Bob Hoskins, British Star of 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit,' Dies

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Bob Hoskins -- the British actor perhaps best known for his starring role in the 1988 comedy Who Framed Roger Rabbit -- has died at age 71.

A family statement issued Wednesday by his publicist in London said Hoskins died in the hospital after a bout with pneumonia. His wife Linda and children Alex, Sarah, Rosa and Jack, said in a statement they were "devastated by the loss of our beloved Bob."

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Hoskins -- who announced in 2012 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and was retiring from acting -- appeared in some of the most acclaimed British films of the past few decades, as well as U.S. movies including Hook and Maid in Manhattan.

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Academy Award winner Helen Mirren was quick to react to the news: "Bob was a great actor and an even greater man. Funny, loyal, instinctive, hardworking, with that inimitable energy that seemed like a spectacular firework rocket just as it takes off. When I worked with him on his iconic film, The Long Good Friday, he was supportive and un-egotistic. He was never sexist, when many around at that time, were. I had the honor of watching the creation of one of the most memorable characters of British film."