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L.Q. Jones -- a versatile character actor whose career dates back to the 1950s -- has died.

His death was confirmed by his family, who says he passed of natural causes in the Hollywood Hills surrounded by loved ones ... this according to Variety.

Jones had over 160 acting credits to his name, with his first several coming in the year 1955 -- when he starred in military-inspired flicks like "An Annapolis Story," "Battle Cry" and "Target Zero." He also appeared in a few episodes of the western-themed TV show "Cheyenne."

From there, LQJ was on a roll ... with acting in a number of films and TV series like "Annie Oakley," "Gunsight Ridge," "Operation Mad Ball," "Buchanan Rides Alone," "The Naked and the Dead," "Jefferson Drum," "Men of Annapolis," "The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin" and more.

Flip-flopping between war and westerns, Jones stayed busy in the '60s. Some of the more popular titles he was in ... "Lassie," "Klondike," "Laramie," "Perry Mason," "Route 66," "Wagon Train," "Rawhide," "The Virginian," "Gunsmoke" and "The Big Valley" ... just to name a few.

Other hit shows in which he had guest-starring roles included, "Hawaii Five-O," "Charlie's Angels," "Ironside," "Kung Fu," "CHiPs," "Columbo," "Cannon," "The Runaways," "The Dukes of Hazzard" and lots of others. He even starred in "The Incredible Hulk," "Walker, Texas Ranger," "The A-Team," "Renegade," "The Yellow Rose" and more throughout the '80s/'90s.

He'll also probably be remembered for his work on "The Wild Bunch," "Major Dundee," "Ride the High Country" and "A Boy and His Dog" -- the latter of which he wrote and directed.

Jones also had a memorable scene in Martin Scorsese's "Casino." While the guy certainly had already carved out a name for himself before the turn of the century, millennials might actually recognize him as well thanks to a cult classic from the late '90s.

Indeed, Jones plays the Legendary Three-Fingered Jack in "The Mask of Zorro" -- where he had a scene-stealing moment in which he was shot and killed mid-air ... this after being ejected from a mineshaft cart and flying toward a group of bad guys with a pickax.

Jones was 94.

Anthony Mackie is set to take up the mantle as the new Captain America in his own movie, but on speculation over whether Chris Evans might reprise the role ... he says, no chance.

News about Mackie starring in a forthcoming 'Captain America 4' flick surfaced this week, with director Julius Onah reportedly attached to direct. This, of course, comes on the heels of Mackie's Disney+ show -- which ends with him accepting the CA shield.

You'd think that conclusion -- which was made very clear on the show, this after Evans' character, Steve Rogers, had already passed the torch at the end of 'Endgame' -- wouldn't be up for debate ... but apparently, among some fans, it is. And, THR alluded to that in a thread.

In response to uncertainty about Evans' possible involvement with the new movie and the character, CE himself weighed in Saturday ... writing, "Sam Wilson is Captain America."

The reason that's a big deal ... it seems to shut down trolls who, to this day, aren't cool with the idea of Mackie carrying on as the titular superhero -- a controversy that's been brewing since 2019 when he was officially tapped as Chris Evans' successor.

A lot of the pushback over AM has been straight-up racist ... with many saying a Black guy simply shouldn't be allowed to assume the role (even though that happens in the comics).

Now, Chris appears to be confirming he's done with 'Captain America,' and that Mackie will exclusively continue as the character ... without Chris's involvement going forward. Frankly, that makes sense logistically -- Evans is depicted as an old dude in the final 'Avengers' movie ... so to jam him into the plot, beyond just a cameo, feels unlikely/unnecessary.

BTW, Mackie as the new Captain America carries a lot of weight. It's revealed on the show -- based on an earlier comic series, which is canon -- that the fictionalized history behind Captain America is dark, with the U.S. government testing/perfecting the super serum giving him his powers on Black soldiers while Cap was under ice. So, technically, Captain America was built on the backs of Black people ... a metaphor to our own real-life history, some say.

Britney Spears is again bemoaning the fact that she's been the subject of documentaries and TV specials of late -- saying she considers it grade-A bullying by Corporate America.

The pop star posted lengthy thoughts about this on Saturday, which she's addressed before. She writes, in part ... "I feel like America has done a wonderful job at humiliating me," going on to explain that when she was in the conservatorship ... she'd apparently be forced to walk to her car from the airport, on purpose, so that paps could get a ton of shots of her.

Britney's words here are a bit all over the place, but her gripe seems to be with old paparazzi photos -- some of which she thinks are unflattering -- being resurfaced in docs and specials that have aired in the past couple years ... including on Hulu, Netflix and CNN.

On the issue of so much coverage of her now, she adds ... "I've never felt more bullied in my life in this country it's insane ... and come on seriously is it honestly legal to do that many documentaries about someone without their blessing at all??!"

Then, Britney invokes some celebrity names as examples of people who never get this amount of press and analysis without their permission or participation -- including Will Smith, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Lopez and Halle Berry.

She also says the idea these specials are "helping her" are misguided, suggesting that rehashing this ancient history is embarrassing. BS also appears to believe that most of these docs focus on what led to the conservatorship rather than what she went through while actually in it ... the reality of which she says was far worse than what's been depicted.

The weird thing ... the above-mentioned outlets seem to be the only ones with big docs/specials that have been done about Britney, and the last one came out in fall of last year -- so it's unclear why Brit's talking about this now and what might be triggering her.

What Britney also doesn't seem to understand is this ... her story isn't over, as she and her legal team are continuing to go after her dad, Jamie Spears, and seem dead set on holding him accountable for what they say he put her through during the conservatorship.

Plus, she hasn't done a proper sit-down with anyone yet ... so the intrigue isn't going away anytime soon, especially as she continues to make headlines with her personal life.

Of course, Britney might just be biding her time to fully tell her story in her own words ... probably until she can finish her tell-all book, which she reportedly struck a deal to write to the tune of at least $15 million. In light of that, we're sure she'll speak up eventually.

Jon Stewart would make a perfect Democratic presidential nominee in 2024 -- so says a publication knee-deep in political coverage ... but not everyone is so sure it's a good idea.

The one-time 'Daily Show' host was floated as someone who should seriously consider running for the highest office in the land, and as someone we should all consider as a viable contender -- this according to a Politico op-ed that's getting a lot of attention this weekend.

The piece is titled, "If Tucker Runs in 2024, Here's Who the Democrats Need." The article is supplemented by this Twitter caption ... "Joe Biden should run for president in 2024. But if he decides against it for whatever reason, Jon Stewart should run on the Democratic ticket instead. He's exactly the person they need."

The op-ed starts out with exactly that premise -- that JB oughta run, but a moment later ... they float the possibility he doesn't, and then deflect to Stewart as a good replacement.

The whole argument boils down to Jon being well-versed in politics -- even in a comedic setting -- and a great communicator, as we've seen on Capitol Hill and beyond. But, the centerpiece of this hypothetical is Fox News's Tucker Carlson ... who some think might run.

Neither one has gone on record as saying they're interested ... it's all just speculation and innuendo. But, if any of that materializes for one or the other, Politico seems to think these two would be a perfect matchup -- especially since they've faced off before ... a la "Crossfire."

As interesting as it might be to see Stewart throw his hat in the ring, many online are saying ... enough with celebs jumping in, and enough with trying to prop them up as options.

Many say that charisma alone isn't a good enough qualification for politics ... and that applies to both sides, with many pointing out what we just went through with 4 years of Donald Trump -- who, of course, was in showbiz for a long time before crossing over (and winning).

Interestingly enough, we asked Jon about the prospect of another celeb running for office ... and he didn't write it off, but didn't totally endorse it either. Time will tell if he dives in, or if this is yet another example of wishful thinking.

Oprah is mourning the death of her dad, Vernon Winfrey, who has passed away after battling cancer.

One of Vernon's longtime employees confirmed to TMZ that he died Friday night in East Nashville, TN. A local city councilman first broke the news to Nashville's WKRN.

In what now seems to be a prescient move, Oprah had just been in town last weekend to celebrate her father.

She surprised him by organizing a Vernon Winfrey appreciation day on July 4 ... giving the community a chance to thank Vernon for his service as a former city councilman and longtime local businessman.

As Oprah put it, "My father is ill, so we wanted to be able to have all of his friends come and celebrate him while he's able to receive the joy. So that's what we're doing."

Vernon was seated, appropriately, in a barber chair in the middle of the backyard barbecue ... as his friends and family celebrated him.

He had owned and operated Winfrey Barber & Beauty Shop for more than 50 years -- and was beloved by the community. One of his employees told us, "[Vernon] would give you the shirt off his back."

Vernon's daughter wasn't shy about how proud she was of him, and she's celebrated his accomplishments for a long time.

Back when she had her daily talk show, Oprah took her cameras back for a visit with her dad in his establishment.

Leading up to Monday's celebration, it was obvious how excited she was about planning the event.

Oprah said she was "getting back to my Nashville roots" as she posted several videos and photos with family members prepping for the BBQ.

You might recall ... her mother, Vernita Lee, passed away back in 2018 at the age of 83.

Speaking of her father earlier this week, Oprah said she wanted to make sure to give him his flowers while he was still here, and she couldn't have timed it any better.

Vernon was 88.

RIP

"Stranger Things" has a way with music -- and this season was no different, especially for Metallica ... whose tunes are in high demand, particularly among guitar hero wannabes.

As you've heard, the band's '80s hit, "Master of Puppets," is featured in a pivotal scene toward the end of the 4th season of the Netflix hit (RIP Eddie Munson) -- and like other songs heavily featured in this year's installment ... Metallica's earworm is surging in real life.

Just like Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill" got mad love among new listeners, 'MoP' experienced the same -- with a reported 400% boost in streaming among various platforms.

What's different now ... it seems this renewed interest is seeping into the world of musical instruction, specifically through a company called Yousician -- which teaches noobs the basics of how to play certain instruments, including guitar.

Per Billboard, the online school's site reports a massive spike in a certain online lesson they offer -- upwards of 100%, apparently. You see, they actually teamed up with the real Metallica for a virtual master class for their paying customers ... and learning how to play "Master of Puppets" is indeed one of the songs available in their "Metallica x Yousician' course.

Yousician is also said to be adding the song to another internal tool on their site -- a guitar tuning and songwriting one -- as 'MoP' doesn't currently exist there, but will soon.

Armie Hammer is indeed working as a timeshare salesman in the Cayman Islands ... the actor was heard pitching the benefits of owning property in the beautiful vacation spot.

Armie is very much in salesman mode ... you see him sitting with a couple and going over pricing for a unit.

A prospective buyer in the office says Armie was outlining a plan that would cost $2,020 per week ... or, as the "Social Network" star put it, only about $21,000 for 10 years of vacations!

Armie delivered that sales pitch last month. Vacationing couples were enticed to go to the timeshare office through a flyer that promised discounts for excursions on the island.

As we reported, Armie was spotted outside the office in late June after reports he was working there ... Armie's rep told us he had a friend who worked at the resort, but didn't know whether or not Armie was showing or selling timeshares.

Shawn Mendes isn't ready for the road just yet -- he's temporarily pulling the plug on his tour, so he can tend to his mental health.

The singer announced he's postponing the next 3 weeks of shows on his Wonder World Tour which had just begun last week. Shawn said on Friday it breaks his heart to have to delay the shows -- which had already been pushed back due to the pandemic.

As for why he needs the break, he said ... "I felt like I was ready to dive back in, but that decision was premature and unfortunately the toll of the road and the pressure has caught up to me and Ive hit a breaking point."

Shawn also said touring has always been difficult for him since he started doing it when he was just 15 -- but this time he's heeding the advice of doctors.

"After speaking with my team and health professionals, I need to take some time to heal and take care of myself and my mental health, first and foremost. As soon as there are more updates I promise I will let you know love you guys."

He'd hinted at some struggles back in December when posted he was having a "hard time with social media at the moment, just kind of my relationship with it."

However, it sounds like he's dealing with more than just social media right now. Shawn's move to postpone is in line with a movement among many entertainers and athletes ... who've prioritized their mental health.

Last year, Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka pulled out of the Olympics and French Open, respectively -- and Justin Bieber famously pulled the plug on his Purpose World Tour back in 2017.

Shawn and Camila Cabello broke up last year after dating for 2 years -- although, it's unclear if that has anything to do with what he's dealing with now.

Derek Chauvin can't return to law enforcement after he serves his prison sentence ... and he can't even be a rent-a-cop ... at least for the 5 years he's on supervised release.

According to new legal docs obtained by TMZ, the former cop's supervised release specifically bars him from working as a law enforcement officer, corrections officer, or security officer while on his 5 years of supervised release after he's out from behind bars.

Chauvin will have to find a new career outside policing .. even Derek Chauvin the mall cop is off the table.

In addition, Chauvin can't contact George Floyd's family ... unless he gets prior approval from his probation officer.

As we reported ... Chauvin was recently sentenced to more than 20 years in federal prison, plus 5 years of supervised release once he's out, for violating Floyd's civil rights.

Remember ... Chauvin was already found guilty of murdering Floyd and sentenced to 22.5 years behind bars in that case. The sentences will be served concurrently.

Carlos Santana is putting himself on the bench for a while ... he's postponing the next 6 stops of his tour on the heels of collapsing on stage in Michigan earlier this week.

As we reported ... Santana was performing Tuesday night at the Pine Knob Music Theater, outside Detroit when he went down, sending stage hands and staffers scrambling to his side.

He was eventually rushed to a hospital for treatment, and his camp said he was suffering from dehydration and heat exhaustion.

The health crisis is forcing the guitar great to pump the brakes on his Miraculous Supernatural 2022 Tour from July 8 to July 16, which includes stops in Cincinnati, Milwaukee and Dallas.

Santana's reps said they made the move "out of an abundance of caution for the artist's health." Doctors have also recommended Santana rest so he can fully recuperate.

He's planning to return to the stage July 23 in Paso Robles, CA.

The assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is drawing a steady stream of mourners to the site where he was gunned down while making a campaign speech.

The nation's grief is on display in the city of Nara as citizens arrive in waves ... praying and leaving flowers at the train station.

Abe had been campaigning there in support of a parliament candidate Friday when a 41-year-old man opened fire with a homemade shotgun. The 67-year-old former PM was rushed to a hospital for treatment, but died from his injuries.

Early Saturday, a motorcade carrying his body left the hospital, and made the journey back to Abe's home in Tokyo.

The gunman is in police custody, and had already been charged with attempted murder before Abe was pronounced dead -- but the shocking assassination is raising questions about the safety of Japan's public figures, as it's common for politicians to pop up outside train stations, stores and markets to appeal directly to voters.

It looks like there's a chance Brittney Griner could come home with a prisoner swap, and if ya gotta choose your favorite James Caan film ... well, that's tough. So, we gotta ask ...

Jake Paul's fighting Hasim Rahman Jr. August 6, but the world's most controversial boxer has his sights set on another opponent -- Nate Diaz -- telling TMZ Sports the UFC superstar is the guy he wants to put hands on more than anyone else ... at least in the short term.

"I think Nate Diaz is first and foremost," 25-year-old Paul told Babcock when he joined the "TMZ Sports" TV show (weekdays on FS1).

"That's the one that everyone's been wanting. Everyone knows he only has one or two fights left with the UFC."

Jake continued ... "So, hopefully, when he's done with that, we can run it back because there's some unsettled s**t talk there."

(Note: Jake and Nate haven't fought -- but have exchanged some trash talk)

We also asked Jake for the short list of fighters, aside from Rahman Jr., who he considered as replacements for Tommy Fury ... after Tyson's bro dropped out of their scheduled match for a second time.

"Yeah, there was Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. as well. I still want that fight,.I think it can happen one day."

Paul also considered an MMA G.O.A.T. ... who like Jake has had success in the boxing ring of late (Spider actually beat Chavez Jr. in a boxing match in 2021).

"Anderson Silva was on that list, but he's in a tricky contract with Triller from what I'm told. So, it wasn't easy to make that fight happen right away, and yeah, just waiting for some guys to get out of their UFC contract to put them to sleep, too."

Megan Fox is proving there are no hard feelings with Brian Austin Green by sending a gift to her ex-husband and his girlfriend, Sharna Burgess, to celebrate their first child together.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ … Megan sent a floral arrangement to Brian and Sharna, who welcomed their baby boy Zane Walker Green, last Tuesday.

Megan's been supportive of Brian and Sharna's relationship, and clearly, the same is true of their venture into parenthood. We're told the couple got a few dozen flowers in a white, floral arrangement with a card that said, “Congratulations Brian and Sharna”.

For what it's worth ... the card and flowers were only from Megan. MGK's John Hancock wasn't on the delivery.

You might remember ... a couple months into dating Brian, Sharna reportedly called Megan -- who shares 3 children with Brian -- to talk about co-parenting and being around their kids. Apparently, that went a long way with Megan.

Obviously, the couple is on really good terms with Megan, and we're told they were thrilled with her thoughtful gesture.

As we reported ... Sharna and Brian announced they were expecting back in February, with a photo shoot in Hawaii. And, in May, Sharna sold her Hollywood Hills home to move in with Brian.

Brian got together with Sharna shortly after his divorce from Megan ... who had already moved on with her now-fiance, Machine Gun Kelly.

Celebrities are taking a break from the sweltering Hollywood grind and are hitting the beaches and shorelines around the world ... And, by the looks of it, they shore are feeling fine and sandy!

Stars like Britney Spears, Gabrielle Union and Hailey Bieber are owning the shorelines with selfies on social media ... lookin' like boss beaches! Not to be outdone by Kim Kardashian, Pete Davison, Kate Hudson, and Emily Ratajkowski, who are also sticking close to the shore and shell-ebrating all things Summer '22!

Jeffree Star has finally found a buyer for his beautiful Hidden Hills compound ... setting the possible new owner back a hefty chunk of change.

The cosmetic mogul relisted his 2.8-acre property for $15.5M back in April ... we're told an offer was accepted last month. The deal has not yet closed, and Star is still accepting backup offers just in case.

The place was built in 2009 with French inspiration -- aside from the main house, it's got two guest houses and a barn, spanning over 19,000 square feet and located at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac.

Jeffree's compound comes with a home theater, game room, a 2-story fitness center, a 10-car garage, and a wine cellar that leads straight to a speakeasy bar area in the basement.

He bought the pad back in 2019 for $14.6M ... doing a significant remodel with lots of updates. He also changed the color scheme to white-and-gold -- with splashes of pink, of course.

Jeffree listed the estate last summer for $20M after picking up a 70-acre ranch in Wyoming, and since then picked up nearly 500 additional acres. He still operates his business out of L.A. despite now spending most of his time in Caspar, Wyoming where he raises yaks -- true story.