Entertainer Max Bygraves dies

London - British entertainer Max Bygraves, known for his old fashioned charm and as the writer of a string of comic songs, has died. He was 89.

Agent Johnny Mans said on Saturday that Bygraves, who had suffered from Alzheimer's disease, died at his daughter's home in Queensland, Australia.

Bygraves won fame in Britain's music halls and theatres from the 1940s as a comedian and singer, and went on to star in a series of films and television shows.

Famed for his catchphrase "I wanna tell you a story," the performer's career spanned five decades and saw him also win acclaim in the United States, where he toured in the 1950s, appearing alongside Judy Garland at New York's Palace Theatre.

Bygraves emigrated from Britain to Australia in 2005.