from The Las Vegas Review-Journal
Robin Leach dies, host of ‘Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,’ celebrity columnist
By John Katsilometes
Robin Leach, a celebrity columnist and television host who famously signed off each episode of “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” with his signature catchphrase of “Champagne wishes and caviar dreams,” died Friday. He was 76.
Robin Leach spent most of the last two decades chronicling star-studded events around town, most recently for the Las Vegas Review-Journal and before that for the Las Vegas Sun and publications in the Greenspun Media Group.
He was known for his grandiose personality, seemingly tireless coverage of the Las Vegas celebrity scene and similarly passionate contributions to local charities — most notably the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health.
Born in London on Aug. 29, 1941, Robin Douglas Leach knew he wanted to be a journalist when he was just 10 years old. As a student at Harrow County School for Boys, he began sending weekly dispatches about goings-on there to the editor of the local newspaper, The Harrow Observer. The paper published the stories and hired him after he graduated. He was 15. He later worked at the Daily Mail in London, where he became the publication’s youngest Page One editor at age 18.
After moving to New York, Leach wrote for several publications, including the New York Daily News, Ladies Home Journal and People magazine, authoring its first 11 cover stories.
His big break came in 1984 with the debut of “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” a syndicated program he created with legendary television producer Al Masini. The syndicated show focused on celebrities’ lavish homes and favorite destinations. Many pop-culture observers point to “Lifestyles,” which ran from 1984 to 1995, as a turning point that opened the door for other celebrity-centric reality shows, including “Keeping Up With the Kardashians.”