Aahana Swrup
In the Tim Fehlbaum directorial film ‘September 5,’ the narrative revolves around the historical tragedy of the 1972 Munich Massacre as a team of journalists cover the event and broadcast live updates to the entire world. Roone Arledge and his ABC Sports crew, including producer Geoffrey Mason and Head of Operations Marvin Bader, are all set to cover the Olympic Games in Munich. However, their plans are drastically overturned when a terrorist group takes over the Olympic Village, holding several Israeli athletes hostage.
As such, faced with an impossible situation, Arledge and his team take on their journalistic responsibility and do their best to bring the reality unfolding in Germany to the rest of the world. In this quest to fulfill the duty and responsibility of journalistic integrity, Marvin Bader remains a driving force who uses his notable experience and connections to ensure their broadcast quality. Therefore, the character must’ve left an impression on the audience, inviting intrigue about his real-life counterpart.
Marvin Bader Went on to Become an Industry Legend
When Marvin Bader oversaw the broadcast of the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany, he had already established himself as an integral part of the ABC Sports family. After starting out in the company as a commercial coordinator, he swiftly climbed up the ladder until he was handling the lion’s share of the Olympic Production at the network by 1968. From creative input to logistics and budgets, Bader was in charge of setting up the perfect stage for the production.
As such, after Bader’s remarkable contribution to the historic 1972 broadcast, he continued to work on future Olympic Productions at ABC. Eventually, he became the Vice President of ABC’s Olympic Operations and remained in charge of around 10 Olympiads between 1968 and 1992 throughout his career. Furthermore, he also contributed to the coverage of other sports events, such as the International Wide World of Sports show and golf tournaments. Notably, he is credited with the implementation of the modern system for accrediting workers, which he achieved partly due to the significant friendships he sustained across various countries.
These connections further aided Bader in productions even outside of the Olympic games, such as the International Wide World of Sports show. Still, eventually, the time came for the Executive to part ways with the industry and settle into his retirement from what he considered to be the best job in the entire world. In 2008, while he was residing in Los Angeles, in retirement, he was inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame, wherein his friend and colleague, Geoffrey Mason, made introductions for his tribute video.
Marvin Bader Passed Away in His 80s
Unfortunately, a few years after Bader’s Hall of Fame induction, the former ABC executive passed away. On January 2, 2012, at the age of 84, he took his last breath in Escondido, California. However, with little to no input from his family and loved ones, the specifics of his death remain unclear. Still, even though little information is available about the nature of his passing, it seems he was buried in San Diego’s Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery. His headstone, which highlights his service in the US Army as a Private First Class—during which he reportedly worked as a military policeman for the Manhattan Project—honors with memory with the epitaph, “Missed by all who knew him.” Indeed, his historic contribution to the world of Olympic broadcasts and generally friendly disposition continue to keep his memory alive.
Read More: Geoffrey Mason: Where is the Former ABC Sports Executive Producer Now?
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