Yikes: TMZ is reporting that veteran Oscar producer Gilbert Cates has died. The awardscast guru, 77, was said be discovered in a parking lot at UCLA, where Cates was a professor. No other details are available at the moment, but like I said: Yikes.

Cates was a 40-year Hollywood veteran, directing numerous TV movies and eventually becoming a 14-time producer of the Academy Awards — the most prolific in the event’s history. (He also was the the presiding producing director at the Geffen Playhouse.) His last show was 2008, hosted by Jon Stewart. Here’s Cates talking about that event, as well as his work at UCLA. Developing… and RIP.

[via TMZ]