Army Archerd, Journalist to the Stars, Dies at Age 87

Longtime Variety columnist and entertainment writer Army Archerd died after a long battle with mesothelioma on September 8, 2009. He was 87.

"[Archerd] was known for being fair, quoting people accurately and being generally upbeat—which, in the latter part of the 20th century, became increasingly rare for an entertainment reporter," Variety editor Timothy Gray said in the periodical's obituary of the writer.

Born in the Bronx on January 13, 1922, Archerd served as a deck officer during World War II. It was during this time that doctors suspect he was exposed to asbestos, which caused his fatal fight with mesothelioma. As a UCLA graduate, Archerd began his career as a reporter for the Associated Press in 1945 after a stint in the mail room at Paramount Pictures. He was hired in 1953 by Variety as a replacement for columnist Sheilah Graham. Over the next 20 years, Archerd's "Just for Variety" column became the place for celebrities in the Golden Age of Hollywood to dish on their latest career moves, with the writer giving exclusive reports on industry deals, awards shows, news from film sets and additional info from the world of show business.

Admired by the industry and his subjects alike, Acherd was a friend to luminaries including Gregory Peck, Kirk Douglas and Elizabeth Taylor, and was known for handling industry gossip with poise and a discerning eye. For almost 50 years, he served as the official greeter of the Academy Awards, acting as emcee and interviewer on the event's red carpet.

In 1985, Archerd memorably broke the story that former matinee idol Rock Hudson was being treated for AIDS, a closely guarded Hollywood secret at the time. He become one of the first journalists with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1984.

Archerd's work eventually crossed into television, with the writer becoming the first on-the-scene reporter for Entertainment Tonight when the show launched and co-hosting the CBS shows The Celebrity Daredevils and The Wildest West Show of the Stars. He also enjoyed frequent appearances on television news and radio spots. Though his column was retired in 2005, Archerd continued to work in Variety offices until late July 2009 as a blogger for Variety.com.

Archerd is survived by his wife of 39 years, actress Selma Archerd; a son, Evan; two stepsons and five grandchildren. His daughter, Amanda, died in 2008.