Journalist Army Archerd Dies

Army Archerd, an entertainment journalist whose career spanned more than 50 years as a reporter and columnist with the trade paper Variety, a tenure that made him a celebrity in his own right, died September 8, 2009. He was 87.

Archerd, who five years ago had been diagnosed with mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer related to exposure to asbestos, reportedly collapsed his home in Los Angeles’ Westwood district on Monday afternoon and died Tuesday at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. Doctors attributed Archerd’s asbestos exposure to his work in shipyards while serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

Archerd was perhaps the most respected journalists in Hollywood, and was friendly with most of the biggest stars in show business. But he did not allow his personal relationships to influence his reporting. He was trusted and admired in large measure because, even when he reported sensitive or controversial stories, he did so in a manner that held firm to the facts but eschewed sensationalism.

The most frequently cited example of this occurred July 23, 1985, when Archerd revealed that actor Rock Hudson was afflicted with AIDS. Hudson had never publicly acknowledged his homosexuality, and was the first major Hollywood figure to be linked to AIDS.

In addition to his “Just for Variety” column, Archerd was a familiar public face through his 47 years covering red carpet arrivals at the Academy Awards ceremony. He retired from his column on Sept. 1, 2005, but continued to write a Variety blog, His last blog posting was July 27 of this year.

He was born Armand Archerd on Jan. 13, 1922, in the Bronx. His father, Herman, was in the textile business, and his mother, Mina, was a milliner.

After high school, Archerd attended CCNY for two years. In 1939, he moved with his family to Los Angeles, where he attended UCLA. After graduating in 1941, he enlisted in the Navy. While awaiting his officer training at Columbia University, he worked in the mailroom at Paramount Studios.

During the Second World War, he was stationed in Pearl Harbor, in Hawaii, on a destroyer. In addition to duties related to the ship’s mine-sweeping missions, he booked movies for the vessel’s personnel.

In 1944, at 22, Archerd married his first wife, Joan, with whom he had two children. The following year, his career took an important turn when Bob Thomas, a Hollywood columnist for the Associated Press, hired Archerd to help gather news items.

In 1947, Archerd left went to work for another Hollywood columnist, Harrison Carroll of the Herald-Express, a Hearst newspaper. In 1953, he started at Daily Variety, where he replaced columnist Sheilah Graham. “Just for Variety” debuted April 27 of that year.

He continued to produce a steady stream of reports for the next 53 years.

In addition to his Variety duties and hosting red carpet arrivals at both the Oscars and Primetime Emmys, Archerd hosted and co-produced the People’s Choice Awards from its inception in 1974, and occasionally appeared in movies and on television, often playing himself.

When Archerd first started at Variety, the Los Angeles television station KNXT-TV (now KCBS-TV Channel 2) hired him to provide a segment called “The Heart of Hollywood” on its 11 o’clock newscast.

When Entertainment Tonight launched, he was its first on-the-scene reporter. He also co-hosted the syndicated Movie Game, co-hosted and co-produced The Celebrity Daredevils and Wildest West Show of the Stars on CBS. He had his own radio and television shows on KNX, KABC, KDAY and KNX-TV.

He was president and founder of the Hollywood Press Club, which bestowed honors on him, as did the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Other recognitions included being named Newsman of the Year by the Publicists Association, Man of the Year by the Hollywood Women’s Press Club., the Los Angeles Press Club’s Eight Ball Foundation and Masquers Man of the Year.

In addition, Archerd was honored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences in 1978. In 1984, he was given a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, in front of Mann’s Chinese Theater, where he had emceed dozens of movie premieres.

He is survived by his wife, Selma, an actress whom he married in 1970, a son, Evan; stepsons Richard Rosenblum and James Rosenblum; and five grandchildren. His daughter, Mandy Falk, died last year at 58 after running a marathon.

Army Archerd had the distinction of being interviewed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation’s Archive of American Television. During the interview, conducted by Archive director Karen Herman on February 25, 2003, Archerd described his early years in New York City and his initial desire to be an actor. He also discussed how, after his service in World War II, he got a job in the Paramount mailroom, which led to a job for Associated Press. He left there to become a “legman” for Harrison Carroll. In 1953, he joined the staff of Daily Variety, where he covered entertainment for more than half a century. Archerd also discussed the changes within the entertainment industry and how the process of publicity changed over the years. He further addressed the nuts-and-bolts of getting a story as well as keeping in contact with celebrities. Along with his work chronicling entertainment news, Archerd spoke of his work in front of the camera as a host for various shows, including the pilot of Entertainment Tonight and his work on the red carpet for awards shows.

The entire five-part interview is available online at http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=35FB2F1D7BD8AF39.