27, 2021 |date = October 16, 2009 }}</ref><ref name="Kolle"/>

===Other projects===
Abram is on the board of trustees of [[Old Sturbridge Village]] in [[Sturbridge, Massachusetts]].<ref name="TOH-Bio"/> He delivered the 2001 [[graduation|commencement]] speech at the [[North Bennet Street School]] in Boston, which is renowned for its commitment to teaching craftsmanship.<ref name="TOH-Bio"/> He has also contributed to efforts to train younger students in the building trades, such as the Generation NEXT [[apprenticeship]] program.<ref name="Natt"/>

Abram also voiced himself in the ''[[Freakazoid!]]'' episode "Normadeus",<ref name="Smith"/> where he was kidnapped by the villainous Lobe and forced to make a special wooden weapon for him. He also appeared on ''[[Between the Lions]]'' and twice on ''[[Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? (game show)|Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?]]''; and starred in a series of [[Foot Locker]] commercials titled "House of Hoops". Abram appeared on ''[[Fetch! With Ruff Ruffman]]'' in the episode "This Old... Lemonade Stand". He also appeared in the 2010 ''[[Ace of Cakes]]'' episode "Indy, Ice and Improv".

==Presentation style==
Norm Abram is well known for his soft spoken, calm manner of explaining precise, efficient woodworking techniques. He is usually seen wearing a plaid shirt, a style that has become his trademark.<ref name="Wood">{{cite web |last1 = Wood |first1 = Kate |title = The Tartans of Norm |url = https://www.thisoldhouse.com/this-old-house/21019361/the-tartans-of-norm |website = This Old House |access-date = June 26, 2021 |language = en |date = August 26, 2019 }}</ref><ref name="Carter">{{cite web |last1 = Carter |first1 = Maria |title = 'This Old House' Launched Home Improvement Television As We Know It |url = https://www.countryliving.com/remodeling-renovation/g5158/this-old-house/ |website = Country Living |publisher = Hearst |access-date = June 26, 2021 |date = January 23, 2018 }}</ref><ref name="Natt"/> He begins his shows with a reminder about personal safety, specifically highlighting the importance of wearing safety glasses.<ref name="IMDB-Bio"/>

Abram emphasizes the importance of focusing attention when performing dangerous operations, such as cutting with a power saw. He avoids working when rushed, tired, distracted, or after drinking even small amounts of alcohol. He advises against misusing tools or failing to sharpen them properly. He is not afraid to talk to himself in the shop, reviewing carefully the next steps before he undertakes them.<ref name="Kolle">{{cite magazine |last1 = Kolle |first1 = Jefferson |title = Norm Abram: Life After 'New Yankee' |url = https://www.popularwoodworking.com/interviews/norm-abram-life-after-new-yankee/ |magazine = Popular Woodworking Magazine |accessdate = June 26, 2021 |date = May 29, 2020 }}</ref>

==Awards and recognition==
The [[American Academy of Ophthalmology]] awarded Norm Abram its EyeSmart Distinguished Service Award on April 23, 2009. The award was presented for "his steadfast commitment to safety and the prevention of eye injuries".<ref>{{cite press release |url = http://www.aao.org/newsroom/release/20090423.cfm |title = American Academy of Ophthalmology Honors PBS Master Carpenter Norm Abram for His Commitment to Eye Safety |date = May 19, 2011 |publisher = American Academy of Ophthalmology |access-date = May 20, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110212225929/http://www.aao.org/newsroom/release/20090423.cfm |archive-date = February 12, 2011 |url-status = dead  }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author = christinacuras |date = April 24, 2009 |url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqdraj9wvto |archive-url = https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/jqdraj9wvto |archive-date = December 12, 2021 |url-status = live |title = Video of the AAO Eyesmart Distinguished Service Award Ceremony |via = [[YouTube]] }}{{cbignore}}</ref>

In 2018, Abram was selected for the [[Ken Burns]] Lifetime Achievement Award by the filmmaker who, with [[Old Sturbridge Village]], gives the award to "individual[s] who [have] made a significant impact on the arts through a project that is relevant to the history Old Sturbridge Village works to preserve".<ref>{{cite news |work = Telegram & Gazette |location = Worcester, Massachusetts |url = https://www.telegram.com/news/20180115/norm-abram-to-receive-ken-burns-lifetime-achievement-award |title = Norm Abram to receive Ken Burns Lifetime Achievement Award |date = January 16, 2018 |access-date = July 4, 2018 }}</ref>

On June 18, the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences honored Norm along with “This Old House” with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 49th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards.

==Personal life==
Norm Abram has lived with his wife, Elise (a skilled potter),<ref name="Kolle"/> in a custom modified classic two story Colonial, timber framed home that he built in [[Carlisle, Massachusetts]], with the assistance of his father and other professionals.<ref name="WSJ">{{cite web |title = Norm Abram on His Newish Old House |url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324188604578543703281778658 |website = The Wall Street Journal |access-date = June 26, 2021 |date = June 21, 2013 }}</ref> He wrote his book ''Norm Abram's New House'' (1995) based on his experiences planning and building the house.<ref name="Rhodes">{{cite web |last1 = Rhodes |first1 = Elizabeth |title = This New House: TV Host Norm Abram Moves From Renovating Old Houses To Building His From Scratch |url = https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19950611&slug=2125884 |website = The Seattle Times |accessdate = June 26, 2021 |date = June 11, 1995 }}</ref>

More recently, he bought a new old house in Rhode Island near the coast, where he plans to build a new woodworking shop, and he is also interested in learning [[shipbuilding]].<ref name="Kolle"/><ref name="WSJ"/>

His fondness for plaid shirts is well-known and at times parodied,<ref name="Boesel"/><ref name="TOH-Bio"/> a prime example being the character Al Borland from ''[[Home Improvement (TV series)|Home Improvement]]'', portrayed by [[Richard Karn]].

Abram and his wife enjoy cooking and entertaining, visiting museums and art galleries, boating, kayaking, and fishing.<ref name="TOH-Bio"/>

Abram was previously married to Laura Cone (divorced in 1996),<ref name="IMDB-Bio">{{cite web |title = Norm Abram Biography |url = https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0009092/bio |website = IMDB }}</ref><ref name="Doten">{{cite web |last1 = Doten |first1 = Patti |title = Norm Abram seeks to nail down more free time |url = https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1998/04/25/norm-abram-seeks-to-nail-down-more-free-time/ |website = Tampa Bay Times |access-date = June 26, 2021 |language = en |date = September 13, 2005 }}</ref> with whom he has a daughter, Lindsey.<ref name="Rhodes"/><ref name="Doten"/>

==Books and other publications==
Norm Abram has authored eight books about carpentry:
*{{cite book |title = The New Yankee Workshop |date = 1989 |isbn = 9780316004534 |last1 = Abram |first1 = Norm |last2 = Snyder |first2 = Tim }}
*{{cite book |title = Classics From The New Yankee Workshop |date = 1990 |isbn = 9780316004565 |last1 = Abram |first1 = Norm |last2 = Snyder |first2 = Tim }}
*{{cite book |title = Mostly Shaker From The New Yankee Workshop |date = 1992 |isbn = 9780316004732 |last1 = Abram |first1 = Norm |last2 = Sloan |first2 = David }}
*{{cite book |title = The New Yankee Workshop: Outdoor Projects |date = 1994 |isbn = 9780316004855 |last1 = Abram |first1 = Norm |last2 = Walker |first2 = Roland }}
*{{cite book |title = Norm Abram's New House |date = 1995 |isbn = 9780316004107 |last1 = Abram |first1 = Norm }}
*{{cite book |title = Measure Twice, Cut Once |date = 1996 |isbn = 9780316004947 |last1 = Abram |first1 = Norm }}
*{{cite book |title = The New Yankee Workshop Kids' Stuff |date = 1998 |isbn = 9780316004930 |last1 = Abram |first1 = Norm }}
*{{cite book |title = Ask Norm |date = 2001 |isbn = 9781929049356 |last1 = Abram |first1 = Norm }}

He has also contributed to {{cite book |title = Complete Remodeling |isbn = 9780376003003 }} and {{cite book |title = Complete Landscaping |isbn = 9780376003027 }}, both published in 2004 by This Old House Books in conjunction with [[Sunset Books]]. Abram also serves on the editorial board of ''This Old House'' magazine, published by This Old House Ventures, Inc., also authoring the popular column, "Norm's Notebook".<ref name="TOH-Bio"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{external media | width = 210px | float = right | headerimage=
| audio1 = [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kVhX3Xzp6w Ep. 28: Norm Abram], Clever Podcast, January 7, 2018<br />Guest on podcast; discusses his upbringing and early interest in woodworking.}}
{{Library resources box|by=yes|about=no|onlinebooks=no|onlinebooksby=no}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160616155011/http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/biography/0,,420027,00.html Biography at ''This Old House'']
* {{IMDb name|id=0009092|name=Norm Abram}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abram, Norm}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1949 births]]
[[Category:American carpenters]]
[[Category:American television personalities]]
[[Category:PBS people]]
[[Category:People from Carlisle, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:People from Milford, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:People from Woonsocket, Rhode Island]]
[[Category:University of Massachusetts Amherst alumni]]
[[Category:This Old House]]