Celebrity Death

Olivia de Havilland, the last surviving star of "Gone with the Wind," has died.

The actress played Melanie Hamilton Wilkes, who squared off with Scarlett O'Hara to gain the affection of Ashley Wilkes, played by Leslie Howard.

The 1939 movie became one of the icons in cinema ... played and replayed every year in movie theaters across the country. The movie has drawn constant and increased criticism over glorifying the South during the Civil War, and recently, when HBO Max released it on its streaming service, it provided context at the beginning.

Olivia starred in a number of other movies, including "The Adventures of Robin Hood." She won Oscars for her performances in "To Each His Own" and "The Heiress."

Olivia was also embroiled in a long-standing Hollywood feud with her sister, actress Joan Fontaine, and gossip mags couldn't get enough of it.

Olivia was angry over Ryan Murphy's miniseries, "Feud: Bette and Joan," because of the way she was portrayed, and sued FX but lost.

She also was important in putting an end to the archaic studio system in Hollywood. When she was under a long-term contract with Warner Bros., she put her foot down, refusing certain roles, which got her benched more than once. She ended up suing Warner Bros., saying the studio system amounted to "peonage," and the judge agreed and freed her from her remaining obligations under her contract.

The legal fight changed the balance of power in Hollywood, and actors were able to negotiate better contracts as a result.

Olivia has lived in Paris since 1960 and rarely attended public functions. There was a splashy party in Hollywood for her 90th birthday -- thrown by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences -- and she showed up.

And, check out the cool pic ... Olivia last year -- 103 years old -- riding a bike.

Olivia was 104.

The final goodbye to John Lewis, the civil rights icon who helped change America, just took an emotional turn as his casket was taken over the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

After a short memorial outside the Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma, the processional traversed downtown Selma and then reached the famed bridge, where 25-year-old Lewis and others were championing voting rights back in 1965. They were brutalized by cops and Lewis sustained serious injuries, including a fractured skull.

Lewis frequently returned to the bridge, marking each anniversary of the confrontation.

Lewis said later in his life, "I gave a little blood on that bridge. I thought I was going to die.  I thought I saw death."

The bridge has become a symbol of the civil rights movement. President Obama marched on the bridge at the 50th anniversary of the brutality.

The crossing is part of a memorial spanning 5 cities that mark the life of the man his colleagues called the conscience of the Congress. The tributes began in Troy, Alabama Saturday, where Lewis was born.

Mary Kay Letourneau's full legal name is recorded as Mary Katherine Fualaau on her death certificate -- it's just one of the signs she and estranged husband, Vili Fualaau never completed their divorce.

According to the doc ... Letourneau's marital status was "married,' and it also shows Vili as her surviving spouse. This is interesting ... considering they legally separated back in 2017, though it's now clear they never followed through.

As we reported ... despite the separation, Vili had previously revealed Mary Kay's stage 4 cancer diagnosis when he posted a photo of himself wearing a medical mask with the caption, "Praying for a miracle." Mary Kay had been in hospice care for the last month ... and Vili was by her side much of that time.

She died July 6 at 12:01 PM at the Des Moines, Washington home where she lived for 3 years. The doc lists her cause of death as widely metastatic colorectal cancer which she was diagnosed with several years ago.

Mary Kay was cremated on July 13 in Seattle.

As you know, the former teacher was imprisoned in 1997 after pleading guilty to raping her then 6th-grade student, Vili. They eventually married in 2005, and had 2 kids together.

One of the final goodbyes to Rep. John Lewis -- one of the great civil rights icons in American history -- just wrapped up in Selma, Alabama ... and it was incredibly powerful to watch.

The Celebration of Life ceremony Saturday evening -- which went down the historic Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church -- was the second of several that are taking place this weekend and next week. The 'Selma Salutes Congressman John Lewis' memorial helped kick off a 6-day, 5 city tribute, began in Troy, Alabama, the city where Lewis was born in 1940 to parents who worked on a cotton farm.

The service featured several different speakers -- including local and state elected officials, as well as fellow marchers who stood with John Lewis and others during the Bloody Sunday march  1965, and they all had remarkable things to say about the late Civil Rights leader.

Lewis was right there with Martin Luther King, Jr., marching, protesting and getting brutalized by cops ... sometimes so horribly he could have died. But, a cracked skull would not stop Lewis, who sometimes smiled when his mug shot was taken after being arrested ... saying he smiled because he knew he was on the right side of history.

Speaking of MLK Jr., his son -- Martin Luther King III -- gave one of the more powerful eulogies of the night ... as he reminisced on what John stood for, and how he truly lived his own father's legacy through action and civil service. MLK III also stressed the need to vote and to end voter suppression -- something Rep. Lewis long fought for in his career.

After the ceremony, his body was set to lie in repose for some hours for the public.

Other ceremonies happening this weekend and early next week include some in Montgomery, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta.

Lewis died earlier this month from pancreatic cancer. He fought the disease for 7 months but never slowed down. The man served Georgia's 5th Congressional District for 17 terms. He was often referred to as the "conscience of the Congress."

Once again ... rest in peace to an American hero.

Regis Philbin has died ... TMZ has learned.

The iconic TV host, actor, singer and all-around media personality who was once dubbed "the hardest working man in showbiz" passed away this weekend -- this according to a statement from his family.

They told People, "His family and friends are forever grateful for the time we got to spend with him – for his warmth, his legendary sense of humor, and his singular ability to make every day into something worth talking about. We thank his fans and admirers for their incredible support over his 60-year career."

A source tells TMZ Regis died early Saturday after suffering a heart attack at his home, possibly the one in Connecticut -- although, we have not confirmed that with the family at this point.

We know he'd been battling heart disease for a while now -- even having an angioplasty done in the '90s, not to mention a triple bypass surgery in 2007. Up until last year, Regis had said he was feeling relatively healthy in retirement.

In light of his death, we must say ... Regis was a star among stars, and had a storied career.

Regis got his start in Hollywood back in the '50s while working on "The Tonight Show," under which he served as a page. He went on to work in local news for a bit and even had his own show before getting more network exposure in the '60s on "The Joey Bishop Show."

From there, the ball kept rolling -- he went on to replace talk show host Steve Allen on his own show, but fell short up against Johnny Carson's strong ratings. Regis then bounced around in media, but stayed on with hosting gigs ... everything from radio shows, variety shows, game shows, lifestyle shows, talk shows and more. The guy was getting airtime.

In the late '80s, he perhaps got his biggest break by landing a co-hosting gig with Kathie Lee Gifford, which most know as "Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee" -- a nationally-syndicated morning talk show that has continued to this day, with other hosts filling in over the years ... perhaps most notably, Kelly Ripa, who replaced Kathie Lee when she left her hosting gig.

Regis co-hosted the show until 2011, when Michael Strahan replaced him. But, even during all those years in between, the man stayed busy -- as game show fans might already know.

Of course, Regis is also super well known for being the original host for the uber game show, 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire' -- which he hosted from 1999 through 2002 ... as well as a couple different special event series spinoffs in '04 and 09. He hosted other game shows as well throughout the 2000s, not to mention the first season of "America's Got Talent."

Regis has worked on countless TV series and shows over the years as a special guest, guest host, co-host or just cameos in general, including recurring appearances on "Today," 'Rachael Ray,' "The Talk," "The Meredith Vieira Show," 'The Tonight Show,' "Entertainment Tonight," "The View," "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson," "Late Show with David Letterman," "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," "Good Morning America," "Wheel of Fortune," "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," "Jeopardy!," "The Rosie O'Donnell Show," and on and on.

Regis is survived by his wife, Joy, his three children as well as his grandchildren. His son, Danny, died in 2014.

He was 88. RIP

Naya Rivera's ex-husband, Ryan Dorsey, has broken his silence on her untimely death -- and his tribute to her is gut-wrenching.

Ryan -- who's also the father of her son, Josey -- took to Instagram Saturday with a heartfelt post about his ex-wife for the first time since she disappeared and was later discovered dead at Lake Piru, throwing up a photo of her and their boy together along with a lengthy caption.

He writes, "This is so unfair...there's not enough words to express the hole left in everyone's hearts. I can't believe this is life now. I don't know if I'll ever believe it. You were just here... We were just in the back swimming with Josey the day before."

Ryan continued, "Life just isn't fair. I don't know what to say...I'm thankful for our times and our journey that brought us together and gave us the sweetest and kindest smart little boy we could ever hope for. I remember sometimes you used to get annoyed at me: 'Ryan can you stop snap chatting!' Haha. I'm glad I didn't listen to you because I have hundreds and probably thousands of snaps and videos that Josey will have forever and know his momma loved him more than life, and how much fun we had together as he was growing up."

He went on to say that Josey's presence alone would make any bad times a little less because a piece of Naya will forever live on within him, and by extension ... with Ryan. He added, "(Josey will) never forget where he came from. We miss you. We will always love you. Love you Meep."

Ryan went on to thank everyone for the outpouring of support, saying ... "I'll just say in closing, be kind to yourself, be kind to others, forgive...forget...don't hold grudges....if you have nothing nice to say maybe try not to say anything. There's peace in silence." He finished, "Time on Earth is precious and you just never know....you never know what could happen. Hold your loved ones close, and cherish the times you have with those you care about."

Ryan was one of several members of Naya's loved ones who went to Lake Piru in the days after her disappearance -- even getting in the water at one point to feel a connection.

They had a somewhat tumultuous 4-year marriage -- Naya was arrested for domestic violence in 2017 after an argument over their kid turned violent. She filed for divorce shortly thereafter.

Peter Green, one of the founding members of Fleetwood Mac, has died.

The family put out a statement that said ... "It is with great sadness that the family of Peter Green announce his death this weekend, peacefully in his sleep."

Green, a blues/rock guitarist, created Fleetwood Mac with Mick Fleetwood way back in '67, and the group produced an insane number of hits ... the insanity only surpassed by the drama inside the group.

Among the hits ... "Black Magic Woman" and "Need Your Love So Bad."

The group was originally known as Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac featuring Jeremy Spencer. It's a mouthful, and was collapsed to simply Fleetwood Mac several years later.

Peter left the group in 1970, creating a guitarist void in the group that was eventually filled by Lindsey Buckingham. He struggled with mental illness, which was a principal reason he left the group.

There were 9 members of the band during the years -- Mick, Peter, Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, John McVie, Christine McVie, Danny Kirwan, Bob Welch and Jeremy Spencer. All but Welch were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

Marlon Wayans is remembering his late mother on what would have been her 82nd birthday, and revealing the Wayans family matriarch, Elvira, has died.

We're told Elvira passed away a couple weeks ago, but Marlon waited until her birthday to share the somber news. He posted a touching tribute to his mother Thursday, on what is usually a very special day for them ... they share a birthday, and Marlon says it's hard to celebrate another year knowing his mom is gone forever.

The comedian wrote ... "Losing you shattered me into 1000 pieces. I'm putting my life back together piece by piece. You will always be my glue. Miss you. Today I celebrate for the both of. In the midst of this hurt... i just love you ma."

Marlon adds ... "i accomplished so much, made you so proud... but now i got angel to lift me. #loveofmylife #bdaygotl s*** ma, i gave you all my bdays... wth do i do now 😂 millions of weetahs sugtas and homies #myfirstmylastmyeverything rest well."

Damien Wayans also commented on his uncle's post ... "1,000,000 weetahs Indeed!"

Let's face it, Hollywood owes Elvira a debt of gratitude ... the woman brought 10 Wayans children into the world, giving birth to one of the biggest and most successful families in show biz.

Elvira's kids -- Keenan, Damon, Shawn, Marlon, Dwayne, Kim, Nadia, Elvira, Diedre and Vonnie -- have written, directed, produced and starred in countless movies and TV series, including "The Wayans Bros.," often working together on their content.

Elvira was 81.

Former "Bad Girls Club" star Demitra "Mimi" Roche has died.

Demitra's death was announced Wednesday in a touching Twitter tribute from record producer Vince Valholla, the founder of Valholla Entertainment where Roche also formerly worked as Vice President of A&R.

Vince remembered Demitra as a "big dreamer" and said, "I'm at a loss for words. Don't know what to say. Mimi was kind to everyone she came across."

Demitra's former boss added ... "I'm heartbroken by the news of her passing. I'm thankful I got to know & work w/ her. My thoughts are with her family & loved ones."

Valholla did not reveal Mimi's cause of death.

Roche was named VP of artists and repertoire at Valholla Entertainment back in 2011, but she's best known for her role in "Bad Girls Club" season 8 in 2012. Her nickname on the show was "The Miami Maverick."

One of Mimi's friends also paid tribute to the late reality TV star on Facebook, saying ... "I just wished you a happy birthday then the next day this is what I see. Some of you may know her from bad girls club but I knew the real her. Such a sweet soul and with radiant energy so full of life. Gone to soon."

Demitra was only 34.

Priscilla Presley is speaking out about losing her grandson, Benjamin Keough, to suicide earlier this month, and she says the tragedy's left the family broken.

Elvis' widow broke her silence Wednesday saying, "These are some of the darkest days of my family’s life. The shock of losing Ben has been devastating."

Priscilla continued in a Facebook post ... "Trying to put all the pieces together of all the possible whys has penetrated my soul. Each day I wake up I pray it will get better. Then, I think of my daughter [Lisa Marie Presley] and the pain she is going through as she was a doting mother. Ben’s father, Danny [Keough], who is completely lost, as Ben was his only son."

Other than a statement through Lisa Marie's attorney shortly after news broke of Ben's death, neither of his parents have spoken publicly about his passing. Clearly, as Priscilla explains, they're shattered over this ... the entire brood is -- uncles, nieces, nephews and all.

Priscilla ended her thoughts with Ben's only full-blooded sibling, Riley Keough. She says, "Riley, so loving and so close to him; Harper and Finley, who absolutely adored Ben. Navarone, who struggles deeply with loss and death. Rest In Peace Ben, you were loved. ❤️"

Marilyn Monroe's pearls from her last ever photo shoot could be sitting in your collection -- the historic jewelry is hitting the auction block.

Marilyn wore faux pearl earrings and slipped on a faux pearl necklace for the photo spread -- famously known as the "Last Sitting" -- with legendary fashion photog Bert Stern.

The pics were snapped just 6 weeks before her death, and they're going up for sale through online auction house Gotta Have Rock and Roll, where they're expected to fetch a pretty penny.

The jewelry is cool, but so is the Nikon camera Bert used to take thousands of photos that day, and it's also up for auction. While Vogue Magazine supplied the props, clothes, jewelry and accessories ... the camera was Bert's personal one.

Marilyn even used the camera as a prop, spontaneously grabbing the Nikon while Bert grabbed a spare camera and kept snapping away. The auction house expects the Nikon to fetch $60,000 due to its place in pop culture.

The pearls are expected to bring in $50,000 for the earrings and $8k for the necklace.

Some of Marilyn's extensive wardrobe is also part of the auction ... we're told a gown and shawl is estimated to go for $40k and a pair of black and white checkered pants could fetch $15k. MM owned and wore the clothing.

The auction opens July 22 ... good luck!!!

Pop Smoke's alleged murderers were tracked down by LAPD detectives the old-fashioned way ... there were no shortcuts or easy breaks.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the big break in the case leading to the arrests of 4 men allegedly connected to the rapper's death didn't come from a tipster, but instead from LAPD detectives pounding the pavement and knocking on doors.

We broke the story ... Pop Smoke was gunned down back in February by at least 4 masked gunmen after what appeared to be a home invasion robbery at his rental property in the Hollywood Hills.

Detectives went back to the basics because, as we reported, they hit a roadblock back in February when potential witnesses wouldn't cooperate, and combing social media turned out to be a bust.

Our sources say detectives used video from citizens and businesses in the area to help track and ID the suspects, who were slapped with murder charges last week and could face the death penalty.

Sources also tell us cops believe Los Angeles street gang members were involved in Pop's murder, but they say the case doesn't appear to be a gang hit or an East Coast-West Coast beef -- Pop was from NYC.

Instead, police believe the tragedy was a robbery gone wrong after the alleged killers saw Pop's posts on social media in the hours before the fatal shooting. Pop shared his address, and flexed with huge wads of cash.

We're told, even though the arrests have been made, the case remains under active investigation as detectives search for more evidence.

Marco Rubio made a flub in his tribute to Rep. John Lewis -- mistaking him for another African-American congressman who passed away last year ... Elijah Cummings.

The Senator from Florida posted a heartfelt message about his iconic colleague on House side of Capitol Hill, in a since-deleted Twitter post, writing ... "It was an honor to know & be blessed to serve in Congress with JohnLewis a genuine & historic American hero."

He added, "May the Lord grant him eternal peace." Marco attached a photo of himself with ... not John Lewis. It was former U.S. Representative Elijah Cummings, who died in 2019.

It would appear he and/or his staff quickly noticed the error -- because they took it down and replaced it with a post featuring a pic of Marco and the real John Lewis.

MR owned up to the mistake, writing ... "Earlier today I tweeted an incorrect photo. John Lewis was a genuine American hero. I was honored to appear together in Miami 3 years ago at an event captured in video below. My God grant him eternal rest."

Lisa Marie Presley's daughter, Riley Keough, has broken her silence on her brother, Benjamin Keough's death -- and her final words to him are heartbreaking.

The actress posted a touching tribute to her younger sibling on Instagram Saturday -- a week after his body was discovered in Calabasas in what was a suicide by gunshot wound. Riley also attached several photos of the two of them.

She writes, "Mornings are the hardest. I forget you’re gone. I can’t cry because of the fear that I will never stop. A pain that’s new to me. You. There are no words for you."

Riley continued to describe Ben, saying ... "Angel is the closest I could think of. Pure light. Baby brother. Best friend. Wild man. Intellectual. Witness to my life. Twin soul. Protector. Too sensitive for this harsh world."

And then, her farewell ... "I hope you give me strength to endure the giant hole you’ve left in my heart. I hope you give me the strength to eat. I hope you’re cradled in love. I hope you feel my love. I hope you feel god. You are god. I can’t believe you’ve left me. Not you sweet Ben Ben. Anyone but you. I guess this is true heartbreak. I hope we meet again."

TMZ broke the story ... Benjamin was found dead last weekend with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The L.A. County Medical Examiner determined Benjamin died from a shotgun to his mouth -- his death was officially ruled a suicide.

Congressman John Lewis, a central and powerful figure in the Civil Rights movement, is dead after a 7-month battle with pancreatic cancer.

Rep. Lewis, who represented Georgia's 5th Congressional District for 17 terms, died Friday. He had been diagnosed as stage 4 in December 2019. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said, "Today, America mourns the loss of one of the greatest heroes of American history."

She referred to him as the "Conscience of the Congress."

Lewis had been in Congress since 1987, but had already had an inspiring impact on American history long before that -- having marched, shoulder-to-shoulder at times, with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the fight for Civil Rights.

In 1961, Mr. Lewis was part of a protest against segregated buses in the South which became know as the Freedom Rides. He spoke at the landmark March on Washington in 1963, where Dr. King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech, and marched for voting rights in Alabama in 1965.

John was one of the protesters brutalized by cops during the march from Selma to Montgomery, AL. As he led several hundred marchers across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, John was clubbed in the head by a state trooper -- fracturing his skull and leaving a scar he carried for the rest of his life.

His second-to-last tweet, back on July 7, commemorated his release from prison after he'd been arrested during a Freedom Ride in Jackson, Mississippi.

Recently, the Distinguished Gentleman from Georgia had become a nemesis of President Trump. Rep. Lewis did not attend Trump's inauguration, openly called him a "racist," and they would frequently trade barbs in the media.

Former President Obama awarded the Congressman the Medal of Freedom in 2011. During the ceremony he said, "Generations from now, when parents teach their children what is meant by courage, the story of John Lewis will come to mind -- an American who knew that change could not wait for some other person or some other time; whose life is a lesson in the fierce urgency of now."

Rep. Lewis was 80.

RIP

Naya Rivera's ex-fiance, Big Sean, has been silent about her tragic death ... until now.

Sean posted a tribute to his ex, saying, "Rest in Peace Naya, God Bless your Soul! Thank you for blessing us all with your talent and presence. You are a hero!  Not just because of how you saved your son, also because of the barriers you knocked down for so many people to make them feel confident in themselves and to stand tall and be proud when they couldn't achieve that on their own."

He goes on ... "I appreciate and cherish everything that ever happened between us for making me wiser and a better person. I'm still grieving and in shock, I can't believe this is real."

As you probably know, Naya and Sean were engaged in 2013 after dating for only 6 months. They had a bad breakup 5 months later. Naya says the end of the relationship was hurtful ... "We'd been fighting for five straight days while he was traveling, and then on the one day he was back in LA, he said he didn't want to see me."