Vale: Bernie Mac

US Comic actor Bernie Mac died yesterday of complications from pneumonia, according to a family member and his publicist. He was 50.

Mac had been hospitalised for about a week at Northwestern Hospital, Chicago according to his spokeswoman. A few years ago, he disclosed that he suffered from sarcoidosis, a rare autoimmune disease that causes inflammation in tissue, most often in the lungs.

Mac appeared in The Bernie Mac Show and in the Oceans 11 film series.

The comic wasn’t scared to tell anyone what he thought, to say what others were afraid to say. Most recently, Mac garnered attention for making unsavory comments at a Barack Obama benefit that the presumptive Democratic candidate had to distance himself from.

Mac got his respect and he gained national attention after his set on HBO’s popular late-night series Def Comedy Jam in 1992. In 1995, Mac earned a spot in the cult-classic Friday and the film helped Mac break out.

The Bernie Mac Show debuted on Fox in November 2001, drawing critical acclaim, numerous awards, including two Emmy nominations for Mac and, most importantly, high ratings.

In addition to the highly popular Oceans films, he co-starred in a reverse remake of Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, and had a role in the blockbuster Transformers. Two more films are scheduled for release.

Source: Chicago Tribune