The KTLA entertainment reporter was 64 years old

Sam Rubin, a popular KTLA entertainment reporter since 1991, died Friday. He was 64.

A source close to the station confirmed that Robin died at his home of a heart attack after doing regular Hollywood news segments on KTLA’s “Morning News” program from 7 to 9 a.m. Friday.

Robin was a fixture in Hollywood and enjoyed rare longevity with a single station throughout his career. In front of the camera, Robin was tirelessly joking and warm, often talking about his off-air activities with his wife and four children. Chat with Rubin live on KTLA has been a staple of any movie and TV star’s publicity tour, concert tours, and anything else that involves entertainment.

Perry Sock, chairman and CEO of Nexstar, called the broadcaster an “icon” for the region and industry.

“Sam was an icon in Los Angeles and the entertainment industry and was a beloved member of the Nexstar Nation. My prayers are with his family and the KTLA family as we mourn his passing. He will be missed,” Sock said in a statement.

KTLA, one of the nation’s pioneering television stations and the first commercial outlet to hit the airwaves on the West Coast in 1948, paid tribute to the journalist who became synonymous with the station. KTLA news anchor Frank Buckley visibly choked up as he reported Robin’s death on the air Friday afternoon.

“Sam was a giant in the local news industry and entertainment world, and a fixture on Los Angeles morning television for decades,” KTLA said in the X post. “His laugh, charm and caring personality touched everyone who knew him. Sam was a loving husband and father: roles he cherished dearly. Our thoughts are with Sam’s family during this difficult time.

As a Hollywood Backyard anchor and reporter, Rubin has also covered the inner workings of Hollywood, usually offering a fan’s perspective on the machinations of the studios and networks and the excesses of the rich and famous.

“Everyone is going to feel like they’ve lost a family friend,” publicist Jimmy Grotemeyer-Simmonds said. diverse In response to the news of Robin’s death.

Actress Yvette Nicole Brown echoed that sentiment in an X post, calling Robin a “friend” and noting, “I’ve enjoyed all the times I’ve been at KTLA.”

In addition to his work as a broadcaster, Rubin’s television production company SRE, Inc. produced Over 200 hours of radio and cable programming including “Live From” red carpet shows and 120 episodes of the “Hollywood Uncentriced” talk show.

Rubin was one of the founders of the Critics’ Choice Society. The organization praised him as the “guiding force” of the organization that awards films and television shows.

“Sam’s generous spirit, indefatigable sense of humor, and deep knowledge of Hollywood have made him an entertainment legend and a trusted friend to millions of viewers — and to the hundreds of stars who relaxed into easy conversation with him on the set of KTLA and No. 1,” Critics’ Choice said. Countless red carpets.”

In 1996, Rubin teamed with his crosstown rival, KTTV entertainment reporter Dorothy Lucey, as hosts of the syndicated daytime talk show “Scoop with Sam & Dorothy,” which ran for a few months.

Robin is the recipient of the Golden Mic Award, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Southern California Broadcasters Association and a Best Entertainment Reporter Award winner from the Los Angeles Press Club. He wrote two celebrity biographies during his long career, one about Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and a 1990 book about Mia Farrow that he co-authored with Richard Taylor.

Early in his career, Robin covered entertainment news for Group W Television and was a reporter for the cable channel Movietime in the New York area in the 1980s.

According to his KTLA bio, he has supported several organizations including the MS 150 Bay to Bike Tour and supports Los Angeles schools and literacy programs.

He graduated in 1982 from Occidental College and leaves behind his wife, Leslie, and four children.

Here’s a clip of Robin giving a recent interview with actress Jane Seymour.