ABC13 announced on July 5, 2007, that Marvin was diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer that had also spread to his liver. The effort that goes into the total Zindler look includes a small makeup table in a closet. He is not particularly interested in obtaining a glossy string of convictions. Here's one of Marvin Zindler's famous 'rat and roach' reports, from March of 1982.https://abc13.com/ 3 birth records, View The consumer problems probably havent changed much here since we started up. Texas-bred director Richard. A man who carries a pistol and handcuffs to address a Sunday afternoon meeting of old folks at the Jewish Community Center. It stays at home in a drawer while he carries a smaller, 9 mm gun. Zindler, after several members complained to him, initiated an investigation of Tussey, a success-motivation organization which offered seminars and lectures on self-confidence. This division is still in operation today. [20] Zindler stated that he planned to stay on the air as his illness was treated, even doing restaurant reports and greetings from his bedside. Well, the visitor asks, why cant she buy some clothes? He would ask a man who had been in a wreck, Does it hurt? He was interred at Woodlawn Cemetery, Houston, Texas. He was known for cheerfully stumbling over words, rendering Voil! as Viola!, There was nothing comical about his reporting, whether riding with trash collectors to highlight the difficulties of their work, traveling overseas to arrange medical care for stricken children or visiting relief recipients to show the misery of their lives. Also surviving is his second wife, the former Niki Devine. ABC 13 reporter Marvin Zindler plays his organ at his home on May 11, 2006, in Houston. The archive isn't displayed, but is available to the public by scheduling an appointment with the UH Libraries Special Collections department. Mr. Zindler was an early consumer advocate and action reporter, campaigning against scams, medical abuses and unsanitary food conditions. They sit on an old wooden bench, perhaps discarded from a courtroom or church sanctuary, grumbling, sharing stories of what they consider to be wrongdoing at the hands of the commercial sector. To relieve the heat, bus riders must open windows. [citation needed], Two years before joining KTRK-TV, Zindler was assigned by the Sheriff and District Attorney to establish a Consumer Fraud Division with the Harris County District Attorney's Office. Then, with lights glaring and microphones in front of him, Zindler and the stores lawyer, looking slightly embarrassed and confused, made their announcements. He shares with the Federal Trade Commission a passion for bringing honesty to advertising, expecially where large, established businesses are concerned. Where was Marvin born and where did he live? He filed consumer reports from his hospital bed until days before his death. Marvin Zindler, Consumer Lawman A stylish, self-proclaimed public protector battles deception in business and poor taste in fashion. The average age of Such capers have earned Zindler criticism from some unlikely sources, including the Better Business Bureau of Metropolitan Houston and other lawmen. brother. The rally, sponsored by several gay and womens rights groups, began about 8 pm in the parking lot of The Depository, a bar at 401 McGowen and Bagby. As two TV cameramen scurried to set up their lights, and two newspaper reporters lounged against the walls, Zindler moved a bemused complainant to another chair so the man wouldnt be in the picture. All three have their archives stored and maintained at the University of Houston Libraries Special Collections. If you'd like to sign up now, fill out the form below and we will add you as soon as we finish the transition. At Pino's, the kitchen floors are not only scrubbed, but . Marvin Zindler was a legend on and off camera. Learn how and when to remove this template message, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. He searches both Houston papers daily for deceptive ads, and can pick them out easily because I wrote more phony ads than any of those people when I was in the clothing business., Just because a man wears a suit and tie and has a store doesnt make him different from anyone else in the eyes of the law, Zindler says. Houston is in for dust and gray skies as Texas haboob arrives, Oops! June 22, 1977: Picketers at an adult bookstore across the street from Spring Branch Elementary School, 1700 Campbell, seek signatures for Spring Branch Oaks Civic Association petitions seeking new laws and enforcement of existing laws to rid them of this and other sexually-oriented businesses (SOBs). Before the first of the year, there was common speculation that Jack Heard, the incoming Harris County sheriff, would keep the consumer fraud division but move Zindler to a less visible position in the sheriffs operation. Resources like these are made possible by the generosity of our community of donors, foundations, and corporate partners. Texas-bred director Richard Linklater recently remarked that he would like to make a movie about Houston in the 1970s, which was a hotbed of activity in many ways. He scored what he considers to be one of his major consumer victories against Tussey & Associates Success Clubs, Inc., after Harris County District Attorney Carol Vance and Houston Police Chief Herman Short said they could find nothing illegal in the clubs operation. [3] Two years later, Zindler joined the Scripps Howard Houston Press to work part-time as a crime reporter and photographer. Linda was preceded in death by her parents Johnathan and Dorothy McFadden; her husbands parents, Gertrude and Marvin Zindler, Sr.; and her two brothers, David and Charles McFadden. Brother: Abe Zindler, Jr. Both are equally important in his work. (He says he had the plastic surgery because he looked too Jewish. If we get a bunch of convictions, that means were not successful, were not able to work out the problems between the merchant and the customer. In 1973, at the age of 51, Mr. Zindler began his career at KTRK. A native Houstonian, Marvin was born on the 10th of August 1921 to the late Abe and Udith Mayer Zindler. And they flock to him with continual tales of outrage, despair and woe: complainants in business suits from downtown office buildings, housewives in curlers and slippers, blacks and chicanos in worn garb. Help paint a picture of Marvin so that he is always remembered. Aug. 2, 2007 HOUSTON, July 30 Marvin Zindler, an antic and a populist television crusader here who became known nationally when he had "the best little whorehouse in Texas" closed on. You can damn sure bet hes got the attention of car repairmen now, was a common reaction to the outcome of the case, which is on appeal. Do you have a favorite Marvin Zindler memory? March 30, 1977: The Auditorium Hotel, at Texas and Milam, becomes the Hotel Concord for a scene in 'The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training,' being shot in Houston. Join others and make your gift to Houston Public Media today. Brother: Sterling Zindler Brother: Warren Zindler (d. WWII) Brother: Kenneth Zindler Wife: Gertrude Stella Kugler (m. 1941, d. 28-Nov-1997) Experiences, organizations, & how he spent his time. The fifth, and, at this writing, last story to come out of Zindler vs. the appliance store, occurred when Zindler and the stores general counsel called a press conference to announce that the manager had paid a fine on one of the three charges, Zindler had recommended dismissal of the other two, and the store had dropped its suit against him. His supporters, including the seemingly endless stream of complainants who daily line the benches outside his office, would tell the world Zindler is their only hope in an apparently deaf and powerless arena of local officials. June 1977: Mike Holoman, part of the maintenance crew hired by Houston Anti-Litter Team (HALT), a private group, mows the grass at Westheimer and the West Loop near the Galleria. Deputy sheriff, TV star, he was everything to everyone. and you'll be alerted when others do the same. a view all Marvin Zindler's Timeline. In 1941, when the United States entered World War II, Zindler joined the United States Marine Corps and later received an honorable discharge for medical reasons. All Rights Reserved. February 15, 1977: Housing along Heights Boulevard is seen through the gazebo at the neighborhood park. November 15, 1977: While traffic and pedestrians pass by, city of Houston employee Domingo E. Martinez stays focused on finishing his street demolition duties at Fannin and McKinney in downtown Houston. Among his causes was a medical charity, the Agris-Zindler Childrens Foundation, started with his plastic surgeon, Dr. Joe Agris, and supported in part by profits from a biography that Dr. Agris wrote about his patient, White Knight in Blue Shades.. I want the public to know Im here to help them and I want the crooks and cheats to know Ill get them, he says. HOUSTON, July 30 Marvin Zindler, an antic and a populist television crusader here who became known nationally when he had the best little whorehouse in Texas closed on corruption grounds, died here on Sunday. Since 1972 the theater has operated as the Majestic, showing "blaxploitation" films. This special from 2007 honors his life, ABC13 career, and one-of-a-kind spirit. At that time Zindler said he didnt care what kind of complaint a consumer had; he just intended to enforce the law. Segments of "Boyhood" were shot in Houston but San Marcos, Austin, Big Bend, and Bastrop, played somewhat bigger roles. The store and the manager retaliated by slapping Zindler with a $35,000 lawsuit in federal court, accusing him of hurting the stores trade and slandering its integrity. Zindler, always eager to cooperate with any newsmans request, agreed to the instant replay even though the attorney was worried about missing his plane back to Miami. He refused to sign the statement. I burned my eyes under the sunlamp, he explained. "Crimes, Criminals, and the Cops Who Chase Them: MARVIN ZINDLER, COP, MARINE, NEWSMAN, & SNAPPY DRESSER", The Zindler tapes: The return of "The Roving Mike", "Marvin Zindler, 85, Crusader in Whorehouse in Texas Case, Is Dead", Marvin helps man get Social Security number, "Celebrating more than 100 years of the Freemasonry: famous Freemasons in the history", "Social Security Death Index Interactive Search", TV's white knight / At 84, Marvin Zindler is still fighting for the little guy, "Marvin announces he has pancreatic cancer", "Marvin Zindler discusses his pancreatic cancer". I get the chance to remember the Share yesterday to connect today & preserve tomorrow, Copyright 1999-2023 AncientFaces, Inc. All Rights Reserved, ADVERTISEMENT July 1977: HouTran bus passenger opens the window to cool off from the heat from the broken bus air conditioner. Such rebounding and multiplying stories, plus his continual concern with getting his story to the people, have led local reporters to regard Zindler with some suspicion and a little antagonism. The sunlamp sessions are not without pitfalls. Select the next to any field to update. The University of Houston is sharing a never-before-seen look at Marvin Zindler's legendary career with the new archive collection! ", which quickly became a catchphrase of his, and eventually given their own subsection at the end of the reports. Photos, memories, family stories & discoveries are unique to you, and only you can control. Channel 13 reporter Marvin Zindler poses for a portrait on May 11, 2006, at his home in Houston. She spent the majority of her career in Humble ISD. Marvin Harold Zindler (August 10, 1921 - July 29, 2007), the famously colorful Houston TV personality, was both admired and criticized for his grandiose style. Maybe Mr. Zindler can help me. A young, attractive housewife contracted to have a new roof put on her house. As Vela tells it, he once left his office while Zindler was making a series of phone calls from the assistant district attorneys phone. December 1977: Houston Oilers cheerleaders Joan Jarrety and Lisa Stephens. He was a Freemason, a member of Temple Lodge #4 in Houston and was particularly proud of the 33rd Degree that was conferred upon him by the Scottish Rite. During her time at Thomas Jefferson High School she served as secretary of the Red Hussars Drum and Bugle Corps, graduating in 1967. The firm had clubs in 11 Texas cities. "No doubt, this has to be the happiest day of my life," said Foyt who won an unprecedented fourth Indianapolis 500 race. Mickey Gilley, left, and Sherwood Cryer opened the Gilley's club in 1971. November 18, 1977: In Houston to attend the National Women's Conference, a group of some of the most well-known women in America appears on stage at a gala fund-raiser to support the campaign for the Equal Rights Amendment. becomes full Rockets fans seen here gobbled up all home game tickets. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 12, 2015 at Kingwood United Methodist Church, 1799 Woodland Hills Drive, Kingwood, Texas 77339. Linda is survived by her husband, Marvin Zindler, Jr.; daughter, Lauren Zindler; daughter and son-in-law, Leslie and Ian Hudson; her cherished grandson, Caleb Hudson; sister, Donna McFadden, of Washington State; and other close family and friends. Theyre going to be in business tomorrow. Zindler was known for wearing makeup continually, loved cigars, and was a frequent golfer. Houston's really good idea Bus tour celebrates communities that forged a city. See What AncientFaces Does to discover more about the community. And, in one of his most bizarre cases, Zindler filed a theft by false pretext charge against a gypsy. Zindler attended Pershing Middle School and Lamar High School in Houston before graduating from San Jacinto High School in Houston. Deputy Sheriff Marvin Zindler in February 1970. Marvin had filled an entire page with two words: Marvin Zindler. (Last year when the attorney for an organization Zindler was trying to shut down threatened to have Zindlers scalp, the deputy carefully boxed one of the hairpieces and delivered it to the lawyer.) sibling. Texas Lege Watch: A House Republican Fights for Chicken Freedom, Running Into Fire: The Legacy of Jeff Blackburn, The Apache, the Irish Catholic Priest, and a 40-Year-Old Miscarriage of Justice, An Unforgettable Texas Tale of Envy, Embezzlement, and Fruitcake, How the Texas Rangers Became One of the Most Powerful Forces in the State, How Florence ButtNot Her SonLaunched the H-E-B Empire. Marvin Zindler was born on August 10, 1921 in Houston, Texas, USA. On announcing his last illness on the air on July 5, Mr. Zindler said, I dont want anybody to feel sorry for me because Im almost 86 years old., Marvin Zindler, 85, Crusader in Whorehouse in Texas Case, Is Dead, https://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/02/us/02zindler.html, Billy Smith II/Houston Chronicle, via Associated Press. [11][12], Zindler was Jewish. Abraham Jr. Zindler. The case was the basis for the musical and movie Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.. The Zindler family arrived in the U.S. from Austria in the late 1880s. His concern with appearance is not limited to attire. Agris, Joseph (2002). By John Durham February 1973 0 The boss of the Harris County. Zindler chose his office as the scene for the press conference, thereby adding considerably to its noise and turmoil level. Mimi Swartz is a staff writer based in Houston. Craig Hlavaty is a freelance writer for chron.com and the Houston Chronicle. He first hit the papers when he won a national twirling contest in high school. Had it not been for his persistence, we would not have gotten them, Vela says. The attackers crept into the Olympic Village and abducted the athletes while they were sleeping. The next year, he married Gertrude Kugler, who died in 1997. That was the second story. One lawyer described it as a Dale Carnegie operation with the added lure of a quick and handsome profit. The club, operating on a chain-letter principle, sold memberships for $150 to $500. Watch as ABC13 anchors dive into the legacy he left behind and why he was a total open book! Consumerism is necessarily plagued to a certain extent by P. T. Barnums Law (Theres a sucker born every minute): For every shady operator shut down, at least two will probably take his place and find willing customers. Gov. Zindler got the first toupee in 1954, and, he proudly says, no ones ever seen me without it. How does he manage that? It may be my imagination but right after the operation I started getting invitations to join organizations, requests to serve as an officer of clubs, things that had never happened before.). We worry about the merchant who seems more concerned about making a fast buck today and doesnt care about tomorrow., Zindler says some consumer problems in other parts of the country dont seem to be prevalent in Houston. Zindler sheds such feelings with ease. He doesnt plan to let her recoup, either. What you need to know, UH favored by wide margin to win NCAA tournament, per ESPN's BPI. The role of Melvin P. Thorpe, as played by Clinton Allmon in the original Broadway production of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Dom DeLuise in the 1982 film version, is based on Zindler. Share highlights of Marvin's life. Get out of here, goddamn it. Pictures show him in a sheriffs car, nattily dressed with a snap brim hat on his head and a box of cigars on the car seat. This record is no small accomplishment for a man crammed into a small suite of offices off a stairwell on the seventh floor of the Houston Criminal Courts Building and operating with a staff that includes one other deputy, two secretaries and an assistant district attorney assigned to screen the criminal charges. June 16, 1977: Actress Liz Torres speaks at rally gathered to protest singer Anita Bryant's outspoken stand against gay rights. He was previously married to Niki Gale Devine and Gertrude Stella Kugler. [3], At one point in the 1970s, Zindler considered running for Congress as a Republican, and the local GOP commissioned surveys that predicted he would win. He was 85. What schools or universities did Marvin attend? It just felt like science fiction that was coming to life.". brother. In the '70s, rock station KLOL ignited rock fans in Houston and hip names like "Crash" Collins turned people on to new music. 10 Houston stories from the '70s that would make great movies for Richard Linklater. I cant let them bother me, he says. Eventually, Mr. Zindler earned $1 million a year as the KTRK celebrity newshound. Talking with a visitor at home, Zindler says his wife gets mad at the money he spends on clothes because she doesnt get to buy any herself. A theft by false pretext charge against a TV repairman who allegedly did not install all the new parts he billed a customer for. Spring 1977: Houston Astros mascot Chester Charge cheered the Astros from 1977 until 1979. (Photo Credit: Michael Hagerty / Houston Public Media), Marvin Zindler was an avid doodler, oftentimes drawing on his printed copies of his broadcast scripts. Houston TV legends live on long after their death, which is why we're celebrating Marvin Zindler's 100th birthday today. Thanks to personalities like Coach Bum Phillips and quarterback Dan Pastorini, Houstonians still have warm memories of the time period. Before his death, Marvin and Niki Zindler lived in the Houston neighborhood of Maplewood,[15] where Zindler had lived continuously for forty-eight years. AKA Marvin Harold Zindler. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. A couple of days later, Zindler obtained a warrant for the mans arrest and, with his usual posse of television cameramen, went to the store to pick him up. Linda then attended Lamar Tech University, where she received her teaching degree. 1977: Dr. Edward B. Singleton conducts a diagnostic scan of a patient in 1977. Houston Astros' Lance McCullers Jr. to miss start of season; Private. Former Detroit Red Wings star Gordie Howe and sons Marty and Mark all played for the Houston Aeros in the '70s. April 2019, wo er als Erwachsener vor Gericht gestellt wurde und ihm bei einem Schuldspruch lebenslange Haft drohte. Toward the end of the evening, as Zindler searches diligently for a picture from an earlier time, before his facial operations, Marvin Jr. says, Most people just walk out the front door on him when he starts going through the clippings and photographs. Marvin H Zindler Jr of Harris County, Texas was born c. 1945. Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. Linda Sue McFadden Zindler, 66, passed away August 7, 2015 after her second courageous battle with cancer. [3] The last story filed was to help an American citizen obtain a Social Security card. His daughter-in-law echoes the sentiment. He now owns a chain of car dealerships in Maryland. That was the third story. The drivers had been on strike since Nov. 24. August 1977: Dan Peters (in canoe) paddles in the front yard of a house he and Durwood Harmon rent in the Brownwood subdivision. Zindler's funeral took place on Wednesday, August 1, 2007[24] at Congregation Beth Israel of Houston. The man did, and posted a personal recognizance bond, but Zindler didnt know about it. After April 1975 and the fall of Saigon, Houston became a destination for Vietnamese people looking for a better life. Zindler died from the cancer at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in the Texas Medical Center in Houston on July 29, 2007, two nights after what would turn out to be his final newscast.[21][22][23]. The radio job led to part time work as a TV cameraman and photographer for The Houston Press when that paper was in its glory days as the scandal sheet of Houston. A native Houstonian,. Marvin Zindler sits at his desk at KRTK Channel 13 studios on Feb. 9, 2006, in Houston. at 800 Bell. They have moved all their furniture to the second floor of the house and plan to stay after high tides caused by Hurricane Anita were responsible for flooding in the sinking subdivision. The manager just laughed at me. Each case, while he is working on it, becomes in his mind the most important problem he has handled, and he will spend hours trying to convince newsmen that it should be written up and shared with the public.