Cause of Death Revealed for KTLA Entertainment Reporter Sam Rubin

Beloved entertainment journalist Sam Rubin tragically passed away from a fatal heart attack following his hospitalization in May, as confirmed by a coroner’s report on Tuesday.

The 64-year-old Hollywood reporter’s cause of death was determined to be “ischemic heart disease due to atherosclerotic coronary artery disease,” according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office. His death has been ruled as natural.

Atherosclerotic coronary artery disease is a condition characterized by a lethal heartbeat caused by insufficient blood and oxygen supply to the heart. Ischemic heart disease, also referred to as Coronary Heart Disease, is recognized as one of the leading causes of death worldwide, as per the National Institutes of Health.

Globally, about 126 million people are affected by this disease, with nine million deaths attributed to it annually. Men are more commonly affected than women.

Rubin had gone to a local hospital on the morning of May 10 due to stomach pain, following his doctor’s advice to call 911. Unfortunately, he was pronounced dead inside the emergency room at 11:03 a.m. An autopsy was conducted on May 13, with the full examiner’s report expected by the end of the week.

During his illustrious career, Rubin achieved several accolades. He was a founding member of the Broadcast Film Critics’ Association and joined KTLA in 1991, serving as the outlet’s weekday entertainment anchor for over three decades. In 2013, he was honored by the National Hispanic Media Coalition with its annual Impact Award for outstanding integrity in broadcast journalism.

Rubin also received a Golden Mic award, a lifetime achievement award from the Southern California Broadcasters Association, and was named the best entertainment reporter by the Los Angeles Press Club.

Apart from his television career, Rubin authored two biographies. One was about the former First Lady Jackie Onassis, and the other focused on actress and activist Mia Farrow, as reported by KCAL.

Rubin’s final show appearance was on May 9, a day before his passing, where he interviewed actress Jane Seymour. He posted about this interview on X. He did not appear on the broadcast on May 10 and exhibited no outward signs of illness, according to his colleagues at KTLA.

He is survived by his wife, Leslie, and their four children.

Source: Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office, National Institutes of Health, KCAL