Singer and actress Barbara Dickson leads tribute to Lord of the Rings and Titanic actor Bernard Hill after his death age 79
Singer and actress Barbara Dickson led tributes to Titanic and Lord of the Rings actor Bernard Hill following his death at the age of 79 on Sunday.
The star, who played Captain Edward Smith in the Oscar-winning 1997 film, died in the early hours this morning, his agent said.
The father of one child, he became known to an entire generation for his portrayal of King Theoden in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
In addition, he starred in two films – Titanic and Lord of the Rings: Return of the King – which won 11 Oscars and grossed a billion dollars at the box office.
Barbara – who worked with him on several projects – wrote of X after hearing of his death: ‘It is with great sadness that I learn of the passing of Bernard Hill.
Singer and actress Barbara Dickson led tributes to Titanic and Lord of the Rings actor Bernard Hill after his death at the age of 79 on Sunday
Barbara – who worked with him on several projects – wrote on X after hearing of his death: ‘It is with great sadness that I note the passing of Bernard Hil’
‘We worked together in the wonderful show 1974-1975 of John Paul George Ringo and Bert, Willy Russell.
‘Really a great actor. It was a privilege to cross paths with him. RIP Benny.’
Meanwhile, Comic Con Liverpool wrote: ‘We are heartbroken to hear the news of Bernard Hill’s passing. A big loss. I think of his family at this sad time and wish them much strength.’
His death comes hours before he was due to return to television in the Martin Freeman drama The Responder, which airs tonight on BBC One.
The Manchester native had a varied on-screen career, finding fame acting in small realistic dramas before starring in films that earned billions worldwide.
Born in Blackley to a family of miners, he would go to acting school with Richard Griffiths before moving into television.
After small roles in Hard Labor and the poorly received but now critically acclaimed I, Claudius, he got his first big break in the early 1980s.
The actor was cast as Yosser Hughes, a working-class Liverpool man in The Black Stuff and its sequel, Boys from the Blackstuff, in 1982.
The same year he played the role of Sergeant Putnam in Richard Attenborough’s Oscar-winning biopic Gandhi, before starring in the 1983 BBC adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic play Henry VI, playing the Duke of York.
The father of one child, he became known to an entire generation for his portrayal of King Theoden in the Lord of the Rings trilogy
He would later be cast as Captain Edward Smith in James Cameron’s massive film Titanic.
In the 1997 film, he played the captain of the infamous ship on what would be its first and only voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, before going down with the ship after it struck an iceberg.
The actor lived in Suffolk and is survived by his wife Marianna Hill and their son Gabriel.