Home » World » British actor Bernard Hill, known for ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘Titanic’, dies

British actor Bernard Hill, known for ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘Titanic’, dies

British actor Bernard Hill, known for his work in films such as ‘Titanic’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings’, has died at the age of 79. The news was confirmed this Sunday by his agent, although without revealing the causes of his death.

The interpreter who played the captain of the Titanic, Edward Smith, in the film directed by James Cameron in 1997, also achieved fame for his role as King Théoden in the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy. Born in 1944, in Manchester (United Kingdom), Hill had also worked under Clint Eastwood in ‘True Crime’, where he played the San Quentin prison guard.

The British actor was about to return to UK screens thanks to his latest participation in a BBC series, ‘The Responder’, which premieres this weekend.

Hill had more than 40 years behind him on the small and big screen with work in such renowned titles as ‘I, Claudio’ or the drama ‘Boys from the Blackstuff’ about the Thatcher era.

In addition, he has been the only actor to have appeared in two films that won eleven Oscars from the Hollywood Academy each, in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’ and ‘Titanic’. Among his performances, that of Yosser Hughes stands out, a character whose life falls apart in the program “Boys from the Blackstuff” of the past 80s.

The actor grew up in a Catholic family of miners and from an early age was inclined towards dramatic art, which led him to study at the Manchester Polytechnic School of Drama. He was married to actress Marianna Hill.

He also played Sergeant Putnam in the 1982 film ‘Gandhi’, directed by filmmaker Richard Attenborough, while he played small roles in several drama programs on British television, such as ‘I, Claudius’ (1976), as the Gratus character.

Among other jobs, he played Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, in the BBC’s six-part adaptation of writer Hilary Mantel’s novel ‘Wolf Hall’.

Actress Barbara Dickson, who starred with him in a musical based on the Beatles, was among those who paid tribute to him this Sunday and described him as a “wonderful actor” on the social network X.

“It is with great sadness that I learn of the death of Bernard Hill. We worked together on John, Paul, George, Ringo and Bert, (by) Willy Russell, wonderful show 1974-1975. A truly wonderful actor. It was a privilege to have crossed paths with him. Benny x”, he said.

BBC Drama director Lindsay Salt has said Hill “blazed a trail on screen and her long-lasting career full of iconic and notable roles is a testament to her incredible talent.”

From ‘Boys from the Blackstuff’ to ‘Wolf Hall’, and many more, “we are truly honored to have worked with Bernard at the BBC. Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this sad time,” Salt added.

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