Bob Thomas was a journalist who covered the entertainment industry for the Associated Press for more than 60 years. An icon of the Hollywood press corps, Thomas was such a fixture that, like dozens of the people he covered from 1944 through 2010, he eventually received his own star on the Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame.

In addition to his journalism — which included works as both a reporter and a columnist — Thomas wrote more than 20 books, including biographies of Walt Disney, Marlon Brando, Joan Crawford and several other major figures.

Two telefilms were adapted from his books: The Amazing Howard Hughes, about the titular billionaire recluse, and Bud & Lou, about the comedy team Abbott and Costello. He also wrote and produced the documentary A Century of Cinema and appeared on numerous TV programs as a commentator on Hollywood history.

Thomas died March 14, 2014, in Encinio, California. He was 92.