In pictures: Marcel Marceau

Marcel Marceau, who has died aged 84, revived the art of mime following World War II and went on to become the world's most famous mime artist.

Marceau's most famous character was Bip - the sad, white-faced clown in a striped jumper and a battered silk opera hat.

Bip, a direct descendant of the 19th century harlequin, was known for his white pancake make-up and sad eyes.

His comic and tragic sketches appealed on a universal level, and captivated audiences around the world for six decades.

A veteran of many films, Marceau appeared in the futuristic space fantasy film Barbarella, alongside Jane Fonda and John Phillip Law, in 1968.

Marceau appeared often at Sadler's Wells theatre in London, including for a Royal gala performance in front of Princess Anne in 1972.

In 1973, he appeared on the BBC as 17 different characters in his version of A Christmas Carol, set in a deserted Victorian Music Hall, in London.

Michael Jackson, who reportedly modelled his famous moonwalk on Marceau's walk-against-the-wind, invited Marceau to join him for a show in New York, in 1995.

Marceau also performed with his Paris-based company La Nouvelle Compagnie de Mimodrame.

Marceau continued to perform until he was in his 80's, embarking on a 'farewell world tour' in 2005.

Talking about his universal and lasting appeal, Marceau once said: "Mime, like music, knows neither borders nor nationalities."

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