MUMBAI: Veteran actor Edward Woodward, most famous for this role in the cult 1973 horror film The Wicker Man, has died aged 79 years old.

The Croydon-born star had been suffering from various illnesses including pneumonia and died in hospital, his agent Janet Glass has confirmed.

Woodward was also well know for his role in 1980s American television series The Equalizer, for which he won a Golden Globe in 1987. Other film roles included Commander Powell in the 1982 film Who Dares Wins and the title role in the 1980 biopic Breaker Morant. More recently he appeared in the 2007 Edgar Wright comedy Hot Fuzz.

He is survived by his wife Michele and four children.