RIP

Mickey Rooney, who spent nearly his entire life in show business, died today. He was 93.

Rooney had been in ill health for quite some time. We're told death was attributed to natural causes.

He was one of the most famous child actors in entertainment history. He played the role of Andy Hardy in more than a dozen classic MGM films.

Rooney also teamed up with Judy Garland for "Babes in Arms" which was a huge hit back in 1939.

He was the first teenager ever to be nominated for an Oscar for his leading role in "Strike Up the Band" in 1940.

Rooney and Elizabeth Taylor starred in one of the biggest movies of the 40s -- "National Velvet" -- which launched Taylor's career.

Rooney also starred with Audrey Hepburn in "Breakfast at Tiffany's."

Rooney appeared most recently in "The Muppets" in 2011 with Amy Adams and Jason Segel and "Night at the Museum" in 2006 with Ben Stiller.

The 5'2" Rooney was married 8 times. One of his wives -- Ava Gardner.

Rooney's last few years were filled with family strife. He claimed elder abuse at the hands of his step-son Chris Aber and won a $2.8 million judgment against him last year for siphoning money from his accounts.

Rooney testified before the U.S. Senate to discuss his personal story of abuse.

Standup comedian John Pinette -- best known for his role as the guy who got mugged in the "Seinfeld" finale -- was found dead in his Pittsburgh hotel room Saturday ... TMZ has learned.

The Allegheny County medical examiner's office says Pinette died in his Sheraton Hotel room around 2:30 PM ... and foul play is NOT suspected.

According to reports ... the medical examiner did not perform an autopsy because Pinette's personal physician said the actor had been suffering from liver and heart disease.

Pinette had checked into rehab for a prescription pill addiction last August.

He was 50.

Move over grassy knoll ... there's a new conspiracy in town -- animal regulators in Texas REFUSE to necropsy the dead animal some believe to be a Chupacabra.

Mike Cox (yes, really) from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept. tells TMZ ... there's no reason to perform tests on the raccoon-like animal captured in Ratcliff, TX this week because his agency has determined Chupacabras are mythical creatures.

TMZ sadly broke the story ... the couple that captured the animal -- which they named Chupie -- had it put down after they were told it was suffering. The know-it-alls convinced them it was a mange-riddled raccoon.

So, we asked, what is the scientific basis to definitely exclude a Chupacabra as a possibility? Cox fired back, "There hasn't been a new mammal discovered in Texas in centuries."

Oh really Cox? Well, Smithsonian scientists announced last August ... they had discovered a new species of mammal called the Olinguito ... part of the raccoon family.

So there are still undiscovered treasures in the animal kingdom ... even mangy ones.

As for the the final resting place of Chupie ... it's a fireplace mantle. The finders are taking it to a taxidermist.

Someone dropped the 'Chupacabra' ... permanently -- TMZ has learned the weird-looking creature captured in Ratcliff, Texas has been put down.

Jackie Stock, the woman who found the animal which resembles a raccoon with mange tells TMZ ... she was advised to euthanize the animal because it was suffering.

Stock said after video of the creature went wide Thursday ... PETA started sending her and her husband messages, saying they were upset by the fact that the animal was in captivity and not receiving proper treatment.

She was also told if the animal really was a Chupacabra, it would have sucked the blood out of the goats next door before its capture. Stock was advised it was most likely a raccoon with mange that was in pain.

Stock adds the animal was never examined or tested to specifically identify it.

She took it to the shelter and was told "it went to sleep very peacefully," adding, "I had gotten attached. I was calling him Chupie. He will be missed."

Frankie Knuckles, known in the music biz as the "Godfather of House Music," passed away suddenly on Monday. He was 59.

According to some reports, Knuckles (real name Francis Nicholls) died of complications stemming from Type II Diabetes.

Knuckles was inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame in 2005 and had a day named after him in Chicago, where he primarily worked in the 1980s.

Uncle Junebug fought the good fight, but Snoop Dogg's right hand weed man has lost his battle with cancer.

You're welcome, angels ... enjoy the high grade bud.

"Love and Hip Hop: Atlanta" star Benzino was shot Saturday afternoon while driving in his mother's funeral procession and police already arrested a suspect ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ.

We're told Benzino -- former owner of The Source magazine -- was shot after an argument erupted between family members in the funeral procession.

Benzino was hit and he was rushed to the hospital.

Remarkably ... the rest of the family went on with the funeral and the preacher says when they arrived both the limo and the hearse were blood stained -- according to reports.

Benzino is currently in the hospital.

5:20 PM PST -- The district attorney says Benzino was shot by his nephew Gai Scott, adding, "There has been growing family tension" between the two.

The D.A. says Benzino and Gai were in different cars ... but when the two were side-by-side at some point, his nephew allegedly fired shots.

Gai was charged with assault with intent to murder.

Benzino is currently in stable condition and his co-star Stevie J posted a pic on Instagram of the reality star in the hospital to prove it. B's biceps are bandaged ... so it appears that's where he was shot.

Snoop Dogg's uncle June Bug passed away Sunday morning after holding on almost a week longer than doctors expected ... and Snoop was the last person to see him.

June Bug's nephew Daz Dillinger tells TMZ ... his uncle died around 9:30 am -- and it happened right after Snoop arrived for a visit.

We're told J.B. happily acknowledged Snoop's presence ... then passed on.

As we previously reported, June Bug was given one day to live last week after succumbing to colon cancer ... but he was clearly a fighter.

R.I.P.

Kate O'Mara -- who became a household name for playing Joan Collins' sister on "Dynasty" -- died Sunday following a short illness.

Kate's agent says the actress passed away in a Sussex, England nursing home this morning ... but it's unclear what illness she was suffering from.

O'Mara's manipulative character on "Dynasty" named Cassandra "Caress" Morell made her show debut in '86 ... but only appeared on the soap for 2 seasons.

More recently, Kate acted in a stage play in 2012.

She was 74.

Paul Walker's baby mama has taken 15-year-old Meadow from the family home ... and Paul's mom is going to wage legal war in court today ... TMZ has learned.

Meadow had been been living with Cheryl Walker since August -- 3 months before Paul died. After Paul's death, Meadow's mom, Rebecca, flew from Hawaii to live with Cheryl and Meadow and planned to stay until things stabilized.

But TMZ has learned everything fell apart last week when Cheryl filed to become Meadow's legal guardian. Rebecca was pissed, and took Meadow to live at a family friend's house a mile away from Cheryl.

Rebecca has had a serious drinking problems over the last 6 years, with 2 DUIs under her belt. We're told that's why Meadow reached out to her dad several years ago and asked to move to his home.

And, in Paul's will, he expressed the desire to make his mom Meadow's guardian in case he died.

So Cheryl will go to court today in an attempt to win temporary guardianship of Meadow, but family sources tell us Rebecca will fight her tooth and nail. Our sources also say ... Cheryl is armed with evidence that Rebecca's drinking problem has not subsided and she's an unfit parent.

It should be interesting ... Rebecca has a legal advantage because she's the biological mother, but Cheryl is determined to protect her granddaughter.

Ken Forsse -- the creator of the talking Teddy Ruxpin toy bear -- is dead at 77.

Giving young children nightmares since 1985 -- Teddy Ruxpin was able to move his mouth and eyes while reciting bedtime stories that were stored on cassettes inserted into his back.

Teddy was Forsse's claim to fame -- even developing a TV show named "The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin."

During the 1980s Ruxpin became the "Official Spokesbear for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children."

Ruxpin Peace.

Paul Walker's family did not get an advance courtesy call from law enforcement telling them they had determined the cause of Paul Walker's death ... and they're not happy.

Walker family sources tell TMZ, they feel totally betrayed by the L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. ... the agency that conducted the probe.

The Sheriff's Dept. held a news conference Tuesday saying speed caused the crash -- not mechanical failure. The family found out through media reports.

The family says they've been waiting for months, and it's been very difficult preparing for the moment when they learned why Paul died. They say after such a long, emotional wait, they now feel shortchanged.

One family member learned of the results Tuesday on TV ... when the news ticker at the bottom of the screen unexpectedly rolled through. The family member says that was simply cold.

Mantecore -- the white tiger that mauled Roy Horn ... has died after an illness.

The 380-pound tiger severely injured Horn on a Las Vegas stage back in 2003, leaving him partially paralyzed. Siegfried & Roy claimed then and continues to maintain it was NOT an attack. Instead, they say, Roy was having a mini-stroke and Mantecore saved his life by dragging him offstage.

Roy says of the tiger, "We spent many hours together and he never failed to bring me great joy and wonderment. It was my great honor to be beside him at the end. He is now playing with his siblings in white tiger heaven."

Paul Walker died as a result of speeding and not mechanical problems.

A source connected with the CHP -- which did the speed analysis -- tells TMZ ... Roger Rodas, the driver, was going between 80 and 93 MPH when he lost control going around a curve and crashed.

The Associated Press quotes a source from the L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. -- the agency that conducted the mechanics analysis -- who says the crash was NOT the result of mechanical failure. Speed was the trigger for the fatal accident.

Investigators also noted the tires were 9 years old. Shortly after Paul died ... law enforcement sources told us they were the original tires on the car and they had hardened ... which means it lost traction on the road.

TMZ broke a story in December ... Porsche had issued a memo to its dealers 9 years ago warning them the 2004 Porsche Carrera GT could be dangerous to an untrained driver. The memo says the road surfaces need to be smooth, like a race track. The car is so sensitive, the memo says, "This vehicle cannot drive over a Foster beer can that is lying on its side."

Investigators say there was no evidence a second car was involved in the collision.

They also said an after-market exhaust system had been installed, which would have increased the engine's horsepower. According to investigators, the coroner's office determined neither Walker nor Rodas had alcohol or drugs in his system at the time of the crash.

TMZ broke the story ... Walker and Roger Rodas died Nov. 30 from a combination of the impact and fire.

During the investigation, German Porsche mechanics flew to L.A. to examine the car .... analyzing the Carrera GT's brakes, engine, body and a tire that wasn't destroyed in the fire.

Dave Brockie -- lead singer of the crazy costumed "Beavis & Butthead" worshipped speed metal band Gwar -- is dead at age 50.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Brockie -- a.k.a. Oderus Urungus -- was found early Sunday morning dead, sitting upright in a chair at his Richmond, VA home.

We're told foul play is not suspected ... and one law enforcement sources told us, "There were no drugs found, as far as I know."

Another law enforcement source tells us it was not a suicide. No note was found. Brockie was found by his roommate.

The band shot to superstardom because their over-the-top horror show music videos were a staple on "Beavis and Butthead" back in the day.

NASCAR legend Michael Waltrip had the thrill of a lifetime today -- HE MET DONNA SUMMER ... at least, he thinks he did ... despite the fact she died two years ago.

Waltrip was doing some pre-race work for FOX at the NASCAR Auto Club 400 race today when he THOUGHT he spotted the disco queen.

He even sang some, "Last Dance" on his way over to interview the icon ... who was really just a woman who kinda sorta looked like her.

Once he got there, it got more awkward when he attempted to talk to her -- "Hi Donna how are you? Enjoy the races today, I love your music. You’ve got a great body of work that you’ve put together!”

Moments later, he told team owner Richard Childress, “If you like Donna Summer, she’s right back there.”

Of course, Summer passed away in 2012 ... the woman at the track is just a NASCAR fan named Star Walker.

But Star says she was flattered by the mistake because she's a HUGE Summer fan -- and even went to Donna's induction to the Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame!

Ya gotta watch the clip.