Story highlights Moore's family announced his passing Tuesday

He once said he viewed death as passing to the next room

(CNN) Roger Moore, the actor famous for portraying James Bond in seven "007" films between 1973 and 1985, has died after a battle with cancer, according to his family. He was 89.

"We know our own love and admiration will be magnified many times over, across the world, by people who knew him for his films, his television shows and his passionate work for UNICEF which he considered to be his greatest achievement," his children, Deborah, Geoffrey and Christian, said in a statement posted to Moore's official Twitter account on Tuesday.

The family will hold a private funeral in Monaco, per his wishes, the statement said.

Moore is best known as the man who replaced Sean Connery in the James Bond franchise, but his career was much more than playing the debonair spy.

Born in London and the son of a police officer and a housewife, Moore dropped out of high school and went to work as an animation apprentice with a British film company.

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