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"Australian rock legend Jim Keays, 67 peacefully passed away this morning at 10:30 from pneumonia due to complications from his seven year battle with Multiple Myeloma. He had been on life support since Monday. He was surrounded with loving family members.

Jim was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma seven years ago and has been in and out of hospital during those years – through he continued to tour with Cotton Keays and Morris.

Jim had been putting the finishing touches on his latest rock album, which was due in August.

Glenn Wheatley said today, “I had the pleasure of sharing some of the best years of my life with Jim Keays. I will always remember him as a consummate showman. Jim had an aura about him, you always knew he was in the room. Always the Master, never the Apprentice. His presence will remain with me always. Do what you wanna do, be what you wanna be Jim. Vale my friends, you will be greatly missed”.

Jim is survived by his partner Kari, and his three children Holly, Bonnie and James."

Blackadder 'Nursie' actress Patsy Byrne dies aged 80

British actress Patsy Byrne, best known for her role as Nursie in Blackadder II, has died aged 80.

She died on Tuesday at Denville Hall, a retirement home for actors, in Hillingdon, north-west London.

She was born in Ashford, Kent, and studied drama at Rose Bruford College before joining the Royal Shakespeare Company. She notched up a string of TV, radio and theatre roles fro the 1960s to 1980s.

But she was best known for the second series of BBC comedy Blackadder in 1986 where she played Nursie - a kind but dim-witted nursemaid to Elizabeth I.

Byrne had roles in the ITV sitcom Watching and the classic police series Z Cars. She also made appearances in Holby City and I, Claudius, and played Mrs Nubbles in the BBC's 1979 adaption of The Old Curiosity Shop..

Ramones drummer Tommy Ramone dies

Tommy Ramone, a co-founder of the seminal punk band The Ramones and the last surviving member of the original group, has died.

Dave Frey, who works for Ramones Productions and Silent Partner Management, said Ramone's wife called to tell him he died on Friday. Frey didn't have additional details. Ramone was 62.

Tommy Ramone, a drummer, co-founded the Ramones in 1974 in New York along with singer Joey Ramone, bassist DeeDee Ramone and guitarist Johnny Ramone. All four had different last names but took the common name Ramone.

The band influenced a generation of rockers and their hit songs I Wanna Be Sedated and Blitzkrieg Bop, among others, earned them an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.

Clad in leather jackets and long black mops of hair, the group started out in legendary New York clubs like CBGB and Max's Kansas City, where they blasted their rapid-fire songs.

Since its debut album in 1976, the band struggled for commercial success but left a formidable imprint on the rock genre. While never recording a Top 40 song, the Ramones influenced scores of followers including bands such as Green Day and Nirvana.

Even Bruce Springsteen was moved. After seeing the Ramones in Asbury Park, New Jersey, Springsteen wrote Hungry Heart for the band. His manager, however, swayed him to keep the song for himself and it became a hit single.

Johnny Ramone, whose birth name was John Cummings, died in 2004 of prostate cancer. Joey Ramone, whose real name was Jeff Hyman, died in 2001 of lymphatic cancer. Dee Dee Ramone, whose real name was Douglas Colvin, died from a drug overdose in 2002. Tommy Ramone was born Erdelyi Tamas in Budapest, Hungary.

US blues legend Johnny Winter has died aged 70 in a hotel room in Switzerland, according to a statement on his official Facebook page.

Maverick star James Garner dies aged 86

James Garner, star of hit TV series Maverick, has died at the age of 86.

Born James Scott Bumgarner in Oklahoma, Garner dropped out of school and joined the merchant marine at the end of World War II but saw no action.

He later joined the army and served during the Korean war, where he was twice wounded.

Garner made his name on television as the wry, laid-back professional gambler and gun slinger Bret Maverick in the 1957-1960 cowboy series that included guest appearances by Hollywood stars such as Clint Eastwood and Roger Moore.

In the 1970s Garner starred as James Rockford, a witty and resourceful private detective in The Rockford Files. In 1977, Garner won an Emmy for his work in the series.

Garner also appeared on the big screen in movies including The Great Escape (1963) with Steve McQueen, Victor Victoria (1982) with Julie Andrews and the romantic comedy Murphy's Romance (1985), for which he was nominated for an Oscar.

He also co-starred in the 1994 movie version of Maverick along with Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster.

More recently Garner appeared in Eastwood's Space Cowboys in 2000 and The Notebook in 2004, and had a recurring role in the ABC comedy 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Daughter which ran from 2003 until 2005.

He became an actor after encouragement from a high school friend, working his way up from television commercials.

Robin Williams found dead in northern California home aged 63

Actor and comedian Robin Williams has been found dead at his home in northern California.

In a statement, Marin County Sheriff's Department said officers had been called to the 63-year-old's house at 11:55am on Monday (local time) after he was found unconscious and not breathing.

He was pronounced dead shortly afterwards. The Sheriff's Department said an investigation into his death was underway, but that it appeared to be suicide.

The Oscar-winning actor was known for roles in acclaimed films such as Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Dead Poets Society (1989), Good Will Hunting (1997), Mrs Doubtfire (1993) and Jumanji (1995).

Williams' widow, Susan Schneider, released a statement, saying: "This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings.

"I am utterly heartbroken. On behalf of Robin's family, we are asking for privacy during our time of profound grief.

"As he is remembered, it is our hope the focus will not be on Robin's death, but on the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions."

Williams struggled with depression and addiction and entered a Minnesota rehabilitation centre last month.

His representatives at the time said Williams was not using drugs or alcohol but had gone to the centre to "fine-tune and focus" his sobriety after working a longer-than-usual schedule.

"Robin Williams passed away this morning. He has been battling severe depression of late," publicist Mara Buxbaum said in a statement shortly after his death.

"This is a tragic and sudden loss. The family respectfully asks for their privacy as they grieve during this very difficult time."

Born in Chicago in 1951, Williams rose to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy.

He went on to establish a career in both stand-up comedy and film action, and also did voice work, including on Aladdin and Happy Feet.

Williams is scheduled to appear in Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb on December 19, 2014, reprising his role as the statue of Teddy Roosevelt who comes to life at night.

Nominated for three Academy Awards, he won the best supporting actor Oscar for his performance in Good Will Hunting.

He also received two Emmy Awards, four Golden Globes, two Screen Actors Guild awards and five Grammys.

The actor had described himself as a quiet child who overcame his shyness after becoming involved in drama during high school.

In 1973, Williams became one of only two students accepted into the advanced program at the Julliard School - the other being Christopher Reeve.

After his work on Mork and Mindy in the late 1970s, Williams attracted a wider audience with his stand-up comedy, a consistent thread throughout his career.

Known for his improvisational skills and impersonations, most of his career focused on the silver screen.

His first film was the 1977 comedy Can I Do It 'Till I Need Glasses? His performance in Good Morning, Vietnam earned him an Academy Award nomination.

His unique voice brought the genie to life in Aladdin (1992), with Williams going on to voice parts in Fern Gully (1992), Robots (2005) and Happy Feet (2006).

He earned critical acclaim for his roles as an English teacher in Dead Poets Society, and later as a psychologist in Good Will Hunting, alongside Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.

His other films include Hook, What Dreams May Come, and thrillers Insomnia and One Hour Photo.

Williams was married three times, and has three children. He lived with his third wife in San Francisco until his death.

Legendary director Steven Spielberg paid tribute to his close friend.

"Robin was a lightning storm of comic genius and our laughter was the thunder that sustained him," Spielberg said in a statement cited by Variety.

"He was a pal and I can't believe he's gone," added Spielberg, who famously phoned Williams to cheer himself up during filming of his harrowing 1994 Holocaust drama Schindler's List.

Spielberg's tribute was echoed throughout the entertainment industry.

"I can't believe the news about Robin Williams. He gave so much to so many people. I'm heartbroken," comic and talkshow host Ellen DeGeneres said on Twitter.

President Barack Obama joined the outpouring of grief.

"Robin Williams was an airman, a doctor, a genie, a nanny, a president, a professor, a bangarang Peter Pan, and everything in between. But he was one of a kind," Mr Obama said.

"He arrived in our lives as an alien but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit.

"He made us laugh. He made us cry. He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who needed it most - from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalised on our own streets.

"The Obama family offers our condolences to Robin's family, his friends, and everyone who found their voice and their verse thanks to Robin Williams."

Williams struggled with drug addiction during the late 1970s and early '80s. He credited the death of his friend, fellow actor John Belushi, and the birth of his first son with helping him quit drugs.

"Was it a wake-up call? Oh yeah, on a huge level. The grand jury helped too," he told Inside the Actors Studio in 2001.

In 2006 his publicist announced the actor had "found himself drinking again" and checked into a rehab centre.