Celebrity Death

Norman Jewison -- the director known for 'Jesus Christ Superstar' and other hits -- has died.

The famed filmmaker passed away peacefully at home Saturday -- this according to his team. An exact cause of death wasn't provided.

While his biggest claim to fame is, perhaps, the 1973 musical -- adapted from the famed Broadway play -- Norman has tons of notable films under his directorial belt from over the years ... including 'Moonstruck,' 'In the Heat of the Night' and 'The Hurricane,' just to name a few.

Other movies he directed throughout his career ... 'Fiddler on the Roof,' 'The Cincinnati Kid,' 'Rollerball,' 'And Justice for All,' 'Best Friends,' 'F.I.S.T.,' 'A Soldier's Story,' 'Agnes of God,' 'In Country,' 'Only You,' 'Dinner with Friends' ... and many more.

Of course, while Norman's film career was most certainly prolific -- he actually got his start in television ... serving as the director on episodes for huge shows like 'The Big Party,' 'The Chevy Showroom Starring Andy Williams,' 'Your Hit Parade,' 'The Revlon Revue' and others.

NJ also produced for shows like 'The Judy Garland Show.'

Norman was a decorated director ... having been nominated for 3 Oscars in three separate decades. He's earned many other accolades as well, including a BAFTA and Lifetime Achievement Awards from a handful of orgs.

He was 97.

Dexter Scott King, el hijo menor de Martin Luther King Jr. ha fallecido tras una batalla contra el cáncer.

El King Center anunció la triste noticia el lunes, señalando que Dexter sucumbió a un cáncer de próstata con el que parece haber estado lidiando en privado. La organización añadió que su esposa, Leah Weber King, estuvo con él durante su muerte y dijo: "Él transición pacíficamente en su sueño en casa conmigo en Malibú".

No está claro cuando Dexter fue diagnosticado, pero es el segundo hijo de MLK que ha fallecido desde que su padre fue asesinado en 1968.

Yolanda King fue la primera de los hijos en morir -falleció en 2007 como resultado de un cáncer de ovario, entre otras dolencias- y ahora, Dexter también ha fallecido. El resto de los hijos vivos son Martin Luther King III (el mayor) y Bernice King (el más joven de todos ellos).

Dexter continuó el legado de su padre en la lucha por los derechos civiles en el siglo 21, pero fue notable por enfrentarse a James Earl Ray -el hombre condenado y encarcelado por asesinar al Dr. King- y le preguntó a quemarropa si lo hizo, solo para recibir un "no".

En aquel momento, dijo que le creía a James... y lanzó teorías conspirativas sobre quién orquestó realmente el asesinato de su padre, sugiriendo que el gobierno federal estaba implicado.

Dexter también interpretó a su padre en un telefilme de 2002, "La historia de Rosa Parks", no está de más decir que siempre se habló de su parecido con el Dr. King.

Solo tenía 62 años.

Dexter Scott King -- the youngest son of Martin Luther King Jr. -- has died after a battle with cancer.

The King Center announced the sad news Monday -- noting Dexter succumbed to prostate cancer ... which he seems to have been dealing with privately behind the scenes. The org added his wife, Leah Weber King, was with him during his death ... and she said, "He transitioned peacefully in his sleep at home with me in Malibu."

It's unclear when Dexter was diagnosed -- but he is now the second child of MLK to have passed since their father was assassinated in 1968.

Yolanda King was the first of the children to die -- she passed in '07 as a result of complications from ovarian cancer, among other ailments -- and now ... Dexter has passed on too. The remaining living kids are Martin Luther King III (the eldest) and Bernice King (the youngest out of all of them).

Dexter continued his father's legacy in fighting for civil rights into the 21st century -- but he was notable for confronting James Earl Ray -- the man convicted and imprisoned for actually assassinating Dr. King -- and asking him point blank if he did it ... only to receive a "no."

At the time, DSK said he actually believed James ... and floated conspiracy theories about who really orchestrated his father's murder, suggesting the federal government was involved.

Dexter also portrayed his dad in a 2002 TV movie, 'The Rosa Parks Story' -- it goes without saying, his resemblance to Dr. King was something that was always talked about.

He was only 62.

David Gail -- a soap opera star who acted in several episodes of "Beverly Hills, 90210" has died ... according to his sister.

The actor's sister, Katie Colmenares, shared the tragic news on Instagram Saturday  ... saying she'd "hold you so tight every day in my heart" and she'd miss him "every second of every day forever" -- she did not give a cause of death.

Peter Ferriero, host of a "Beverly Hills, 90210" rewatch podcast confirmed the death as well.

Gail's got numerous credits -- including seven appearances as 'BH: 90210' where he played Shannen Doherty's character's fiancé, Stuart Carson -- but he's best known for his work in the soap opera world.

David appeared on 216 episodes of the "General Hospital" spin-off Port Charles where he played Dr. Joe Scanlon #2, according to IMDb.

A few of Gail's other credits ... "Matlock," "Murder, She Wrote," "The Round Table," "Doogie Howser, M.D.," "Perfect Opposites" and "Growing Pains." He even starred alongside Bradley Cooper in the 2002 rom-com "Bending All The Rules."

Gail was 58.

Marlena Shaw -- best known for her song "California Soul" -- has died ... according to her daughter.

The legendary jazz and R&B singer passed away Friday afternoon Marlena's daughter Marla said in a video she posted to Facebook. She did not give a cause of death.

MS' most famous track is "California Soul" -- a song originally performed by The Messengers, but one she covered and made famous ... that's had a lasting impact on hip hop and popular culture at large.

A few of the hit properties that featured the songs ... "The Italian Job," "The Lincoln Lawyer," "All Things Must Pass," "Pixie," the TV series "Bad Sisters" and video game "Grand Theft Auto V."

It's also taken on a second life in the world of hip hop sampling ... Gang Starr, The Game and Jay Rock, Elzhi, Quasimoto, Jay Electronica, Laika and Xzhibit are just a few of the stars who've sampled the song in one form or another.

"California Soul" is her most enduring classic, but Shaw had a number of other hits too including "Feel Like Making Love," "Loving You Was Like A Party," "Go Away Little Boy" and "Is You or Is You Ain't My Baby" -- another song she covered that bagged her a Grammy nod back in 1990.

Marlena was 81.

1/20 10:23 AM PT -- Rick Harrison posted a tribute to Adam on his Instagram saying "You will always be in my heart! I love you Adam. 💔"

Fans and celebs left supportive comments on his post, including Donald Trump Jr., who stated "I'm so sorry man."

And, his brother Corey also took to Insta to post a sweet message with a pic of the two in the tub together as kids.

6:46 PM PT -- The Harrison family tells TMZ ... "Our family is extremely saddened by the death of Adam. We ask for privacy as we grieve his loss."

Rick Harrison's son Adam has died under tragic circumstances ... TMZ has learned.

A rep for the 'Pawn Stars' reality star tells us Adam recently died from a fatal overdose ... and we're told the family only just found out today. At this time, it's unclear where Adam was exactly when he passed -- and the specific circumstances are also unknown at this time.

Las Vegas Metro PD tells us they're investigating the case.

Adam is one of Rick's three kids -- all boys -- and he's been mostly off the radar in terms of Rick's show and store. Word is ... Adam helped out at the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop once upon a time -- but has since stepped away to do his own thing.

He doesn't appear to have been featured in any of the episodes from what we can see.

Rick had two kids with his first wife Kim ... Corey and Adam -- and he also had a son, Jake, with his second wife, Tracy.

While Rick's oldest son Corey is heavily involved in "Pawn Stars," first appearing on the reality show way back in 2009, Adam mostly remained out of the spotlight.

With Adam never really getting involved on the show, there's not a lot known about him ... though some folks have claimed he made a living as a plumber. We've heard he worked professionally in some kind of trade, but no word on what kind of job specifically.

Adam was only 39.

RIP

6:46 PM PT -- La familia Harrison le dice a TMZ: "Nuestra familia está muy triste por la muerte de Adán. Pedimos privacidad mientras lloramos su pérdida".

El hijo de Rick Harrison, Adam, ha muerto en trágicas circunstancias ... TMZ ha averiguado.

Un representante de la estrella del reality 'Pawn Stars' nos dice que Adam murió recientemente de una sobredosis fatal y que la familia acaba de enterarse hoy. En este momento, no está claro dónde estaba Adam exactamente cuando murió y las circunstancias específicas también son desconocidas por ahora.

Las Vegas Metro PD nos dice que están investigando el caso.

Adán es uno de los tres hijos de Rick, todos hombres, y ha estado en su mayoría fuera del radar en términos del espectáculo de Rick y su tienda. Se dice que Adam ayudó en el World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop alguna vez, pero desde entonces se había alejado para hacer sus propios proyectos.

No parece haber aparecido en ninguno de los episodios por lo que podemos ver.

Rick tuvo dos hijos con su primera esposa Kim, Corey y Adam, y también tuvo un hijo, Jake, con su segunda esposa Tracy.

El hijo mayor de Rick, Corey, ha estado muy involucrado en "Pawn Stars". Su primera aparición  en el reality show fue en 2009. Pero Adam se mantuvo siempre fuera de los focos.

Como nunca se involucró realmente involucrarse con el programa, no hay mucha información sobre su vida, aunque algunas personas han afirmado que se ganaba la vida como plomero. Hemos oído que trabajó profesionalmente en algún tipo de comercio, pero no se sabe qué tipo de trabajo en concreto.

Adam solo tenía 39 años.

Que en paz descanse.

Donald Trump's taking a break from his legal issues to support Melania as she lays her mother to rest in Florida.

The former prez stood somber Friday morning next to his wife and their son Barron -- the whole family was dressed in Black as they attended the funeral for Amalija Knavs in Palm Beach.

Melania's dad Viktor remained glued to her side as they followed the casket out of the Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea, ready to lay Amalija in her final resting place.

As we previously reported ... the former First Lady announced her mother passed away last Tuesday It's not clear exactly how she died, but Trump told a crowd on New Year's Eve his mother-in-law had recently fallen "very ill."

Trump also called the night Amalija passed a very sad one for the family, while adding she "has just gone to a beautiful place in the sky. She was an incredible woman, and will be missed far beyond words!”

The leading Republican presidential candidate is clearly prioritizing his family's mourning -- he's off the campaign trail after dominating the Iowa Caucus, and also skipped the E. Jean Carroll defamation trial in NYC to be at the funeral.

One other takeaway from Thursday's service ... Barron's really grown up in recent years and is the spitting image of his father, when he was young. Check out the pics, especially the one where he's extending a hand to support Dad.

The "Friends" cast wasn't at the Emmys Monday night to honor the late Matthew Perry ... and now we know why they bailed.

Emmy producers are now explaining that while Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer all bagged an invite, they opted not to come together onstage ... cause it was just too soon after Matthew's sudden death in October.

Emmy's EP Jesse Collins tells The Hollywood Reporter he totally gets it from their POV -- they're mourning someone they were very close to for years.

He says while they can't speak on their behalf, they must respect that the "Friends" cast was their own little family.

Matthew was the last person to appear on screen during the Emmys' in memoriam segment honoring fallen stars .... with singer Charlie Puth transitioning from "See You Again" to a stripped-back version of the "Friends" theme song, "I'll Be There for You."

TMZ broke the story ... Matthew was found unresponsive in his jacuzzi on Oct. 28 after playing 2 hours of pickleball at Riviera Country Club near his home in Pacific Palisades. First responders rushed to the property on a cardiac arrest call, and he was declared deceased on the scene after an apparent drowning.

The L.A. County Medical Examiner's Office released the toxicology report in December ... he died from "the acute effects of ketamine," a drug used to treat depression and is also used as a recreational drug.

El elenco de "Friends" no estuvo en la ceremonia de los Emmys el lunes por la noche para honrar al fallecido Matthew Perry y ahora sabemos por qué se lo perdieron.

Los productores de los Emmy están explicando que, si bien Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc y David Schwimmer fueron invitados, ellos optaron por no subir al escenario juntos, pues era demasiado pronto después de la repentina muerte de Matthew en octubre.

El productor ejecutivo de Emmy, Jesse Collins, le dijo a The Hollywood Reporter que lo entiende totalmente, pues aún están de luto por alguien que fue muy cercano durante años.

Él dice que si bien no pueden hablar en su nombre, deben respetar que el elenco de "Friends" era su propia pequeña familia.

Matthew fue la última persona en aparecer en pantalla durante el segmento in memoriam de los Emmys en honor a las estrellas que fallecieron en el último tiempo. El cantante Charlie Puth hizo la transición de la canción "See You Again" a una versión el piano de "I'll Be There for You", el tema principal de "Friends".

TMZ dio la noticia, Matthew fue encontrado sin respuesta en su jacuzzi el 28 de octubre después de jugar 2 horas de pickleball en Riviera Country Club cerca de su casa en Pacific Palisades. Los primeros auxilios se apresuraron en llegar a la propiedad por un paro cardíaco, y luego fue declarado muerto en la escena después de un aparente ahogamiento.

La Oficina del Médico Forense del Condado de Los Ángeles dio a conocer el informe toxicológico en diciembre. Matthew murió de "los efectos agudos de la ketamina", un medicamento utilizado para tratar la depresión y que también se utiliza como una droga recreativa.

Actress Lynne Marta – best known for her film roles in "Footloose" and "Joe Kidd" --- has died in California.

Marta passed away Thursday at her L.A. home after she was diagnosed with cancer, according to the Hollywood Reporter. It was not clear what type of cancer she had.

Born and bred in New Jersey, Marta moved to Hollywood to pursue a career in acting, landing parts in several big movies.  She snagged the role of Elma in the 1972 western classic, "Joe Kidd," starring Clint Eastwood and Robert Duvall. She also played Lulu Warnicker alongside Kevin Bacon as Ren in 1984's "Footloose."

As for her TV work, Marta appeared in producer Aaron-Spelling's "The Mod Squad," "The Rookies," "Starsky & Hutch," "Charlie's Angels" and "Matt Houston." Marta also had small parts in Quinn Martin-produced telecasts, such as "The F.B.I.," "Dan August," "Cannon," "The Streets of San Francisco," "Barnaby Jones," "The Manhunter" and "Caribe."

Her personal life was tied to her day job. Marta reportedly had an open relationship with "Starsky & Hutch" star David Soul while he was married to Karen Carlson.

In 1983, People magazine wrote, "All through the 'Starsky & Hutch' years, David and Lynne lived together but spent time with other people." Earlier this month, Soul died at 80 ... his cause of death was not disclosed.

Marta was 78.

Alec Musser died by suicide -- and the nature of his death is gruesome ... TMZ has learned.

The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office tells TMZ ... the 'All My Children' star was discovered dead last Saturday by his fiancée at their Del Mar, CA home -- and according to the report provided, it says he suffered an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

We're told Musser's fiancée went to bed on Friday evening, and awoke the next day to find AM slumped over on their bathroom floor ... with a firearm near him as well.

The ME's office goes on to say that 911 was called, and when paramedics arrived -- Musser was confirmed as deceased. They note the firearm that was used was a shotgun ... and his death is listed as a suicide.

TMZ broke the story ... Musser's fiancée, Paige Press, confirmed his passing to us this past weekend, but didn't elaborate on the circumstances at the time. She later took to social media to remember her partner as "the best fiancé I could of ever asked for."

Musser is most famous for playing Del Henry on the soap hit 'All My Children' -- not to mention roles in 'Grown Ups,' 'Desperate Housewives' and other shows here and there.

He was only 50.

RIP

Alec Musser murió por suicidio y la naturaleza de su muerte es horrible... TMZ ha indagado.

La Oficina del Médico Forense del Condado de San Diego le dice a TMZ que la estrella de "All My Children" fue descubierto muerto el sábado pasado por su novia en su casa en California y de acuerdo con el informe proporcionado, dice que sufrió una herida de bala autoinfligida.

Se nos dice que la prometida de Musser se fue a la cama el viernes por la noche y se despertó al día siguiente para encontrarlo desplomado en el suelo de su baño con un arma de fuego cerca.

La oficina del forense continúa diciendo que llamó al 911, y cuando llegaron los paramédicos, se confirmó que Musser había fallecido. Señalan que el arma de fuego que se utilizó fue una escopeta y su muerte está catalogada como un suicidio.

TMZ publicó la historia... La prometida de Musser, Paige Press, nos confirmó su muerte el pasado fin de semana, pero no dio más detalles sobre las circunstancias en el momento. Más tarde tomó las redes sociales para recordar a su compañero como "el mejor prometido que podría haber pedido".

Musser es famoso por interpretar a Del Henry en la telenovela "All My Children" por no hablar de papeles en "Grown Ups", "Desperate Housewives" y otros programas aquí y allá.

Solo tenía 50 años.

RIP

Matthew Perry was top of mind during the Emmys' in memoriam as they honored fallen stars over the year -- and you could tell by the music they chose to close out the segment.

The late actor was highlighted in Monday night's show, being selected as the last person to appear on-screen during Charlie Puth's stripped-down piano performance ... who started out by singing "See You Again" to pay tribute to several television stars who've recently died.

Eventually, he segued into the "Friends" theme as they started to get to the last group of celebrities they wanted to mention ... including Len Goodman, Barbara Walters, Bob Barker, Paul Reubens, Kirstie Alley, Irene Cara, Andre Braugher and eventually ... Perry himself.

Like we said, he was literally the last celeb to appear -- and it fell right in line with CP singing the closing lines of "'Cause you're there for me too." Yep, it was emotional.

You could hear the crowd cheering here too ... a testament to how big his loss was.

Matthew Perry estuvo en la mente de todos durante la ceremonia de los Emmys, especialmente cuando honraron a las estrellas que habían partido el año pasado, y se puede decir con seguridad por la música que eligieron para cerrar el segmento.

El fallecido actor fue destacado en el show del lunes por la noche, al ser elegido como la última persona en aparecer en pantalla en el bloque In memoriam. El segmento estuvo acompañado por la actuación de Charlie Puth, que comenzó cantando "See You Again" para rendir homenaje a varias estrellas de la televisión que han muerto recientemente.

En un momento, comenzó a cantar el tema de "Friends" para honrar al último grupo de celebridades in memoriam, incluyendo a Len Goodman, Barbara Walters, Bob Barker, Paul Reubens, Kirstie Alley, Irene Cara, Andre Braugher y finalmente ... el propio Perry.

Como dijimos, fue literalmente la última celebridad en aparecer y coincidió justo con Charlie Puth cantando las líneas finales de "'Cause you're there for me too". Fue bien emotivo.

En el momento, se pudo escuchar a la multitud animando aquí también, otro testimonio de lo grande que fue su pérdida para todos.

Famous reptile enthusiast Brian Barczyk has sadly passed away after spending 10 days in hospice care ... following a brave battle with pancreatic cancer.

The announcement was made Monday ... with the folks at his Reptarium Reptile Zoo paying tribute to their "exceptional" visionary, mentor and friend in an emotional IG statement ... where they praised Brian's ability to touch innumerable hearts and minds globally with his fervent passion for reptiles and wildlife.

They added, "For those of us who had the privilege of working alongside him, Brian's absence leaves an immeasurable void. As we navigate this difficult time, we find comfort in the memories and the lasting light of Brian's work. He will be deeply missed but indeed, never forgotten."

Brian received news of his devastating stage four pancreatic cancer diagnosis almost a year ago ... and it looks like he knew what was coming as just days earlier, he shared an emotional goodbye video.

The reptile influencer once said ... "I'm ready, guys. It was a tough year. It was so painful, the pain was incredible, the sickness was incredible, the treatment was incredible, everything about it was so bad" ... while also thanking his "reptile army" for their support.

Brian made a career out of his love for reptiles ... starring on the Discovery Channel's "Venom Hunters" and kickstarting his successful YouTube career in 2016. He had 5.26 million subscribers and collaborated with the likes of Logan and Jake Paul.

As well his Reptarium Reptile Zoo, he was also the founder of Legasea Aquarium.

He also owned the third-largest collection of snakes in the world -- over 30,000, actively participating in venom milking.

He leaves behind his wife Lori and their two children, Noah and Jade. A memorial in honor of Brian will be held on Wednesday by his family in Sterling Heights, Michigan.