THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 14, 1995 TAG: 9509140064
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E2 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Larry Bonko
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
BOB MCKINNON, THE Norfolk Catholic graduate and alumnus of Old Dominion U. who directs ``The Today Show'' on NBC, says he was approached recently about working for David Letterman.
No surprise there.
McKinnon, who was sharp enough to direct Channel 3's newscasts when he was still in high school here, is one of the brightest and the busiest guys you'll find in a control room. When he's through for the day on ``Today,'' McKinnon travels crosstown in Manhattan to direct the syndicated Ricki Lake talk show.
Before all of this happened, he was director of ``Good Morning America.''
When Letterman's Emmy-award winning director, Hal Gurnee, retired recently, Letterman approached McKinnon about joining ``The Late Show'' on CBS. Both Letterman and McKinnon are represented by a high-powered agency called Creative Artists.
The offer was tempting, said McKinnon, who is in town to collect a distinguished alumnus award at a luncheon on the ODU campus scheduled for Friday. Trouble is, Letterman wanted McKinnon's services exclusively.
``He wanted me to be there all the time,'' McKinnon said. ``There'' means the Ed Sullivan Theater and Broadway offices where ``The Late Show'' originates. McKinnon is not willing to relinquish the freedom he has today.
Directing ``Today'' and ``The Late Show'' on the same day? That would be no problem, said McKinnon, who defines the word workaholic.
After a refreshing midday workout in a Manhattan gym, he's all juiced up to direct Lake's talk show. Lake tapes two shows at 4 and 6 p.m., three days a week.
Remember that this man starts his day at 4:30 a.m. to have ``Today'' up and running by 7.
He's been on that schedule for about eight years now. Bet he's used to it by now. Nope. ``You never get used to hearing the alarm go off that early.''
The other morning, while the usual business of delivering news and features was going on inside the ``Today'' studio, McKinnon had to make ready to take his cameras outside where The Temptations were serenading commuters. He handled the switch smoothly.
When McKinnon was still a kid and participating in Howard Mills' scholastic broadcasters seminars at WTAR (now WTKR), his drive and talent leaped out, Mills recalls. ``He was a prodigy,'' said Mills.
From directing the news, spelling bees and the old daytime talk show hosted by Dick Lamb on Channel 3, McKinnon moved on to direct the Miss USA and Miss Universe beauty pageants. Then ABC hired him for ``Good Morning America.''
The last man to be surprised by McKinnon's rise in television is Mills. ``If Bob put his mind to it, he could be president,'' said Mills. If he can direct 10 hours of live TV a week on NBC without a hitch, plus five or six hours with Lake and that zoo she calls a guest list, running the country should be a snap.
What's this guy make a year?
``You can bet it's over a million,'' said Mills. McKinnon changes the subject when his salary comes up. He says talent has its price, and lets it go at that.
He doesn't mind talking about the cast and crew on ``Today,'' however. Bryant Gumbel? Smart, said McKinnon. Real smart.
Katie Couric? A sweetheart. She's pregnant for a second time. What's that mean for director McKinnon?
``No tight shots below the waist,'' he said.
McKinnon is at the top of his profession - on top of the world - at the age of what? He won't say when he was born. But you folks out there who were his classmates at Norfolk Catholic can figure it out.
``Say I'm younger than Dick Lamb,'' suggest McKinnon. Lamb today does an early-morning show with WWDE-FM. Heck. Dirt is younger than Dick Lamb. by CNB