LONDON. Bernard Hill, the renowned actor who inspired his troops with a rallying cry in “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” and portrayed Captain Edward Smith in “Titanic,” has passed away at the age of 79.
Hill’s agent, Lou Coulson, confirmed his death on Sunday morning.
Joining the cast of “The Lord Of The Rings” series in the second installment, 2002’s “The Two Towers,” Hill portrayed Théoden, King of Rohan. He reprised this role in “Return of the King,” a film that garnered 11 Oscars.
One of the film’s most memorable moments sees Hill’s character delivering a powerful speech on horseback, rallying his troops for battle.
“Arise, arise, riders of Théoden!” Hill exclaimed. “Spears shall be shaken, shields shall be splintered! A sword day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now! Ride now! Ride! Ride for ruin and the world’s ending! Death! Death! Death!”
In “Titanic,” Hill portrayed Captain Edward Smith, a character based on a real person in the 1997 tragic romance. The film also earned 11 Academy Awards.
As the ill-fated ship fills with water, Hill’s character quietly retreats to the wheelhouse. With the cabin straining under the force of the waves, he takes a final breath and seizes the wheel as water rushes through the windows.
Hill initially gained recognition for his role as Yosser Hughes in “Boys From the Blackstuff,” a 1982 British TV miniseries about five unemployed men. His performance earned him a nomination from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in 1983, with the show winning the BAFTA for best drama series.
His passing coincided with the scheduled airing of the second series of the BBC drama “The Responder,” in which he portrayed the father of the show’s lead, Martin Freeman.
“Bernard Hill blazed a trail across the screen, and his enduring career filled with iconic and remarkable roles is a testament to his incredible talent,” said Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama. “Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this sad time.”
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
