NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Sir Roger Moore, the actor best known for portraying secret agent James Bond, has died, his family announced. He was 89.

Moore died Tuesday in Switzerland after “a short but brave battle with cancer,” his family said in a statement posted to Twitter.

Moore was one of the first British actors to experience success across the waves in American television by playing Beau Maverick, the English cousin of Bret and Bart on the Maverick TV series in the late 50’s. He was pegged to play James Bond early in his career in the 60’s but starred in the “The Saint” series which was also imported to the U.S. in the late 60’s. It wasn’t until Sean Connery finally retired from starring as 007 in the his final film in the series “Diamond Are Forever” that Sir Roger took up the mantel of the “Gentleman Spy” in 1973’s “Live an Let Die.” He starred in 7 James Bond movies, the longest of any actor to-date.