RIP

We're told Kerri and Jean never spoke directly ... only through attorneys.

As we previously reported -- Kerri's role as conservator expired when her father died Father's Day morning. Jean is the executor of Casey's will.

According to a recent filing of Casey's health directive ... he wanted a burial.

Tony Gwynn Sr. -- one of Major League Baseball's greatest hitters -- died today after battling cancer for several years.

Gwynn played 19-years for the San Diego Padres and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007. He was known for his tremendous batting skills. He had a .338 career batting average and 3,141 hits.

Casey Kasem -- the original voice of the American Top 40 countdown -- died Sunday morning ... TMZ has confirmed.

His daughter Kerri said on Facebook this morning ... her dad was surrounded by family and friends. adding, "Even though we know he is in a better place and no longer suffering, we are heartbroken."

Casey was suffering from advanced Parkinson's Disease and dementia. His wife Jean Kasem moved him to a convalescent home in Santa Monica a few months ago.

Kasem founded the "AT 40" radio franchise back in 1970 ... and famously hosted the wildly popular show until 2004. He went on to do several spinoff countdown shows until he retired from radio in 2009.

He was also very famous for voicing cartoon voices like Shaggy from "Scooby-Doo" ... and Robin on "Super Friends." He was inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 1985.

Casey's illness was marked by a bitter war between Jean and Casey's three children from his previous marriage. The kids claimed Jean blocked them from seeing Casey for several months.

Earlier in the week Kerri took her dad off of all life support including nutrition.

Casey was 82.

Ruby Dee -- one of the legendary actresses in Hollywood and on Broadway -- died Wednesday night ... TMZ has learned.

Ruby was at home in New Rochelle, NY ... surrounded by family when she passed away ... according to sources connected to the family. A rep confirmed the death.

Ruby was a pioneer for African-American women in Hollywood ... and is perhaps best known for her starring role in the 1960s film "A Raisin in the Sun" -- and her roles in the Spike Lee movies "Do the Right Thing" and "Jungle Fever." Her most recent big budget Hollywood film was "American Gangster" ... she played Denzel Washington's mother.

Ruby was a poet and screenwriter. She won a Grammy, an Emmy ... and also received the National Medal of Arts and the Kennedy Center Honors.

She and her late husband Ossie Davis -- with whom she frequently co-starred -- were also hugely active in the Civil Rights movement -- often demonstrating with Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.

Ruby was 91 years old.

British comedian Rik Mayall suffered a fatal heart attack after his usual morning run ... this according to his family.

Mayall -- who starred in the cult 90s comedy "Drop Dead Fred" -- passed away on Monday at the age of 56.

In a statement, Mayall's wife Barbara revealed the cause of his death, and added ... "We always knew that Rik was well loved but we are all overwhelmed by so many joining us in our grief."

Kevin Roper -- the truck driver facing charges over the fatal crash that involved Tracy Morgan -- pled not guilty in a New Brunswick court this afternoon.

Roper is facing charges of death by auto and assault by auto. His bail was set at $50,000.

Roper was driving a truck for Walmart on Saturday when he struck Morgan's limo. One person died as a result and Morgan is still in the hospital in critical condition.

The trucker who caused the fatal car crash that left Tracy Morgan in critical condition says he was not high on drugs or drunk when he slammed into the SUV ... and believes he's being skewered because a celeb was hurt in the accident.

A twitter account which appears to be Walmart trucker Kevin Roper was very active early Tuesday morning ... with a remorseful Roper saying, "I wish it was me and I can't express how horrible I feel."

Roper also denies reports he hadn't slept for 24 hours, claiming the bad press is all about finding a scapegoat, as he says, "because a famous person was involved." He wrote, "I was never charged at the scene of the accident because once again i was not guilty of any crime. Not until all the TV cameras came."

Roper seems to say he was not negligent and therefore not responsible for the crash, suggesting he was not at fault.

"That 70s Show" star Lisa Robin Kelly was killed by lousy treatment and an incompetent staff at the rehab center where she was found dead ... according to a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the late actress' husband.

Robert Gilliam is suing Pax House in Altadena, CA claiming Kelly's "treatment and care were improperly administered" ... and that she was neglected for "an unreasonable amount of time" by workers who weren't fit for the job.

TMZ broke the story ... Kelly died Aug. 15, three days after she was admitted to Pax House. The coroner ruled it an accidental death from multiple drug intoxication -- but never identified which specific drugs were in her system.

Gilliam claims in court docs -- obtained by TMZ -- Kelly was last seen alive by Pax workers sometime during the night of Aug. 14 ... and it wasn't until several hours later that she was discovered dead in her room.

The guy who played "Drop Dead Fred" in the 90s cult classic film passed away at home in England this morning ... and, so far, the cause of death is a mystery to his family.

Rik Mayall -- a huge comedic star in the U.K. -- was at home with family members when he died this morning ... but his rep says they're all puzzled about why it happened.

We're told the actor -- who was only 56 -- was not ill ... but his rep added they don't suspect foul play.

"Drop Dead Fred" was bashed by critics, but still became a financial success. Mayall was never able to score a second hit in the U.S. -- even though he's a big deal across the pond. He starred in several successful sitcoms there.

Mayall was married with 3 children.

JayAre from the rap group Cali Swag District died Friday ... the result of sickle cell anemia according to one of the guys in the group.

Jay suffered from sickle cell anemia and was hospitalized Thursday for unknown reasons, this according to MTV, Hours later he went into into cardiac arrest and died.

General Da Smoove -- another member of CSD -- tweeted last night, "Sickle cell took my brother away from me today."

Smoove adds, "With that being said I'm proud to know that with that disease he made the best of his life ... I jus(sp) saw my bro literally fight for his life I told him 'I love you bro' hope'n he heard me."

Sadly, Jay is not the first member of Cali Swag to die ... in 2011, CSD member M-Bone was murdered in a drive-by shooting.

JayAre was 25.

The man who called 911 for "Brady Bunch" star Ann B. Davis pleaded with dispatchers to send "someone quickly" after the fall that eventually led to her death ... this according to a 911 tape obtained by TMZ.

As TMZ first reported, Davis passed away on Sunday after she hit her head following a fall in her bathroom.

Davis was living with a couple in Texas ... and the man is heard on the tape saying there was "quite a bit of blood on the floor" after her fall.

Dave Brockie -- lead singer and founding member of legendary metal band GWAR -- died of a heroin overdose ... and officials tell TMZ it was accidental.

Brockie -- a.k.a Oderus Urungus -- was found dead sitting in a chair at home back in March.

A rep for the Virginia medical examiner's office tell us the official cause of death is acute heroin toxicity ... and the death is being ruled an accident.

Brockie is not the first GWAR member to meet an early demise -- back in 2011 guitarist Cory Smoot died on the band's tour bus from a blood clot in his heart.

TV legend Ann B. Davis who played Alice on "The Brady Bunch" has died ... TMZ has learned.

According to the couple she lived with in Texas ... Ann fell in her bathroom early this morning and hit her head causing grave damage. We're told she never regained consciousness.

Her roommate says Davis had been pretty healthy for an 88-year old woman -- and her death was a total shock. In fact, she even walked downstairs to say goodnight before going to bed.

Davis played the housekeeper Alice Nelson for the entire original run of "The Brady Bunch" from 1969 to 1974. She also filled the role for countless other TV movies and reunions. She last played Alice for 5 episodes of "The Bradys" in 1990.

We're told Ann was very close to some members of the church she attended in Texas -- and they are currently planning funeral arrangements.

An emergency dispatcher who can be overheard in the Maya Angelou 911 call was suspended for criticizing Oprah Winfrey in the middle of the emergency.

John Ruckh -- a dispatcher in Winston-Salem North Carolina for 24 years -- is heard in the background ... making critical comments to someone about Oprah.

Ruckh -- who did not take the actual call -- is heard telling someone that Oprah has fallen out of grace because of an interview she did, where he claims she stated, "There are still generations of people, older people, who were born and bred and marinated in it, in that prejudice and racism, and they just have to die."

Ruckh insists he used no racial slurs during the conversation, saying, "Unfortunately I work in a high-profile job and everything's recorded."

Maya Angelou had informed her staff she did NOT want to be resuscitated in the event of her death ... this according to the caretaker who called 911.

The caretaker called 911 to report Maya's death -- but told the operator she was hesitant to perform CPR because the famed poet had previously been crystal clear ... when she passed, don't try to bring her back.

The operator tells the caretaker to perform CPR regardless -- because Maya didn't have a "Do Not Resuscitate" order -- and the caretaker complied ... to no avail.

He may have only had a few brief encounters with her, including the time she visited him in prison -- but Mike Tyson says Maya Angelou had a profound impact on his life ... and he'll always be grateful.

After learning of Angelou's death, Tyson told TMZ Sports ... "We lost one of the greatest constellations to the human universe."

"I had the pleasure to meet Ms. Angelou on a few occasions and each time was very enlightening. I was intrigued and would ask her about the greats from her era such as Billie Holiday, Malcolm X and Fats Waller. These people were just book novels, interesting reading to me but real people to her."

"I'm just very grateful for the times I shared with this phenomenal woman, even though they were brief."

Angelou famously visited Tyson at the Indiana Youth Center in 1994 while he was serving time for a rape conviction.

After the visit, Angelou told people her encounter with Iron Mike had an impact on her life as well -- saying, "it changed the way I thought about a number of things."