RIP

Ivan Reitman, the legendary filmmaker behind "Ghostbusters" and "Animal House," has died.

Reitman's family was by his side in Montecito, CA Saturday night, as he passed peacefully in his sleep.

He produced a string of hits, and not just hits but legendary flicks.  Among his other films ... "Meatballs" and "Stripes."

And, in an homage to his dad, Ivan's son, Jason Reitman, directed "Ghostbusters: Afterlife." Ah, but wait, there's more ... "Twins," "Kindergarten Cop," "Dave," "Junior," and "Six Days, Seven Nights."

Oh, did we mention he also produced "Beethoven," "Old School," and "EuroTrip?"

Kumail Nanjiani was to the point, saying, "The number of great movies he made is absurd."

Ivan was born in 1946 in Czechoslovakia. His mom was a survivor of Auschwitz. His family escaped by taking a barge to Vienna. He recounted the experience ... “I remember flashes of scenes. Later they told me about how they gave me a couple of sleeping pills so I wouldn’t make any noise. I was so knocked out that I slept with my eyes open. My parents were afraid I was dead.”

His family said of Ivan's passing ... “Our family is grieving the unexpected loss of a husband, father, and grandfather who taught us to always seek the magic in life,” children Jason Reitman, Catherine Reitman and Caroline Reitman said in a joint statement. “We take comfort that his work as a filmmaker brought laughter and happiness to countless others around the world. While we mourn privately, we hope those who knew him through his films will remember him always.”

Former MLB player Jeremy Giambi died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound ... according to the medical examiner in Los Angeles.

He was only 47 years old.

As we previously reported, sources told us it was evident the former 7-year Major League Baseball vet took his own life earlier this week at his parents' home in the L.A. area.

We're told a family member found Jeremy around 11:40 AM on Wednesday ... and immediately dialed 911. Rescuers responded, but sadly, there was nothing they could do to help Giambi.

Jeremy played from 1998 to 2003 ... for the Royals, Athletics, Phillies, and Red Sox. He had a career batting average of .263, hit 52 home runs, and batted in 209 runs throughout his career.

His best season came in 2002, when he played in 124 games and hit 20 homers.

The Athletics issued a statement on Jeremy's death, saying ... "We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of a member of our Green and Gold family, Jeremy Giambi. We offer our condolences to Jeanne, Jason, and his family and friends."

Jeremy is the younger brother of former AL MVP Jason Giambi.

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

A biopic of Anna Nicole Smith is in the works, and her ex -- Larry Birkhead -- seems pretty peeved about the whole production.

The film -- currently titled "Hurricanna" -- follows Anna's therapist in an attempt to save Smith’s life. The therapist, played by Holly Hunter, goes on a "36-hour odyssey in which she unknowingly delivers the fatal blow."

Larry Birkhead, Smith's former lover and father of their daughter, has big issues with a biopic centered around Anna's last 36 hours of life. He says for 24 of her 36 hours she was sick in bed -- not a lot of stuff going on.

He also doesn't think a movie about Anna should focus on her therapist ... but rather on the legend herself. Larry compares it to making a movie about Elvis from the perspective of his toilet, on which he died.

Birkhead thinks Anna's wild life could make for a far better film. As you'll recall, Anna was going through a lot in her prime... losing her son, legal battles over money, and even debate over whether Larry was the father to her baby girl, Dannielynn.

Larry knows her death wasn't some big mystery that calls for an analysis of her last day-and-a-half alive. Remember, she died of an OD in her Florida hotel room in 2007.

According to Larry, Anna's fan base and his daughter deserve more than a film that picks apart the final hours of her death. The crazy twists and turns that she went through should be at the forefront, not her therapist.

Bob Saget died from blunt force trauma to the head ... this according to the Orange County Florida Medical Examiner.

TMZ has obtained the conclusions from the M.E., who said, "It is my opinion that the death of Mr. Saget was the result of blunt head trauma. His injuries were most likely incurred from an unwitnessed fall."

TMZ broke the story Wednesday ... sources with knowledge tell us he went to sleep after hitting his head and never woke up, dying from a brain bleed.

The M.E. went on to say, "A toxicology analysis did not reveal any illicit drugs or toxins. The manner of death is accident."

We broke the story ... Bob was found dead in his hotel room at the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando earlier this month, and the original operating theory was he died of either stroke or a heart attack.

We've been told authorities don't know what object Bob hit with his head, but the back of his head featured an obvious bruise ... and officials think Bob didn't know how badly he was injured.

Bob was buried at Mt. Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery in the Hollywood Hills.

Bob's family says ... "As we continue to mourn together, we ask everyone to remember the love and laughter that Bob brought to this world, and the lessons he taught us all: to be kind to everyone, to let the people you love know you love them, and to face difficult times with hugs and laughter."

Bob Saget did not die of a heart attack or a stroke -- which authorities believed was the case -- we've learned the cause of death was more shocking and tragic.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... after checking into the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Orlando on January 9, he hit his head on something. We're told authorities don't know what object he hit -- possibly the headboard -- but there was an obvious bruise on the back of his head.

Authorities believe Bob did not know the severity of the injury and got under the covers and went to sleep. We're told he never woke up and died from a brain bleed.

We're also told the toxicology report has come back and there were no narcotics or alcohol in his system.

TMZ broke the story ... Bob had just finished a gig at a comedy club in Jacksonville, Florida and then drove to the Ritz in Orlando ... arriving there just after 2 AM. His body was discovered in the room by hotel security at 4 PM.

UPDATE:  We just got a statement from Bob's family ... "Now that we have the final conclusions from the authorities' investigation, we felt it only proper that the fans hear those conclusions directly from us. The authorities have determined that Bob passed away from head trauma. They have concluded that he accidentally hit the back of his head on something, thought nothing of it and went to sleep. No drugs or alcohol were involved."

Ex-MLB player Jeremy Giambi -- who played in the MLB from 1998 to 2003 -- has passed away, TMZ Sports has learned. He was 47 years old.

Giambi played for the Royals, Athletics, Phillies, and Red Sox over the course of his career ... earning a .263 batting average and hitting 52 home runs and 209 runs batted in.

His best season came in 2002, when he played in 124 games and hit 20 homers.

The A's issued a statement on Jeremy's death, saying ... "We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of a member of our Green and Gold family, Jeremy Giambi. We offer our condolences to Jeanne, Jason, and his family and friends."

Jeremy is the brother of Jason -- the American League MVP in 2000, who played for the Athletics, Yankees, Rockies and Indians.

Giambi was portrayed in the 2011 Brad Pitt flick "Moneyball" ... and was played by actor Nick Porrazzo. His character was depicted as a partier and disruption during his time with the A's ... and a scene shows him eventually being traded to the Phillies.

Giambi was part of the most memorable baseball moments of the past few decades ... when Derek Jeter made a spectacular play to throw him out at home plate in the 2001 American League Divisional Series.

RIP.

Anthony Johnson died from years of hard drinking ... according to the medical examiner, and it's something his wife wanted people to know.

His autopsy report, obtained by TMZ, cites "chronic ethanol use" as the "Friday" star’s cause of death -- while also noting the manner of death was natural.

The doc states there was no alcohol or common drugs of abuse found in his system when officials ran a toxicology test. One other thing ... the coroner's office found he'd recently tested positive for COVID, although signs of pneumonia weren't detected.

His widow, Lexis, tells us Anthony’s legacy will live on through a foundation she’s creating in his name. She also says she wants the cause of death to be public knowledge as a warning to others about the lethal effects of alcohol.

Lexis is making it her mission now to teach youth about the dangers of alcohol, as she's volunteering at church to talk to teens. In addition to Anthony, Lexis has other close friends who lost their children due to alcohol. She now wants Anthony's legacy to inspire others to put the bottle down. BTW, we're told she told the ME about AJ's alcohol use.

As we reported ... Johnson was found lifeless last year in an L.A.-area store. He was rushed to the hospital and later pronounced dead.

Obviously, he was most famous for playing Ezal in the original "Friday" flick, but had a good handful of other parts under his belt as well, including in movies like "Menace II Society," "House Party," "The Players Club" and others.

Hollywood was in shock upon hearing the news, and none other than Offset helped to cover funeral costs for the family.

Caleb Kennedy -- a finalist on the last season of "American Idol" - was arrested Tuesday for felony DUI ... cops say he crashed his car into a building, killing someone inside.

The South Carolina Highway Patrol tells TMZ ... Caleb was behind the wheel of a 2011 Ford pickup truck when the vehicle struck a building on a private drive.

Police say there was a person inside the building who sustained fatal injuries as a result of a collision. Caleb was arrested and charged with felony DUI resulting in death ... and the 17-year-old is still in police custody.

As you can see, photos from the crash scene show a truck lodged into what appears to be a detached garage ... and there's a ton of damage.

SCHP says the crash is under investigation.

You'll recall ... Caleb was one of the final 5 contestants last year on 'Idol' but he exited the show when a video surfaced showing him sitting next to someone wearing a Ku Klux Klan-like hood.

Before his unceremonious exit, Caleb wowed 'Idol' judges and fans with his rendition of Coldplay's hit, "Violet Hill," in what ended up being his final performance on the show.

Washington Commanders safety Deshazor Everett has been arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter over his alleged role in a fatal December car crash, authorities announced Tuesday.

In a statement, the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office said an investigation revealed Everett was going "over twice the posted 45 mph speed limit" before he crashed his Nissan GT-R in Virginia on Dec. 23, killing his girlfriend Olivia Peters.

In the statement, cops said Everett turned himself in on Tuesday afternoon ... and remained in custody on a $10,000 secured bond.

Everett's attorney confirmed the football player did turn himself in ... but said in a statement, "Our team continues to investigate this matter as we intend on vigorously defending Mr. Everett against these allegations."

The Commanders, meanwhile, added in a statement of their own, "We are aware of these charges and are continuing to monitor the situation. We will have no further comment at this time."

As we previously reported, Everett -- a team captain for the Commanders -- was injured in the crash -- which 911 callers described as a terrifying scene.

Wu-Tang Clan ain’t nothing to f*** with -- and neither is Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s widow ... 'cause now, she's taking the group's company to court.

Icelene Jones, the administrator of ODB’s estate, filed suit against Wu-Tang Clan Productions ... an org she says her hubby -- along with Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, and GZA -- signed a contract with back in 1992 ... which she alleges entitled those members to half of pretty much all the music they put out.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Jones claims that the agreement also obligated the company to pay ODB no less than 50% of net royalties from the exploitation of his image or likeness.

ODB died back in 2004, but his widow insists that the old contract still requires the company to continue paying Dirt McGirt's estate. However, Jones says she hasn't gotten what her late husband is owed ... and hasn't been able to get proper accountings from the company since at least 2011.

While she acknowledges at least a few payments have been made to her -- including a recent one for $130K back in July 2021 -- she alleges that’s nowhere near what’s actually due. Jones is claiming breach of contract and wants no less than a million bucks in damages.

Gerald Williams -- a longtime New York Yankees outfielder and one of Derek Jeter's best friends -- died on Tuesday at 55 years old.

Jeter just announced the sad news ... saying Williams passed away following a battle with cancer.

"To my teammate and one of my best friends in the world, rest in peace, my brother," Jeter said in a statement. "My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Liliana, and their whole family."

Williams was drafted by the Yankees in 1987 and played his first game for the Pinstripes' Big League squad in 1992 -- the same year the team drafted Jeter.

Williams went on to play 14 years in the Majors -- seven of which were spent with Jeter and the Yankees -- before he ultimately left the game following the 2005 season.

Williams batted .255 in his career and hit 85 home runs. One of his most famous moments came in the 1996 season, when he made a great catch to help keep Dwight Gooden's no-hitter intact.

The key medic on "Rust" is now taking legal action against Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and Dave Halls ... suing them over the fatal shooting that killed Halyna Hutchins.

Cherlyn Schaefer filed suit against the movie's armorer and assistant director -- plus the production company and others -- claiming the defendants' alleged negligence caused her severe emotional distress in the aftermath of it all.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Schaefer claims she was the first one to provide medical assistance to Halyna after the shooting ... desperately fighting to save her life by applying pressure to her wounds, giving her oxygen and checking her vitals.

Schaefer also claims she was the one who called 911 and ordered a medical helicopter to airlift Halyna to the hospital ... where she eventually died.

In the suit, Schaefer claims she's since suffered "tremendous shock, trauma and severe emotional distress" ... and she's blaming the whole ordeal on the production's shortcomings with respect to safety issues.

Schaefer says she was regularly employed as a medic on film sets before "Rust" ... but now she claims she's so shaken she's medically prevented from returning to the profession or any other job.

Schaefer's suing Reed and Halls because she says they were responsible for Alec Baldwin being given the gun with a live round, which killed Halyna. Baldwin is not being sued.

She's also suing the movie's prop master, Sarah Zachry, claiming Zachry knew or should have known the gun contained live ammo.

Zachry's lawyer, William Waggoner, tells TMZ ... Zachry did not load the gun or handle the gun the day of the shooting, and "she did nothing wrong."

Schaefer is asking for unspecified damages.

Katharine McPhee is saying goodbye to a very special friend ... one she adopted late in life to show her love and happiness in her remaining few years.

We're talking about Wilma ... the rescue dog Katharine took in a few years back. What makes this special is that Wilma was 12, so Katharine knew she would not have the dog for very long, but she wanted her to enjoy her sunset years.

Katharine posted her tribute Monday night ... "Here's a little tribute to my girl Wilma… also known as Willy… ”

She went on ... "Wherever she went her tongue was hanging out without fail." "She traveled the world with me. Was at every rehearsal for my first Broadway show… Thank you Willy for all the great years."

Katharine's gotta be struggling with this, but she clearly gave the best life to Wilma that she possibly could. Great job, Ms. McPhee.

A Navy SEAL candidate is dead and another hospitalized during a testing period called Hell Week.

The test involved underwater demolition, survival and combat tactics ... this according to a Navy spokesperson.

Two commando candidates landed in the hospital ... one sadly died and the other is in stable condition.

The physicality of the exercises is brutal, and it's only the first phase in selecting members of the elite group.

It's the first such death since 2016, when a candidate lost consciousness after his instructor held his head underwater while the cadet struggled as he tried to swim in the training pool. The coroner ruled the cadet's death a homicide, but the Navy did not pursue charges against the instructor.

As for Friday's tragedy, it's unclear what caused the cadet's death.

The family of 'Walking Dead' actor Moses J. Moseley does not think he committed suicide ... they believe he was kidnapped and murdered.

Moses' sister, Teerea Kimbro, tells TMZ ... everyone who was close to Moses knew he loved life and she believes with all her heart he was kidnapped and then killed 3 days later.

We broke the story ... law enforcement sources told us Moses' body was found in Georgia Wednesday and cops were investigating his death as a possible suicide.

But, Moses' sister says he'd booked a taping for the Monday before his body was found but never showed up ... something she says he would never do. She went on to say he loved where his career was heading and they were planning big things in the near future.

Cops say they found Moses' body in his car with the doors locked, a gun in his lap and a facial bullet wound.

His sister says investigators told her the gun in question was one of hers -- she says she and Moses liked to go to the gun range and that he had a license to carry.

The family says cops told them they're looking at possible foul play, and Henry County Police Captain Randy Lee tells TMZ ... "It is being investigated as a possible suicide, however, detectives are following any and all available avenues and not ruling anything out."

The NBA just unveiled the newly-designed Kobe Bryant Trophy, which will be awarded to the All-Star Game MVP later this month, and Vanessa Bryant said she's in love with it.

The league revealed the piece Thursday morning ... announcing the new award has four levels, all designed to pay tribute to the Black Mamba.

The first level has 24 stars -- symbolic of the #24 Kobe donned in the second half of his career. The level measures in at 7 inches tall, which pays homage to Bryant's 2007 All-Star Game MVP honor.

The second level features 10 stars, which represent the number KB wore when he played for Team USA in the Olympics. Its 9-inch height is a hat tip to Bryant's 2009 ASG MVP award.

Of course, Kobe won 5 NBA championships in his career with the Los Angeles Lakers ... so the trophy has five stars on the third level.

On the fourth level, the league said "a single star represents Kobe’s NBA MVP Award in the 2007-08 season." The NBA also noted its 2-inch height is emblematic of his two Finals MVP awards.

The mastermind behind the design, Victor Solomon, said in a statement Thursday he worked "tirelessly" to make the piece ... and in an IG post, Vanessa said she resoundingly approved of it.

"I love everything this trophy represents," Vanessa wrote, "all of my husband’s hard work and dedication ~ Mamba Mentality 👑🐍💪🏽 Thank you @NBA & @victorsolomon."