Bob Hoskins dies at the age of 71

The star, who landed a best actor Oscar nomination for Mona Lisa, retired from screen work in 2012 after he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

His family released a statement saying he died last night in hospital.

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

"Bob died peacefully at hospital last night surrounded by family, following a bout of pneumonia.

"We ask that you respect our privacy during this time and thank you for your messages of love and support."

Hoskins was one of Britain's most successful film stars. In a career spanning nearly 40 years, he received an Academy Award nomination for his role in Mona Lisa, and was recognised too at the Baftas and the Golden Globes.

He made his reputation as a menacing London hardman in films such as The Long Good Friday.

His acting career started out more by accident than by design, when he accompanied a friend to watch auditions, only to be confused for one of the people auditioning, getting a script pushed into his hands with the message "you're next".

He ended up taking on early TV roles in shows such as Villains and Thick As Thieves in the early 1970s, and his movie career began in 1974 alongside Richard Dreyfuss in John Byrum's drama Inserts.

His big breakthrough came in 1978 in Dennis Potter's mini TV series, Pennies from Heaven, playing "doomed salesman ArThur Parker.

It led to a string of high-profile and successful films in the 1980's including The Long Good Friday (1980) The Cotton Club (1984), and Mona Lisa (1986), which won him an Oscar nomination as well as a BAFTA award, Cannes Film Festival and Golden Globe).

More hits followed, including Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), Mermaids (1990), Hook (1991), Nixon (1995), Felicia's Journey (1999) and Enemy at the Gates (2001).

He always made a point of balancing big-budget affairs with smaller independent productions, such as Shane Meadows' debut 24 7: Twenty Four Seven (1997).

And in his later years, he found time to direct, write and star in The Raggedy Rawney (1988), as well as Rainbow (1995), and HBO's Tales from the Crypt (1989) and Tube Tales (1999).