# RIP Bernard Hill - sleep well, Theoden King **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** celebrity-death\ **Created:** [May 5, 2024, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-bernard-hill-sleep-well-theoden-king/1001161 "2024-05-05T17:31:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2024, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-bernard-hill-sleep-well-theoden-king/1001161/1 "2024-05-05T17:31:49Z")
“I go to my fathers. And even in their mighty company I shall not now be ashamed.” > **[Bernard Hill, ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘Titanic’ Actor, Dies at 79](https://variety.com/2024/film/news/bernard-hill-dead-lord-of-the-rings-1235992436/)** > > Bernard Hill, who played King Théoden in the 'Lord of the Rings' film trilogy and Captain Edward Smith in 'Titanic,' has died. He was 79. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2024, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-bernard-hill-sleep-well-theoden-king/1001161/2 "2024-05-05T18:34:41Z")
Ride forth, and fear no darkness. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Burden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/958977/32.png) [@Jack\_Burden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Burden)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2024, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-bernard-hill-sleep-well-theoden-king/1001161/3 "2024-05-05T18:45:36Z")
His speech prior to the charge of the Rohirrim at Pelanor Fields is my favorite moment of the movie trilogy. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2024, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-bernard-hill-sleep-well-theoden-king/1001161/4 "2024-05-05T21:38:22Z")
And his gallop across the front line, sword striking the warriors’ weapons, was his idea. Superb sequence, that. ---
**Author:** ![TPWombat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbce88/32.png) [@TPWombat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TPWombat)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2024, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-bernard-hill-sleep-well-theoden-king/1001161/5 "2024-05-06T13:29:18Z")
IIRC improvised by him ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-bernard-hill-sleep-well-theoden-king/1001161/6 "2024-05-07T12:59:26Z")
Also highly thought of in the UK as a TV actor, particularly the desperate jobless Yosser in Boys from the Black Stuff > **[‘Gissa job!’ How Bernard Hill created one of TV’s most tragic and...](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/article/2024/may/06/bernard-hill-yosser-hughes-boys-from-the-blackstuff-lord-of-the-rings-titanic)** > > Playing unhinged head-butting Yosser Hughes in Boys from the Blackstuff made Hill a legend. But, from Titanic to The Lord of the Rings, his entire 50-year career was outstanding ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-bernard-hill-sleep-well-theoden-king/1001161/7 "2024-05-07T16:09:07Z")
I liked his small but pivotal role in _I, Claudius_. ---
**Author:** ![eburacum45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum45/32/8690_2.png) [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-bernard-hill-sleep-well-theoden-king/1001161/8 "2024-05-07T16:49:02Z")
[![](https://scontent.fbrs5-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/442408931_10232395393332401_1272890510029497109_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&_nc_ohc=TxTyNNuUNCMQ7kNvgElTgON&_nc_ht=scontent.fbrs5-1.fna&oh=00_AfBexbDaBYwpRqhaCpfR4R_26lYY9MzhaCY7FMV3F10F3g&oe=66403DC0) ](https://scontent.fbrs5-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/442408931_10232395393332401_1272890510029497109_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&_nc_ohc=TxTyNNuUNCMQ7kNvgElTgON&_nc_ht=scontent.fbrs5-1.fna&oh=00_AfBexbDaBYwpRqhaCpfR4R_26lYY9MzhaCY7FMV3F10F3g&oe=66403DC0) It was nearly curtains for Claudius for a minute there. ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-bernard-hill-sleep-well-theoden-king/1001161/9 "2024-05-09T14:12:29Z")
Also in The Bounty ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-bernard-hill-sleep-well-theoden-king/1001161/10 "2024-05-09T18:47:00Z")
NM Mistake. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2024, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-bernard-hill-sleep-well-theoden-king/1001161/11 "2024-05-11T09:30:15Z")
His last TV appearance came out the day he died, as the frail but still belligerent father of the central character, a slightly bent copper under desperate strain (Martin Freeman), in _The Responder_. > **[Video: Bernard Hill stars in The Responder 2 airing hours after his death |...](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/tvshowbiz/video-3182457/Video-Bernard-Hill-stars-Responder-2-airing-hours-death.html)** > > Actor Bernard Hill, who starred in Titanic and Lord of the Rings, has died at the age of 79. His passing comes hours before he was due to return to TV in Martin Freeman drama The Responder, which airs on BBC One tonight. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2024, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-bernard-hill-sleep-well-theoden-king/1001161/12 "2024-05-11T16:50:59Z")
Here is a picture Viggo took of him, I presume during the filming of the movies. [![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GM2L-mYXQAEuaF7?format=jpg&name=medium) ](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GM2L-mYXQAEuaF7?format=jpg&name=medium)