Celebrity Death

Charlie Daniels -- a country and Southern rock legend known for his hit "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" -- has died after suffering a stroke ... according to his website.

The Country Music Hall of Famer died Monday morning at the Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, Tennessee. Doctors determined the cause of death was a hemorrhagic stroke.

Daniels' career began in the late 1950s, as a skilled player of the guitar, fiddle and banjo ... he formed a rock band and hit the road.

In the '60s, he co-wrote an Elvis Presley song -- "It Hurts Me" -- and played instruments for the likes of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen.

Daniels put out his first solo album in 1971 and had his first big hit -- "Uneasy Rider" -- in 1973. He'd go on to play the fiddle for acts like the Marshall Tucker Band and Hank Williams Jr. in the '70s, before his Charlie Daniels Band put out its most famous song in 1979.

"The Devil Went Down to Georgia" reached #3 on the Billboard charts and landed Daniels his only Grammy win of his storied career for Best Country Vocal Performance.

Daniels would be nominated for 5 more Grammys, including Best Country Instrumental Performance for "I'll Fly Away" in 2005.

Charlie was also inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 2008.

He's survived by his wife, Hazel, and their son, Charlie Daniels Jr.

Daniels was 83.

Nick Cordero -- a veteran leading man on Broadway -- has died after a long battle with COVID-19 -- this according to his wife, Amanda Kloots.

First word of Cordero's passing came Sunday when Sony music exec Tommy Mottola tweeted ... "NICK CORDERO..REST in PEACE our dear brother!!!" He added, "lead actor and star of 'A BRONX TALE MUSICAL'..beautiful sweet man.. amazing talented actor and singer...loving family man ..we pray for you and your family .. @amandakloots."

Tommy finished his thoughts by saying, "..no more pain ..no more sufferin…" Nick's wife, confirmed the news herself on Instagram, writing a lengthy tribute to her husband.

Amanda writes, "God has another angel in heaven now. My darling husband passed away this morning. He was surrounded in love by his family, singing and praying as he gently left this earth."

She continued, "I am in disbelief and hurting everywhere. My heart is broken as I cannot imagine our lives without him. Nick was such a bright light. He was everyone’s friend, loved to listen, help and especially talk. He was an incredible actor and musician. He loved his family and loved being a father and husband. Elvis and I will miss him in everything we do, everyday." Amanda went on to thank Nick's team of doctors as well as his supporters who poured in love and well-wishes during his lengthy battle.

Amanda had publicly shared updates while her husband was fighting for his life ever since contracting the virus in March.

Nick was initially hospitalized thinking he had pneumonia, which was later found to be COVID-19. Since being admitted, he's had several complications with his treatment, including septic shock, lung infections and a leg amputation.

Most recently, he had a procedure done to remove a pace maker, and Amanda said Nick might even need a double lung transplant down the road.

Prior to his diagnosis, Nick was an absolute stud on the big stage, having starred in several big shows like "Bullets over Broadway," for which he got a Tony Award nomination in 2014. He was also in "Waitress," "Rock of Ages," and the musical version of "A Bronx Tale," which earned more nominations and accolades.

Nick also had some on-screen credits, notably playing a cop in the CBS crime drama, "Blue Bloods."

He's survived by Amanda and their one-year-old son, Elvis. Nick was 41.

Bonnie Pointer of The Pointer Sisters died after going into cardiac arrest ... TMZ has learned.

The Grammy-winning Motown artist's cause of death is listed as cardiopulmonary arrest ... this according to her death certificate obtained by TMZ. Bonnie -- real name Patricia Eva Pointer -- died on June 8 at 3:37 AM. The doc lists her as divorced, and an entertainer in the music industry for 50 years.

According to the doc ... there were other underlying issues she'd been battling for about a decade, including liver disease.

TMZ broke the story ... Bonnie, one of the OGs of the wildly popular group of sisters in the '70s, died earlier this month. Her sister, Anita, told us, "It is with great sadness that I have to announce to the fans of The Pointer Sisters that my sister, Bonnie died this morning. Our family is devastated, on behalf of my siblings and I and the entire Pointer family, we ask for your prayers at this time.”

Bonnie's best known for her cover of "Heaven Must Have Sent You," which peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard's Hot 100 chart. She earned a Grammy for Best Vocal by a Duo or Group in the country category for their hit, "Fairytale."

Pop Smoke's closest friends are getting iced out before his debut album drops ... with some custom jewelry honoring the slain rapper.

Pop's inner circle reached out to New York City's Benny The Jeweler for some special commemorative bling ... according to our sources, and it was just in time for Friday's posthumous release. Ya gotta see what @bennydajeweler cooked up in Pop's honor.

Check out the 5 "Woo Star" pendants for the guys over at Forever Smoke Entertainment ... the record label founded by Pop's brother, Mike Dee, along with Ace Makaveli, Eazy, Stacks and Hunter.

There's a rose gold pendant and 4 yellow gold pendants ... and they're covered with 20 karats of VS diamonds, retailing at a cool $18,000 each. We're told the bling represents rising above adversity, as well as shooting for the stars, and aiming for the moon -- the title of the album.

Pop's girlfriend, Alyssa Danielle, is also getting some special jewelry from Benny ... an insane custom piece featuring Smoke's face surrounded by diamonds. We're told it's still in the works, and the finished product will be super colorful.

The sad news is Benny was working on a couple pieces for Pop himself before the rapper was fatally shot in February in a home invasion.

Remember, fans demanded a do-over of the cover art Virgil Abloh designed for "Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon," and they're getting their wish.

Hugh Downs -- a broadcasting legend with 60 years experience on "Today," "20/20" and 'The Tonight Show' -- has died.

Hugh died Wednesday at his home in Scottsdale, AZ ... according to his family, who released a statement Friday, saying his passing is not related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Hugh was one of TV's most familiar faces during his incredibly long and successful run as a broadcaster ... he co-anchored NBC's "Today" show from 1962 to 1971 and is most remembered for his 21 years as Barbara Walters' co-host on ABC's "20/20."

Downs was also known for his signature sign-off during his time at "20/20" ... ending the nightly program with this gem, "We're in touch, so you be in touch."

Hugh was on the tube for so long, at one point he held the record for most hours spent in front of a TV camera with a whopping 15,188 ... a long-standing record eventually topped by Regis Philbin.

While Hugh officially retired from "20/20" way back in 1999, he lent his smooth voice to a number of TV specials and documentary films during the 2000s.

Hugh was born in Akron, Ohio and he got his broadcasting start on radio in Detroit and Chicago before moving to TV in 1949 as an announcer on a classic children's puppet show called, "Kukla, Fran and Ollie."

Downs also served as the announcer for one of the earliest versions of NBC's "Tonight Show," working alongside Jack Paar in the late 1950s and early '60s.

He even launched one of the most popular daytime shows in the 1960s, "Concentration," a memory-matching game he hosted for over a decade.

Downs worked for PBS too, for much of the 1990s he was the host of the network's "Live From Lincoln Center" broadcasts.

Hugh was 99.

RIP

Carl Reiner, one of the most prolific entertainers in the history of show business has died ... TMZ has learned.

We're told Reiner died Monday night at his Beverly Hills home.  We're told his family was with him when he passed.

Reiner was a producer. He was also a director. He was also an actor. He was also a Grammy winner. He won 9 Emmys in over 7 decades. He has more than 400 credits.

Where to begin? Well, for all you youngins' ... you may have caught Carl in "Toy Story 4."

For most people ... they remember Carl best for "The Dick Van Dyke Show," which he created and starred in. Carl played the role of a very temperamental comedian -- Alan Brady -- who terrorized Dick Van Dyke's character and the other writers. Oh, and there was this new actress Carl cast for Dick's wife -- Mary Tyler Moore.

Carl made a best-selling album with Mel Brooks called "The 2000 Year Old Man" which earned a Grammy nomination and sparked his writing career.

There were other smash hits, including directing "Oh God" with George Burns and "The Jerk" with Steve Martin. He worked with Martin on several movies, including "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid," "Man with Two Brains" and "All of Me."

Reiner appeared in a bunch of TV shows and movies, including "The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming," and "Enter Laughing."

The directing credits are endless -- "Summer Rental" with John Candy, "Summer School" with Mark Harmon, "That Old Feeling" with Bette Midler and "Sibling Rivalry" with Kirstie Alley and Carrie Fisher.

Carl appeared on lots of hit TV shows, including "Two and a Half Men," "Hot in Cleveland" and "House." He was also in "Ocean's 11" and "Ocean's Thirteen."

We last talked to him in 2013, leaving "Jimmy Kimmel Live."

Reiner received the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor back in 2000.

Did we mention one of his three kids is Rob Reiner? Definitely like father like son.

Carl's wife, Estelle, whom he married in 1943, died in 2008.

Carl was 98.

RIP

Special moment from Lil Wayne on Sunday night -- he perfumed his 2009 track, "Kobe Bryant" ... with new lyrics to honor Mamba and Gianna.

It all went down at the BET Awards -- where Wayne debuted a new music video for the song, performing in front of the screen with Kobe's name on it.

The original lyrics already painted Kobe as a legend:

"He the greatest on the court ...
And I'm the greatest on the verse.
Goin' for the 4th ring like it was his 1st...
Gotta get the gleam. Do it for Kareem ...
2-4 so nice. My flow is so mean."

But, in the wake of recent events, Weezy updated the track to acknowledge the passing of Kobe and Gianna.

"Two fingers for the Mambacita. I’m screamin’ 'Black Mamba matters.'"

He continued ... "Heart goes out to Vanessa and the whole Black Mamba family."

"G-O-A-T like Kobe Bean, rest in power and hope for peace.”

Vanessa acknowledged it on her IG page -- calling the performance a "beautiful tribute."

Kobe, Gianna and 7 others passed away in a helicopter crash on January 26. He was 41. She was only 13.

Milton Glaser, a super famous graphic designer who created one of the most iconic campaigns for a city has died on his 91st birthday.

Glaser was embedded in pop culture in the '60's and '70's. In '67 he fashioned a poster of Bob Dylan with wildly-colored hair and it sold millions. But, his biggest splash came with the “I ❤️ NY” logo, which it seems was subsequently printed on about a trillion t-shirts.

Glaser's wife, Shirley, said the cause of death was a stroke and renal failure.

Glaser was big in commercial art, which went hand-in-hand with advertising. He was considered one of the boldest artists in his field -- swinging for the fences with radical and colorful designs. One of the boldest ... he created art for a 1968 Olivetti typewriter ad. He used a piece of 15th century art featuring a grieving dog and strategically placed an Olivetti at the feet of the dead nymph the dog was mourning.

As for the “I ❤️ NY” campaign ... it was launched in 1977 to promote tourism when New York really needed it, and it was a sensation. What's amazing ... he sketched the image on the back of an envelope with a red crayon while sitting in the back of a cab. The logo helped define the Big Apple.

And, check out his modesty ... he told The Village Voice back in 2011 ... “I’m flabbergasted by what happened to this little, simple nothing of an idea."

After 911, Glaser modified the design to ... “I ❤️ NY More Than Ever,” but this time the heart had a bruise.

And, there's this great quote ... “I’m a person who deals with visual material whatever it is — architecture, an object, a set of plates, wallpaper — right now I’m doing T-shirts.”

Kelly Asbury, who worked on some huge animated films, including directing the blockbuster "Shrek 2" ... is dead after a long battle with cancer.

Kelly died peacefully Friday in Encino, CA ... according to his rep, and leaves behind an amazing resume in the world of animation.

He's best known for directing the Oscar-nominated 'Shrek' sequel, but also worked on some of Disney's biggest animated hits ... such as "Beauty and the Beast."

Kelly directed and wrote the screenplay for the 2011 flick, "Gnomeo & Juliet," Most recently, he directed "UglyDolls," which came out last year.

Asbury earned his stripes in the animation industry at the Mouse House -- from 1983 to 1995 he contributed storyboards for iconic movies like "The Little Mermaid," "The Rescuers Down Under" and "The Black Cauldron," just to name a few.

He moved over to DreamWorks in 1995, making his directorial debut in 2002 on the Oscar-nominated movie, 'Spirit.'

Asbury eventually returned to Disney for a brief stint, working as a story artist for popular hits like "Wreck-It Ralph" and "Frozen." Safe to say, he put smiles on the faces of millions upon millions of movie-goers

He was also a published children's book author, and even wrote a biography profiling ventriloquists like Jeff Dunham, Edgar Bergen, Shari Lewis, Jimmy Nelson and Paul Winchell.

The Hollywood Reporter first reported his death. Kelly was 60.

St. Louis rapper Huey -- best known for his 2007 hit, "Pop, Lock & Drop It" -- is dead after an unsolved shooting incident ... TMZ has confirmed.

Law enforcement tells TMZ ... Huey is one of two men who were shot Thursday in St. Louis County. Huey succumbed to his injuries late Thursday night.

Cops say they got a call about a 32-year-old male shooting victim who'd arrived at a local hospital suffering from at least one apparent gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital.

The second man who was shot was transported to a local hospital where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Cops say the shootings are related and say it went down in Kinloch, Missouri, where as many as 10 people were present during the time of the shooting. It remains under investigation.

Huey's "Pop, Lock & Drop It" track was a huge hit back in 2007. It spent 23 weeks on Billboard's Hot 100 chart and peaked at No. 6 before earning double-platinum status.

The track was the single from his "Notebook Paper" album, which included collaborations with T-Pain and Bow Wow. Huey's music also became popular with St. Louis' most famous rapper, Nelly.

Huey -- who had recently released his single "Pulled Away" back in April -- was reportedly the target of a triple-homicide back in 2009 in St. Louis. The threats were so real ... a concert promoter allegedly told the rapper not to perform because he was being targeted.

Huey is survived by his 13-year-old daughter. He was 32.

Steve Bing -- best known for writing "Kangaroo Jack" and investing hugely in the Tom Hanks' film, "The Polar Express" -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the famed writer/producer died by suicide Monday after jumping from the 27th floor of a luxury apartment building in L.A.'s Century City neighborhood. Bing lived in the building, and sources connected to him tell us he'd been depressed about lack of human contact during quarantine. We don't know if that's behind the suicide.

Bing -- who founded Shangri-La Entertainment -- reportedly dropped out of Stanford his junior year after inheriting around $600 million from his grandfather, who was a real estate developer. After dropping out, Bing pursued a career in Hollywood ... and his first big-budget hit came as executive producer of the Sylvester Stallone film, "Get Carter," in 2000.

He went on to write "Kangaroo Jack" in 2003 ... and later invested nearly $100 million in 'Polar Express.' That was reportedly nearly half the production cost, and it went on to gross nearly $300 million globally at the box office.

Bing also produced "Hotel Noir" in 2012. That same year, Bing committed to Bill Gates and Warren Buffett's "Giving Pledge" to give away the majority of his wealth over his lifetime. Bing donated to a lot of progressive issues.

Bing is survived by his 2 children -- Damian Hurley from his relationship with Elizabeth Hurley and daughter Kira Bonder, who he had with former pro tennis player Lisa Bonder.

Bing was 55.

Joel Schumacher -- the famed director behind "Phantom of the Opera" and a series of 'Batman' films -- has died.

Schumacher died Monday morning in New York City after a long cancer battle ... according to a rep.

The American director rose to stardom with "St. Elmo's Fire," "The Lost Boys" and "Flatliners." He also adapted two John Grisham adaptations -- "The Client" in 1994 and "A Time to Kill" in 1996. He also earned critical acclaim for "Falling Down" and "8mm."

A younger audience may know him best when Schumacher signed up in the early '90s to direct a series of 'Batman' films. He directed "Batman Forever" in 1995 and "Batman & Robin" in 1997.

He'd go on to direct "The Phantom of the Opera" in 2004 ... which earned 3 Oscar nominations for Best Cinematography, Best Production Design and Best Original Song. The film also earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Musical or Comedy - Motion Picture.

Schumacher initially thought he'd go into fashion ... studying at Parsons The New School for Design and the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC. He ultimately realized filmmaking is his passion and moved to L.A. where he worked as a costume designer for Woody Allen before earning an MFA from UCLA. He wrote several screenplays before making his directorial debut in 1981 with "The Incredible Shrinking Woman."

The director was openly gay throughout his career in Hollywood. He was once described by a friend as a "sexual outlaw" and when asked during a 2019 interview with New York Magazine to guestimate how many people he's slept, Schumacher replied, "It would be in the double-digit thousands, but that is not unusual." When the reporter replied, "double-digit thousands, like 2,000 or 3,000?" Schumacher replied, "That's not double digits, that's single digits" before Schumacher confirmed 10,000 to 20,000.

Schumacher famously — and unapologetically — added nipples to Batman’s batsuit in the 1995 flick, “Batman Forever.”

The move was super controversial at the time, but Schumacher defended it for years ... and even joked to us about the decision and lamented that that's all he would ever be famous for.

Schumacher was 80.

RIP

Rapper Tray Savage, a member of Chief Keef's record label, is dead ... TMZ has learned.

Tray was shot and killed Friday on the South Side of Chicago ... according to sources. We're told the rapper was driving in the Chatham neighborhood around 11 AM when someone opened fire, striking Tray in the shoulder and neck.

Police say Tray's car hit 3 other vehicles after he was hit by the gunfire. He was rushed to the University of Chicago Medical Canter, where he was later pronounced dead.

Witnesses say they noticed a white SUV in the neighborhood at the time of the fatal shooting ... and detectives are investigating, though no suspects are in custody yet.

Born in Chicago, Tray was a member of the rap label Glory Boyz Entertainment, also known as GBE, which is owned by Fredo Santana and Chief Keef.

Savage is most famous for his 2013 collab with Chief Keef, "Chiefin Keef." He also has a ton of other music videos on YouTube, including "Faces," "Know Who I Am," and "Got The Mac."

Tray was only 26.

RIP

Sir Ian Holm -- perhaps best known for playing Bilbo in 'The Lord of the Rings' films -- died Friday morning after a long battle with Parkinson's disease ... according to his agent.

The Oscar-nominated actor died peacefully in the hospital with his family by his side, the agent added.

Holm was born in England in 1931, and got into theater acting at a young age, studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and graduating in 1950 to the Royal Shakespeare Company ... where he became a star of the stage.

Ian won the Tony Award in 1967 for Best Featured Actor for his performance as Lenny in "The Homecoming."

At the same time, his roles were increasing in film and TV, as well ... including appearances in "The Wars of Roses," "Oh! What a Lovely War" and "Mary, Queen of Scots."

His first major movie role came in 1979 when he was cast as the android, Ash, in "Alien." Then, in 1981, he earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for playing the coach in "Chariots of Fire."

Holm's other notable credits over the years included "Brazil," "Hamlet," "The Fifth Element," "Ratatouille" and of course ... playing Bilbo Baggins in 'The Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' films.

Ian also took home the 1998 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for the starring role in "King Lear."

Holm was named a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 1989, and in 1998 he was knighted for his services to drama.

He is survived by his wife, artist Sophie de Stempel, whom he married in 2003, and 5 children.

Ian was 88.

Katherine Williams-Dunning, daughter of country music icon Hank Williams, Jr., died Saturday night after losing control of her SUV.

The 27-year-old was driving a Chevy Tahoe in Henry County, Tennessee when it began drifting across the median, triggering a rollover sequence. No other cars were involved.

Katherine was pronounced dead and her husband, 29-year-old Tyler Dunning, was airlifted to a nearby hospital. His condition is unknown.

Katherine's family is country music royalty. Her dad, 71-year-old Hank, Jr., has topped the charts with songs like "All My Rowdy Friends," which is ESPN's "Monday Night Football" theme song. Hank's dad is one of the giants in the history of country music, who died at 29 but produced hit after hit.

Katherine leaves behind her husband and 2 young children.

She was 27.

Josie Harris -- Floyd Mayweather's ex -- died from the result of an accidental overdose of Rx medication, TMZ Sports has learned.

We broke the story, Harris was found unresponsive in her car in front of her Valencia, Calif. family home back in March.

We were told despite lifesaving efforts from emergency personnel ... Harris passed away on the scene at 40 years old.

An autopsy was conducted, which included toxicology, and we're told the family has now been informed the official cause of death is listed as an accidental overdose.

We spoke with Josie's attorney, Dan Friedlander, who issued a statement on behalf of the family.

"The family is aware the medical examiner has released the report and they are thankful for the closure. Josie will be remembered as a truly kind and giving person and loving mother. She was loved and will be missed."

Floyd dated Harris in a famously up-and-down relationship from 1995 until 2010 ... and after her death, he called her "a great woman" and "a great person."

As we previously reported, Floyd was so rocked by the passing of Josie, as well as his Uncle, Roger Mayweather, he decided against making a return to the pro boxing ring in 2020.