British actor Bob Hoskins, known for his roles in films including Who Framed Roger Rabbit, has died at the age of 71 following a bout of pneumonia, his agent says.

The Londoner, who rose to fame in British gangster films in the 1980s and went on to have a long career as a Hollywood character actor, died in hospital on Tuesday night surrounded by his family, agent Clair Dobbs said.

His wife Linda and children Alex, Sarah, Rosa and Jack, said: “We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Bob.”

A versatile character actor capable of menace, poignancy and Cockney charm, Hoskins appeared in some of the most acclaimed British films of the past few decades, including gangster classic The Long Good Friday.

In 2012 Hoskins announced that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and was retiring from acting.