Bernard Hill
Known for: Acting
Bernard Hill (17 December 1944 – 5 May 2024) was an English actor. He was known as a character actor of film, stage and television, having acted in nearly 130 projects. He is best known to British television viewers for playing Yosser Hughes in the groundbreaking 1982 TV series Boys from the Blackstuff. On film he has played Captain Edward John Smith in Titanic, King Théoden in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, and the Warden of San Quentin Prison in the Clint Eastwood film True Crime. Hill is the only actor to have appeared in more than one of the three films awarded 11 Oscars, and one of only three actors to have starred in more than one film grossing more than $1 billion USD, namely: Titanic and The Return of the King (the others being Orlando Bloom who also starred in The Return of the King, as well as Pirates of the Caribbean and Johnny Depp who also starred in Pirates of the Caribbean, as well as Alice in Wonderland). Hill has appeared in three films which have won Best Picture: Gandhi, Titanic, and The Return of the King. Hill died on 5th May 2024 at the age of 79.
Filmography
Series
Play for Today
Graham
1970
Series
Play for Today
Edward
1970
Series
Play for Today
Eric
1970
Series
Play for Today
Bernard Blincoe
1970
Series
Play for Today
Mick
1970
Series
Play for Today
Sullivan
1970
Series
Play for Today
Simon Simpson
1970
Series
Screen Two
John
1985
Series
Screen Two
Tom Higdon
1985
Series
Screen Two
Captain Larry
1985
Series
Horizon
Narrator
1964
Film
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Théoden
2003
Series
Natural World
1983
Film
Titanic
Captain Smith
1997
Film
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Théoden
2002
Series
Unforgotten
Father Robert Greaves
2015
Series
BBC2 Play of the Week
Carson
1977
Series
BBC2 Play of the Week
Broadbent
1977
Series
ScreenPlay
Octavian Barbu
1986
Series
Between the Lines
Chief Constable Harmsworth
1992
Series
Wolf Hall
Duke of Norfolk
2015
Series
HBO First Look
Self
1992
Series
I, Claudius
Gratus
1976
Series
Wild China
Himself - Narrator
2008
Series
Remembers…
2022
Film
The Scorpion King
Philos
2002
Series
Five Days
Gerard Hopkirk
2007
Series
Shakespeare: The Animated Tales
Bottom (voice)
1992
Film
ParaNorman
Judge Hopkins (voice)
2012
Film
Valkyrie
General - Desert Sequence
2008
Series
The Responder
Tom Carson
2022
Series
Boys from the Blackstuff
Yosser Hughes
1982
Film
First Knight
Knight (uncredited)
1995
Second City Firsts
Billy
1973
Premiere
Tom
1977
Film
Gandhi
Sergeant Putnam
1982
Film
The Ghost and the Darkness
Dr. David Hawthorne
1996
Film
True Crime
Warden Luther Plunkitt
1999
Series
Fairy Tales
Grettongrat
2008
Series
Fox
Vin Fox
1980
Film
Gothika
Phil Parsons
2003
Film
The Bounty
William Cole
1984
Series
Pickersgill People
Harry 'Sharky' Finn
1978
Film
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Egeus
1999
One Life
2003
Series
Great Expectations
Abel Magwitch
1999
Film
Joy Division
Dennis
2006
Series
The Grid
2004
Film
Wimbledon
Edward Colt
2004
Series
Lipstick on Your Collar
Uncle Fred
1993
Series
From There to Here
Samuel
2014
Film
Reflections on Titanic
Self
2012
Series
Village Hall
Policeman
1974
Film
Mountains of the Moon
Dr. Livingstone
1990
Childhood
Janey's father
1977
Series
Sunshine
George Crosby
2008
Film
Franklyn
Esser
2008
Once Upon A Time In The North
Len Tollit
1994
Film
The Wind in the Willows
The Engine Driver
1996
Film
The Making of 'The Return of the King'
Self
2006
Film
Shirley Valentine
Joe Bradshaw
1989
Film
Drowning by Numbers
Henry Madgett
1988
Series
Atheism: A Rough History of Disbelief
Self
2004
Series
Hope and Wire
Len Russell
2014
Series
Surviving Disaster
Himself - Narrator
2006
Series
Surviving Disaster
2006
Series
The Glamour Girls
Boris
1980
Film
The Making of 'The Two Towers'
Self
2006
Film
The Boys & Girl from County Clare
John Joe
2003
Stages
Joe
1994
Film
The Loss of Sexual Innocence
Susan's Father
1999
Film
The Mill on the Floss
Edward Tulliver
1997
Film
The Heart of the Earth
Sr. Crown
2007
Film
The Tragedy of Richard III
First Murderer
1983
Film
The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse
King William III
2005
Film
Collectormania 7
Self
2005
Film
Henry VI Part 2
Duke of York
1983
Film
Great Expectations
Abel Magwitch
1999
Film
Henry VI Part 1
Duke of York / Master Gunner Of Orleans
1983
Film
Golden Years
Arthur
2016
Film
Ocean Odyssey
Narrator (voice)
2006
Film
The Kid
Uncle David
2010
Fox
Vin Fox
1980
Series
The Gambling Man
Frank nickle
1995
Film
Henry VI Part 3
Duke of York
1983
Film
A Very Social Secretary
David Blunkett
2005
Film
Squaring the Circle
Lech Walesa
1984
Film
The Moor
Thornley
2024
Series
Shrinks
Frank Beasley
1991
Film
Trial by Combat
Blind Freddie
1976
Film
On the Set of 'Gothika'
Self
2004
Film
Titanic: The Final Word with James Cameron
Captain EJ Smith
2012
Film
Restless Natives
Will's father
1985
Film
A Question of Faith
Frederick
2000
Film
Housewives' Choice
Eric
1976
Film
She Fell Among Thieves
Carson
1978
Film
Segunda oportunidad
Peter
2018
Film
Our Flesh and Blood
Bernard Blincoe
1977
Film
The Black Stuff
Yosser Hughes
1980
Film
Going Off Big Time
Murray
2000
Film
Bellman and True
Hiller
1987
Film
Scenes by the Sea: Takeshi Kitano
Narrator (voice)
2000
Film
Dirtysomething
Larry
1994
Film
Runners
Trevor Field
1983
Film
Heatwave
Narrator (voice)
2005
Film
Forever Young
Oscar Smith
2024
Film
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Bottom (voice)
1992
Film
Shoot the Revolution
Octavian Barbu
1990
Series
Indian Hill Railways
Self - Narrator (voice)
2010
Film
Double X: The Name of the Game
Ignatius 'Iggy' Smith
1992
Film
It Could Happen to You
Syph
1976
Film
No Surrender
Bernard
1985
The Crumblegiant
Narrator
2007
Film
John Lennon: A Journey in the Life
John Lennon
1985
Film
A Turn for the Worse
Simon Simpson
1981
Film
Madagascar Skin
Flint
1995
Film
Theban Plays: Antigone
Messenger
1986
Film
Save Angel Hope
Oscar Kurz
2007
Series
India's Frontier Railways
Narrator - (Voice)
2015
Film
Shepherd on the Rock
Tam Ferrier
1993
Film
Exodus
Pharoah Mann
2007
Trade Unions: Seven Days that Shook Young Jim
Bernie
1976
Film
The Law Lord
Martin Allport
1992
Film
The Peddler
Graham
1976
Film
Beatles Biggest Secrets
Narrator
2004
Film
The Criminal
Det. Insp. Walker
1999
Film
Bloody Queens: Elizabeth and Mary
Narrator
2016
Film
Eisenstein
The voice of Stalin
2000
Film
The Art of Tripping
1993
Exodus
Narrator (voice)
2008
Film
North v South
John Claridge
2015
Film
Speaking In Tongues
Joe
1994
Film
The Chain
Nick
1984
Film
A Question of Identity
Erwin van Haarlem
1992
Film
Soldiers Talking, Cleanly
Mick
1978
Film
Professional Foul
Broadbent
1977
Series
Bombay Railway
Self - Narrator (voice)
2007
Film
Pit Strike
Tom
1977
Film
Bombay Railway
Narrator
2008
Film
From Moscow to Pietushki
Readings (voice)
1990
Film
The Titanic Chronicles
(voice)
1999
Film
The Burston Rebellion
Tom Higdon
1985
Say No to Strangers
Teresa's Dad
1981
Samson and Delilah
Willie
1984
Film
Canoe Man
John Darwin
2010
Olly's Prison
Mike
1993
Film
Titanic: Southampton Remembers
2012
Film
Skallagrigg
John
1994
Film
Outpost 11
Cranleigh
2012
Film
Daft Mam Blues
Billy
1977
Film
The Sorrows
2013
Film
The Spongers
Sullivan
1978
Film
No Go: The Free Derry Story
Narrator (voice)
2006
Film
Titus: The Gorilla King
Narrator
2008
Film
Hard Labour
Edward Thornley
1973
Film
Boy Soldier
Officer
1987
Film
JFK's Women: The Scandals Revealed
Self - Narrator (voice)
2006
Horizon: Einstein's Unfinished Symphony
2005
Film
Interlude: City of a Dead Woman
Richard
2017
Film
Titanic: Case Closed
2012
Film
Tim Haines Deep Ocean
Erzähler
2006
Film
Inside CERN
Narrator
2016
Film
Cruel Sea: The Penlee Lifeboat Disaster
Narrator (voice)
2006
Titanic: Secrets Revealed
Host
1998
The Last Tommy
Narrator
2005