Tom Magliozzi Of ‘Car Talk’ Dies At Age 77

The laughing brother of Click and Clack the Tappet Brothers, better known as Car Talk on NPR, has died at aged 77. Tom Magliozzi passed away today from complications from Alzheimer’s disease, one of the reasons the two brothers retired from the NPR show in 2012.

The brothers, Ray and Tom Magliozzi, starred weekly on National Public Radio with the Car Talk show for nearly 30 years. Both were “regular car guys” and mechanics on the air, but were far more both in reality and to their fans. Ray, who is 12 years younger than his brother, nevertheless had a close relationship with Tom Magliozzi from childhood through decades as partners in business. The brothers’ show ran from 1987 to 2012 and even now, in re-runs, it is one of the most highly rated shows on NPR.

NPR’s Susan Stanberg remembers Tom Magliozzi fondly. She was co-host with the brothers in the early years when they first appeared nationally on Weekend Edition Sunday. At the time, the Click and Clack were only being aired in Boston on WBUR. She says that Tom decided she was “OK” after learning that she drove a 1974 Dodge Dart, one of Magliozzi’s favorite cars.

“Funny and smart and bighearted, Tom was as warm in real life as he was on the radio.”

The elder of the two brothers, Tom Magliozzi was also the one who got the Car Talk show going. According to USA Today, the brothers grew up in East Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Tom was the first one in his family to attend college, at MIT. His brother, Ray Magliozzi, would follow, also attending MIT.

The brothers eventually started a do-it-yourself garage (“Hacker’s Haven”) and then a regular mechanic’s garage (known famously as the “Good News Garage”). There, Ray was invited to be on a local radio show for a roundtable interview with local mechanics. He famously says he thought it was dumb, so he passed it on to Tom. It turned out, Tom Magliozzi was the only mechanic to show up for the radio show and was an instant hit. The brothers began their local show in Boston shortly thereafter.

Tom Magliozzi himself was far more than met the eye. He earned a degree from the MIT Sloan School of Management, says Wikipedia, and worked for Sylvania and others while earning an MBA from Northeastern University. He taught part-time at several small universities and quit his day job to “become a bum,” as he described it during his 1999 commencement address at MIT. He was actually working as a part-time consultant in technology and a college professor while earning a doctorate in marketing.

Tom Magliozzi is best remembered for his laughter and infectious good nature as he entertained millions through the Car Talk radio show with his brother Ray.