Joseph Wapner, the retired judge from "The People's Court," has died, according to TMZ. Wapner debuted on the television series in 1981 and remained on the "The People's Court" for 12 years. He was technically America's first reality television star. Wapner was described as energetic and opinionated. He reviewed thousands of court cases during his career. Before his stint as a TV star, he served as a judge on the LA County Superior Court for 20 years. The Los Angeles-born star passed away at 97 under hospice care in his home. He was admitted to the hospital last week after experiencing breathing problems and returned home Friday. Wapner had three children and was married for 70 years.