Sam Rubin passes at 64
Sam Rubin, a popular entertainment journalist for KTLA-TV in Los Angeles, has died. He was 64.
Rubin died Friday, according to the station's 1 p.m. broadcast, which was delivered by news anchor Frank Buckley.
“We have the profoundly sad duty to report that our friend and colleague, Sam Rubin, has died. Our hearts, as you can imagine, are broken. Quite simply, Sam was KTLA,” Buckley said through tears. “His laugh, his charm, his caring personality to all of us he shared his mornings with on television, and to those who worked with him behind the scenes at KTLA, we will not forget him.”
“The role that he cherished most, was husband and father,” Buckley stated.
Rubin joined KTLA in 1991, according to his bio on the station's website. He read entertainment stories on the morning news block, traveled the world interviewing actors, directors, and producers, and was well-known for his cheery celebrity interviews.
He was a multiple Emmy award winner. He got the Southern California Broadcasters Association's lifetime achievement award as well as the Golden Mike Award for outstanding entertainment reporter. In addition, the Los Angeles Press Club voted him the best entertainment reporter.
Rubin was a regular contributor to BBC television and radio in the United Kingdom. He contributed to Triple M radio and the Channel 9 television network in Australia. He was also a frequent guest on the Reelz Channel, where he provided cinematic insights and analysis.
His production business, SRE, Inc., created over 200 hours of broadcast and cable content, including multiple "Live From" red carpet broadcasts and 120 episodes of the chat show Hollywood Uncensored.
Rubin was a founding member of the Broadcast cinema reviewers Association, the largest group of cinema and television reviewers in the United States.
I worked with Sam at Reelz and KTLA, and I can personally attest that he was polite, well-liked by his colleagues, and a mentor to aspiring journalists.
Sam Rubin, who lived in the Brentwood section of Los Angeles, is survived by his wife Leslie and four children.