Celebrity Death

A plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills has died from COVID-19 ... and it appears to be entirely because he was able to keep working on patients during a pandemic.

Dr. Payman Simoni -- who's been featured on "The Doctors" show -- passed away while hospitalized in L.A. -- this after he contracted the virus while performing a cosmetic procedure on a patient who turned out to be COVID positive ... so say family sources.

We're told Dr. Simoni was doing a lip injection on a woman last month ... obviously an elective procedure. She was temperature checked and filled out a COVID questionnaire. She was not tested.

While the doc was hovering over the maskless woman, our sources say she coughed in his face. He had his mask on, but still ... she sprayed on him. She contacted the office a few days later to inform them she had tested positive for COVID.

Dr. Simoni then went into quarantine and began experiencing symptoms -- shortness of breath, etc -- and in short order, he was on a ventilator at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. We're told Dr. Simoni was eventually placed in a medically induced coma as his lungs started failing. He died Friday from a brain hemorrhage.

It's a cautionary tale ... one that might've been avoided if the City of Beverly Hills hadn't passed a resolution allowing cosmetic surgery offices to remain open while cases continue to surge. Some docs have opted to hold off -- others obviously haven't.

Simoni was 50.

This one hits hard -- "Jeopardy!" paid its final respects to Alex Trebek with the airing of the last episode the legendary host taped.

The show aired a 90-second video tribute thanking the late host for his 37 seasons of service to the show before he passed away in November. The video showed Alex's highlights throughout the decades and it was set to Peter Allen’s “Once Before I Go.”

The final message at the end ... "Dedicated to Alex Trebek. Forever in our hearts. Always our inspiration." This week was the last week of Alex's slate of new episodes, which he shot back in October.

When the show starts airing again on Monday ... there will be a slate of guest hosts, with Ken Jennings up to bat first. In the meantime, the show's searching for a permanent replacement.

Alex, who had been hosting "Jeopardy!" since 1984, died in November after a long battle with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He was 80, and is already so missed.

Tommy Lasorda -- a Dodgers legend and arguably the most famous manager in MLB history -- has died, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

He was 93 years old.

The Dodgers released a statement Friday morning ... saying Lasorda suffered a sudden cardiac arrest at his California home and was transported to the hospital with resuscitation in progress.

He was pronounced dead at 10:57 PM Thursday night.

As we previously reported, Lasorda was admitted to a Southern California hospital back in mid-November in "serious condition" ... and required sedation. He was also put on a ventilator.

But, Tommy's condition improved over the past few weeks ... and just a few days ago, he returned home.

Though, tragically, Lasorda passed on Thursday.

"Words can not express my feelings," legendary manager Bobby Valentine said on Twitter. "A friend and mentor for 52 years is no longer with us. Tommy no one will ever fill the void you left. Thank you for everything. R.I.P."

Lasorda was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997. He led L.A. to World Series titles in 1981 and 1988.

Lasorda also won Manager of the Year twice in 1983 and 1988.

"In a franchise that has celebrated such great legends of the game, no one who wore the uniform embodied the Dodger spirit as much as Tommy Lasorda," Dodgers president Stan Kasten said.

"A tireless spokesman for baseball, his dedication to the sport and the team he loved was unmatched."

Kasten continued, "The Dodgers and their fans will miss him terribly. Tommy is quite simply irreplaceable and unforgettable."

Lasorda wasn't only a big deal on the baseball field ... he became an incredibly popular pitch man in the 90's -- starring in commercials for brands like Slim Fast.

The home where Naya Rivera lived with her son before her tragic death is now for sale.

The late "Glee" star's home in L.A.'s Los Feliz neighborhood is on the market with a $2,695,000 price tag. She bought the home back in 2018 for a little less than that ... $2.6 million.

The 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom home had recently been renovated. Highlights include natural white oak hardwood floors, a kitchen with Italian Carrara marble, a hidden Bosch fridge and an Italian Bertazzoni range. Buono vita, indeed!

The second floor has an outdoor patio, laundry room and huge walk-in closet -- and the lower level has another patio and a sweet lap pool.

Naya had been living at this house with her 5-year-old son, Josey ... who's been with his father, Ryan Dorsey, since her accidental drowning death last summer while swimming in Lake Piru, just north of Los Angeles.

Despite a tragic year ... Josey recently enjoyed the holidays with Ryan and decorated a Christmas tree together. A little over a month later ... Naya's family is ready to move on from the home she owned.

Dave Creek -- best known as lead character designer for the popular FOX animated series "Bob's Burgers" -- has died following a skydiving accident.

Dave died Thursday after suffering injuries in a skydiving accident last weekend ... though at this moment it's unclear exactly what his specific injuries were.

Tributes have been pouring in from his co-workers in Hollywood ... including "Bob's Burgers" director Simon Chong.

Bernard Derriman, a supervising director on the show, also paid tribute to his longtime colleague and tweeted one of Dave's sketches and posted pictures of one of the treehouses Dave built around bonsai plants. The work is pretty remarkable.

Dave's other huge passion was skydiving. His Instagram feed has tons of video showing him making jumps.

The last video he posted was on December 28 and he captioned it, "Steep little break-off at 5,000ft." He included the hashtags "adrenaline," "happiness," "meat missile" and "fun."

The outlet CartoonBrew first reported his death.

Dave's credited with 79 episodes of "Bob's Burgers" since the series launched in 2011. Some of his other animation credits include "Central Park," "Brickleberry" and the film "Happiness Is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown."

He graduated from the California Institute of the Arts in 2005 and was also an adjunct professor there -- teaching character animation and workshops.

Dave was 42.

Mahlon Reyes, a deckhand on one of the "Deadliest Catch" crab fishing boats, died from a drug overdose ... TMZ has learned.

Mahlon's cause of death is listed as acute cocaine intoxication ... according to Flathead County Sheriff and Coroner, Brian Heino. He also tells us the death has been ruled accidental.

TMZ broke the story ... Mahlon died in Whitefish, Montana back in July, after suffering a massive heart attack and going on life support. His wife told us his death came as a complete shock to the family because he had no known existing health conditions.

Mahlon's death came while he was rehabbing a torn Achilles, suffered while crabbing, and we were told he was working his butt off to make it back to Alaska for another crab season.

Tanya Roberts' feared she had contracted COVID-19 before collapsing at home ... but doctors believe a serious infection -- not COVID -- is what killed the actress.

The late actress's partner, Lance O'Brien, tells TMZ ... Tanya said she felt short of breath, tired and had tightness in her stomach just days before her collapse on Christmas Eve. Lance says when Tanya collapsed he helped her up ... and realized she had virtually no strength. An ambulance arrived and took her to the hospital, giving her oxygen along the way and helping her to regain consciousness.

Once Tanya was hospitalized, Lance says her condition quickly deteriorated -- which Lance himself recounted on camera Tuesday. BTW, we're told she was tested for COVID several times while in the hospital, but all of the tests came back negative.

So the question remains ... what could have taken her life so quickly? Lance tells us that doctors informed him it might be related to a UTI that spread to her kidneys and liver. We're told Tanya also had Hepatitis C, and doctors told Lance that was causing complications as well.

An autopsy has yet to be performed. Tanya was 65.

Tanya Roberts' longtime partner says he was distraught and confused during his final moments with her ... which may explain why he prematurely told folks she had died.

Lance O'Brien told a photog Tuesday ... when he visited her Sunday at the hospital she was in bad shape -- unresponsive on a ventilator -- but he says when he told her he was there, she sat up and opened her eyes.

This led him to believe she was responding, but he says hospital staff told him it was just a reflex ... and she was "out" shortly afterward. Lance tells us he was beside himself, so he got in the elevator and left.

Lance says Tanya's rep Mike Pingel -- who's driving Lance in this video -- picked him up from the hospital and asked what happened ... and this might help explain her bizarre premature death announcement.

He tells us he responded, "I just said goodbye to Tanya," and that was it ... then he went home and fell asleep, only to wake up later to phone calls about her passing.

Lance seems to be suggesting Mike interpreted his statement as proof Tanya had died, though Pingel also says Lance told him ... "She died in my arms."

Either way, it makes sense in wake of a devastating, tragic moment that there could be a communication breakdown ... and Lance says the ordeal was made all the more difficult due to COVID.

Lance also tells us Tanya had her initial health scare on December 23 -- not Christmas Eve -- but he thought it was just a blood sugar issue and she would be fine.

We broke the story ... Tanya died Monday night at L.A.'s Cedars-Sinai Hospital. Despite the strange story involving her death, she'll be remembered for her long and successful career as a model and actress ... most recently for starring on "That '70s Show" as Midge.

Tanya was 65.

Tanya Roberts died Monday night at L.A.'s Cedars-Sinai Hospital following a bizarre turn of events that included her domestic partner incorrectly telling her rep she had died the day before.

Her partner, Lance O'Brien, tells TMZ ... he got a call from one of Tanya's doctor's Monday night, just after 9 PM, telling him Tanya had passed.

As you've probably heard by now, Lance told her publicist on Sunday Tanya was dead. He tried explaining his mistake Monday, telling us he had visited her in the hospital Sunday, and she suddenly opened her eyes but then shut them and he saw her fade away.

He says he thought she was dead and left, without speaking to medical staff. He got a phone call Monday from Cedars, informing him Tanya was still alive. Tanya's rep, who picked Lance up from the hospital, says he told him, "She died in my arms."

Tanya will be remembered for much more than her bizarre final hours -- she will truly be remembered for her long and successful career as a model and actress.

With all her success, the show that made her an icon is "That '70s Show." Tanya played Donna Pinciotti's mom, Midge, whom all the boys in the neighborhood couldn't stop ogling.

In her heyday, Tanya was a go-to model, appearing as Bond girl Stacey Sutton opposite Roger Moore in "A View to a Kill." She also posed for Playboy and did ads for Clairol, Cool Ray sunglasses, Excedrin and Ultra Brite.

On the big screen, Tanya starred in a slew of slashers, raunchy comedies and action/erotica B-films like "Legal Tender," "Sins of Desire," "Inner Sanctum," "Deep Down," "Almost Pregnant," "Night Eyes," "Tourist Trap" and "Favorite Deadly Sins," among others.

Tanya had 41 acting credits to her name, including starring roles in campy adventure fantasy flicks like "The Beastmaster" and "Sheena."

She had a year-long stint on the old "Charlie's Angels" show, helping the Angels solve crimes as one of the three angels themselves -- namely, portraying Julie Rogers, after replacing actress Shelley Hack.

Tanya was married to Barry Roberts for several years, but they didn't have any children before his death in 2006.

She's survived by Lance and her sister, Barbara Chase.

Tanya was 65.

Alex Trebek was in pain in his last days of life, riddled with cancer, yet he opened his heart to "Jeopardy!" viewers, asking them to open their hearts and wallets to help COVID victims.

This is Alex's last week of shows, taped 10 days before his death. He says, "You'll recall that about a month ago, I asked all of you to take a moment to give thanks for all of the blessings that you enjoy in your lives." He is, of course, referring to his Thanksgiving message.

You can hear he has trouble speaking ... his voice is very raspy.

He goes on ... "But today, I'd like you to go one step further. I'd like you to open up your hands and open up your hearts to those who are still suffering because of COVID-19.  People who are suffering through no fault of their own."

Alex ends with this ... "This is the season of giving. I know you want to be generous with your family, your friends, your loved ones," adding, "We're trying to build a gentler, kinder society and if we all pitch in -- just a little bit -- we're gonna get there."

Alex died on November 8. A great man to the end.

Gamer Jarod Nandin -- known by fans as "South Park Guy" for re-creating the show's infamous World of Warcraft character -- has died after contracting the coronavirus.

Nandin died Sunday ... according to the WoW outlet, Wowhead. Jarod revealed his condition in mid-December, and on Dec. 22 he shared a photo of himself from the hospital saying he tested positive, but didn't seem overly concerned.

He wrote ... "I’m really sorry to worry you guys. I’m in the hospital getting treatment. Things look good. Im just looking at Covid with a sh*t eating grin on my face and saying: "How do you Kill that which...has no Life?"

Nandin, who famously went by NWBZPWNR in the role-playing game's community, used this sense of humor to make a big splash at BlizzCon 2013.

Jarod arrived at the event cosplaying as the slobby 'Warcraft' gamer on the Season 10 episode of "South Park" titled, "Make Love, Not Warcraft."

He even shaved his head to re-create the guy's baldness and clearly ... he nailed the entire look.

After that ... Jarod affectionately became known as "South Park Guy" in the gaming community, and today many are tweeting their condolences and tributes to him.

Jarod was 40.

Tanya Roberts -- a one-time Bond girl and cult classic '80s star -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Tanya's rep tells TMZ, she was on a walk with her dogs on Christmas Eve and when she returned home she collapsed. She was taken to the hospital and put on a ventilator but never got better. We're told it was NOT COVID-related. Tanya died Sunday.

In the days leading up to her collapse, we're told Tanya appeared perfectly healthy ... even doing video chats for her fans.

Tanya was a go-to model and actress in her heyday -- so much so, she even appeared as one of the Bond girls, Stacey Sutton, in "A View to a Kill," opposite Roger Moore.

She also starred in campy adventure fantasy flicks like "Sheena" and "The Beastmaster," plus a bunch of raunchy comedies, slashers movies and action/erotica B-films like "Sins of Desire," "Legal Tender," "Deep Down," "Inner Sanctum," "Night Eyes," "Almost Pregnant," "Favorite Deadly Sins" and "Tourist Trap," plus several others. All-in-all, she has 41 acting credits to her name dating back to '70s.

Speaking of that era, she might best remembered as Donna Pinciotti's mom, Midge, on "That '70s Show" -- who was always getting ogled by the boys in the neighborhood. Tanya was portrayed as a dumb blonde, who eventually left her TV family and the show entirely to deal with her hubby's real-life illness.

Tanya also had a year-long stint on the old "Charlie's Angels" show, in which she played Julie Rogers ... a side character who helped the Angels solve crimes. She also helped launch the TV series 'Mike Hammer' after starring as a secretary in the made-for-TV movie, but declined a part in the show that followed.

Of course, Tanya was also a successful model. She'd posed for Playboy, as well as for a ton of TV commercials. She did ads for Excedrin, Ultra Brite, Clairol and Cool Ray sunglasses.

She was married to Barry Roberts for several years before his death in 2006. They didn't have any children. Tanya is survived by her current husband, Lance, and her sister Barbara Chase.

She was 65.

RIP

Prince's death has been riddled in estate challenges for years, and now the IRS is getting into the act, claiming the folks managing the estate have grossly undervalued it.

Uncle Sam claims the estate is worth double what the money managers claim. The estate set the value at just over $80 million, but the IRS says it's worth more than $160 mil.

Obviously, the taxman wants his cut, and that's why the U.S. Tax Court is now in the picture. The IRS claims the estate shorted the taxes due by $32.4 mil ... that's double what the estate planned to pay.

There have been all sorts of figures thrown around by the various heirs -- some of whom have mounted challenges -- some estimates put the estate's value as high as $300 mil.

The IRS really wants its pound of flesh. It's also asking for a $6.4 million penalty for the undervaluation. The estate filed legal docs this summer claiming the IRS's numbers are way, way off.

Ron Dominguez -- one of Disney's homegrown executives, quite literally -- has died.

Dominguez, also known as "Mr. Disneyland," passed away Friday ... this according to the Disneyland Alumni Club. A cause of death wasn't revealed, but the guy's rich history with the Mouse House was ... and his roots stem back to where the park actually broke ground.

An official "Disney Legend," RD's family was one of the original property owners of several acres of land and orange groves that Walt Disney and Co. snapped up back in the '50s to construct what is currently known as Disneyland and California Adventure in Anaheim, CA.

Story goes ... Walt actually turned Dominguez's two-story family home into one of the original Disneyland administration buildings in a backlot on the park grounds, and not only that -- but Dominguez stuck around and started working for them as one of the first Cast Members.

The guy started working as a ticket taker and eventually became familiar with every attraction. He worked his way up the company's ranks over the years, until he became the head of park operations in 1970. It wasn't long until he became the VP of Disneyland altogether, and later in the '90s ... the Executive Vice President of Walt Disney Attractions in the West Coast, before retiring from Disney in '94. Talk about a Cinderella story, huh?!?

Dominguez is credited as being integral in negotiations for getting Disney California Adventure built -- the park opposite of Disneyland, which is seen as more so for grownups -- and was a juggernaut in the Orange County/SoCal business world. He was inducted as a Legend in 2000, and even has his own window on Main Street (nearby where his OG home stayed intact). Safe to say ... Disneyland wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Ron and his family.

He's survived by his wife, Betty, to whom he was married for decades. The Disneyland Alumni Club says a small family gathering is expected due to COVID restrictions.

Ron was 85.

The pandemic no doubt made the year 2020 one of the saddest and most terrifying years ever on this planet. Losing legends like Kobe Bryant and Alex Trebek made it much worse.

The NBA superstar and TV host are just some of the many shocking celebrity deaths in 2020. Kobe’s death back in January got the year off on a terrible note. The helicopter crash that claimed Kobe’s life also claimed his daughter, Gianna’s, life and those of 7 others.

Trebek succumbed after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He fought valiantly until the end. “Black Panther” star Chadwick Boseman never let on to the world he was suffering with colon cancer. He was only 43 when his shocking death was announced.

Actress Naya Rivera and rapper Pop Smoke were also taken way too soon. She was 33 and he was a rising star at just 20.

The list of legends gone sadly went on … Regis Philbin, Jerry Stiller, Little Richard, Carl Reiner and Kirk Douglas.

What a year.

Dawn Wells, who became a megastar by playing the sexy Mary Ann on "Gilligan's Island" has died.

Her rep says Dawn died from COVID Wednesday.

Wells was one of 2 surviving members of the cast ... Tina Louise, who played Ginger on the show, is now the sole surviving cast member.

The show only ran 3 years -- from 1964-1967, but it became a cultural phenomenon. The premise -- Gilligan, the skipper et al hopped on a boat for a 3-hour tour -- A THREE HOUR TOUR -- and it became shipwrecked on a deserted island. The show was all about the hijinks of survival and the interaction with the hilarious characters, including Professor Roy and a very rich couple, Lovey and Thurston Howell III.

After 'Gilligan's' Dawn appeared in various TV shows, including "The Wild Wild West" and "Bonanza." In all, she appeared in more than 60 series ... and also appeared on Broadway and in movies.

Dawn's show biz career actually began with beauty pageants ... she was crowned Miss Nevada in the 1959 Miss America pageant.

She established an institute for up-and-coming filmmakers in Idaho ... it's called the Spud Film Institute.

There was actually a big debate among fans of 'Gilligan's' during the run of the show -- namely, who's sexier -- the wholesome Mary Ann or the sultry movie star, Ginger.

Dawn was married once in the '60s to Larry Rosen. They divorced after 5 years.

Dawn was 82.