Sam Rubin, longtime KTLA entertainment reporter, dies at 64

Sam Rubin, the longtime entertainment reporter at KTLA-TV in Los Angeles, died Friday, the news station said. He was 64.

Rubin's death was confirmed on air by Rubin's colleague Frank Buckley, who fought back tears as he made the announcement.

"Sam was KTLA," Buckley said. "We don't know exactly what happened because he was here yesterday, just 24 hours ago."

Word of Rubin's death prompted an immediate and widespread outpouring of condolences from co-workers and viewers.

"I'm in absolute shock. RIP, Sam," KTLA's technology reporter, Rich DeMuro, wrote on X. "Thinking the most of your family right now. So sorry. Morning News in Hollywood will never be the same without you."

Journalist Sam Rubin attends the AARP Movies for Grownups Film Showcase at Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE on Sunday, November 9, 2014 in Los Angeles.

Photo by Vince Bucci/Invision for AARP/AP Images

"My heart goes out to his family and those at @KTLA. Sam was THE entertainment reporter in Hollywood," Tara Finestone, a former KTLA executive producer, wrote on X.

Ben Stiller called Rubin a "consummate pro" in a post on X.

"I did my first interview with him in something like '93, and countless times over the years. He loved actors and movies," Stiller wrote. "He made everyone feel comfortable and it was always fun and easy. He was an institution."

Rubin, a winner of multiple Emmy awards, had been a beloved mainstay of local television since joining the KTLA Morning News in 1991.

During his lengthy career, he received the Golden Mike Award for best entertainment reporter, a lifetime achievement award from the Southern California Broadcasters Association, and was named best entertainment reporter by the Los Angeles Press Club, according KTLA.

Rubin is survived by his wife Leslie and four children.