Bernard Hill (17 December 1944 – 5 May 2024) was an English actor. He was known for his versatile roles on stage and screen in a career spanning over fifty years. He earned an Actor Award as well as nominations for two BAFTA TV Awards and an International Emmy Award.
Hill first gained prominence as the troubled hard man Yosser Hughes in Alan Bleasdale's Play for Today drama The Black Stuff (1980) and its sequel serial Boys from the Blackstuff (1982), the latter earning him a nomination for the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor. He received an additional nomination for his role as David Blunkett in the drama A Very Social Secretary (2005), for which he was also nominated for an International Emmy Award for Best Performance by an Actor. He also appeared on television in I, Claudius (1976), the BBC Television Shakespeare productions of Henry VI, Part 1, 2, and 3, and Richard III (all 1983), Great Expectations (1999), and Wolf Hall (2015).
Hill gained international recognition for his film roles as Captain Edward Smith in Titanic (1997) and Théoden, King of Rohan in the second and third films of The Lord of the Rings film trilogy (2002–2003). His other film credits include Gandhi (1982), The Bounty (1984), Restless Natives (1985), Shirley Valentine (1989), The Ghost and the Darkness (1996), True Crime (1999), Valkyrie (2008), and ParaNorman (2012).
Early life and education Bernard Hill was born in Blackley, Manchester, on 17 December 1944. He was brought up in a Catholic family of miners.
After attending Xaverian College in Rusholme, Hill initially started training to be a teacher. However, a classmate, Mike Leigh, who would later become a renowned writer and director, persuaded him to pursue acting. Hill enrolled at the Manchester Polytechnic School of Drama at the same time as Richard Griffiths. In 1970, Hill graduated with a Diploma in Theatre.
Career 1980–1989: Rise to prominence Hill first came to prominence in 1980 as Yosser Hughes, a working-class Liverpudlian man ultimately driven to the edge by an uncaring welfare system, in Alan Bleasdale's BBC Play for Today programme, The Black Stuff, and its series sequel, Boys from the Blackstuff. His character's much-repeated phrase Gizza job ("Give us a job") became popular with protesters against Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government, because of the high unemployment of the time.
Hill then appeared as Sergeant Putnam in Gandhi (1982), directed by Richard Attenborough. Next for him was Roger Donaldson's The Bounty (1984), a fourth dramatisation of the mutiny on HMS Bounty. He had previously taken smaller parts in a number of British television dramas, appearing in I, Claudius, in 1976, as the character Gratus.
In 1985 he played the lead role in a TV dramatisation of John Lennon's life, A Journey in the Life. In addition to TV roles, Hill appeared on stage in The Cherry Orchard, as Macbeth and in A View from the Bridge. Hill appeared in Shirley Valentine (1989), as Joe Bradshaw the husband of Liverpool housewife (Pauline Collins), a former anti-establishment rebel who engages in an extramarital affair. Hill added more prominent films to his resume, including Mountains of the Moon (1990), Skallagrigg (1994) and Madagascar Skin (1995).
1990–2009: Blockbuster and franchise roles In the mid-1990s, Hill began appearing in films more regularly. His first major role came in The Ghost and the Darkness (1996), starring Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas. Hill then portrayed Captain Edward J. Smith in Titanic (1997), by James Cameron. He then played Luther Plunkitt, the Warden of San Quentin Prison, in the Clint Eastwood film True Crime (1999).
Hill played Philos in The Scorpion King (2002), starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Michael Clarke Duncan and Kelly Hu. Hill played King Théoden of Rohan in the second and third installments of Peter Jackson's epic trilogy, The Lord of the Rings, which were released in 2002 and 2003 respectively. Hill played a minor role in the 2008 film Valkyrie, as the commanding general of the 10th Panzer Division of the German Afrika Korps, and was a voice actor for the character Sir Walter Beck in the video game Fable III (2010).
2010–2024: Later work and final roles Hill was the voice of The Judge in the American stop motion animated comedy horror film ParaNorman in 2012. He played Samuel Cotton, who ran a sweet factory with his son in the 2014 three-part BBC drama series about Manchester From There to Here.
Hill appeared as Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, in the 2015 six-part BBC adaptation of Hilary Mantel's novels, Wolf Hall. Later in 2015, he starred as John Claridge in the British gangster movie North v South.
Personal life Hill had a daughter from a relationship with Sue Allen and a son from a relationship with Annabel Turner.
Hill was a longtime supporter of Manchester United. In 2019, he received an honorary degree from the University of East Anglia.
Hill, who was living in Reydon, Suffolk, died on 5 May 2024, aged 79. Tributes were paid to him by his Lord of the Rings trilogy co-stars, Boys from the Blackstuff writer Alan Bleasdale, and musician Barbara Dickson.
Acting credits Film Year Film Role Notes 1975 It Could Happen to You Syph Aka Intimate Teenage Secrets 1976 Trial by Combat Blind Freddie Aka Dirty Knights Work 1978 The Sailor's Return Carter The Spongers Sullivan 1982 Gandhi Sergeant Putnam 1983 Squaring the Circle Lech Walesa Documentary Runners Trevor Field 1984 The Bounty Cole 1985 Restless Natives Will's father The Chain Nick Samson and Delilah Willie Naknervis 1986 Milwr Bychan Officer Aka Boy Soldier New World John Billington No Surrender Bernard 1987 Bellman and True Hiller 1988 Drowning by Numbers Henry Madgett 1989 Shirley Valentine Joe Bradshaw 1990 Mountains of the Moon Dr. David Livingstone 1991 The Law Lord Martin Allport 1992 The Name of the Game Ignatius "Iggy" Smith Aka: Run Rabbit Run and Double X 1993 Shepherd on the Rock Tam Ferrier 1994 Skallagrigg John Drug Taking and the Arts Presenter and narrator Documentary 1995 Madagascar Skin Flint 1996 The Ghost and the Darkness David Hawthorne The Wind in the Willows Engine driver Aka Mr. Toad's Wild Ride 1997 Titanic Captain Edward J. Smith 1999 The Criminal Det. Insp. Walker True Crime Lunther Plunkitt A Midsummer Night's Dream Egeus The Loss of Sexual Innocence Susan's father 2000 Blessed Art Thou Frederick Eisenstein Stalin Voice only; Aka The Furnace Going Off Big Time Murray 2002 The Scorpion King Philos The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers King Théoden 2003 The Boys from County Clare John Joe Gothika Phil ParsonsThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King King Théoden 2004 Wimbledon Edward Colt The Deal Victor Short film 2005 The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse King William III 2006 Joy Division Dennis Save Angel Hope Oscar Kurz 2007 Exodus Pharoah Mann Broadcast on Channel 4 2008 Valkyrie Wolfgang Fischer Franklyn Peter Esser 2011 The Wraith The Narrator Short film 2012 ParaNorman The Judge Voice only 2015 North v South John Claridge 2016 Golden Years Arthur GoodeInterlude CityRichard2018Second ChancePeter2023Forever YoungOscar Smith 2023The MoorThornley
Television Year Programme Role Episodes 1973 Hard Labour Edward Thornley 1976 I, Claudius Gratus 2 episodes 1977 Our Flesh and Blood Bernard Blencoe 1978 Pickersgill People Harry 'Sharky' Finn Episode: "Under the Moon of Love" 1979 Telford's Change Jack Burton 2 episodes 1979 Play for Today Yosser Hughes Episode: "The Black Stuff" 1980 Fox Vin Fox 13 episodes 1982 Boys from the Blackstuff Yosser Hughes 5 episodes 1983 BBC Television Shakespeare Duke of York/First Murderer / Sir William Brandon Four episodes 1984 Antigone Messenger 1985 The Burston Rebellion Tom Higdon Part of: Screen Two John Lennon: A Journey in the Life John Lennon TV Movie 1993 Olly's Prison Mike TV Movie Telltale Det. Sgt. Gavin Douglas 3 episodes Lipstick on Your Collar Uncle Fred 6 episodes 1994 Once Upon a Time in the North Len Tollit 6 episodes 1995 The Gambling Man Frank Nickle 3 episodes 1997 The Mill on the Floss Mr Tulliver Television film 1999 Great Expectations Abel Magwitch TV Movie The Titanic Chronicles Captain Stanley Lord (voice) 2001 Horizon Narrator 2002 Timewatch Narrator 2004 Atheism: A Rough History of Disbelief Himself 2005 A Very Social Secretary David Blunkett TV Movie 2006 Ocean Odyssey Narrator 2007 Egomania Bombay Railway 2008 Sunshine Granddad George Crosby Wild China Narrator Documentary Series 2009 Folk America Narrator Ice Patrol National Geographic 2010 Old Trafford 100 Years Narrator and Presenter Five Days Gerard Hopkirk Indian Hill Railways Narrator Canoe Man John Darwin 2012 Falcón Ramón Salgado Episode: "The Blind Man of Seville" 2014 From There to Here Samuel Cotton Hope And Wire Len Russell New Zealand mini-series2015Wolf HallDuke of Norfolk Miniseries India's Frontier Railways NarratorUnforgottenFather Robert Greaves2024The ResponderTom CarsonPosthumous release
Theatre Year Play Role Theatre 1974 John, Paul, George, Ringo ... and Bert John Lennon Everyman Theatre, Liverpool 1978 Twelfth Night Toby Belch Young Vic, London 1983 Short List Howard Hampstead Theatre, London 1984 The Plough and the Stars Fluther Good Royal Exchange, Manchester 1986 Macbeth Macbeth Haymarket Theatre, Leicester 1989 The Cherry Orchard Lopakhin Aldwych Theatre, London 1990 Gasping Sir Chiffley Lockheart Theatre Royal, Haymarket, London 1995 A View from the Bridge Eddie Carbone Strand Theatre, London
Awards and nominations His appearances in Titanic and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003), two of only three films to receive 11 Academy Awards, made him the only actor to have appeared in more than one film which hold that distinction.
Organizations Year Category Work Result Actor Awards 1997 Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture Titanic 2002 Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers 2003 Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King BAFTA TV Awards 1982 Best Actor Boys from the Blackstuff 2005 Best Actor A Very Social Secretary Broadcasting Press Guild 1982 Best Actor Boys from the Blackstuff Critics' Choice Movie Awards 2003 Best Cast The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King International Emmy Award 2005 Best Performance by an Actor A Very Social Secretary
References
External links
Interview with BBC Suffolk