Celebrity Death

Jack Betts, best recognized for his role in "Spider-Man" has died.

He died in his sleep Thursday at his Los Osos, California home, his nephew, Dean Sullivan, told The Hollywood Reporter. It is not known if he was suffering from any health concerns when he died.

The Miami-born star studied theater at the University of Miami and first found success on Broadway, landing a role in the 1953 adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Richard III," which starred José Ferrer.

Anne Burrell's death is being investigated as a possible drug overdose.

Law enforcement sources confirm to TMZ ... The NYPD is looking into the possibility the late Food Network star ingested a fatal amount of drugs.

TMZ broke the story ... Anne's husband, Stuart Claxton, found her unconscious early Tuesday morning, lying on the shower floor inside a bathroom in their Brooklyn home. Our sources also tell us police found a bunch of pills nearby.

Gailard Sartain -- the beloved Southern character actor from "Hee Haw," "Mississippi Burning," and "Fried Green Tomatoes" -- has died at 78, TMZ has confirmed.

Teresa Knox, CEO of The Church Studio in Tulsa, Oklahoma, tells TMZ Gailard passed away this week after a long decline in health. No official cause of death has been revealed.

The Church Studio -- where Sartain's wife Mary Jo volunteered -- is remembering him as "an extraordinary actor, artist, and comedian."

Sara Burack -- a star of Netflix's "Million Dollar Beach House" -- was killed by a hit-and-run driver in the Hamptons ... and the cops are trying to find the person who did it.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Burack was found unconscious on a roadway on Long Island, NY, early Thursday morning. She was rushed to Stony Brook University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Police continued a massive search Friday for the driver ... details about the car and the driver have not been released.

Late Food Network star Anne Burrell had a bunch of pills nearby when her husband found her unresponsive on their shower floor ... TMZ has confirmed.

Law enforcement sources tell us "a large quantity of" unknown pills were found around where Anne died in her Brooklyn home.

TMZ broke the story ... Anne's husband, Stuart Claxton, found her unconscious early Tuesday morning, lying on the shower floor inside their bathroom.

Bobby Flay is paying homage to fellow celebrity chef Anne Burrell following her sudden passing earlier this week.

Flay took to Instagram to remember his colleague, saying, "'Worst Cooks in America’ was the funnest show on TV. All of your co-hosts (me included) were just alongside for the Anne Burrell ride."

He shared a photo of Burrell holding two Maine Coon cats and went on to say ... "The greatest gift I got from AB was turning me on to a world of Maine Coon Cats (including Nacho) ... a gift that I'll have forever." For context, Nacho is Flay's cat.

NYC restaurateur Melba Wilson is heartbroken over the sudden death of celebrity chef Anne Burrell ... telling TMZ it’s left her and the entire culinary world gutted.

Melba, a fellow Food Network personality, tells us she just spoke to Anne last week -- chatting about karaoke, backgammon, and life -- and nothing seemed out of the ordinary as she appeared healthy and vibrant.

When asked if Anne had ever mentioned being unwell, Melba shut it down -- saying there was never a word about any health issues.

Johnny Wactor wrapped his final film before he was tragically gunned down last year -- and we’ve got an exclusive scene for you ahead of its world premiere next week.

The late actor stars in the indie drama "Ciao, Mama" ... which will officially premiere at the Dances With Films festival next Tuesday at L.A.’s iconic TCL Chinese Theatre -- honoring Wactor’s life the same week his suspected killers return to court.

The movie's premise is about a man returning home to face what he left behind and wrestle with what it means to move forward with his life. Wactor didn’t just act in the film -- he also produced it.

Anne Burrell's husband was the person who found her unresponsive and lying on the floor of their shower ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Burrell's husband, Stuart Claxton, found her unconscious in the bathroom early Tuesday morning.

We're told Claxton last saw her alive around 1 AM the night before ... then found her between six and seven hours later in the shower. He then called 911.

"Step Up 2: The Streets" choreographer Dave Scott has died.

The beloved dancer died Monday, according to a post on his official Instagram account shared Tuesday.

An official cause of death has not been revealed. Rather, the heartfelt tribute focused on his impact as a father, dancer and friend to many, noting ... "The weight of this loss will send ripples through time. But his memory and legacy will continue to live on."

The Food Network and culinary world are mourning the sudden death of Anne Burrell, with an outpouring of tributes from stars like Gigi Hadid, Buddy Valastro, Carson Kressley and more.

Gigi Hadid, who guest-starred with Anne on the network, shared a photo of the two and wrote, "I am heartbroken to hear of the loss of the Great Anne Burrell. As a longtime fan, getting to share this day with her was a dream come true. Beat Bobby. Hang. Eat. I wish we could have done it again. She was awesome. Rest in Peace"

"Cake Boss" star Buddy Valastro shared on Instagram, "Anne, your passion, energy, and love for food lit up every kitchen. You were a true force and a beautiful soul. Rest in peace, Chef 🤍 We’ll miss you dearly."

Our deep dive into Liam Payne’s tragic death is officially up on YouTube -- and now’s your chance to catch all the jaw-dropping details if you haven’t seen it yet.

'TMZ Investigates: Liam Payne: Who's to Blame?' takes you to Argentina, where TMZ hit the ground to uncover shocking new information behind the former One Direction star’s fatal fall from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.

The doc features exclusive interviews with three suspects prosecutors want charged in connection with Liam’s death, along with a chilling, never-before-heard firsthand account from an eyewitness who was there for Liam’s final hours.

Actor David Hekili Kenui Bell -- who appeared in Disney’s live-action "Lilo & Stitch" -- has died ... his family confirms to TMZ.

David’s sister Jalene initially shared the heartbreaking news in a lengthy Facebook post Sunday, calling him "a generous, funny, brilliant, and handsome little brother" who gave her the unconditional love.

Jalene reflected on their bond and how just two weeks ago, he treated the family to the "Lilo & Stitch" opening night in Kapolei. His final outing with them was watching fans in full Stitch gear, sharing popcorn, and dreaming of shave ice after the film.

One of the doctors charged in connection with Matthew Perry's ketamine death is one step closer to doing hard time ... because he just copped to a slew of crimes.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Dr. Salvador Plasencia -- one of 2 physicians busted in the Perry case -- has agreed to plead guilty to four counts of distribution of ketamine.

Federal prosecutors say they expect Dr. Plasencia to formally enter his plea in the coming weeks ... he's facing up to 40 years in federal prison, but both sides have agreed to recommend a sentence of 15 to 21 months, though it's ultimately up to the judge.

Ananda Lewis left her mark on the entertainment world in her short time on Earth ... a feat Bill Bellamy says he's fortunate to have witnessed in person!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with the tenured comedian on Thursday, just as the reality of Ananda's death after a lengthy breast cancer battle had set in.

Ananda passed away yesterday and Bill says he always referred to Ananda as his "little sister," but certified she had a big aura.

Ananda Lewis, a popular host from the MTV "veejay" era in the late '90s ... died on Wednesday after a lengthy breast cancer battle.

The news was broken by her sister Lakshmi on Facebook, who celebrated the end of Ananda's suffering in an emotional post.

Lakshmi tells TMZ Hip Hop ... Ananda died from stage 4 breast cancer at 11:35 AM on Wednesday while in hospice at her Los Angeles home.

Lakshmi tell us she braved the diagnosis for 6 years and even tried out some conventional/some unconventional treatments ... choosing her own path.

We're told her family has heard from a lot of celebs already who want to speak on how Ananda influenced their careers and handled her interviews so well with them at her memorial, which will be in a few weeks.

Lakshmi tells us Ananda's 14-year-old son graduated middle school today ... a terribly bittersweet day.