Sir Roger Moore best known for playing James Bond on screen, has died at the age of 89," reported BBC, citing his family.

He played the famous British spy in seven Bond films including Live and Let Die and A View to a Kill. The actor took the character of James Bond in a more humorous direction than his predecessor Sean Connery.

Confirming the news on Twitter, Moore's family said he had died after "a short but brave battle with cancer".

The statement, from his children, read: "Thank you Pops for being you, and being so very special to so many people."

"With the heaviest of hearts, we must share the awful news that our father, Sir Roger Moore, passed away today. We are all devastated," they said in a Twitter post.

He is survived by his three children and wife Kristina Tholstrup. The veteran star will have a private funeral in Monaco in accordance with his wishes, his children said.

Moore's Bond was calm and suave - a smooth operator who could seemingly get himself out of a tricky situation with ease. His big hits include Moonraker, Octopussy and Live and Let Die.

Along with his famous Bond role, he was also known for TV series The Persuaders and The Saint, said the BBC report.

Moore was also well known for his humanitarian work - he was introduced to Unicef by the late Audrey Hepburn and was appointed as a goodwill ambassador in 1991.

Russell Crowe led the tributes to the actor on Twitter, writing simply: "Roger Moore, loved him."

Michael Caine said: "I am truly sad and think I will be in tears if I talk about him. Roger was the perfect gentlemen, adored by all his friends."

Duran Duran, who sang the Bond theme song for A View To A Kill, simply tweeted: RIP Roger.

In a statement, fellow Unicef ambassador and actor Ewan McGregor said: "Thank you, Roger, for having championed so tirelessly the rights of all children for the last 26 years. You've shown that we all have the power to make a change to the lives of the most vulnerable children."