Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes die

Hollywood says goodbye to Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes

Ocean's Thirteen actor Bernie Mac and soul singer Isaac Hayes both passed away this weekend.

George Clooney and Brad Pitt have led tributes for Bernie, who died in a Chicago hospital on Saturday morning following complications with pneumonia. He was just 50 years old.

The award-winning actor was admitted to Northwestern Memorial Hospital with pneumonia on 1 August, but his publicist issued a statement saying he was expected to recover.

His Ocean's co-stars have already started paying tributes to the actor/comedian. George said: 'The world just got a little less funny. He will be dearly missed.' And Brad Pitt added: 'I lament the loss of a ferociously funny and hardcore family man. My thoughts are with Rhonda and their family. Bernie Mac, you are already missed.'

Bernie had been married to Rhonda for 30 years, and the couple have a 29-year-old daughter Je'Niece.

Samuel L Jackson, whose film Soul Men alongside Mac is set to be released later this year, said: 'It goes without saying that Bernie was one of the pre-eminent comedians of our generation.

'He was also an attentive husband, a great father and loving grandfather. I feel blessed to have shared years of friendship with Bernie Mac, and I'm honoured to have finally co-starred with him in what I consider to be his finest cinematic acting achievement.'

Bernie Mac, real name Bernard McCullough, was born in Chicago and appeared in Bad Santa, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle and Transformers, as well as starring in his own Fox television series The Bernie Mac Show, which ran for 100 episodes between 2001 and 2006.

Meanwhile, soul musician Isaac Hayes has also passed away. He died on Sunday in Memphis at 65 years old.

A relative discovered the singer's body slumped beside a treadmill at his home in Memphis. It is believed he died of natural causes, but the hospital is yet to release a statement confirming exactly how.

Isaac won a Best Original Song Oscar for his Theme from Shaft, and also voiced the role of South Park's Chef from 1997 to 2006.

Isaac became a dad in 2006 – his first child with wife Adjowa, who he married in 2005 – and reportedly had 12 children, 14 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.