Army Archerd, whose column for Daily Variety covered things that happened in Hollywood for over a half-century has died at the age of 87. Read more on Army Archerd’s death below.

Archerd’s wife, Selma, said her husband died on Tuesday at UCLA Medical Center of mesothelioma, a lung cancer tied to asbestos exposure. Selma said her husband’s time in the Navy shipyards probably caused his asbestos exposure.  She said he had become very ill over the last two years, and worsened the last two weeks.

“He was the love of my life,” said Selma.

Over the years, Archerd won praise from Hollywood for checking his facts before printing his stories. He even called movie stars and studio heads to see if a rumor was true or not.

Archerd’s hugest story was in 1985 when he was first to report that veteran leading man Rock Hudson had AIDS. It was the first time a major Hollywood star was disclosed to be an AIDS victim.

Archerd married Joan Archer and had two children, but divorced in 1969 after 25 years of marriage. Archerd married his second wife, Selma, in 1970.

Archerd is survived by his wife, his son and two stepsons.

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Images: Wenn.com

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