Don McGowan sketch and profile by Lou Seligson in the Sunday Express

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Don McGowan sketch and profile by Lou Seligson in the Sunday Express

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Don McGowanAn old hand at wearing many hatsDOUBLE TAKEStory and drawingby Lou SeligsonI have a responsibility in some way to inform and I work best with personality profiles. I can direct it any way I want. Often I'll think maybe I went too highbrow and I'll say I have a responsibility to my viewers — to broaden their interest too. But, after all, we're still in this rating game so my tastes have to be wide and open.SELIGSONDon McGowan and CFCF-TV Channel 12 go together like Canadian maple syrup and pancakes. Rare is the day when you push the set button and don't see him on it somewhere, sometime.For 16 years Don McGowan has been spending the days and nights of his young life there, from one in the afternoon until midnight. And there he is several times a day telling you the weather, hosting a daily half hour of McGowan & Co., and elsewhere helping or hindering Mr. Chips, the woodmaker, and, finally, popping up at any time in numerous commercials.When he leaves after midnight and heads for his Pointe Claire home, he has put in a demanding 11 or 12 hours of work.He gets out of his new jeep, lets the cat into the house to feed her, has a glass of milk and then goes into the bedroom where his wife, Rosemary, is relaxing with a book.Well," he asks, "how was I today?They may discuss this until 2 a.m. when he finally uncorks for the day. McGowan just turned 40 in January and it seems he can hardly remember when his weekday routine was different.Don and his brother Ken are the sons of the late sportswriter Lloyd McGowan and Myrtle Cook, a past Olympic sprint champion and journalist, and much to their chagrin neither became athletes or writers. Don took radio and TV when he was 18 and never looked back.Now he is the father of Andrea, 14, and Donnie, 13, and steering a far different family course from his own childhood.My parents were always somewhere covering sports, another always running, writing and we never went away together as a family," he says. "That's why when the weekend comes we all go to the country or town — together — the kids are always with us and those days are very precious to me.It has forced Don to be an athlete at last. He used to fear the water and couldn't swim until he was 31.The kids swam so I had to," he says. "I took pills and valium and finally got into the water and learned to swim. Now I've finally learned how to ski, too.Begins at nineHis workday usually begins at nine, after six hours sleep. "Seems as I get older I need less sleep," he notes. Three mornings a week he plays squash at the Pointe Claire YMCA and returns home for lunch. "No butter, no eggs for me," he says.At one he is at CFCF on Ogilvy Ave. getting together with Dona Cockerton, his producer, and Zsolt Patakfalvy, handyman researcher. For the next four hours they talk, argue, create, snack, talk some more and finally set up the day's taping session of McGowan & Co. with incoming guests.After 3 p.m. Don McGowan becomes weatherconscious. He is the weatherman on Pulse at six and, later, on the 11 o'clock broadcast.I get a weather map every day and up-to-the-minute wire copy," he explains. "I call Dorval and get briefed nationally by the weather office and by the time I get on the air I've got things squared away.I get weirdo calls all the time. Dona usually takes over. She knows how to handle them. Anyway, I like to get in a bit of humor when I can to brighten things and never try to second-guess the weather reports even though sometimes I'd love to.By 7 p.m. Don gets hungry — and that presents a problem at CFCF.We rarely eat in the cafeteria anymore," he says. "It's bad — about to be banned, I hear. So I bring my lunch from home in a brown paper bag. We all do it.We sit there all eating out of brown paper bags," he laughs. "That's funny because our viewers think we've got class and eat at Ruby Foo's and joints like that.By 8 p.m. Don has his make-up on, the guests arrive and begin taping, finish around 10. Before he can react to the change he is on the go again getting ready for the 11 o'clock Pulse News, calling Dorval again and poring over the latest weather.Does commercials tooIn between all this he does commercials. Don is the voice and picture of The Bay on CFCF and freelancers others, including numerous benefit spots.impressive array of clothes, suits and sports jackets, and Don replenishes his wardrobe every couple of months. He picks out seven suits and changes them around to keep it in style.McGowan and Co. is a celebrity interview show — usually two per program — and Don has a definite view of what he is projecting.I'm aiming at a middlebrow audience," he says. "That's me. It usually reflects my own tastes. I feel that if I like it my viewers will, too.He takes his own straw poll on that. "I get letters and calls and I do get feedback from people all the time. Like when I shop at Steinberg's people come up and don't hesitate to let me know what they think.I look for broad human interest, enlightenment, and a modicum of entertainment. A lot of what comes out of that half hour is my own interest.Dominating guestsDon sometimes gets an overpowering guest whose personality is hard to handle and can feel the program being dominated and running loose.I don't care," he says, shrugging. "Actually, if a guy dominates I'm delighted. It's my program and when the guest leaves I'll be there tomorrow.Red Storey is an example. "Red can dominate any show," Don says. "He answers a question and then takes over with anecdotes one after the other. That guy can dominate any room. I don't mind — I'm there next day — he isn't. But sometimes it's frustrating.McGowan is tough on guests he knows well. "Like George Springate or Mackasey — I like them, but I expect more from them and so I'll needle them," he admits. "Mackasey will say something and I'll say, oh, come on, Bryce, you don't expect me to believe that.He is rarely awed by his guests though he recalls getting a 'natural high' interviewing someone like Gordon Jackson, the butler in 'Upstairs, Downstairs'.I have an aversion to freeloaders," he says. "I've had many offers from people to plug or represent them, some under the table above commercial fees. But I say no go. My credibility is important and cannot afford to be questioned.Read automatically; may contain mistakes.

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