The entertainment reporter from Los Angeles, Sam Rubin, has died.
Longtime KTLA news anchor was 64 years old.
Variety said that Rubin had a heart attack after doing his usual early Friday morning Hollywood news show.
TMZ says he had a full cardiac arrest on the way to the hospital from his home in Los Angeles.
In the afternoon of Friday, KTLA also confirmed the news.
The news station wrote on X, “KTLA 5 is deeply saddened to report the death of Sam Rubin.”
Sam was a big deal in the entertainment and local news business, and he was a mainstay on Los Angeles morning TV for decades.
Everyone who knew him was touched by his laugh, charm, and kindness. Sam loved his job as a husband and father, which he did very much. “During this hard time, our thoughts are with Sam’s family.”
It was Rubin’s coworker Frank Buckley who said on KTLA, “The Sam that you saw on the air is the Sam that was off the air.”
“To all of us he shared his mornings with us on television, and to those he worked with behind the scenes at KTLA, we will not forget him.”
Another one of his coworkers, producer Ashley Regan, told him how sad she was when she heard the news.
“Today, Los Angeles lost a legend, and KTLA lost a family member.” I will always be thankful that I got to work with Sam in a newsroom. “Great loss,” Regan wrote on X.
Rubin was known for writing about famous people in the Los Angeles area.
He started working for the KTLA morning news show in 1991.
The 64-year-old won several Emmys and hosted the show Hollywood Uncensored with Sam Rubin, which had more than 100 episodes.
More than 200 hours of shows, including the popular “live from the red carpet” shows, were made by his company, SRE Inc.
KTLA reports that the Southern California Broadcasters Association gave Rubin the Golden Mike Award, which is an award for lifetime achievement.
He also helped to create the Broadcast Film Critics Association, which now has more than 200 members and is the largest group of film and TV critics in the US.
After hearing about Rubin’s death on Friday, many people went on social media.
“Sam Rubin lived a GREAT LIFE. A actor named Jerry O’Connell wrote on X, “Rest in peace, king.”
Artist Ben Stiller said that Rubin was a “consummate pro” and that his death made him sad.
“I did my first interview with him in something like ’93, and countless times over the years He loved actors and movies,” he wrote on X.
“He made everyone feel at ease, and things were always fun and simple.” He was well-known. Sadly, we lost him too soon.
As a guiding force, Rubin was “devastated by the sudden loss” of the Critics Choice Association.
“Sam’s generous spirit, unfailing good humor and deep knowledge of ‘Hollywood’ made him a legend in the entertainment business and a trusted friend to millions of viewers – and to hundreds of stars who relaxed in easy conversation with him on his set at KTLA and on countless Red Carpets,” X said.