Celebrity Death

Actor Eddie Hassell -- most famous from NBC's "Surface" -- has died after being shot ... TMZ has learned.

Eddie's rep tells us he was killed early Sunday morning somewhere in Texas over what appears to be a carjacking. His team is working on getting more information, but they confirm he has, in fact, died.

While he didn't have too many leading roles in movies or TV shows, he acted in quite a number of them over the years. He's perhaps best known for playing Phil Nance in "Surface" for a bunch of episodes. He also starred as Eddie Suarez in "Devious Maids" for a bit.

Other acting credits include a role in "The Kids Are All Right," "Family Weekend," "'Til Death," and other cameos in a ton of other series and flicks like "2012," "Longmire," "Jobs," "Bones," "Southland," "Warrior Road," "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," "Bomb City," and other projects.

Besides being an actor, Eddie was an avid surfer and skater -- he was also a published author, having written, "Someone Should Tell You: Startling Revelations and Truths to Help You Understand and Improve Your Life."

He was 30 years old.

Nikki McKibbin, who placed third on the first season of "American Idol" has died.

Sources connected to Nikki's family tell TMZ, Nikki died of a brain aneurysm. She was in the hospital on life support, and at 3 AM this morning, she was taken to the operating room where her organs were harvested and she was pronounced dead.

Nikki was on 'AI' in 2002, when the show hit like an earthquake, drawing huge audiences. Her best-remembered performance was a cover of Alannah Myles' song, "Black Velvet." She also covered Stevie Nicks, Alanis Morissette, Melissa Etheridge, and Janis Joplin.

Nikki finished behind Justin Guarini and Kelly Clarkson, who won the competition.

Turns out, she was not the only member of the family to compete. Her 15-year-old son, Tristan Langley, auditioned for the show in 2014 and made it to Hollywood, but got cut.

Nikki fought some demons during her life ... she had substance abuse issues and appeared in 2008 on Dr. Drew's 'Celebrity Rehab.' She then moved to a sober living house and her time there was chronicled on "Sober House," a spinoff of 'Celebrity Rehab.'

Nikki also appeared on "Fear Factor," and "Battle of the Network Reality Stars."

Nikki was married to Craig Sadler since 2007. She was surrounded by family when she passed.

Nikki was 42.

RIP

Nate Burrell, one of the stars of A&E's docuseries, "60 Days In," has taken his own life.

Nate's sister, Chelsey Walker, tells TMZ, Nate committed suicide Saturday night. She says her brother shot and killed himself out in public in downtown Allegan, Michigan.

Nate posted a long suicide note on Facebook, saying, "This isn't an admission of guilt. I'm just tired, I've been through so much in my life, the pain of my situation now hurts more than I ever imagined. I can't keep going on."

Nate had just turned 33 years old. He had a child on the way with his wife, but it looks like he and his wife split. He wrote, "I can only imagine how bad this would all turn out, all of the legal crap that would ensue after this with custody and everything else. You win! You have promised for weeks, you will ruin my life and I had no idea who I was messing with. You are right, I didn't know who I was messing with."

The show followed Nate and 8 other volunteers who entered jail for 2 months under assumed identities to put a spotlight on the problems behind bars.

Nate's sister said, "Nathan loved his country, loved his family and was a very caring guy. He was just in a bad place. He was very proud of being on '60 Days In,' and he really cherished his time on that show."

Burrell served in the military as a Marine from 2006 to 2010.  He was in the infantry and served 2 tours in Iraq. Nate went on to receive his associate degree in criminal justice and law enforcement in 2014. He was a Fish and Wildlife Officer in Michigan.

Nate was 33.

Vanessa Bryant and her daughters are all smiles this Halloween -- the first without Kobe and Gianna Bryant -- and for good reason too ... their costumes are freakin' amazing.

The Bryant family did a double shot of Halloween fun this year with a photo shoot that featured two sets of matching costumes between Vanessa and her three girls -- the themes being 'Madeline' (the beloved children's book series) and a classic choice ... 'Star Wars!'

For the former set, Mamba Bear dressed up as the boarding school teacher, Miss Clavel, while Natalia and her baby sisters, Bianka and Capri, donned the traditional uniform of Madeline and her classmates ... y'know, from the house in Paris covered in vines.

Needless to say ... they look incredible, almost like they were torn right out of the page. It's crazy, 'cause this is actually more realistic and faithful to the illustrations than the live action movie from the '90s.

On that latter shoot, it was less realism ... and more adorable than anything. Vanessa was a shorter version of Darth Vader, Natalia was a much taller version of BB8 -- and the two little ones were a Storm Trooper and an Ewok, respectively. These outfits were like the family-friendly ones you might find at a Target or something ... which played well for the camera.

The get-together seemed like a pretty joyous event, but of course ... the shadow of Kobe and Gigi still loom large, which makes the shoot pretty heart-breaking at the same time. Like we mentioned, this marks the first Halloween without them around -- and yet, the Bryants carried on with the family tradition of dressing up like champs.

Thankfully, Natalia's got a great shot of her and Gigi goofing around together this time last year. They were rockin' 'Wizard of Oz'-themed costumes -- with Natalia as the Scarecrow and Gianna as the Tin Man.

Sean Connery, the first and widely-regarded best James Bond ever ... has died.

Sean's wife says he died peacefully in his sleep surrounded by his family. No cause of death was disclosed.

Connery became an enormous star in 1962 with the release of "Dr. No," but not without difficulty. James Bond creator Ian Fleming felt he was unrefined and wanted someone suave like Cary Grant. Fleming relented and ultimately said it was a great choice.

Sean starred in 7 Bond films between '62 and '83. Among the films -- "From Russia with Love," "Goldfinger," "Thunderball," "You Only Live Twice," "Diamonds are Forever," and "Never Say Never Again."

Connery had a hard time shaking the Bond character, but was ultimately successful .... branching out and ultimately winning an Oscar playing an Irish cop in "The Untouchables." He also won 2 Bafta awards and 3 Golden Globes. He was knighted by the Queen in 2000.

When Sean was shooting "Never Say Never Again," he took martial arts classes and got into it with the instructor who then broke his wrist. Sean didn't get it treated for years ... not knowing it was really broken. The instructor -- Steven Seagal.

Among Sean's other films ... "The Hunt for Red October," "Indiana Jones" "The Last Crusade" and "The Rock."

Most fans give Sean the title of best 007 ever ... at least in the polls. And, speaking of polls, he also holds a Sexiest Man Alive crown. He also once finished third in the Mr. Universe contest back in 1953.

Fun fact ... Sean wore a toupee in "Goldfinger" because his hair had started to thin.

Sean's survived by his second wife, Micheline Roquebrune, and his son, Jason Connery. There will be a private funeral, followed by a memorial once COVID ends.

Leanza Cornett, who was crowned Miss America in 1993, has died after suffering a traumatic brain injury earlier this month.

Cornett died Wednesday, according to a family spokesperson. Though no cause of death was given, Cornett was severely injured during a fall at home on October 12 ... which required her undergoing a decompressive craniectomy to treat swelling and bleeding on her brain.

The Miss America Organization confirmed her passing, saying it's devastated for this sudden loss and deeply sorry for her loved ones. It adds ... "Leanza had a bright and beautiful spirit and her laugh was infectious."

Leanza was a familiar face on TV in the mid and late '90s -- she hosted several shows, including "Entertainment Tonight" in 1994.

The Jacksonville native was first crowned Miss Florida in 1992 before winning her Miss America crown the next year. She also sang in a Christian music group called Area Code and performed as Ariel from "The Little Mermaid" at Walt Disney World MGM Studios.

Once she was Miss America, Leanza used her platform in the '90s to be a leading activist for AIDS awareness ... and was often seen wearing a reds AIDS ribbon to support the cause.

She was 49.

Jamie Foxx says his heart's been shattered into a million pieces after his younger sister, DeOndra Dixon, died.

The actor/singer penned a touching tribute Monday, saying her passing has "left a hole in my heart." They were super close, which was obvious in the series of photos he shared of DeOndra and himself.

In a moving post, Jamie wrote, "Anyone who knew my sis... knew that she was a bright light... I can’t tell you how many times we have had parties at the house where she has got on the dance floor and stolen the show... even gave her boyfriend @chrisbrownofficial a run for his money."

He added, "well I know she is in heaven now dancing with her wings on...tho my pain is unbelievable I smile when I think of all of the great memories that she left me... my family... and her friends."

Back in 2018, Jamie credited DeOndra for always reminding him of what's really important in life -- "You see this girl over here, 'I just want to live. I want to dance. I want to love.' So, she brings you back down to what life is."

He said some of the fondest memories of his sister included DeOndra being named Ambassador for the Global Down Syndrome Foundation in 2011 and her dancing in his "Blame It" music video.

DeOndra was 36.

The late Chadwick Boseman put his John Hancock on a copy of the first "Black Panther" comic -- which has skyrocketed in value, and is primed to fetch a pretty penny at auction.

Nate D. Sanders Auctions is putting the rare autographed book up for grabs on Oct. 29, with the opening bid starting at $8,000 -- but it's expected, we're told, to reach anywhere in the ballpark of $25k when it's all said and done.

The reason ... other than Chadwick's signature, Stan Lee himself signed this variant of 'BP' #1, not to mention 'Black Panther' director Ryan Coogler. So, yeah, there's a trifecta thing happening here -- and with Chadwick's recent passing, and Stan's in 2018 ... the comic is worth even more now.

You might notice the cover is different from the OG cover of the first stand-alone "Black Panther" comic from 1976 -- from which this iteration is derived, but with a modern cover. It's also vastly changed from Black Panther's first appearance ever in Fantastic Four #52 ('66).

The one for sale is the Middle East Comic-Con variant -- which got its own art whipped up and featured Stan next to T'Challa. For those of you in the know ... It's been certified a 9.8 rating with the CGC Signature Series rating system. That means it's REALLY valuable.

Legendary country singer/songwriter Jerry Jeff Walker, famous for writing one of the most iconic country/folk/pop songs ever has died.

Jerry had a storied career, but his crowning achievement came when he got inspired after meeting a New Orleans street performer in a drunk tank. That interaction led to the song, "Mr. Bojangles," which he recorded in 1968. The song didn't hit big until 2 years later, when the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band recorded it and it became a huge hit.

"Mr. Bojangles" became a staple for numerous singers who covered it ... Bob Dylan, Sammy Davis Jr., Neil Diamond, Harry Belafonte, King Curtis, Dolly Parton, Nina Simone and more.

Jerry was born in New York back in 1942 and spent a lot of time as a young adult in Greenwich Village in the folk scene back in the '60s. He migrated in the '70s to Austin, and is considered a founding father of the City's vibrant music scene.

He had famous pals, including Willie Nelson, who hit it big, but Jerry didn't seem to crave the spotlight and was better known for his songwriting and his efforts to make Texas a musical force, which he did. He did, however, record 36 albums, including the awesome, "Up Against the Wall Redneck Mother." He's considered one of the founding fathers of Texas country music.

Jerry helped form a couple of bands years ago, including the Lost Gonzo Band and a record company, Tried & True. He experimented with outlaw rock, blues, and Mexican-influenced music.

Jerry was a hard-living guy and made no secret of his penchant for alcohol and drugs.

Jerry revealed in 2017 he had throat cancer and pneumonia, and it was so bad it looked like he might not make it, but he was able to recover. His former publicist tells TMZ, Jerry's wife told him 2 months ago to prepare an obituary. The publicist says Jerry died from cancer and related ailments.

He released his last album a year later ... "It's About Time."

Jerry married his manager, Susan, in 1974. He's survived by Susan, his daughter Jessie Jane and son, musician Django.

Jerry was 78.

Eddie Van Halen's sadly gone, but this one-of-a-kind piece of rock 'n' roll history helps his legend live on ... and it's going up for grabs soon.

The iconic guitarist had the red, white and black Charvel guitar -- similar to his famed Frankenstrat, AKA "Frankenstein," he played for decades -- custom-built for Van Halen's 2007-2008 North American Tour.

The tour's known for reuniting original lead singer, David Lee Roth, with the band -- along with the debut of Eddie's son, Wolfgang, on the bass -- and for being their most profitable tour ever.

We're told this particular guitar was the only one personally crafted by EVH for the tour, making it truly unique, and was played by the rocker during Van Halen's concert at Seattle's KeyArena on December 3, 2007.

After the show, Eddie signed and dated the body of the guitar with a thick silver marker, so a protective clear strip's been added to protect his John Hancock and inscription.

The piece comes with a custom EVH case, a signed certificate of authenticity and a great photo of the legend doing what he did best ... shredding on stage.

According to Heritage Auctions, it's expected to go for more than $20,000, but we're thinking it could go a lot higher given he was one of the greatest guitarists in music history. Bidding opens next week for its Nov. 14-15 Entertainment Auction, so if you want it ... might as well jump.

New parents across the U.S. are honoring Kobe and Gianna Bryant in a BIG way ... experts say babies with the names Kobe and Gianna have risen dramatically in 2020.

According to BabyCenter, there's been a huge increase in newborns with the names since the NBA legend and his daughter tragically died in a helicopter crash in January.

Per the site -- which gets its data from over 500,000 new babies that were registered to the site this year -- Kobe vaulted from #595 on the list in 2019 to #216 in 2020.

The site claims that's "far and away the biggest riser on the list for boys in 2020."

As for Gianna, her name among newborns rose from #76 to #24 (seriously, #24).

In case you were wondering, the top 10 for the year for boys included Liam, Noah, Jackson, Aiden, Elijah, Grayson, Lucas, Oliver, Caden and Mateo.

For girls, the top 10 went Sophia, Olivia, Riley, Emma, Ava, Isabella, Aria, Aaliyah, Amelia and Mia.

An unreleased Notorious B.I.G. freestyle about his favorite cola is being turned into a slick commercial for Pepsi ... just in time to big him up for getting into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Biggie's bars were previously only heard during a HOT97 radio appearance he made in 1997 ... shortly before he was gunned down in Los Angeles. He was on with DJ Enuff when he busted the rap about Pepsi.

Not shockingly, Pepsi seized on the chance to promote with Biggie Small's own words and worked with his collaborators, Enuff and Cey Adams, to create an animated short music vid.

Some of the lyrics include, "Big slam, quick slam, tin can, whatever. Whether too cold or too hot, you got to keep Pepsi in the freezer. I keep a 3 liter for my crew. My girl like them diet joints too."

The spot shouts out Biggie's latest industry honor -- on November 7 he will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame -- so, great timing.

Tony Lewis -- best known as the "Your Love" singer for the British rock band The Outfield -- has died.

Tony reportedly died Tuesday near his home in London. The cause of death was not revealed. The musician, songwriter and record producer co-founded The Outfield with Alan Jackman and John Spinks. Their music roared in the 1980s with hit tracks like "Your Love," "All The Love" and "Say It Isn't So."

The Outfield's debut album was "Play Deep" in 1985 ... which would go on to reach triple platinum sales and break the top 10 in the U.S. album charts. "Your Love" -- prominently featured in tons of TV shows, films and even commercials -- peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1986. It's easily one of the most recognizable songs in rock history.

Since its release over 30 years ago ... "Your Love" is played on over 1,000 radio stations and averages 2 million streams on Pandora, 1 million views on YouTube and 1 million streams on Spotify, this according to the late singer's personal website.

Tony Lewis was born on December 21, 1957 in the East End of London. He had been working on a new EP ... set to be released in Spring 2021. He's survived by his wife of 35 years, Carol, his 2 daughters -- Gemma and Rosie -- and 3 grandchildren.

He was 62.

Spencer Davis, whose namesake '60s beat band -- The Spencer Davis Group -- had the iconic hit, "Gimme Some Lovin'" ... has died.

A family source tells TMZ the Welsh musician died peacefully Monday in a California hospital of heart failure after a battle with pneumonia. Davis had an extraordinary career that spanned 6 decades ... and the source emphasized how much he'll be missed by his friends, family and loved ones.

Davis formed the British group bearing his name in 1963, which featured himself on guitar and Pete York on drums ... and he recruited a teenage Steve Winwood to sing and Steve's brother, Muff, to play the bass.

It didn't take long for the band to break out with a #1 single -- "Keep on Running" -- in 1965 ... followed by another hit, "Somebody Help Me," in 1966.

The following year, The Spencer Davis Group released their most famous track -- "Gimme Some Lovin'" -- which was a top 10 hit ... and "I'm a Man." Both singles sold over a million copies and achieved gold record status.

Though the band broke up in 1969 after just 6 years together, their music had a huge influence on the sound of the era.

Davis embarked on a solo career afterward, but was never able to reach the success of his group. He also served as an exec for Island Records in the '70s.

Davis is survived by his 3 children -- Lisa, Sarah and Gareth -- and 5 grandchildren.

Spencer was 81.

Shareef O'Neal -- Shaq's son -- just revealed his second Kobe Bryant tribute tattoo ... showing off the ankle ink in a social media post Sunday.

The LSU basketball player had already gotten a calf tattoo to honor the NBA legend ... but O'Neal clearly felt that wasn't enough and underwent the needle for more Mamba art recently.

And, the new tat came out great ... it's a depiction of a famous image of Kobe celebrating -- and it looks real as hell!!

As we previously reported ... Shareef was devastated over the passing of Bryant -- sharing that he actually received text messages from Kobe just hours before the tragic helicopter crash.

In an emotional post days after Bryant's passing, Shareef reflected on everything his father's former star teammate meant to him.

"You always wanted me to be the best I could be," Shareef wrote. "you always made sure I was happy, you put me before you put yourself and when we had our moments you made me feel like I was great."

"I love you , I thank you , I miss you."

Principe Aéreo -- a star wrestler in Mexico -- died at 26 years old after collapsing in the ring during a match over the weekend.

The tragic scene all went down Saturday at Arena San Juan Pantitlan in Mexico City during a Mexa Wrestling event.

Principe -- real name Luis Ángel Salazar -- was performing in a tag-team match ... and everything appeared to be going smoothly.

The luchador was hamming it up for the crowd ... and then took two slaps to the chest and a kick to the stomach -- when suddenly he appeared to faint onto the mat.

Video showed his opponent and the in-ring ref immediately knew something was very wrong ... and within minutes, the wrestler was reportedly rushed out of the building by medical personnel.

Sadly, Salazer did not survive ... with MasLucha.com saying an official medical report revealed the wrestler suffered a "ruptured middle cerebral artery."

The wrestling world was shocked by the news ... with Mick Foley tweeting his condolences Sunday.

"Rest in peace Principe," the ex-WWE superstar said.

Other wrestling events in Mexico held moments of applause to honor Salazar -- who had reportedly begun wrestling a decade ago.