5/21/2013 4:15 PM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

Heavy D's Family
We're Making Sure His
Daughter Gets EVERYTHING

Exclusive
0521-heavy-d-tmzEvery single penny from Heavy D's estate will go to the late rapper's 13-year-old daughter ... this according to Heavy's mom.

We broke the story ... Heavy's brother Floyd has filed court docs seeking control of Heavy's estate -- via an old will that earmarks nothing for D's 13-year-old daughter, parents or other siblings.

But Heavy's mom Eulahlee Myers tells TMZ ... the entire family SUPPORTS Floyd ... because they believe he will protect Heavy's fortune for his daughter -- until she's an adult.

"Heavy’s Estate needs to be managed," Myers tells us ... adding, "It cannot be self-managed or self-administered and it has to be Court approved. Open bills, unfinished business, taxes and day-to-day decisions including future plans for his daughter all need to be done. This management needs someone who is capable, smart, honest and close to this family."

"The family all wanted Floyd as that person to represent Dwight’s estate."

Myers explains, "All of Heavy’s assets are going to his 13-year-old Daughter Xea -- including his Social Security, Pension, and future Royalties. All of Heavy’s personal belongings are in storage for his Daughter until she gets a bit older."

She adds, "The Myers family is a close-knit family and always will be. Just the way Heavy liked it."

HD died in November 2011 from a pulmonary embolism. He was 44.
5/21/2013 12:20 PM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

Ray Manzarek
Traveled to Germany
For Cancer Treatment

Exclusive
0521_ray-manzarek_getty"The Doors" co-founder Ray Manzarek traveled across the world to seek out special world class treatment for his rare form of cancer ... which is why he was in Germany when he died, TMZ has learned.

Sources close to Ray's most recent band -- The Manzarek-Rogers Band -- tell us, Ray did tons of research on the best places to get treatment for his bile duct cancer ... and his search led him to the RoMed Clinic in Rosenheim, Germany.

As we reported, Ray eventually passed away at RoMed yesterday.

According to sources, Ray broke news of his cancer to the band in March ... and traveled to Germany shortly after.

Up until Ray told his band about the cancer, we're told they had no idea he was sick. Ray had repeatedly just told them he was "tired," so the news was a shock.

Manzarek's next appearance was scheduled for August at the Orange County Fair ... but that's obviously been canceled.

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5/20/2013 3:38 PM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

Ray Manzarek
Legendary Rock Club
Honoring Doors Death

Exclusive
0520-wiskey-a-go-go-tmz
It's the kind of memorial rock stars dream of ... famed Sunset Strip nightclub Whisky a Go Go -- where The Doors got their start back in the 60s -- will be honoring Ray Manzarek on its marquee for the rest of the week, TMZ has learned.

A rep for the famed rock club tells us, the marquee memorial will stay up tonight through Saturday -- and every show in the meantime will be dedicated in Manzarek's honor.

The rep says the club will also be briefly "going dark" tonight at 8pm in remembrance.

As we reported, Manzarek -- one of the founding members of the iconic rock band -- passed away today following a long battle with bile duct cancer. He was 74.

The Doors were playing as the house band at the Whisky -- opening for acts like Van Morrison -- when a record exec discovered them and gave the band their first big record deal.

update_bar
3:55 PM PT -- The Roxy -- another famous Sunset Strip rock club -- has beat the Whisky to the punch ... already erecting its own marquee in Manzarek's honor.

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5/20/2013 2:12 PM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

Ray Manzarek
'Doors' Founding Member
Dead at 74

0520-ray-manzarek-getty
Ray Manzarek -- who co-founded "The Doors" with Jim Morrison in 1965 and played keyboard -- has died, this according to the band's official Facebook page.

Manzarek was 74.

According to the website, Manzarek passed away today at the RoMed Clinic in Rosenheim, Germany after a lengthy battle with bile duct cancer.

At the time of his death, Ray was surrounded by his wife Dorothy and his brothers Rick and James.

Along with Jim ... Ray and The Doors churned out some of the most iconic rock songs in history -- including, "L.A. Woman," "Break On Through to the Other Side," "The End," "Hello, I Love You," and "Light My Fire."

Doors' guitarist Robby Krieger released a statement saying, "I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of my friend and bandmate Ray Manzarek."

He added, "I'm just glad to have been able to have played Doors songs with him for the last decade. Ray was a huge part of my life and I will always miss him."

According to the band's official Facebook page ... Ray's family has asked that in lieu of flowers, fans should make an in memoriam donation in Ray's name to Standup2cancer.org.

R.I.P.

Today on TMZ Live, Harvey reminisced about the time he met Ray 15 years ago -- and completely embarrassed himself in the process. Really funny story.

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5/19/2013 12:45 AM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

Heavy D
Brother Seeks Keys
To Late Rapper's Estate

Exclusive
0515-heavy-d-tmzHeavy D's brother is seeking control of the late rapper's estate -- what's left of it -- via an old will that earmarks nothing for D's 13-year-old daughter, parents or other siblings ... according to documents obtained by TMZ.

Floyd Myers, D's brother and former business manager, filed docs in L.A. County Superior Court last week ... claiming Heavy wrote a will in '99 and lost it years ago ... but insists D gave him a copy.

Interestingly, the will Floyd wants the court to honor specifies that all of Heavy's assets should go to Floyd (keep in mind, Heavy apparently signed off on that will BEFORE his daughter was born).

So what's left of Heavy's estate? The rapper only had $320,000 in listed assets (but there could be more $$$ in future royalties and other bank accounts that haven't been discovered yet). 

But Floyd's lawyer tells TMZ ... it's all good with D's extended family ... the filing is a formality to clear title on a condo the brothers co-owned so Floyd can sell it. We reached out to several immediate family members ... no one's gotten back.

HD died in November 2011 from a pulmonary embolism at age 44 ... as TMZ first reported.

Moral of the story -- update your will.
5/18/2013 12:50 AM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

Dick Trickle
Wisconsin Speedway
Plans Black-Flag Tribute

Exclusive
05117_wisconsin_intl_raceway2The Wisconsin racetrack where Dick Trickle forged his legacy -- winning TONS of races en route to becoming a NASCAR star -- is honoring the driver with a special pre-race ceremony when stock car season kicks off later this month, TMZ has learned.

It's all happening at the Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna, WI (just south of Green Bay) -- where Trickle won so many races during his pre-NASCAR career, track officials named a building in Turn 2 the "Dick Trickle Pavilion."

We've learned ... officials at the W.I.R. have greenlit plans to commemorate their local hero with a memorial lap in Dick's honor on May 30 ... with the pace car carrying a black flag.

A rep for the company says Trickle was "a true champion, good friend and will be missed by all."

As we previously reported, officials say Dick died Thursday from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in North Carolina.

R.I.P.
5/17/2013 10:01 AM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

Dick Trickle's Brother:
NASCAR Star Was Suffering
from Extreme Chest Pain

Breaking News
0516-dick-trickle-2-getty
Dick Trickle suffered from excruciating pain under his left breast in the days before he killed himself ... and was "very down" about his health situation in his final days, this according to Trickle's brother.

Chuck Trickle opened up to both TMZ and the Las Vegas Review Journal ... saying Dick's death from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound is "a shock to me ... it's real hard to think about."

Chuck says he spoke with Dick just last week ... and the former NASCAR driver was complaining about a severe pain under his left breast that seemed to be getting worse.

"He was having a lot of issues w some pain ... he had sharp pain by his left breast and constant hard pain," Chuck told TMZ.

Chuck says Dick went to the doctor twice a day in an effort to remedy the issue -- and underwent numerous MRIs and CAT scans -- but doctors were never able to determine the cause of the pain.

“He was very down,” Trickle said ... adding, “He more or less said he didn’t know how much longer he could take the pain.”

As TMZ first reported, Trickle left a suicide note at the North Carolina cemetery where he died -- it's unclear if the note explains why Trickle decided to take his own life.

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5/17/2013 5:55 AM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

Dick Trickle 911 Call
'There's Gonna Be a Dead Body'

Exclusive
051713_dick_trickle_911_v2_launch
Dick Trickle
sounded extremely calm for a man planning to kill himself when he called 911 yesterday and told the operator, "There's going to be dead body ... suicide."

TMZ has obtained the 911 call made by the NASCAR driver moments before he shot himself. In the call, Trickle gave the dispatcher very detailed instructions about where to find the body at Forest Lawn Cemetery in North Carolina.

When the dispatcher asked Trickle if he was calling about someone else, Trickle replied, "No, I'm the one."

The operator begged Trickle to wait for help ... but her pleas went unanswered.

When emergency personnel arrived at the scene, Trickle's body was discovered right where he said it would be.

Officials say Trickle died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

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5/17/2013 12:50 AM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
AIDS Is Crippling
Eazy-E's Legacy

Exclusive
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Eazy-E doesn’t get the hip-hop cred he's due because he died of AIDS -- so say members of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.

“Some people seem like they are afraid to commemorate him due to how he died,” Bizzy Bone tells TMZ. “But Bone never once has -- nor will stop -- commemorating him.”

Eazy -- a founding member of N.W.A who discovered and mentored Bone Thugs -- died in 1995 at age 31. He left behind 7 kids with 6 different women.

But the guys from BT&H don't believe Eazy is getting the posthumous respect he deserves because of various stigmas attached to people who contract AIDS.

This sounds like a throwback to the dark ages ... the 1980s -- when people scoffed at the poor souls who died of AIDS because it was considered a "gay disease" ... and the guys from Bone Thugs are implying that Eazy is being unfairly painted with that brush.

In fact, Krayzie Bone tells us he thinks some people in the hip-hop community believe an AIDS death is an inferior, or less-manly way to die than say ... a shooting death -- like Biggie Smalls and Tupac.

"They died being known as gangsta heroes," Krayzie says ... "Eazy died from a disease ... so many look at that differently."

Flesh-n-Bone tells TMZ … the group plans to honor Eazy by performing “Foe Tha Love of $” with Eazy's hologram at the “Rock the Bells” festival in September and October.

“The success Eazy left to the rap game is enormous and can't be topped by anyone," Layzie Bone told TMZ. "We are going to make sure we have the stage full of Eazy love."

5/16/2013 1:33 PM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

NASCAR'S Dick Trickle
Commits Suicide
Driver Left Suicide Note

Exclusive Details
0516-dick-trickle-getty
update_bar
2:44 PM PT -- NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France just commented on Trickle's death ... saying, "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Dick Trickle on his passing today."

"Dick was a legend in the short-track racing community, particularly in his home state of Wisconsin, and he was a true fan favorite.  Personalities like Dick Trickle helped shape our sport. He will be missed."

2:28 PM PT -- We're told ... Trickle's body was removed from the cemetery and has been transported to a nearby hospital.

2:17 PM PT --
Multiple sources who knew Trickle tell us he had been sick for a while and depressed.  We're not sure what kind of illness Trickle had been suffering from.

1:51 PM PT --
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Trickle did leave a suicide note at the death scene. The contents of the note are unclear at this time.

gray-bar-update
Former NASCAR driver Dick Trickle is dead ... apparently having taken his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.  He was 71 years old.

Cops in North Carolina say Trickle shot himself at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Lincoln County at 12:02 PM today.

0516-dick-trickle-cemetary-2-tmzOfficials say they received a phone call before the shooting in which the caller said there would be a dead body at the cemetery and it would be his.

Operators scrambled, trying to place a return call, but there was no answer.

When emergency responders arrived, they found Trickle's body near his pickup truck.

Trickle was a fan favorite in NASCAR -- often smoking cigarettes while he raced.



Dick won the NASCAR "Rookie of the Year" award in the Winston Cup in 1989, when he was 48 years old. 

Trickle was also beloved by the gang on "SportsCenter" -- Keith Olbermann and Dan Patrick used to almost always report his race results -- no matter how poorly he finished -- just because they were amused by his name.

Olbermann just tweeted ... "No sports figure Dan + I had fun with took it more graciously. In fact, gratefully."

He added, "Trickle helped mainstream NASCAR coverage on @SportsCenter We gave prominent attention to him, then his races, then ALL races."
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5/13/2013 3:11 PM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

Dr. Joyce Brothers
Famous TV Psychologist
Dead at 85

Breaking News
0513_joyce_brothers_getty_article2Dr. Joyce Brothers -- once considered the most famous psychologist on the planet -- has died in NYC at the age of 85.

Brothers became famous after winning "The $64,000 Question" game show in 1955 -- the show that triggered the game show scandal in the '50s.

Brothers won by answering a series of questions on the subject of boxing -- and although there was a lot of talk that producers slipped her the answers, it was never proven and Brothers emerged unscathed.

The good doc went on to do countless television and radio appearances. She was always the go-to person for reporters when a criminal did something that defied logic.

She also did cameo appearances in movies -- including "Naked Gun" ... and also appeared on TV shows like "C.H.i.P.s" and "The Love Boat."

Brothers was married to internist Milton Brothers since 1949 ... he died in 1989 ... and the couple had a daughter, Lisa.

She had her own relationships advice TV show in New York by 1958 ... and her books have been translated into 26 different languages.

A rep for Brothers tells us she died after a long illness.



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