Richard Blackwell, fashion critic, journalist, television and radio personality died in Los Angeles on Sunday October 19, 2008 of complications from an intestinal infection. He was 86 years old according to his publicist Harlan Boll.
Born Richard Selzer, he came from a family of meager means but as a child was able to land a part in the Dead End Kids and an acting career evolved. He later became a noted clothing designer who eventually put together the annual Top Ten Worst Dressed Women list. He enjoyed recalling that the first year his list came out everyone was mad as hell and that established his list and made him a name.
He was relentless in his damnation of certain stars including Anna Nicole Smith and Barbra Streisand. His last swipe was in 2007 when he called Britney Spears and Paris Hilton “two peas in an overexposed pod, style-free and fashion deprived”.
Blackwell wrote two books: Mr. Blackwell: 30 Years of Fashion Fiascos and an autobiography: From Rags to Bitches.
Check out Mr. Blackwell’s last Worst Dressed list here.
We found this montage to Mr. Blackwell that we thought you might enjoy. Check it out below.