Charlie Bell, who began his McDonald's Corp. career as a part-time worker in a suburban Sydney restaurant and later became chief executive of the fast-food icon, died early Monday of colon cancer in his native Australia. He was 44.

　　Bell was diagnosed with cancer last May, only a month after ascending to the top job. He left the fast food-giant in November, after several rounds of treatment. McDonald's announced his death Sunday evening in the United States.

　　Bell was replaced as CEO by Jim Skinner, the Oak Brook, Ill.-based company's third CEO in a year. Bell was chosen to follow former chief James Cantalupo, who died of a heart attack in April 2004.

　　Bell rose through the ranks of the Oak Brook, Ill.-based fast food chain, starting at a Sydney-area restaurant in 1975 and becoming the youngest store manager in Australia by the age of 19.