Maaaarvin Zindler

Pioneering consumer reporter Marvin Zindler passed away yesterday. Marvin came to fame in the early 70's when his TV consumer reports on a brothel in La Grange, TX ultimately got the place shut down. An article published in Playboy in 1974 written by Texas author Larry L. King spawned both a hit Broadway musical and later in 1982 a movie, both titled The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.

The closing of the brothel, known locally as The Chicken Ranch because of stories that patrons often paid for their dalliances with livestock, was also fodder for a cover story in Texas Monthly Magazine. For the cover of that issue I produced one of the greatest images of the 32 that I shot for the magazine. I have Marvin to thank for that one.

Later on in that decade Marvin was the subject of another one of my cover photos, this time for now defunct Houston City Magazine. For that issue we unapologetically stole an idea from a National Lampoon Magazine cover that pictured a dog with a gun to its head under the headline "Buy This Magazine or We Shoot the Dog". Marvin loved our cover idea and was very much in on the gag and a delight to work with. Again, thanks Marvin for helping me create another memorable and fun cover photo.












Goodbye Marvin... may you now be in a better place with no "slime in the ice machine".