RIP

Manute Bol -- best known for being one of the tallest players to ever play in the NBA -- died today, according to various reports.

Bol was hospitalized in Virgina back in May after suffering acute kidney failure.

Bol played in the NBA from 1985-1994 and was one of the best shot blockers in the league. Bol was extremely involved in charities in his native Sudan -- donating an estimated $3.5 million aid Sudanese refugees.

We're told the man -- a construction worker not employed by Paul Jr. Designs -- was working on the roof when the accident occurred.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office confirmed that cops are still on scene. We're told someone at the shop called 911 around 8:30 AM to report that someone "fell through the roof."

We're told none of the regular shop employees were inside the building at the time.

TMZ spoke with John Clark Gable -- the famous actor's son -- who tells us he noticed the smooch last month during a visit to the mausoleum.

Gable tells us that the lipstick bandit has struck several times in the past -- but they've always been able to easily wipe off the mark ... that is, until now. This time, the stain is so bad, Forest Lawn had to dispatch their in-house marble repair team to fix the damage.

Gable also noted that his father is entombed in the same mausoleum as Michael Jackson -- and warns that if MJ fans are allowed into the place, they could accidentally damage some of the surrounding tombs.

Wooden won 10 national championships at UCLA in the '60s and '70s -- more than earning his legendary nickname, the Wizard of Westwood.

University officials said Wooden died at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center where he had been hospitalized since last week.

Wooden coached future Hall of Fame players like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton -- and his Bruins teams are recognized as one of sport's greatest dynasties. He won 7 NCAA Championships in a row from 1967 to 1973.

Betty White has released a statement on the death of her close friend and "Golden Girls" co-star Rue McClanahan.

White states, "Rue was a close and dear friend. I treasured our relationship. It hurts more than I even thought it would, if that's even possible."

Rue McClanahan -- who played Blanche Devereaux on "Golden Girls" -- has died.

Rue's manager, Barbara Lawrence, says the actress passed away at 1 AM this morning at a hospital in New York after she suffered a massive stroke on Monday.

Barbara says Rue's son, sister and nephew were with her at the time.

Rue was 76.

TMZ has confirmed that the singer and three of his children stopped by Michael's tomb at the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, CA this weekend to pay their respects.

According to Stevie's rep, Wonder and his kids had gone to the cemetery to visit Stevie's dearly departed mother -- but Stevie's children insisted they visit MJ too.

Garcia took to his blog yesterday, saying his dog Nunu had been run over by a car on Sunday -- right before he left for the airport on the island of Oahu ... where they filmed a bunch of stuff for "Lost."

"She died in my arms," Garcia explained ... adding, "We are burying her in the Pet Garden at Valley of the Temples in Kaneohe. Nunu hated the water so we couldn't bring ourselves to having her ashes scattered in the ocean."

R.I.P.

Ted Koppel's son Andrew has died -- reportedly after a drinking binge in NYC.

The 40-year-old was found unconscious and not breathing in an apartment in Washington Heights early Tuesday morning -- and he was pronounced dead on the scene.

According to the Post, Koppel had been drinking all day with Russell Wimberly, a 32-year old waiter he'd just met.

The two ended up at the apartment of one of Wimberly's friends, where he says he told Koppel to sleep it off.

Wimberly and friend Belinda Caban later discovered Andrew wasn't breathing and called 911.

Dennis had been desperately trying to divorce Victoria Hopper -- he filed in January -- but the clock ticked too quickly, and the divorce was not final when he died this morning.

Why the race to split up? Under the prenup, Victoria gets 25% of Dennis' fortune and a $250,000 life insurance payout -- but only if they were married and living together when Dennis died.

That 'living together' part is critical because Victoria has been living in a separate house, on the same property as Dennis. Sources tell us Victoria will argue that since she was on the property, she was living with Dennis -- and is therefore entitled to the big payout.

Dennis' high powered attorney Joe Mannis isn't surprised, saying "She said she would challenge it, and I fully expect her to do so."

The divorce action is officially over now and this all moves to probate court -- where both sides say they're gonna fight.

We're told his family was by his side when he passed.

Hopper had recently been suffering from prostate cancer and going through a difficult divorce from his wife Victoria.

Hopper is best known for starring in the 1969 classic "Easy Rider."

Turns out Vanilla and Gary hit it off when Coleman guest starred on an episode of "The Surreal Life" back in 2004 ... despite the fact that they got into an epic war on the show because Gary wouldn't say, "Whatchoo talkin' 'bout, Willis?"

Vanilla -- aka Robert Van Winkle -- tells us, "I'll always remember the time he and I had. He was fun to be around for the most part. Just a good, funny guy."

He adds, "It's almost a Catch-22. He's had such a bad luck life ... I hope he's in a better place."

Gary Coleman has died as the result of injuries he suffered earlier this week, the hospital tells TMZ.

We've learned Gary's wife, Shannon, made the decision to pull life support early this AM.

We're told Coleman died at 12:05 PM MST. He died of a intracranial hemorrhage.

Family members and close friends were at Coleman's side when life support was pulled.

He was 42.

As TMZ first reported, Coleman was rushed to a hospital in Utah after he fell and hurt his head. He was on life support since Thursday.

There will be a press conference at the hospital at 3:00 PM PT.

A rep for Coleman released this statement: "Thanks to everyone for their well wishing and support during this tragic time. Now that Gary has passed, we know he will be missed because of all the love and support shown in the past couple of days. Gary is now at peace and his memory will be kept in the hearts of those who were entertained by him throughout the years."

More Today in TMZ History

• Lohan Busted for DUI
• Mel Gibson -- Yep, She's Knocked Up
• Rosie to Leave 'The View'

• Today in TMZ History

** warning -- the audio contains graphic content **

In the 911 call, obtained by TMZ, the employee -- a maintenance worker at the Iowa hotel -- tells the operator that he suspects Paul died of a "drug overdose" and that it appeared that Paul had been in the room for "a while."

The employee also told the 911 operator that Paul's mother had called the hotel earlier in the day because she couldn't get a hold of her son.

Without their trademark masks, the entire band -- along with Paul's wife -- assembled in Iowa to remember Paul as a "really great friend and person."

Paul Gray, the bassist from the band Slipknot, was found dead in a hotel in Iowa this morning ... this according to local police.

According to the Urbandale Police Dept, an employee at the hotel found Gray's body in his room early this morning.

Cops say they found no evidence of foul play at the scene, but there will be an investigation into Gray's death.