RIP

CBS icon Andy Rooney -- who was with the network for nearly 60 years -- died yesterday ... reps at CBS confirm.

Rooney had been hospitalized last month for "serious complications" following minor surgery.

Details of Rooney's condition had not been released.

"60 Minutes" executive producer Jeff Fager released a statement saying, "It's a sad day for everybody here at CBS News ... it's hard to imagine not having Andy around. He loved his life and he lived it on his own terms. We will miss him very much."

Rooney last appeared on "60 Minutes" on October 2 -- in which he marveled at the weight of his new laptop computer ... saying, "It weights less than 3 pounds ... I lose that much getting mad waiting to get on the plane through security at the airport."

The wife of deceased actor Wyatt Knight -- who played Tommy Turner in the "Porky's" movies -- confirms the actor took his own life ... telling TMZ he wanted to escape the "physical and emotional pain" caused by intense cancer treatments.

TMZ broke the story ... Wyatt's body was discovered on October 26 in Maui -- and cops believe the death was a suicide.

Now, Wyatt's wife Silvina Knight tells us, it's true -- Wyatt recently overcame a battle with cancer but the radiation therapy "left him in both physical and emotional pain."

Silvina adds, "He was tired of the pain and after much contemplation, chose to end his life in a beautiful and a serene place."

It's unclear if Silvina was aware of Wyatt's alleged suicide plot before he died -- but she claims, "His Family and friends are devastated. "

"Wyatt was an incredibly talented, intelligent and loving person with an amazing spirit. He is free and at peace."

Cory Smoot -- a founding member of the legendary speed metal band GWAR -- was found dead today while the band was traveling on its current tour.

Cory played guitar and was best known by his stage name, Flattus Maximus. He was found dead as the band was traveling from Minneapolis to Edmonton, Canada for an upcoming show according to a rep for the band.

GWAR lead singer David Brockie says in a statement, "There is no word as to the cause of death and the members of GWAR are completely shocked and devastated that this has occurred."

Among GWAR's biggest fans back in the 90's ... Beavis and Butt-head.

Wyatt Knight -- who played Tommy Turner in the "Porky's" movies -- was found dead in Maui last week ... and TMZ has learned cops believe his death was a suicide

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Knight's body was discovered on October 26 in an isolated area near a home where he had been staying.

We're told an autopsy has been performed on the body, but the results have not yet been released.

Knight was 56 years old at the time of his death.

Wyatt's wife tells TMZ, the actor killed himself to escape post-cancer pain. Click here to read.

Leonard Stone -- the guy who played Violet Beauregarde's dad in the 1971 classic, "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" died yesterday after a bout with cancer ... a rep for the actor tells TMZ.

Family members tell us Stone -- who famously delivered the line, "Violet, you're turning VIOLET!" -- loved being an actor and would often recite lines from the movie anytime people asked him to.

Stone also appeared on "Wheel of Fortune" back in 2000 ... winning $4,250 in cash and a trip to Bermuda.

He was 87.

"Police Academy" star and NFL legend Bubba Smith died from taking too many diet pills ... this according to the L.A. County Coroner.

The Coroner just released the actor's causes of death -- the first of which was "acute phentermine intoxication." Phentermine is the generic name for a weight loss medication.

According to the Coroner, other conditions that may have contributed to Bubba's death include heart disease and hypertension.

Legendary Academy Awards producer Gilbert Cates has died ... TMZ has learned.

Cates was known as THE go-to producer for the Oscars -- putting together a record 14 shows over 18 years, between 1990 and 2008 ... more than any other Academy Awards producer in history.

He was the uncle of actress Phoebe Cates.

Sources tell TMZ, Gilbert's body was discovered last night in a parking lot at UCLA. Emergency teams responded to a call on the campus around 5:50PM, but were unable to revive Cates.

The L.A. County coroner is investigating the cause of death. Cates underwent heart surgery earlier this month.

He was 77.

Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis died from a broken heart ... this according to his death certificate obtained by TMZ.

The document reveals three primary causes of death:

A) Ventricular fibrillation -- a dangerously abnormal heart rhythm
B) Congestive heart failure
C) Cardiomyopathy -- heart muscle disease

According to the death certificate, Al died at the Oakland Airport Hilton at 2:45 AM on October 8th.

The document shows Al had been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy years ago ... and suffered a ventricular fibrillation just 15 minutes before his death. Davis also suffered from Merkel cell carcinoma -- an aggressive form of skin cancer.

According to the doc, Davis -- who was involved with the NFL for 60 years -- underwent throat surgery just three days before his death. Davis also had heart surgery in 1996.

A stuntman was killed on the Bulgaria set of "Expendables 2" yesterday ... during a big stunt involving an explosion in a rubber boat.

A second stuntman was also injured during the incident ... and is reportedly in stable condition.

It's unclear if any of the big stars in the film -- including Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Bruce Willis and Jet Li -- were on set during the accident.

The production company behind the flick released a statement saying, "It is with great regret that we confirm this unfortunate accident."

Amy Winehouse's blood alcohol level was more than 4 times the legal limit at the time of her death ... this according to the coroner who says the singer died as a direct result of over-consumption.

Coroner Suzanne Greenaway described the situation as, "Death by misadventure" ... noting that Winehouse voluntarily pounded an extraordinary amount of liquor in the hours before she died on July 23.

Winehouse -- who battled substance abuse issues for years -- was 27 years old at the time of her death.

Amy's family released a statement ... saying, "It is some relief to finally find out what happened to Amy. We understand there was alcohol in her system when she passed away, it is likely a build up of alcohol in her system over a number of days."

The statement continues, "The court heard that Amy was battling hard to conquer her problems with alcohol and it is a source of great pain to us that she could not win in time. She had started drinking again that week after a period of abstinence."

"It underlines how important our work with the Amy Winehouse Foundation is to us, to help as many young people and children as we can in her name."

"It means a lot to us and from the overwhelming messages of support we have had since Amy died, we know she meant a great deal to people all over the world. We want to thank everyone for that and for their continuing enthusiasm for the Foundation."

IndyCar Driver Dan Wheldon died in Las Vegas today after his car crashed during a massive 15-car accident during the Las Vegas Indy 300.

Wheldon's car went airborne after hitting another car during Lap 12, then apparently caught part of the catch fence just outside of Turn 2.

IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard announced Wheldon's passing, saying, "IndyCar is very sad to announce that Dan Wheldon has passed away from unsurvivable injuries. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family today."

Wheldon won the Indianapolis 500 in 2005 and 2011.

He was 33.

The Charlie Daniels Band member who co-wrote "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" -- one of the greatest country songs EVER -- died yesterday ... when his SUV veered off the road and slammed into a tree ... this according to law enforcement.

Joel “Taz” DiGregorio was on his way to meet the band's tour bus in Tennessee -- when he crashed on Interstate 40 west of Nashville. Cops say Joel's car was the only vehicle involved in the crash.

"Taz" was a founding member of the band -- who spent the last 40 years playing keyboard and singing vocals ... in addition to writing songs.

Charlie Daniels released a statement -- saying, "I am in shock now, Taz was one of my best friends. We're going to miss you buddy. You were one of a kind and will never be forgotten."

The Charlie Daniels Band has cancelled their concerts tonight and Saturday in the wake of the tragedy.

Steve Jobs' biological father -- the man who put the former Apple CEO up for adoption as a baby -- can't let go of his son's memory ... gripping his iPhone 4 today outside a casino in Nevada.

Bassist Mikey Welsh -- who played for Weezer from 1998-2001 -- was found dead in a Chicago hotel room yesterday afternoon after a suspected drug overdose.

According to Chicago police, Welsh was found unresponsive on the floor of his room at the Rafaello hotel after failing to check out on time.

An autopsy is scheduled for later today -- but according to authorities, narcotics are suspected as the cause of death.

Apple stores across the country were not the only places people went to mourn the passing of the great Steve Jobs -- a Zen Center in San Francisco held a memorial service to honor the genius,

Jobs was a Buddhist and even had his 1991 wedding presided over by a Buddhist monk named Kobun Chino Otogawa. His passing was felt in the Buddhist community in Northern California, so the San Francisco Zen Center decided to hold a brief memorial on Friday night.

A rep for the center says the memorial service included chanting a traditional Zen chant for those who have died -- and it also included an English section with a dedication specifically to Jobs. It read:

Al Davis, the legendary owner of the Oakland Raiders, died today at the age of 82.

The team announced his death on their website, with no further details. They did released a statement saying, "Al Davis was unique, a maverick, a giant among giants, a true legend among legends, the brightest star among stars, a hero, a mentor, a friend."

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Davis "defined the Raiders and contributed to pro football at every level. The respect he commanded was evident in the way that people listened carefully every time he spoke. He is a true legend of the game whose impact and legacy will forever be part of the NFL."

Davis has been involved with the NFL for 60 years, starting off as an assistant coach with the San Diego Chargers. He was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1992.

Davis was famous for coining the phrases "commitment to excellence" and "Just win, baby."

The Raiders won Super Bowls XI, XV and XVIII ... but have struggled mightily the last several years.

Just a month ago, we asked broadcaster Al Michaels if the Raiders would ever win with Al Davis running things. His answer was very clear.