Army Archerd was the author of a regular column for Variety about the film industry for 52 years, and became known to Americans as a reporter from the red carpet at the Academy Awards. He died on September 8, 2009, at the age of 87.

Archer started writing about entertainment in 1945 and began composing the "Just for Variety" column in 1953.http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118008272.html?categoryid=25&cs=1

Archer was hired by Variety in 1953 to replace retiring columnist Sheilah Graham. The column alternated between inside reports on entertainment industry dealmaking, coverage of award shows and events, gossip and human-interest stories.

Occasionally, Archard would also break news - as when he reported that Rock Hudson was undergoing treatment for AIDS in a July 23, 1985 column. (Hudson's representatives denied the charge at the time.) Though he rarely took a personal or political stand, he was outspoken against awarding Elia Kazan a special Oscar in 1998 and was a long-time critic of actor and gun ownership activist Charlton Heston.http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118008272.html?categoryid=25&cs=1