Love, Dan

Biography

Marvin D. “Dan” Love (1929-2017) was an alumnus and a lecturer in the university’s Department of Communication Studies. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts with a minor in broadcasting from the University of Texas at Austin in 1952 and began his career while still a college student, working at KTBC radio as the Voice of Austin. He caught the attention of station owner Lyndon Baines Johnson, who brought him along as the first evening newscaster for the premier television outlet in Austin, KTBC channel 7.

In 1989 Love returned to school and in 1995 he earned a master’s degree in Communications from Texas State University at the age of 65. He taught at Texas State where the student body bestowed upon him the Golden Apple (Teacher of the Year) award on numerous occasions. He retired from teaching at the age of 83.

LBJ100 Oral History Project

Dan Love talks about experiences seeing both Lyndon and Lady Bird Johnson at KTBC-TV over the years and noted how Lyndon left the day-to-day operations up to J.C. Kellam, the general manager. He shares stories about being invited to the ranch with other station employees and seeing the difference between the “off-duty” Lyndon and politician Johnson. He also details how their relationship changed when Love went to work for the competition and how former president Johnson signaled his acceptance of that change during a day of deer hunting. The stories Love shares are full of details and insight about the Johnsons.