Los Angeles, Aug 11 (IANS) US actor and comedian Bernie Mac’s wife reportedly begged him not to die as his life slipped away. Mac, whose real name was Bernard Jeffrey McCullough, died of pneumonia Saturday aged 50, in a hospital in Chicago.

He gained fame with the US television series “The Bernie Mac Show”, for which he was nominated for Emmy and Golden Globe awards. His film credits include “Ocean’s 11″ series of films, “Bad Santa” and “Guess Who”.

Mac’s sister-in-law, Mary Ann Grossett, revealed that in his last moments, the star could only communicate through slight body movements.

She told People.com that Mac’s wife, Rhonda McCullough, had implored him “Don’t leave me,” as she sat by his bedside but he could only shrug his shoulders, reports Hollywood.com.

“She said that when she knew he was tired…he signalled to her that his body was tired.”

His daughter, Je’Niece Childress, 30, believed he would recover when he first fell ill, but after 14 days in intensive care, her hopes began to fade, according to the New York Daily News.

“But as the weeks went on, I kind of knew. He was a hard man and he made no apologies for that. But when it came to me and my mother and my daughter, he was the softest,” she said.