Dave Robb, who spent greater than 4 a long time on the Hollywood labor beat for The Hollywood Reporter, Selection and, most just lately, Deadline, has died. He was 74.
Robb died peacefully Friday night time at his Los Angeles house after being recognized in late October with inoperable most cancers of the mind stem, Deadline reported. (Deadline, like THR and Selection, are owned by Penske Media Group.)
He spent most of his final 12 months protecting the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
A dogged investigative journalist in his day, the gruff but genial Robb began at THR as an editorial assistant in 1979, the primary of his 5 stints with the paper. On Fb, former editor Alex Ben Block wrote that he employed him twice and “not often gave Dave an task. Normally he got here to me with tales out of the blue that had been wonderful, good and breaking information.
“I simply need to add what a real unique he was, his unimaginable integrity and his type of heroism within the mildew of an Previous West character who stands alone in opposition to all odds.”
Robb left THR in 2001 when writer Robert J. Dowling determined to not publish his story about allegations of unethical habits by longtime THR occasion columnist George Christy. Christy was ultimately suspended after which resigned.
Robb was the primary on the scene in 2002 when Los Angeles Instances reporter (and former THR editor) Anita M. Busch, his good good friend, found a useless fish with a rose in its mouth on her automotive windshield with an indication beside it containing one phrase: “Cease.” She noticed that as a message for her to stop writing tales about shoppers repped by the infamous P.I. Anthony Pellicano.
He labored at Selection for a few decade beginning in 1982.
Robb wrote a number of books, together with 2004’s Operation Hollywood: How the Pentagon Shapes and Censors the Motion pictures and 2012’s The Stuntwoman: The True Story of a Hollywood Heroine about Julie Ann Johnson. He additionally penned articles for The New York Instances — one helped blacklisted screenwriter Michael Wilson get the credit score he deserved on Lawrence of Arabia — Related Press, L.A. Weekly and extra.
Born on Might 12, 1949, Robb was the son and grandson of union members and a member of 5 unions himself, in response to Deadline. He took half in a weekly Friday night time poker sport for years that included Block, John De Simio of Fort Rock and AP sportswriter John Nadel.
Survivors embrace his spouse, Kelly.
