Film Critic Was 87
The Hollywood Reporter • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Rex Reed, a provocative film critic and author known for his sharp reviews and Hollywood interviews, died at age 87 after a short illness at his Manhattan home.
- He wrote for the New York Observer from its inception in 1987, with prior stints at the New York Daily News and New York Post, and was known for his flamboyant persona and outspoken style.
- Reed appeared in several films, including "Myra Breckinridge" and "Superman," and co-hosted the syndicated program "At the Movies" in the mid-1980s.
- His career was marked by controversy, including criticism of certain actors and filmmakers and a persistent claim of a 1993 Oscars mix-up involving Marisa Tomei.
- Born in Texas and raised in Louisiana, Reed began his journalism career after graduating from LSU, eventually becoming an influential figure in entertainment journalism and authoring eight books.