Celebrity Death

The world's oldest living 'Wizard of Oz' munchkin, Jerry Maren's organs were shutting down and he was fighting severe senility when he died ... TMZ has learned.

According to his death certificate ... Jerry's official cause of death was cardiopulmonary failure. However, he also suffered from cachexia -- a break down of the body's systems from chronic ailments -- and senile degeneration of the brain. As we first reported, Jerry suffered from dementia.

The doc, obtained by TMZ, says Jerry, real name Gerard Marenghi, died May 24 in San Diego County. He was buried this past Saturday in Hollywood. His occupation is listed as an actor with 75 years of experience. No mention of the Lollipop Guild.

Jerry Maren, who was the oldest living "Wizard of Oz" munchkin, will be commemorated with free whiskey ... if ya simply drop his name at an L.A.-area hotel with ties to 'Oz.'

The Culver Hotel tells TMZ it's giving away a free shot of Grant's whiskey to anyone who comes in Wednesday, and mentions Jerry's name.

We broke the story ... Jerry passed away more than a week ago, and was buried last weekend.

Jerry and some of the other munchkins stayed at the Culver Hotel while filming the 1939 classic right around the corner at MGM's Culver City studio. Legend has it, the little guys threw epic ragers while staying there.

Kate Spade's husband has finally spoken on the fashion designer's suicide -- confirming the two were living apart -- and saying her death came as a total shock to their whole family.

In a statement to the New York Times, Andy Spade says, "Kate suffered from depression and anxiety for many years. She was actively seeking help and working closely with her doctors to treat her disease, one that takes far too many lives. We were in touch with her the night before and she sounded happy."

He continues, "There was no indication and no warning that she would do this. It was a complete shock. And it clearly wasn’t her. There were personal demons she was battling."

Spade confirms the two were living separately for the last 10 months, but says they still took vacations and had dinners together for the sake of their daughter ... he says they never discussed divorce.

Kate Spade was extremely depressed in her last days of life, because her husband wanted a divorce ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ.

We've learned Andy Spade was not living at the family home ... he and Kate had separated and he was living in a nearby apartment.

Our law enforcement sources say after their interview Tuesday they were clear ... Andy wanted a divorce but Kate did not.

It makes her suicide note particularly interesting and possibly revealing. She wrote to her 13-year-old daughter, Frances Beatrix, "Bea - I have always loved you. This is not your fault. Ask Daddy!" It's unclear what Kate meant by the words "Ask Daddy!" One interpretation is that he knows why she ended her life.

The couple married in 1994.

As we reported, Kate hanged herself in her bedroom.

Jerry Maren -- the world's last living 'Wizard of Oz' munchkin -- is now somewhere over the rainbow ... TMZ has learned.

We're told ... Jerry died over a week ago. His funeral was held over the weekend at Forest Lawn in Hollywood. The cause of death is unknown, but we're told he suffered from dementia. He passed away at a San Diego nursing care facility.

There were multiple reports he died back in March 2016 after a battle with pancreatic cancer ... but a close friend of Jerry's told us those reports were not true. Jerry still had a couple of years left in him.

Jerry had a bunch of small roles in Tinseltown ... but being a member of the Lollipop Guild was his most memorable.

Jerry was 98.

Kim Kardashian has a chance to use her influence for the good of the nation, just like Robert F. Kennedy did ... that is, if she heeds the advice of one of RFK's daughters.

We got Kerry Kennedy, Bobby's 7th child, on Capitol Hill Tuesday -- the eve of the 50th anniversary of her dad's assassination -- and asked what she thinks of the Kardashian sisters wading into politics.

It's a great question for Kerry, in particular, because she let out a hearty laugh when we raised this topic in 2013. Kerry was highly amused by our comparison of the Kardashians and the Kennedys back then.

However, on the heels of Kim's White House visit lobbying Prez Trump to commute Alice Johnson's prison sentence ... Kerry's no longer laughing. In fact, she offered the K fam guidance on how best to conduct themselves in the political arena.

You'll recall, Kourtney was also in D.C. recently working toward environmentally-friendly cosmetics.

6:25 PM PT -- David shared a photo of Kate, whom he calls "Katy," at his book signing ... along with a heartfelt and encouraging message.

David Spade leaned on a friend hours after getting the tragic news about sister-in-law Kate Spade's death.

The actor and comedian was out in L.A. Tuesday afternoon, looking solemn as he left home. His brother, Andy, was married to Kate and ... as we reported, he was home when she hanged herself.

David wore sunglasses and kept his head down, but was seen getting a consoling hug from a friend.

Kate and David's bro launched Kate Spade Handbags together in 1993 and got married in 1994. They have a daughter together -- 13-year-old Frances Beatrix.

We broke the story ... Kate left a suicide note behind addressed directly to Frances that said, "Bea - I have always loved you. This is not your fault. Ask Daddy!"

12:30 PM PT -- Our law enforcement sources confirm Kate's husband, Andy was home at the time she died.

11:45 AM PT -- Our law enforcement sources confirm the note Kate left behind was addressed to her daughter ... telling the 13-year-old the suicide wasn't her fault.

Iconic fashion designer Kate Spade was found dead of an apparent suicide Tuesday morning in her NYC apartment ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources confirm a housekeeper found Kate's body at 10:20 AM ET in her Park Avenue home. We're told she hanged herself using a scarf tied to her bedroom door knob. She was pronounced dead on the scene. We're also told she left a note.

Kate got her start in the '80s working for women's magazine "Mademoiselle" in Manhattan, when she moved in with Andy Spade -- David Spade's brother. She and Andy met while attending Arizona State University and working at a clothing store.

Together, they launched Kate Spade Handbags in 1993, and it blossomed into a full-scale clothing and jewelry line. Kate and Andy got married in 1994.

Kate sold her company in 2007 and took some time off to raise her daughter -- but got back in the game in 2016 by launching a new fashion brand called Frances Valentine ... named after her daughter, who's now 13 years old.

Kate was 55.

Ex-NFL star Dwight Clark -- the guy who made "The Catch" in the 1981 NFC Championship -- has died from complications stemming from ALS, his wife has confirmed.

"I’m heartbroken to tell you that today I lost my best friend and husband," she tweeted.

"He passed peacefully surrounded by many of the people he loved most."

"I am thankful for all of Dwight’s friends, teammates and 49ers fans who have sent their love during his battle with ALS."

Clark put together one helluva career after being selected in the 10th round of the 1979 NFL Draft -- earning his way into 2 Pro Bowls and leading the NFL in receptions in 1982.

He also won 2 Super Bowls as one of Joe Montana's favorite receivers.

His #87 jersey was retired in 1988.

Stephen Hawking was the world's most famous theoretical physicist, but according to his death certificate ... he was simply a scientist.

According to the doc -- obtained by TMZ -- Stephen's occupation is listed as such. The cause of death is Motor Neurone Disease ... an early-onset form of ALS that Stephen suffered for most of his life. The certificate also shows his body was cremated.

As we reported ... Stephen died back in March after a long battle with the disease left him wheelchair-bound and almost entirely paralyzed. The world-renowned British scientist wrote several landmark books and guest-starred on several TV shows as himself ... including "The Simpsons" and "The Big Bang Theory."

Ex-NBA player Rasual Butler had multiple substances in his system at the time of his fatal crash back in January ... including alcohol, marijuana and painkillers ... according to the autopsy obtained by TMZ Sports.

As we previously reported, Butler was behind the wheel of a Range Rover -- with a female passenger, Leah LaBelle -- when he lost control around 2:30 AM and crashed into parking meters and a concrete wall. Both died immediately from injuries suffered in the crash.

Toxicology results show Butler's blood alcohol level was tested from blood collected from his heart and leg. The heart sample showed a BAC of .118, above the legal limit.

The leg sample showed a .062, which is under the legal limit. One law enforcement source told us the results are consistent with a person who was legally drunk.

Tests also show Butler tested positive for cannabinoids (marijuana), methamphetamine and oxycodone.

The report shows an empty box of Don Julio tequila was recovered at the crash scene.

As for Butler's passenger, Leah LaBelle -- a former "American Idol" contestant, who Butler referred to as his wife -- she had a .144 blood alcohol level.

The information could be relevant to Leah's family if they decided to go after Butler's estate for wrongful death.

An employee on Steve Harvey's radio morning show died this weekend after being found unresponsive in his hotel room by one of Steve's famous co-hosts ... TMZ has learned.

According to an incident report, obtained by TMZ, cops were called to the W Hotel in Atlanta early Sunday afternoon, where the body of Kier "Junior" Spates' assistant, Bryan Cooke, had been discovered in his room ... with blood and vomit coming from his nose and mouth.

Spates asked hotel staff to check on Cooke after he didn't respond to him -- the two 'Steve Harvey' employees were supposed to catch a flight to L.A. later that day. When no one answered, staff went in to find Cooke lying face down on his bed, and cold to the touch.

Cops say Spates told them he and Cooke had hit the town the night before, but that Cooke appeared fine upon returning to the hotel. They even smoked cigars together before going to their separate rooms, and Spates said they did not partake in any drugs.

Police note prescription pills were found in Cooke's room -- but do not disclose the medication. It's unclear if any pills had been taken or played any role in his death. They also say housekeeping came by to clean Cooke's room, but thought he was sleeping. He was 39.

Spates is a well-known radio personality on Harvey's show. He referred to Cooke as his "best friend" to authorities.

Blake Painter -- best known for being a captain on seasons 2 and 3 of "Deadliest Catch" -- has died, and police are testing substances found at the scene of his death.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Painter's body was discovered Friday in his Oregon home. We're told a friend of Painter's became concerned after not hearing from him for a few days ... so he called the police. Officers gained entry, and determined Painter had been dead for several days.

We're told cops discovered substances inside the home that they'll test for possible narcotics. They also found prescription pills, but it's unclear if they were a factor.

No foul play is suspected in his death, and an autopsy and toxicology test will be done to determine the official cause.

Painter was the captain of the F/V Maverick on the hit Discovery Channel show, and appeared in season 3 for several episodes before deciding to quit.

Blake was heralded as an expert crab fisherman. He was 38.

Kanye West apparently threw down $85k for a photo of Whitney Houston's drug-ridden bathroom that'll now be the cover of Pusha T's new album, "Daytona."

Pusha T told Angie Martinez in an interview Wednesday that his original album art was canned at the last minute in favor of a photo West licensed for the obscene amount of money. Pusha said that Ye put his own cash down on it too since they'd already agreed on something else previously -- telling Push, “This is what people need to see to go along with this music.”

"Daytona" drops Friday, but the artwork was released Thursday.

11:15 AM PT -- Clint's daughter, Valerie, tells us Walker died from congestive heart failure.

Clint Walker -- best known for playing a TV cowboy on the hit western series "Cheyenne" -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Clint died suddenly Monday in the company of his wife and daughter ... according to a source close to the family. It's still unclear what caused his death, but a family member says they believed it was a heart issue.

Walker broke into the Hollywood scene after landing a role in the classic film "The Ten Commandments." With his good looks and imposing physique -- Clint stood 6'6" -- he was cast as the roaming cowboy hero, Cheyenne Bodie, in 1955. The show aired for 7 seasons.

After "Cheyenne" ended, Clint starred in the only movie ever directed by Frank Sinatra, "None But the Brave," and "The Dirty Dozen." He also returned to the Western genre with films like "More Dead Than Alive" and "The Great Bank Robbery."

Walker continued working in showbiz until the late '90s, when he voiced a character in "Small Soldiers."

He was 90.

Notorious B.I.G. and Diddy got a surprise visit in L.A. from Rap-A-Lot Records CEO James Prince -- just a few weeks before Biggie's murder -- and the conversation could have saved his life ... TMZ has learned.

The meeting went down in February 1997, when sources connected to James tell us he'd heard B.I.G. and Puff Daddy (as he was then known) were shooting the "Hypnotize" music video. We're told James had immediate concerns about their safety ... and rushed to the set. Here's why.

James had just been in L.A. with Scarface, one of his artists, and heard a lot of talk on the streets about a possible revenge hit. Remember, Tupac had been murdered about 6 months earlier, and there were widespread, but unsubstantiated, rumors that Puff and Biggie were involved -- fueled by the west coast-east-coast feud.

We're told James urged them to take the threats seriously and consider leaving town -- especially when he saw how relaxed security was on the set -- but they seemed unfazed, and more focused on completing the video.

A few weeks later, Biggie was shot and killed outside L.A.'s Petersen Automotive Museum.

Our sources say James did not have specific knowledge of a hit, but had heard enough buzz he wanted to put it on Puff and B.I.G.'s radar.

We're told the meeting is one of several stories from behind the scenes of hip-hop that J. Prince will reveal in his book, "The Art and Science of Respect" ... which will be released next month.