Chronicler of Lifestyles of Rich and Famous dead at 76
Robin Leach, the celebrity journalist who made a career of ogling lavish living on TV’s “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” died early Friday in Las Vegas, where he had been working for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He was 76.
His death was reported by the ReviewJournal Friday.
The Review-Journal quoted a family statement that said Leach died “peacefully at 1:50 a.m.”
“Despite the past 10 months, what a beautiful life he had. Our Dad, Grandpa, Brother, Uncle and friend Robin Leach passed away peacefully last night at 1:50 a.m. Everyone’s support and love over the past, almost one year, has been incredible and we are so grateful. Memorial arrangements to follow,” said the statement from Leach’s sons Steven, Gregg and Rick Leach.
Leach had been hospitalized since Nov. 21 after suffering a ministroke while vacationing in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, the Review-Journal said. After learning his father was unable to eat or walk without assistance, his son Steve arranged for a private flight to bring him to Las Vegas the next day.
Leach moved to Las Vegas in 1999, and spent most of the past two decades chronicling star-studded events around town as a celebrity columnist, most recently for the Review-Journal but also for the Las Vegas Sun.
On Friday, Clark County, Nevada, which includes Vegas, tweeted farewell to Leach.
The London-born Leach began his career as an entertainment and celebrity reporter at age 18 at The Daily Mail, one of Britain’s rowdiest tabloids keen on celebrity gossip. He was made Page One editor, the youngest ever at 18.
In 1963, he moved to the U.S. where he worked for multiple publications, including the New York Daily News and just launching People magazine, where he wrote the first 11 cover stories for what has become the powerhouse celeb publication.
He also worked in the U.S. as the show business editor of another British tabloid, The Star, and later joined CNN in 1980 on the network’s “People Tonight” show. He also helped start the syndicated TV show “Entertainment Tonight.”
But he really made his mark in 1984 with “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” which he cocreated. The syndicated show, which ran from 1984 to 1995, focused on celebrities’ lavish homes and favourite destinations, demonstrating there was widespread audience interest in celebritycentric shows.
In 1984, Leach was nominated for an Emmy, for Outstanding Information Special, for producing the show.
In a 2007 interview with Askmen.com, Leach described his approach to picking the celebrity lifestyles he wanted to show.
“It had to be very visual, as we were on TV. The more eye-popping and outrageous, the better, and the longer the subject matter would be,” Leach said then. “We wanted to make your mouth drop. That was the main effect. One picture was worth a thousand words, so if you had more pictures, the less you would have to say.”
It was an approach that worked, for TV and for Leach himself, who became a multimillionaire from “Lifestyles” and later donated generously to charities.
He received the ultimate compliment — being impersonated in a skit on “Saturday Night Live” — and appeared in several movies, including “She-Devil” in 1989. His name popped up in the late Notorious B.I.G.’s song “Juicy” and Britney Spears mentioned “Lifestyles” in her song “Piece of Me.”
But he was down-to-earth and normal, he told The New York Times in 1990.
“The cartoon character, that’s not who Robin Leach is,” he said. “And when I wake up in the morning, I wink at myself because I like me — I know who I am. And when it’s time to send the cartoon character off, I just send him on his way.”