Vale: Sam Rubin

US entertainment reporter, Sam Rubin, who featured on the Today show for some 20 years, has died aged 64.

A source close to KTLA confirmed that Rubin died at his home of a heart attack after doing his regular Hollywood news segments on KTLA’s Morning News program on Friday.

Rubin was a fixture in Hollywood who enjoyed rare longevity with a single station throughout his career. On camera, Rubin was unfailingly jocular and warm, often talking about his off-air activities with his wife and four children. Chatting with Rubin live on KTLA has long been a staple of any publicity tour for stars of movies, TV shows, concert tours and anything else involving entertainment.

Today entertainment reporter and close friend of Rubin, Richard Wilkins said his colleague would be missed.

“The entertainment world has really lost one of its greatest colleagues and dear friends today,” Wilkins said on Weekend Today.

“For the last 20-odd years he’s been a member of our family, mainly through the Today show and Today Extra…but whenever the big stories broke, Sam was our go-to guy.

“And those beautiful people that he works with, they will be absolutely gutted today, obviously he brought this immense knowledge of the entertainment industry, but he brought this immense warmth as well.”

He was also a winner of the Best Entertainment Reporter award from the Los Angeles Press Club.

Sam Rubin was one of the good guys.

He was kind, generous, bright and funny every time he was in the 9 office. He was also a genuine big deal in a city where so many just pretend to be.

Thinking of his family and the crew at KTLA.

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— Charles Croucher (@ccroucher9) May 10, 2024

Source: Variety, Nine News