Gossip columnist Army Archerd dies

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- Famed gossip columnist Army Archerd, who wrote for Daily Variety for more than 50 years, has died of mesothelioma cancer in Los Angeles. He was 87.

The entertainment industry trade newspaper said the disease is believed to have been the result of the New York native's exposure to asbestos while he was serving in the Navy during World War II.

In addition to penning celebrity stories for the Associated Press, then Variety, Archerd was also the official greeter of the Academy Awards, acting as emcee and interviewing famous guests on the red carpet, Variety noted.

"Army's finest hour was his courageous stand against the blacklist at a time when almost all other Hollywood columnists were red-hunting," said Peter Bart, vice president and editorial director of Variety. "He really was a passionate reporter and a champion of causes he believed in."

"He didn't expose secrets about other people -- he wrote news. He was a loving, quiet person. He was always working -- when we went on vacation, we went to visit movie sets," said actress Selma Archerd, the writer's wife of 39 years.

Army Archerd's last Variety column ran Sept. 1, 2005, but he continued contributing to the newspaper and writing a blog for Variety.com, the last entry of which was posted July 27.

A regular contributor to E!'s "The Gossip Show" in the 1990s, Archerd also was a co-producer of the "People's Choice Awards" since the prize presentation's inception in 1974. He has his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

He penned regular columns for the King Features Syndicate, as well as countless magazine articles; had his own Los Angeles radio and TV talk shows; and appeared as himself in more than 100 movies and TV shows.

Archerd is survived by his wife; a son, Evan; two stepsons Richard Rosenblum and James Rosenblum; and five grandchildren, Variety said.