Celebrity Death

Kurt Cobain smashed his Fender Stratocaster back in the '90s, but the move only jacked up the price of the guitar ... going for a whopping 10 times the estimated amount at auction.

The late Nirvana frontman destroyed the electric guitar while recording the group's iconic 1991 album, "Nevermind," but the pieces were put back together and sold at Julien's Auctions this weekend in NYC.

The instrument was supposed to fetch between $60,000 and $80,000, but, as it turned out, it went for an earth-shattering $595,900. It was signed by Cobain and the other two band members, drummer Dave Grohl and bassist Krist Novoselic.

According to Julien's, Cobain gifted the guitar to Screaming Trees singer Mark Lanegan (also deceased) while Nirvana was touring in '92 ... but it's not clear who made the purchase at auction.

Jim Brown, arguably the greatest football player of all time, has died at the age of 87, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

"It is with profound sadness that I announce the passing of my husband, Jim Brown," Monique Brown tells us. "He passed away peacefully last night at our L.A. home. To the world he was an activist, actor and football star."

"To our family, he was a loving and wonderful husband, father and grandfather. Our hearts are broken."

We're told Jim hadn't been doing well ... and was recently visited by several of his close friends including Marshall Faulk, Eric Dickerson and Flavor Flav.

Brown, a first-round pick in 1957 (6th overall), went on to win 3 NFL MVP awards. Jim was named to 8 First Team All-Pro teams over the course of his incredible career. He led the NFL in rushing 8 times, and rushing touchdowns, 5. He won a championship in 1964.

Aside from his prowess on the football field, Brown was also a legendary lacrosse player at Syracuse, where he earned All-American honors.

After his athletic career, Jim went on to star as a Hollywood actor ... in films like "The Dirty Dozen" and "Any Given Sunday."

In addition to his incredible athleticism and talent on the big screen, Jim was also one of the most prominent voices on the civil rights scene.

Brown held the Cleveland Summit in June 1967, in support of Muhammad Ali, who refused to serve in the Vietnam War.

Brown was joined by Bill Russell and Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), and others.

The Cleveland Browns released a statement on Friday ... saying, "Legend. Leader. Activist. Visionary."

"It's impossible to describe the profound love and gratitude we feel for having the opportunity to be a small piece of Jim’s incredible life and legacy. We mourn his passing, but celebrate the indelible light he brought to the world."

"Our hearts are with Jim’s family, loved ones, and all those he impacted along the way."

Brown, whose #32 was retired by the Browns, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971 ... and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1995. He's also a member of the Lacrosse HOF.

Pro Football Hall of Fame president Jim Porter also spoke on Brown's passing ... saying, "When Jim Brown’s name was announced in a room, other Hall of Famers stood and applauded him."

"His persona has stood the test of time -- a fearless and dominant football player. Jim will always be remembered as one of pro football’s greatest individuals."

Brown was last seen out in public during Super Bowl weekend ... appearing at the NFL Honors ceremony, where Emmitt Smith and Barry Sanders announced the league's annual rushing trophy would be named in his honor.

Flav shared a picture with Brown from that night in his tribute to the legend ... saying, "Today, I lost my mentor and hero. RIP Jim Brown. My deepest sympathies to your wife, Monique and your entire family."

LeBron James also shared a touching post in Brown's honor ... saying, "We lost a hero today. Rest in Paradise to the legend Jim Brown."

"I hope every Black athlete takes the time to educate themselves about this incredible man and what he did to change all of our lives. We all stand on your shoulders Jim Brown."

Brown's life off the field was not without controversy -- he was arrested over numerous allegations of violence against women spanning several decades. He was charged with rape, sexual battery and assault in 1985, although the case was later dismissed.

Brown was also busted for smashing the windows of his wife's car in 1999 ... and served three months behind bars after skipping mandatory domestic violence counseling.

R.I.P.

We discussed Jim Brown's legacy in a recent episode of the Last Days Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

Andy Rourke, the bass guitarist for the iconic British rock band, The Smiths, has died.

His bandmate, Johnny Marr, made the announcement Friday on Twitter, revealing that Rourke had been fighting pancreatic cancer before his passing.

Marr said, "Andy will be remembered as a kind and beautiful soul by those who knew him and as a supremely gifted musician by music fans."

After joining The Smiths in the '80s, Rourke was featured on the group's four studio records, including "Meat Is Murder" and "Strangeways, Here We Come."

With Rourke on bass, Marr on lead guitar, Mike Joyce on drums and Morrissey on vocals, the foursome created a pioneering sound that still has an influence on music today. Some of their most classic tunes were "This Charming Man" and "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out."

During his time with The Smiths, Rourke struggled with heroin addiction and was arrested for possessing the drug in 1986. He even got kicked out of the band at one point, but he returned two weeks later.

In 1987, The Smiths broke up, but Rourke went on to produce several singles with Morrissey and to record music with Sinéad O’Connor and The Pretenders. He also sued Morrissey and Marr for an equal share of The Smith's earnings and royalties, but later settled for just over $103,000.

Rourke was 59.

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin is sharing his fond memories of "Superstar" Billy Graham and the huge impact he had on professional wrestling ... after the WWE Hall of Famer passed away on Wednesday.

"I watched his career very intently," Austin told TMZ Sports this week. "He started becoming so entertaining with his promos that the crowd was starting to like him, which is what happened to me."

"He was great. He was all about the showmanship of it and the physique, and he was a different vibe and a helluva promo. He influenced a whole lot of people."

Billy died Wednesday with his wife, Valerie, and their daughter by his side ... after battling "very serious health issues" that left him hospitalized in the ICU for three weeks.

Despite now being gone, it's clear Graham will not be forgotten ... fellow Superstars like Ric Flair, X-Pac, and Bubba Ray Dudley have all expressed condolences after his death.

The WWE Universe is mourning the loss of "Superstar" Billy Graham ... who passed away on Wednesday, with tributes honoring the life and legacy of the late great WWE legend.

"Nature Boy" Ric Flair, whom Graham mentored, was among the first to give the Hall of Famer his flowers, thanking him for all he did for his career.

Graham also mentored Jesse Ventura, who too remembered his friend ... "There wouldn't be a Jesse 'The Body' Ventura without the in-ring success and trailblazing showmanship of Superstar Billy Graham."

"One of my proudest wrestling memories was having the honor of being inducted into the same WWE Hall of Fame class as Graham. Rest In Power Superstar."

Paul Heyman credited Billy with being the wrestler who made Vince McMahon realize WWWF/WWF/WWE performers were more than just professional wrestlers, but also superstars, too.

"A most heartfelt RIP to the man of the hour, the man with the power, too sweet to be sour!" Heyman tweeted.

Other WWE legends, including Iron Sheik, Bully Ray aka Bubba Ray Dudley, Sgt. Slaughter and X-Pac also reflected on the former bodybuilder's life.

As we reported on Wednesday, Billy's family told us he died after being taken off life support with his daughter and wife, Valerie, by his side.

Billy's health had been in steady decline -- he was suffering from congestive heart failure, diabetes, hearing loss, and a significant infection in his ears and skull.

Billy was inducted into WWE's Hall of Fame in 2004.

He was 79.

Fans wanting to pay their respects to Pelé will now be greeted by an epic memorial ... the soccer legend's tomb in Brazil has just opened to the public -- and it's lavish.

The shrine -- which is located inside the world's tallest cemetery in Santos, Brazil -- features a golden casket, turf on the floor ... and even life-sized statues at the entrance of the room.

On the ceiling, there's a painting of the sky ... and on the walls, there are images of thousands of fans cheering.

In total, the monument occupies roughly 2,000 square feet of space.

Fans can visit the tomb by signing a form on the Ecumenical Memorial Cemetery's website ... but only a select, lucky few will get in -- at the moment, only 60 visitors are allowed per day.

Pelé's son, Edson, was emotional at the unveiling of the tomb on Monday ... telling reporters he was thrilled with the memorial.

"It has the essence of what he was," he said.

Pelé -- a three-time World Cup winner -- passed away on Dec. 29 at 82 years old ... and tributes for the legendary footballer have poured in from all over the globe nearly every day since.

In fact, his name was just added to the Portuguese dictionary ... recognizing "that or someone who is out of the ordinary."

Doyle Brunson, best known as "The Godfather of Poker" and one of the most dominant figures in the game, has died.

Brunson passed away Sunday, according to his agent, Brian Balsbaugh. His cause of death was not disclosed.

Balsbaugh posted a statement to Twitter from Brunson's family ... "It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of our father, Doyle Brunson. He was a beloved Christian man, husband, father and grandfather."

The message continued, "We’ll have more to say over the coming days as we honor his legacy. Please keep Doyle and our family in your prayers. May he rest in peace."

Brunson was affectionately named 'Texas Dolly' after the press misinterpreted a similar nickname, but the label stuck. With his unique moniker, Brunson won 10 World Series of Poker tournaments, second only to Phil Hellmuth's 16 victories.

The Texas-born, cards competing icon also secured back-to-back world championships -- in 1976 and 1977 -- and was later inducted into the 1988 Poker Hall of Fame.

Brunson was the first player to ever win $1 million in poker tournaments, earning him the “Godfather” title. He also penned a popular book called, "Super System," which detailed poker strategies and was instrumental in luring people to the game.

At his last poker championship in 2016, Brunson came in sixth, but his poor performance did not stain his reputation as arguably the best player ever.

His influence even touched those beyond the poker world. Actor James Woods tweeted in part, "This one is a heartbreaker. Doyle Brunson, the greatest poker player who ever lived, has cashed in his chips. A gentleman and a genuine legend."

Brunson was 89.

Jacklyn Zeman, famous for her role on "General Hospital" for more than 40 years has died.

Frank Valentini, the executive producer of 'GH' made the announcement Wednesday, writing, "On behalf of our General Hospital family, "I am heartbroken to announce the passing of our beloved Jackie Zeman. Just like her character, the legendary Bobbie Spencer, she was a bright light and true professional that brought so much positive energy with her to work."

Valentini continues, "Jackie will be greatly missed, but her positive spirit will always live on with our cast and crew. We send our heartfelt sympathy to her loved ones, friends, and family, especially her daughters Cassidy and Lacey."

Zeman was a staple on the show for decades, first joining the show in 1977. She also made television appearances on shows like "Chicago Hope."

Jacklyn is credited with more than 850 episodes of "General Hospital" to her name. It's currently unclear how she died.

She was 70.

Denny Crum -- a two-time national championship-winning head coach for the University of Louisville basketball team -- has passed away, the school announced Tuesday.

He was 86 years old.

The Naismith Hall of Famer started his coaching career at UCLA after playing at both Los Angeles Pierce College and UCLA ... helping the Bruins win three titles as an assistant to John Wooden.

He went on to take the head coaching gig with Louisville in 1971 ... where he made 23 NCAA tournament appearances, including six Final Four berths.

Crum earned a 675-295 record before retiring in 2001 ... although he remained close to the program for years.

Current Cardinals head coach Kenny Payne released a statement on the news ... saying, "Today is a sad day for me personally, as well as the basketball world."

"My thoughts go through all the lessons that he taught, not just to me, but every player he ever came in contact with. Those lessons are still relevant today."

He added ... "We were so blessed to have him in our lives. He was a true treasure who gave so much to the university and the community. We must keep his memory alive. My prayers go out to his family and especially Susan."

Details surrounding Crum's passing were not released ... although he has been hospitalized twice over the years after suffering strokes.

Jerry Springer's gravesite can now be seen for the first time ... and right off the bat, you might notice an adjacent plot for his wife -- although she's still very much alive.

TMZ has obtained photos of the late talk show host's final resting place -- which marks where he was buried a little over a week ago in a Chicago suburb. As you see, it's a relatively modest scene, with a large headstone and bench with his surname, "SPRINGER."

There's a separate slab with his first and middle name inscribed -- Gerald Norman. Right next to that is another space with a different headstone designated for Margaret 'Micki' Velton ... his wife of nearly 50 years.

We're calling Micki his wife because -- as sources with direct knowledge have explained to us -- all the reports of them having divorced in the '90s are complete BS. We're told they were never apart, and there weren't any marital issues as had been widely speculated.

As for why Micki's been labeled his ex-wife all these years without any correction from Jerry -- our sources say he was a very private person and didn't feel the need to address it publicly. In other words, they've been together as man and wife this whole time.

Now that that's cleared up ... let us clear up another thing in light of Micki's own headstone already being in the ground next to Jerry's -- there's nothing looming ... she's fine.

There's a larger 'SPRINGER' headstone that covers both plots -- the whole space is marked for Jerry and Micki. So, in other words ... he's just waiting for her.

As we reported, there are plans in place for a much larger public service/celebration of life on June 9 at a Memorial Hall in downtown Cincinnati. We're told organizers are anticipating a big turnout ... and they're planning to let around 500 people inside the venue.

Jerry died after a battle with pancreatic cancer, which he kept under wraps.

Ray Liotta's cause of death has been released ... officials in the Dominican Republic found heart and respiratory system issues caused last year's tragic passing.

According to docs, obtained by TMZ, the actor's manner of death was categorized as natural and nonviolent ... citing respiratory insufficiency, pulmonary edema -- aka fluid in his lungs -- and acute heart failure.

The doc also says he suffered from atherosclerosis -- a thickening of the arteries caused by a buildup of plaque in the inner lining -- something that often leads to diabetes and other health issues.

As we reported, 67-year-old Ray was filming the movie "Dangerous Waters" in the D.R. last year. A source close to him told us he died in his sleep.

Vida Blue -- one of the greatest pitchers in the Oakland Athletics' history -- has died.

The team announced his passing Sunday, writing ... "There are few players with a more decorated career than Vida Blue. He was a three-time champion, an MVP, a six-time All-Star, a Cy Young Award winner, and an Oakland A's Hall of Famer."

The A's add ... "Vida will always be a franchise legend and a friend. We send our deepest condolences to his family and friends during this arduous time." No other details about a cause of death were released -- the condolences, however, are pouring in from all over.

The man certainly left a mark on the game. As the A's noted, he'd won three World Series with the team in '72, '73 and '74 ... serving as an integral part of the starting rotations during their five years of dominance in baseball. And, as they note ... he was voted in as the best pitcher in the American League during his breakout year with the A's in 1971.

His stats, at times, were off the charts ... once achieving a 1.82 ERA in a season -- which means people weren't getting very many hits off him. He was a southpaw pitcher, and Vida had nasty stuff for that era. By and large, he was considered a massive threat on the mound.

VB was also known for his shrewd business savvy behind the scenes. He famously locked horns with the A's ownership for a big bump in salary -- and he ultimately got it.

Like we mentioned, just about every organization tied to MLB is sending a tribute to the guy ... which speaks to his impact. In addition to playing for the A's, Vida was also on the SF Giants and the Kansas City Royals before he retired in 1987. Vida was also a 6-time All-Star and the American League MVP in 1971 ... on top of all his other accolades.

Jerry Springer's sudden and surprising death resulted in a renewed interest in his iconic daytime talk show ... and a tribute marathon did huge numbers.

Honchos at Pluto TV tell TMZ ... Nosey, a Pluto TV channel where folks can watch Jerry's show, ran a bunch of episodes after his death and there was so much interest, viewership across the streaming platform doubled.

Pluto TV says tens of thousands of folks tuned in to watch the drama unfold on reruns of "The Jerry Springer Show" ... with folks spending 33% percent more time on the app than usual.

As you know ... Jerry's syndicated talk show aired for 27 seasons, racking up nearly 5,000 episodes from 1991 to 2018 and making him one of daytime TV's most recognizable figures.

Jerry died April 27 as a result of pancreatic cancer ... a diagnosis many of his closest friends in Hollywood didn't even know he was struggling with.

In the wake of his death, the internet came alive with posts from fans sharing their favorite Jerry Springer moments, many of whom said they were planning to rewatch their favorite episodes ... and it seems lots of folks found their fix on Pluto TV.

Former WWE wrestler Sara Lee -- a past winner of the org's famous "Tough Enough" show -- died by suicide in October ... this according to a new autopsy report, obtained by TMZ Sports.

In the Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office documents, officials say Lee ingested a lethal combination of alcohol and pills. They added that the former wrestler had left "letters of intent at the scene" before her death.

According to officials in the documents, Lee had bruises and abrasions on her head and body at the time of her passing -- though they suspected she may have suffered the injuries in a fall or falls while in an intoxicated state.

She was just 30 years old.

News of her death seven months ago rocked the wrestling world ... with the WWE saying in a statement at the time that it was heartbroken.

"As a former 'Tough Enough' winner, Lee served as an inspiration to many in the sports-entertainment world," the WWE said. "WWE offers its heartfelt condolences to her family, friends and fans."

Lee participated in season six of "Tough Enough" in 2015 and earned a one-year contract with the WWE from it. She wrestled for the org for most of 2016, but moved on to the independent circuit a short time later.

In 2017, she married WWE wrestler Wesley Blake ... and the couple had three kids together. Days after her death, Blake penned an emotional note to Sara on his Instagram page ... writing, "You were a motivator, a best friend, a sister, a daughter, an aunt, the back bone of our family, and (my favorite), my wife."

"I can’t promise that I will stop grieving but I know now, that you’re free," Blake said. "I can’t thank you enough for giving me the best years of my life so far."

RIP.

Sonia Pizarro, famous for her starring role on the reality TV show "Operation Repo," has died ... TMZ has learned.

Sonia's niece, Lyndah Pizarro -- who was also on the show -- tells us Sonia died Wednesday night in Arizona in her sleep.

Sonia's ex-husband, fellow "Operation Repo" star Froylan Tercero, is remembering her as "a bad ass chick that kicked some serious ass."

Froylan adds ... "She will always have a place in my heart and on my body since I still have her name tattooed on my stomach, Sonia we love you and I will honor you with all the good mementos you gave me, thank you and I love you."

While she's most known for her work on the TruTV series, Sonia also acted in movies ... including 2009's "Repo Chick" and, most recently, the 2018 flick "Followed."

Sonia's had major health issues in the past ... back in May 2018 she was hospitalized after suffering a stroke. Lyndah tells us Sonia did not die as a result of complications from the stroke.

Sonia leaves behind 3 children -- Ruby, Robert and Froylan Jr. -- as well as her grandchildren ... Bryant, Brie and Danica.

She was 60.

Tori Bowie, a track and field athlete who won three Olympic medals for Team USA, is dead.

Tori was found deceased Tuesday in Florida, but the cause of death remains unclear.

Her management team released a statement Wednesday morning confirming the tragic news, saying they're "devastated" over her passing.

"We've lost a client, dear friend, daughter and sister," the sports agency said. "Tori was a champion…a beacon of light that shined so bright! We're truly heartbroken and our prayers are with the family and friends."

At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil, Tori won three medals ... including one gold as a member of the women's 4x100 meter relay team. Tori also earned a silver in the 100-meter dash, plus a bronze in the 200-meter dash.

Before her Team USA triumphs, Tori was a standout track star in college at the University of Southern Mississippi ... where she was a two-time NCAA long jump champion in both indoor and outdoor track.

The year after her three-medal performance at the Rio Olympics, Tori became the world's fastest woman ... winning the 100-meter dash at the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London with a blistering time of 10.85 seconds.

In addition to her athletic success, Tori also modeled ... she was featured in a Valentino campaign and also posed for ESPN The Magazine's Body Issue.

Tori was 32.