English actor Bernard Hill passed away on May 5, 2024, at the age of 79. The actor was prominently known for portraying Théoden, King of Rohan, in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy and Captain Edward Smith in Titanic.
Born in Blackley, Manchester, Hill was brought up in a Catholic family of miners.
A Tribute to Bernard Hill’s Hollywood Legacy
Bernard Hill was a renowned name in the film industry thanks to the noteworthy performances he gave throughout his career. After completing his graduation with a diploma in theatre in 1970, Hill got his first on-screen break in the Granada Television series Crown Court.
However, it was his role as Yosser Hughes in Alan Bleasdale’s BBC Play for Today programme, The Black Stuff, and its series sequel, Boys from the Blackstuff, through which he gained widespread recognition. His character’s much-repeated phrase Gizza job (“Give us a job“) became popular among the protesters against Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government because of the high unemployment of the time.
On the demise of Hill, Bleasdale paid tribute to him while also expressing his grief for the loss. Bleasdale stated Hill’s death was “a great loss and also a great surprise.” He added, “It was an astonishing, mesmeric performance – Bernard gave everything to that, and you can see it in all the scenes. He became Yosser Hughes. I was desperate to work with him. Everything he did – his whole procedure for working, the manner in which he worked, and his performance was everything that you could ever wish for. You always felt that Bernard would live forever. He had great strength, physically and in terms of personality.”
Boys from the Blackstuff won a Bafta for best drama series in 1983, and in 2000, it was ranked seventh on a British Film Institute list of the best TV shows ever made.
Hill’s other notable acting credits include The Bounty (1984) and I, Claudius (1976). He also added more prominent films to his resume, including Mountains of the Moon (1990), Skallagrigg (1994), and Madagascar Skin (1995). He also appeared as Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, in the 2015 six-part BBC adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s novel Wolf Hall.
The actor was due to return to TV screens in a BBC drama titled The Responder, starring Martin Freeman. The director of BBC Drama, Lindsay Salt, paid tribute to Hill, saying: “Bernard Hill blazed a trail across the screen, and his long-lasting career filled with iconic and remarkable roles is a testament to his incredible talent. From Boys from the Blackstuff to Wolf Hall, The Responder, and many more, we feel truly honored to have worked with Bernard at the BBC. Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this sad time.”
Though Hill has bid his farewell to the world, his art will always be remembered by all. May his soul rest in peace.
