RIP

Sam Simon, the co-creator of "The Simpsons" has died ... TMZ has learned.

Simon passed away Sunday at his L.A. home, following a long, difficult battle with colon cancer. Simon was diagnosed in 2012 and was very public that his disease was terminal.

We're told Simon was surrounded by his family when he died, and his dog. The dog was very special in Sam's life ... he was a big animal rights advocate.

The Sam Simon Foundation tells us, "For those of us who knew him, his voice will forever echo in our minds; his sense of humor will continue to make us laugh; and his compassion and generosity will continue to impact our lives."

Adding, "Sam, you will be missed by many, but there is a particular sadness among our clinic staff. We have been together for so long, and your absence will forever leave a void in our lives."

Hank Azaria, who voices multiple characters on the show, just tweeted, "Rest in peace and thank you for The Simpsons, Sam Simon."

Sam previously announced he would be leaving his nearly $100 million fortune to his various charities.

Simon was 59.

It took him 5 years, but Corey Feldman is finally ready to honor his BFF Corey Haim in song -- recording a tribute to him to mark the upcoming anniversary of his death.

The song is called "Remember 222" and will be released March 10th. Haim died in 2010 from pneumonia and a bad heart.

The title refers to Haim's favorite number -- which, as Feldman has pointed out for years ... is eerily similar to his own fave digits ... 22.

Interestingly, the lyrics make reference to the Coreys' drug history: "Made the most of every day ... we altered our reality." It also features dialogue from some of their movies ... like "The Lost Boys," and "Dream a Little Dream."

It ain't "I'll Be Missing You" ... but it's the thought that counts.

R&B singer Charmayne Maxwell's death in her home appears to be an almost one in a million accident, and nothing sinister ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us detectives combed the scene where the ex-Brownstone singer fell on Friday evening -- and say all evidence points to her falling backward at the doorway between the house and the back patio ... while holding a wine glass.

We're told during the fall ... the wine glass shattered on the ground behind Maxwell's head, and when she landed shards of glass punctured the back of her neck in two places. We're told there was an injury to the back of her head, and it's possible she was knocked unconscious.

TMZ broke the story ... Charmayne's husband Carsten Soulshock came home and found her bleeding around 9 PM Friday. We're told cops interviewed him and several other family members ... and say there's no history of domestic violence. They do not suspect foul play.

Former "Sons of Anarchy" star Johnny Lewis -- who's been dead for more than 2 years -- just got sued by his own father for a huge chunk of cash the actor failed to pay back before his death.

If you recall, Johnny fell to his death off the roof of his Los Angeles landlady's home in September 2012 ... after he killed her and dismembered her cat.

According to the legal docs obtained by TMZ … 2 weeks before Johnny died, Michael Lewis loaned more than $60,000 to his son's company to cover legal costs, Screen Actors Guild dues, insurance, and moving expenses.

Michael says so far, he's only gotten back $23K from his son's estate -- so he's suing Johnny's estate to get back the unpaid cash.

A debt is a debt.

William Shatner made a surprising return to Los Angeles Sunday ... but was quiet about whether he would attend Leonard Nimoy's funeral.

Shatner tweeted on Saturday ... he would not be able to go due to a charity event he had scheduled in Florida -- however our photog shot Captain Kirk after his flight landed around 11:30 AM today.

He remained tight lipped about whether a backlash from fans made him change his mind about paying his last respects to Spock. We reached out to his rep ... but so far no word back.

Shatner did talk to us about Terry W. Virts ... the astronaut who paid tribute to Spock by giving Earth a Vulcan salute from space.

2:50 PM PST -- Nimoy's rep says the funeral was at 9AM this morning ... which means Shatner was still in the air during the service.

Charmayne Maxwell -- part of the 90s R&B group Brownstone -- died Friday night in L.A. after her husband found her bleeding from a cut to her neck ... TMZ has learned.

A family member tells us Charmayne had come home from her son's soccer game, and was home alone with him. Later in the evening ... around 9 PM her husband, music producer Carsten Soulshock, came home and found her unconscious and bleeding.

We're told it looked like Charmayne had fallen and cut her neck on glass ... she was bleeding profusely, but still had a pulse. Carsten called 911, and paramedics transported her to Cedars Sinai Hospital ... but she had lost too much blood. We're told she died on the way to the hospital.

LAPD went to the home ... and tell us it was a broken wine glass that cut Charmayne's neck. Detectives do not suspect foul play.

The group -- which was on Michael Jackson's MJJ Music label -- had its biggest hit with 1995's "If You Love Me." They earned a Billboard Music Award and a Grammy nomination for the song.

Captain Kirk says he won't be there when Mr. Spock beams up for the last time ... despite their decades of friendship.

William Shatner says he's in Florida for a Red Cross Ball -- a commitment he had made prior to Leonard Nimoy's death on Friday morning -- and, regretfully ... will have to miss the funeral service on Sunday.

"American Horror Story: Freak Show" creator Ryan Murphy is stepping up to help Ben Woolf 's family after the actor's death.

Sources close to Ben tell TMZ both Murphy and FX have offered to cover portions of the final expenses. Ben's family will be holding a themed memorial in Santa Barbara on March 21st.

We're told the entire 'AHS' cast and crew have been invited -- and guests are being asked to wear red or blue ... Ben's favorite colors.

TMZ broke the story ... Ben died last week from head injuries he suffered when he was hit by a passing car. We're told he will be cremated.

Ben's father Nick says fans can honor Ben by donating to The Ben Woolf Fund -- which will be used to purchase memorial park "BENches" ... or fund his favorite charities like ... Little People Of America and the Story Teller Children's Center.

Leonard Nimoy, who famously played Mr. Spock, died at home Friday morning in Bel-Air... after battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The "Star Trek" star announced last year that he was battling the disease and attributed it to years and years of smoking. He had given up the habit 30 years ago.

TMZ broke the story ... Nimoy checked into UCLA Medical Center last week for intense chest pains -- but was eventually released.

Nimoy started playing Mr. Spock when the TV show debuted in 1966 ... and is the only actor to appear in every episode of that original series. He continued in the Spock role through most of the movies -- including the most recent reboot in 2013.

Aside from acting ... Nimoy also wrote books of poetry, 2 autobiographies, and even recorded albums ... mostly cover songs.

Nimoy tweeted for the last time on Feb. 22, saying ... "A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP"

He was 83.

The Trekkie In Chief, President Obama released a statement saying ... "Long before being nerdy was cool, there was Leonard Nimoy ... I loved Spock."

Nimoy's longtime co-star William Shatner tells us, "I loved him like a brother. We will all miss his humor, this talent, and his capacity to love."

The lead detective assigned to the murder case of "America's Next Top Model" star Mirjana Puhar ironically has a connection to the victim ... they're both reality TV stars.

Det. Norma McKee was on A&E's "The First 48" -- a docuseries about murder investigations -- back in 2011, when she was just a rookie. The episode chronicled a double-murder investigation, her first, involving a couple that was shot point blank in their car by a backseat passenger.

McKee got her man, who is currently serving 28 years after pleading guilty to two counts of second degree murder.

Puhar and two other people were killed Tuesday in Charlotte, NC. Police have already arrested a suspect, who has been charged with three counts of first degree murder.

8:45 AM PT -- Police have arrested 19-year-old Emmanuel Jesus Rangel and charged him with 3 counts of 1st degree murder.

The boyfriend, Jonathan Alvarado was 23 ... and the third victim was 21-year-old Jusmar Gonzaga-Garcia. Our sources say Jusmar was Jonathan's roommate and best friend. We're told Mirjana had just moved in with the guys.

Mirjana Puhar -- a recent "America's Next Top Model" contestant -- was killed Tuesday in a triple homicide at her boyfriend's home in Charlotte, NC ... TMZ has learned.

A source who was very close to Mirjana confirmed to TMZ that she was one of the 3 victims found dead in a home that belonged to Mirjana's boyfriend. The source says a friend of the couple went to the house after getting a call that gunshots were heard.

We're told the friend went into the house, saw 2 bodies -- Mirjana and the bf -- and then called police to report the killings. The friend didn't see the 3rd victim, but did see money scattered around the house.

19-year-old Mirjana was on the 21st cycle of 'ANTM' ... which aired last year. She was eliminated from the show in the 10th episode.

Law enforcement sources tell us the preliminary investigation leads police to believe the murders were drug related -- and the victims knew the killer.

Our Mirjana source says the young model had only been with the boyfriend for a few months.

Bravo's fitness star Greg Plitt -- who was hit and killed by a commuter train -- did not have a will, and now his family is trying to ensure his $800,000 estate ends up in the right hands.

As TMZ first reported ... Plitt died tragically in January while shooting a commercial for a sports drink.

The 37-year-old did not have a spouse or child when he died -- and according to court docs obtained by TMZ ... his father filed a petition Wednesday to control his son's estate.

If approved -- which is extremely likely -- he'll make all decisions about paying Greg's creditors ... and how the remaining money gets divvied up.

Ben Woolf from "American Horror Story: Freak Show" has died in an L.A. hospital from injuries suffered last week when he was hit by a passing car.

A source close to Woolf tells us he died from a stroke on Monday afternoon. He had been heavily sedated at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center since the accident last week.

TMZ broke the story ... Woolf -- who played Meep on the hit show -- got clipped in the head by the side view mirror of an SUV as he was crossing a street in Hollywood. The driver was not arrested or ticketed because Ben was jaywalking.

Woolf's family tells us -- "We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support from all over the world for our beloved Ben. He touched so many hearts in his 34 years."

Over the weekend, doctors upgraded his condition to stable -- but warned it was still touch and go since he had not woken up.

We're told Ben's organs are being donated and will help about 50 people.

Family members tell us they're planning a memorial service in Santa Barbara.

The Oscars focused more on Neil Patrick Harris' penis than a deceased actor who starred in iconic movies, and the actor's relatives are livid.

Taylor Negron -- who became famous for his roles in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" and "The Last Boy Scout" -- was left out of the 'In Memoriam' tribute, which infuriated his brother Conrad Negron who said, "They'll have NPH come out in his underwear but not take a few seconds to honor my brother."

And Taylor's cousin Chuck Negron -- the lead singer of Three Dog Night -- says he was "floored" by the snub and demands some recognition from the Academy.

Conrad really went off, also saying, "They'll let Patricia Arquette go on and on forever but they won't give Taylor the 15 minutes he deserved." We're guessing he meant a few seconds.

Taylor died in January at 57 after a long battle with cancer.

Conrad says he and his family vow never to watch the Oscars again. After last night it's a safe bet ... they're not alone.

Can we talk? Joan Rivers was noticeably snubbed Sunday night by The Academy Awards and Melissa Rivers is not a happy camper about it.

Sources close to Melissa say she feels her mom deserved a place in the 'In Memoriam' portion of the Oscars, but she's not going to focus on the snub.

We're told she'd rather focus on the overwhelming support from her fans, who have rallied behind her mom since her death in September.

Ahmad Givens, a.k.a. Real, one of the stars of VH1's "Real Chance of Love" has died after a long battle with cancer ... according to his brother.

Real's brother Chance tells TMZ ... the reality star's condition worsened after he took a fall in January ... he was bedridden ever since.

We're told Real was having trouble with vision and speech Friday night during a family visit ... and they had a feeling the end was near. He passed away hours later.

As we previously reported ... the reality star was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in 2013. Real underwent surgery and things were looking positive, but earlier this year the cancer returned and he began chemotherapy treatments.

Chance posted a tribute to his brother online saying, "I'll see you one day soon we shall dance again in God's kingdom forever and ever bro words can't describe my pain world pray for me!"