~ Malden Musings ~ The Life & Times of Jerry Nadler

By Peter Levine

From time to time, I’ve been known to scribble a few lines about one of the more popular Maldonians, my pal (and yours) Harvey Nadler. But here’s a little-known fun fact: Harvey had a big brother named Jerry — every bit as brilliant, maybe even more so (though, to be honest, not quite as good-looking — as Harvey will unabashedly let you know).

Jerry Nadler passed away this past March at 83 years young, and what a life he lived: from humble Malden roots to a BU degree and then a master’s from Harvard. How about that for a kid from our side of the tracks? Jerry spoke Russian, German and Yiddish like a champ, but the night I had the pleasure of sitting with him at a small side table at the I.A.C.C., he spoke the universal language of good conversation, just like us regulars.

That night, Jerry didn’t need a translator. He was warm, funny and wonderfully down-to-earth. We talked like old friends, two Maldonians swapping stories. Behind those calm eyes, though, was a man who had seen and done it all.

A U.S. Army vet during the Vietnam era, Jerry went on to write for the Record American and later served as bureau chief for the AP and UPI in Moscow, where he brushed shoulders with some guy named Mikhail Gorbachev. Later, stationed in Tel Aviv during Israel’s war in Lebanon, he cheated death when his car was blown up — literally —and somehow he lived to tell the tale. After that, it was stints in New York, D.C., Arkansas and probably a few spots only Jerry could point out on a globe. Through it all, he stayed the same: self-effacing, modest, wise and deeply connected to his Jewish heritage, which seemed to anchor him wherever life sent him.

Our conversation that evening covered his adventures to his reflections, touching on life, luck and the strange way time passes us by. I remember thinking how modest he was, how little he gave away about the extraordinary chapters he’d lived. You’d never guess, sitting across from him, the depth of the stories he carried.

When I think back on that night, I feel grateful — to Harvey, for introducing me to his remarkable big brother, and to Jerry, for sharing a small piece of his incredible journey with me. It was one of those fleeting moments that stays with you — a reminder of how extraordinary some ordinary-seeming lives truly are. May his memory be a blessing.

It is said in “Malden Musings”…

• On Tuesday, October 14, at 7:05 p.m., the “traffic light from hades” at Exchange & Main (where Jack in the Box once met Signor Pizza) was flashing red. After a brief pause I sailed right on through, which made me very, very happy. The last time I was that happy I was eating my sister Barbara’s chicken cutlets! Hint, hint!
• Hot diggity dog! The promotional flyer I received for Phat Thaiger at 166 Eastern Ave. shows a lounge area that I want to spend a considerable amount of time in all the while enjoying exotic drinks whose names I would have difficulty pronouncing! If I ever left my recliner again, that is. Modern, sleek, reeking of hipness — Avenue C it ain’t! LOL.
• Happy, happy joy, joy!! Driving up Route 1 on Monday, August 18, locked onto 90.3 WZBC out of Boston College to the show “Summertime Loving, Loving in the Summer (Time)” at about 5:30 along comes local cult classic “Land of the Glass Pinecones” by those crazy talented cats in Human Sexual Response. HSR were possibly Boston’s best of the “new wave” bands from the golden era of Boston rock and garage and should have/could have been huge. Upon breakup HSR morphed into the Zulus (amongst others), and the only Malden connection I got here is that Zulus bassist Rich Cortese lived on Adams Street for a short period, and on one San Rock weekend I picked his brain on all things HSR/Zulus — a conversation I will soon not forget.
• Michael Ardai, of Malden, formerly of Manhattan, New York, may his memory be a blessing.
• More names of skilled Malden hockey roughnecks from yesteryear: Ray Porter, Joey & Bobby DiMeco, Larry Scibelli and Kevin Halpern. The names keep rolling in; I’ll have a more comprehensive list soon with a little help from an old Watts Street pally, Jay O’Halloran.
• Speaking of rink rats of yesteryear, I saw hockey phenom Robby “Salem State Hall of Famer” Buckley a couple weeks back with his lovely wife Denise, and I must say, Rob, with all due respect, of course, Denise, you have not aged a day! A beauty from your Girl’s Catholic days on Highland Ave. right up until 2025!
• I haven’t forgotten you, John Bionelli, and your considerable hockey skills — who, I believe, still plays today at age 61! Holy cow! “Who loves ya, baby?!” said in my best Kojak voice.
• While on the subject of Malden hockey legends, I hear tell Presley Street’s Dennis “Two Doors Down” Murphy is back in town. Look up the word “legend” in the dictionary (do they make dictionary’s anymore?) and you will see Murph’s picture! Details to follow.
• Happy belated birthdays to Johnny “The Pride of Pearl Street” Molinari (10.22), Perry “Pearl’s Pride & Joy” Verge (10.22), and Lisa “The Love of Billy’s Life” Nolan (10.21).

All the platters that matter! Spinning on my Halloween turntable during October 2025…

• “Dracula’s Theme” — The Ghouls
• “Dracula Cha Cha” — Roberto Valli Trio
• “The Headless Horseman” — Kay Starr
• “Drac the Knife” — Gene Moss & Fred Rice
• “The Monster Bop” — Bert Convy
• “You Must Be A Witch” (Stereo Version) — The Lollipop Shoppe
• “Satan’s Theme” — The Rondels
• “Science Fiction/Double Feature” — Richard O’Brien
• “Horror Staccato” — Frankie Stein and His Ghouls
• “Haunted Guitar” — The Three Suns

In the “Boys of Summer via Linden on the Saugus Branch department,” I give to you… Norman Pashoian. Norm (M.H.S. 1975) could straight up shoot a basketball. Pash, along with his younger brother Mark, both played baseball for Bob Rosano’s Stars in the Malden Babe Ruth League, but for Norm, fame and fortune would be had on the basketball courts of Malden not the baseball diamonds.

From his home court at Linden Park to Amerige, where he would “snap a wire” and torch the Cioffi brothers, Norm’s gritty old school “in your face”–style defense and that soft half jumper/half set shot of his always made him a tough cover as well as one of the first picks during our cherished b-ball days at the old Y.M.C.A. Beloved by all, not only was Norm a hoopster but he was everybody’s bestie, and before there was Karaoke there was Norm and his signature tune — “My Way” (the Frank Sinatra version, of course) — sung loud and proud up Waitt’s Mount on those glorious Friday nights as a senior; very fond high school memories indeed.

Professionally, Norm went on to rack up an impressive 17 years with the Department of Defense (specifically, the Defense Security Service), where he held the rather intimidating title of Deputy Inspector General in Industrial Security. Now, according to reliable sources — and Norm’s résumé doesn’t lie — he was part of the professional staff at D.S.S. Headquarters, juggling high-level assignments in the International Security, F.O.C.I., and Special Access Programs Divisions. He even spent five years as a security inspector right here in the greater Boston area, making sure everything was tighter than Fort Knox.

What does all that actually mean? I haven’t the faintest clue — but it sure sounds like top-secret, big-league stuff.

As I mentioned earlier, Norm wasn’t the only Pashoian who held legendary status around these parts — his dad, the one and only Norman E. Pashoian, was an even bigger local celebrity (hard to believe, I know). “Norman the Doorman,” as he came to be known, was pure class in a crisp uniform — the Ritz-Carlton’s welcoming smile for an incredible 66 years until his passing in 2017 at age 85.

A proud 1946 Malden High grad, Norman served a stint in the U.S. Army before discovering his true calling: greeting Boston’s elite with that unmistakable charm. Over the years, he rubbed elbows (and likely traded a few laughs) with the likes of JFK, Jackie O, Frank Sinatra and Yul Brynner — not a bad guest list for a kid from Malden!

In 1950, fate came calling — or rather, left a note on his car. That’s how he met the love of his life, Claire LeVangie. Four years of dating later, they tied the knot in May 1954 and built a beautiful life together in Linden, raising four wonderful kids and sharing more than 50 years of marriage before Claire’s passing in 2005.

And let me tell you — the Pashoian clan are all individualists. Claire, the ultimate cheerleader for her boys; Lisa, the family’s beautiful and spirited sister; and the youngest, Dave — for the record, hands down the best basketball player in the family (can I get an amen from them that know?). True story!

It was a very pleasant surprise to see Norm at our 50th high school reunion this past September. He looked marvelous and made my imaginary 50th high school reunion all-star hoop team to boot. Bert Cioffi, Arthur Boyle, Mark Burns, Dave Angelo, Jackie Freker, Greg Phaneuf, Danny “Cha Cha” Lynch and Vance Ferratusco rounded out the squad (Rose Tomasello, you weren’t there or you would have made the team also). Actually, all looked marvelous. Thank you to the “Pash” family for making Malden a better place for almost a century now.

As Peter Falk’s iconic TV character Columbo would say, “Just one more thing, sir” — YouTube TV is much like a glorious time machine and is good for what ails ya to boot! You sit down on your recliner, Ballantine Ale at arm’s length, and suddenly you’re back in a world of black-and-white gangsters, Technicolor cowboys, and larger-than-life celluloid heroes. Being a hardcore Maldonian — this is the real thrill: If you look closely, you just might spot someone from Malden’s past sneaking into Hollywood history.

For example, the gangster masterpiece “Public Enemy” with Jimmy Cagney. Who’s standing tall in a blue uniform? None other than Malden’s own Robert Homans as Officer Pat Burke. Fast-forward to the swinging ’60s and the cult favorite “Good Times” with Sonny and Cher — yep, that’s Malden’s Richard “Sonny” Collier (who I’ve mentioned in the past) hustling onscreen as “The Peddler.”

Or how about the sweeping frontier epic “Drums Along the Mohawk”? Sure, it starred Henry Fonda and Claudette Colbert, but it was Malden’s very own Edna May Oliver who stole the show as the feisty Mrs. McKlennar.

Those who are fans of the weird and wacky, check out “Zombies on Broadway,” where horror icon Bela Lugosi shares the screen with former Liggett’s Drug Store employee turned Hollywood character actor Wally Brown — another Maldonian whose name appears in the credits more often than not. Speaking of Wally Brown, his role in “Death Valley Days” Season 7, Episode 14 — “A Piano Goes West” — was short but very sweet!

One last note of Maldonia importance goes out to the all but forgotten Anne Nagel. Credited with hundreds of small roles on the silver screen, one of her only TV appearances happens to be on 1957’s “Circus Boy” starring a (pre-Monkees, of course) 12-year-old Mickey Dolenz as Corky, Noah Beery, Jr. as Uncle Joey the Clown, and one of Errol Flynn’s besties Guinn “Big Boy” Williams. In Anne’s final professional appearance, she plays Louisa Cody — wife of Buffalo Bill Cody. Anne, “Malden Musings” will always remember you and salute your success!

Hollywood’s golden age had a little more Malden magic than most Maldonians ever realized. Watch them light up the screen, you’ll like them!

Postscript: The phone went one ringy-dingy last week and I immediately picked up. Who was on the other end, you ask? None other than old friend, the living Malden legend himself, M.H.S. Alumni Hall of Famer Michael Goldman. Yeah, I know I throw the word “legend” around quite a bit, but if you know anything about Michael Goldman, you know of what I speak. Well, anyway, M.G. shared some great news for my ears, and I will bring it to you soon. Please stay tuned and happy trails till next week.

—Peter is a longtime Malden resident and a regular contributor to The Malden Advocate. He can be reached at Pe*****@*ol.com for comments, compliments or criticisms.