Hollywood legend Tony Curtis dies at 85

Hollywood legend Tony Curtis, whose career spanned more than 60 years, has died at the age of 85, it was announced today.

The dashing star - who will forever be remembered for his role in drag in the 1959 Billy Wilder comedy Some Like It Hot - suffered a heart attack.

Sir Roger Moore , who starred alongside Curtis in TV hit The Persuaders led tributes to him, saying: "He was a fine actor. I shall miss him."

Sir Roger played aristocrat Brett Sinclair in the series while Curtis was playboy Danny Wilde.

The former James Bond star said: "We had a lot of laughs together for about 15 months, working together every day.

"He was great fun to work with, a great sense of humour and wonderful ad libs.

"We had the best of times."

Sir Michael Parkinson, who interviewed the star several times, said his performance in Some Like It Hot would live forever.

He said: "He was a very, very fine actor. Some Like It Hot is one of the greatest comedies of all time.

"The man who made it, Billy Wilder, did not suffer fools so for Tony Curtis to work with him and make that film shows just how good he was.

"He was an extraordinary man. Hollywood tried to make him into a sex symbol in the 1950s and 1960s but he was his own man.

"He was a great chatshow guest and was wonderfully indiscreet but he was very bright and did not take himself too seriously."

The actor's business manager and family spokesman Preston Ahearn told US TV network ABC News that Curtis passed away last night peacefully in bed next to his wife Jill in their home in Nevada.

Clark County coroner Mike Murphy said the actor suffered a heart attack.

Curtis was the father of actress Jamie Lee Curtis, who is known for her roles in the original Halloween movie, True Lies and most recently You Again.