Roderick Mann

Roderick Mann

Former Hollywood Columnist Roderick Mann Dies at 87

Roderick Mann, whose 40-year career as an entertainment industry journalist included a 10-year stint at the Times from 1978 until his retirement, died September 17, 2010, at 87. He is survived by his wife, Anastasia.

Mann was born in England and joined the Royal Air Force at the age of 17 at the outbreak of World War II. Actor Robert Wagner, who knew Mann well, described him as "a very fine man and a war hero who flew in the RAF and fought in the Battle of Britain."

Mann started his newspaper career in England, as a syndicated entertainment feature writer.

The Times obituary, by Dennis McLellan, quotes Chuck Champlin, former Times arts editor and film critic about Mann's arrival at the paper: "I knew his work in England very, very well, and I was just delighted that he could come to work at the Los Angeles Times."

Film critic Kevin Thomas told the paper that Mann was "the quintessential Brit, handsome, silver-haired, polished and sophisticated."

Strikingly handsome and gregarious, Mann became friendly with many of the stars he wrote about, and reportedly had a romance with Kim Novak.

The Times quoted from Mann's farewell column in 1988 in which, when asked at a cocktail party what he did for a living, Mann replied, "I'm an interviewer. I listen to people talking." He then added, "The only trick, I suppose, lies in steering the conversation in the right direction. And being interested in your subject."

Mann did some non-entertainment stories, including a series of articles from Vietnam as the war their drew to a close. He also authored four novels.

According to the Times, no funeral will be held. Anastasia, Mann's wife of 25 years, is his only surviving family member.

Click to see Times obituary.

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