R.I.P.

Peter Falk, a four-time Emmy Award winner who established the iconic role of Lieutenant Columbo, passed away last night from complications related to Alzheimer's Disease. He was 83.

A statement released by the actor's family reads: "Falk died peacefully at his Beverly Hills home in the evening of June 23, 2011."

He is survived by his wife, Shera and two daughters from a previous marriage.

Aside from his legendary television role, Falk was nominated for two Academy Awards  and appeared in such films as Murder, Inc., Pocketful of Miracles and The Princess Bride.

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Ryan Dunn, one of the stars of Jackass, has died. He was 34.

He reportedly passed away after being involved in a car accident in Pennsylvania early Monday morning. Co-star Bam Margera's mother confirmed the news.

Dunn and an unidentified person perished in a crash in West Goshen Township around 3 a.m. It's unclear who was driving, or whether alcohol was involved.

R.I.P. Ryan Dunn (1977-2011).

Dunn appeared in all three of the hit Jackass films alongside Margera and Johnny Knoxville. Our thoughts go out to those guys and to his family members.

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Clarence Clemons, the legendary saxophonist from Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, has died after suffering a stroke earlier this month. He was 69.

Known as The Big Man, the 6'4" former college football player was a rock and roll mainstay as one of The Boss' right hand men for decades.

His sax can be heard on "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out," "Born to Run," "Thunder Road," "Dancing in the Dark" and countless other Springsteen hits.

He released several solo albums and appeared in various TV series ranging from Diff'rent Strokes and Nash Bridges to The Simpsons and The Wire.

He performed last month with Lady Gaga on the season finale of American Idol, and can be seen in her just-released video for "The Edge of Glory."

Clemons had dealt with a series of medical problems over the past decade, including having both of his knees replaced and spinal fusion surgery.

After an early improvement from the stroke he suffered, things took a turn for the worse and he passed away yesterday. He will be missed.

Laura Ziskin, the Hollywood producer behind hits like the Spider-Man franchise and Pretty Woman, died Sunday at her Los Angeles home at age 61.

Ziskin, who fought a seven-year battle with breast cancer, also produced As Good As It Gets, What About Bob?, Everybody's All-American and No Way Out.

As a woman in a high position in Hollywood, she was often a voice for others seeking recognition in advancement in the entertainment profession. 

In a 2002 book called Women Who Run the Show, Ziskin talked about the long-term impact of women in high positions and the importance of their work.

"Movies are arguably the most influential, important medium in the world. They have a tremendous cultural impact,” she said.

“Because women are now making movies, then women's ideas, philosophy, point of view will seep into that culture. And that's never happened in history."

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Actor James Arness of Gunsmoke fame has passed away at age 88.

“Jim passed away this morning at home with his wife of natural causes. He went quietly in his sleep,” Arness’ rep, Ginny Fazer, said earlier.

“He is survived by his wife Janet, two sons and six grandchildren.”

The 6’6” actor was best known for his role of Marshal Matt Dillon in the classic weekly series, which he played for an amazing 20 years.

The funeral will be private, but fans are encouraged to make donations in Jim’s name to his favorite charity, United Cerebral Palsy.

It's unknown if he was ailing for an extended time period, but Arness left a farewell letter of sorts on his official website for his fans.

“I had a wonderful life and was blessed with some many loving people and great friends," he writes. Continue reading the full letter.

Dr. Jack Kevorkian, who became famous (or infamous, depending on your view) for his controversial advocacy of assisted suicide, has died.

He was 83. Kevorkian, who was battling kidney and heart ailments, died early Friday, according to his local paper, the Detroit Free Press.

He was not placed on life support, his attorney, Mayer Morganroth said.

At Kevorkian's side in Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich., at the time of his own death was his niece, Ava Janus, and attorney Morganroth.

In all, the trained pathologist assisted some 130 terminally or chronically ill patients in their deaths during the 1990s, resulting in myriad legal problems. Debates over the ethics of his actions continue to this day.

In 1999, he was convicted of second-degree murder after sending a videotape of himself euthanizing a terminally ill man to CBS's 60 Minutes.

His medical license was also revoked.

Last year, Al Pacino won an Emmy for his portrayal of Kevorkian in HBO's You Don't Know Jack. Our sympathies go out to those close to him.

Clarice Taylor, an Emmy-nominated actress perhaps best known for a recurring role on the Cosby Show, has died of heart failure. She was 93.

Taylor earned an Emmy nomination in 1986 for her recurring role as Dr. Cliff Huxtable's mother, Anna Huxtable, on the long-running show.

A stage, radio, TV and film performer for over five decades, the star was a member of the New York stage group, the Negro Ensemble Company, and helped to pave the way for African-American actors in the early 1960s.

Her big break came in the role of Harriet, David's grandmother, on Sesame Street. She also starred beside Liza Minelli in 1970's Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon, and played Grady's Cousin Emma on Sanford and Son.

Taylor is survived by two sons and five grandchildren.

Grease star Jeff Conaway has died. The actor was 60 years old.

He passed away several weeks after he was found unconscious in his L.A. area home, having fallen into a coma after a reported overdose.

Doctors were not able to revive him and his family recently made the gut-wrenching, but inevitable decision to take him off life support.

Jeff's struggles became public when he appeared on Celebrity Rehab in 2008 and admitted addictions to cocaine, alcohol and painkillers.

R.I.P. Jeff Conaway (1950-2011).

Jeff passed away earlier today, his manager confirms.

Born in New York City, Conaway shot to fame in the ’70s as a quintessential cocky guy: first in the internationally successful Grease and then on the TV hit Taxi.

He will be missed.

Huguette Clark, a reclusive multi-millionaire heiress whose estate remains shrouded in mystery, died in New York City on Tuesday at the age of 104.

The copper heiress died at Beth Israel Medical Center, where she lived in seclusion for 22 years after cutting herself off from friends and family.

She's worth $500 million, including a $100 million Santa Barbara estate, a $23 million home in Connecticut and a $100 million 5th Ave. apartment.

In recent years, the management of her estate has come under scrutiny, and is under investigation by the Manhattan district attorney's office.

"Madame Clark's passing is a sad event for everyone who loved and respected her," her lawyer's spokesman, Michael McKeon, said. "She died as she wanted, with dignity and privacy. We intend to continue to respect her wishes for privacy."

Family members first learned of Clark's death through media reports yesterday, but the news was later confirmed by her lawyer, Wallace Bock.

Bock notoriously denied the family access to Huguette Clark for years, saying that she explicitly told him she "does not want visitors and she does not want anyone - including her relatives - to know where she resides."

She was cared for by a team of nurses, was registered in the hospital under a fake name, and even made a lawyer speak to her through a door.

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An autopsy was performed on the body of Macho Man Randy Savage over the weekend - following the wrestling legend's death on Friday - but authorities say toxicology results won't be available for more than a month.

At the moment, the cause of death (rumored to be a heart attack prior to a car accident) is unknown.

But we can confirm that Savage's body will be cremated. Moreover, his ashes will be mixed with those of his of long-time dog, Hercules, who is residing for eternity around one of his owner's favorite trees.

Meanwhile, those wishing to mourn the Macho Man will have to do so in private: there won't be a public memorial, only a small service for the star's family.

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