John Inman, star of TV sitcom Are You Being Served?, died in hospital early on Thursday.
The actor, 71, died in St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, west London, at 4am after being ill for some time, his manager Phil Dale said.
Mr Dale said: "John, through his character Mr Humphries of Are You Being Served? was known and loved throughout the world.
"He was one of the best and finest pantomime dames working to capacity audiences throughout Britain.
"John was known for his comedy plays and farces, which were enjoyed from London's West End throughout the country and as far as Australia, Canada and the USA."
Inman's long-term partner, Ron Lynch, is said to be "devastated" at his death.
The actor suffered from hepatitis A and had been taken into hospital for tests after problems with his liver.
It was revealed that he had the disease after it forced him to cancel the opening of a pantomime in London on December 9, 2004.
Hepatitis A is an inflammation of the liver caused through eating contaminated food, which the star believed was how he came to have the virus.
It was initially hoped he would be able to return to the pantomime, in which he was due to play Wanda the Cook in Dick Whittington, before Christmas 2004, but he never worked again.
