AceShowbiz - Rex Reed, the renowned film critic and author known for his sharp reviews and candid Hollywood interviews, died Tuesday morning at the age of 87, his representative confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter.

Reed passed away at his Manhattan residence following a brief illness, according to his friend and spokesperson William Kapfer. Since 1970, he had lived in a New York apartment in the Dakota, which he originally purchased for $30,000.

Born in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 2, 1938, Reed made a significant mark in entertainment journalism with his distinctive voice and flamboyant persona. He wrote film reviews and columns for the New York Observer from its inception in 1987, experiencing a brief hiatus in 2017 before being rehired. His last published review appeared in November for the film Truth & Treason.

Prior to his tenure at the Observer, Reed spent 13 years as an arts critic at the New York Daily News and five years with the New York Post. Unlike many critics of his era who remained behind the scenes, he embraced a public profile, known for his nasal drawl and sharp fashion sense, which made him a distinctive figure within the critical community.

His style was sometimes polarizing, with some viewing him as a pioneer of "New Journalism." His 1966 Esquire article about an irate Ava Gardner was later included in Tom Wolfe’s celebrated 1973 anthology on the genre. However, others criticized Reed for his celebrity fascination, highlighted by his stint as a judge on the 1970s game show The Gong Show.

Reflecting his theatrical flair, Reed acted in the 1970 film Myra Breckinridge, playing the character Myron, who transforms into Myra (Raquel Welch) in a dream sequence. Despite his role, he did not hesitate to give the film a harsh review. He also appeared in several other films, including Jules Dassin’s The Rehearsal (1974), as himself in Superman (1978), alongside Laurence Olivier in Inchon (1981), and with Ryan O’Neal and Shelley Long in Irreconcilable Differences (1984).

In 1986, Reed replaced the legendary critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert on the syndicated program At the Movies, co-hosting alongside former Entertainment Tonight reporter Bill Harris after the original duo departed to a Disney-produced show.

Known as a prolific name-dropper and gossip columnist, Reed was a frequent guest on television shows such as The Dick Cavett Show and The Tonight Show throughout the 1970s. He particularly enjoyed interviewing and profiling iconic actresses like Bette Davis, Myrna Loy, Angela Lansbury, and Melina Mercouri. He once expressed a preference for older actresses, stating, "The old broads are the ones that interest me the most. Nothing bores me more than these mini-skirted girls with nothing on their minds."

His 1966 article about Ava Gardner sparked controversy when she objected to his portrayal. Reed defended his piece, claiming every word was true and written as flatteringly as possible given Gardner’s refusal to cooperate with a proper interview and her intoxicated state during the encounter.

While not a populist himself, Reed was unafraid to criticize acclaimed filmmakers. For example, he strongly disliked David Lynch’s Blue Velvet, calling it "one of the sickest films ever made," stating it would appeal only to those with bizarre tastes and offering nothing for sane viewers.

In recent years, Reed attracted criticism for his descriptions of actresses including Melissa McCarthy, Renée Zellweger, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw in his reviews. Additionally, he stirred controversy regarding the 1993 Oscars when he claimed that presenter Jack Palance mistakenly announced the wrong winner for Best Supporting Actress, naming Marisa Tomei from My Cousin Vinny. Despite being heavily criticized, Reed maintained his assertion of a cover-up well into 1997.

Born Rex Taylor Reed, he spent much of his early life moving around due to his father Jimmy’s oil rig work near the Gulf of Mexico. Reed attended Louisiana State University, where he was editor of the literary magazine and contributed as a columnist, critic, and editorial writer for the campus newspaper. He also won a national short-story contest before graduating in 1960 with a journalism degree.

Determined to escape his southern upbringing, Reed sought to make his mark through writing. Although he applied for a job at The New York Times, he was offered only a copy boy position, which he declined. To support himself, he worked as a jazz singer on local TV, a pancake-house cook, a record salesman at Bloomingdale’s, and an actor in summer stock theater in Montana.

After moving to New York, he secured a publicity job at 20th Century Fox but was laid off amid budget cuts tied to the troubled production of Cleopatra. During a European trip in 1965, Reed managed to get into the Venice Film Festival, where he interviewed film legends Buster Keaton and Jean-Paul Belmondo. These interviews earned him $125 and $150 from The New York Times and the Herald Tribune, respectively, marking the start of his professional journalism career.

Reed authored eight books, including four collections of profiles: Do You Sleep in the Nude? (1968), Conversations in the Raw (1969), People Are Crazy Here (1974), and Valentines & Vitriol (1977). The first of these was praised by Nora Ephron, who marveled at how he coaxed revealing comments from his subjects.

He also wrote novels, with his debut, Personal Effects (1986), optioned for a miniseries by NBC. A fan of Broadway musicals, Reed contributed liner notes for celebrated performers such as Liza Minnelli, Lena Horne, Tony Bennett, Mel Tormé, and Barbara Cook.

In recognition of his achievements, Reed was inducted into the Louisiana Hall of Fame in 1993 alongside James Carville and Supreme Court Judge John Minor Wisdom.

Despite his public career, Reed never married, telling The New York Times in 2018 that he did not engage in romantic relationships, only friendships. He added, "I don’t know, love is not something that I’ve been really good at. I think people are intimidated by people with opinions."

Rex Reed leaves behind a legacy as one of the most distinctive and controversial voices in film criticism, remembered for his wit, sharp tongue, and unapologetic personality that shaped decades of entertainment journalism.