Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1962)

Advertisement OUR RESPECTS to Daren F. McGavren, president, Daren F. McGavren Co. "...where the fighting looks the thickest." Daren F. McGavren, Scotch-Irish in name, but more Irish in philosophy and temperament, is one of those people who does many things well. Those who remember him as a vocalist with Stan Kenton say he sings with fervor and meaning. Those who remember him as a track star at the University of the Pacific say he ran with stamina and guts. Those who have seen him in the broadcasting marketplace say he sells with dynamic excitement. But tempered by generations of California sunshine and 12 years in time sales, the McGavren "Irish" is a mixture of West Coast informality and Madison Avenue sophistication. "McGavren sells," a client station owner said, "because he mixes eloquence with humility; incisiveness with the subtle touch of blarney." With red hair — although no one calls him "Red" — and a mien of youth and innocence— no one calls him "kid" either — McGavren has always fought a little harder to get what he wants, and for what he thinks is right. In 1942, McGavren fought for a slot as a band singer with Kenton. He was young and looked even younger but he got the job. After winning that fight, McGavren found a bigger one — the war, and spent the next three years in the Air Force. When he returned from war, McGavren, who had attended the University of the Pacific in pre-service days, wanted to return to school. But now he had a wife — the former Jean Parker of Columbus, Ohio — and two children. His will, however, was greater than his finances, so McGavren competed for a Mr. McGavren BROADCASTING, December 10, 1962 field and track scholarship and won. This, plus a dance band which he organized, provided the means to finish his education. He even found enough time to become president of the student body. Leaving the University, he went to work for KXOB (now KJOY) in Stockton as a local salesman. Within two years he was national sales manager of KXOA Sacramento, KXOB and KXOC Chico. A short time later, he became general manager of Western Radio Sales and McGavren found his niche and something even more important to battle for. After a series of rapid expansions, the company became a national radio representative called The Daren F. McGavren Company. McGavren has an explanation for the company's meteoric success. "It was simply a matter of applying local techniques to the national field. Sales locally are a question of beating out the other stations in the market. Some national salesmen have a tendency to forget about competition and sell almost in a vacuum. At our company we know every station in our markets— their strengths and weaknesses. We never forget the nature of the "enemy." Another tenet of his company's philosophy is that there is a wide gap between quantity and quality. "There is only one measure of a rep firm — gross billing." "The number of stations means nothing if they spread you so thin that you can't properly service any of them. Here we limit our clients to those stations we can help and at the same time help us." Another reason attributed by McGavren to his company's rapid growth is sound planning. "Radio representation is a highly competitive field requiring all of our best efforts. We've had opportunities to acquire television clients, but we felt we weren't ready." McGavren said that his company will enter tv in due time. "When that time comes, we hope to develop the medium on the same sound basis as we did with radio." But with recognition coming at him from many directions — he recently won a "Silver Mike" award — McGavren has one immediate business objective. "I would like," he says, "to represent a top radio station in each leading market in the country." His future ambitions depend upon where the fighting looks the thickest and the chances of success least appetizing. Daren McGavren, Darren McGavin, Bobby Darin; The evolution of a name in three parts Several years ago, Daren F. McGavren was asked by a collector of Internal Revenue why he had never reported his earnings as a dramatic actor. "That's easy," said McGavren. I have no earnings as a dramatic actor." "Oh come, now," said the agent. "I've seen you on television." "That wasn't me," the rep president replied. "That was Darrin McGavin." "I see," said the agent as he reached for a tranquilizer. This confusion has been part of McGavren's life since 1948 when a drama student at the University of the Pacific liked the appellation of his classmate so well that he assumed it as his professional name. The actor, whose original name was Bill Richardson, was in a drama class with McGavren at the university. McGavren was taking the course as a prerequisite for his speech major. Since that time, however, still another, "Darin" has come into the national spotlight. He is Bobby Darin, the singer, who admits he took his name from Darren McGavin, the actor, who took his name from. . . . "I really wish he hadn't of done it," says the original McGavren. "It can sometimes be really inconvenient. My mother had no idea when she picked the old Irish name of Daren that she was starting a show business dynasty." 89