Bernard Hill (born 17 December 1944) is an English actor. He is known for playing Théoden, King of Rohan, in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, Captain Edward Smith in Titanic, and Luther Plunkitt, the Warden of San Quentin Prison in the Clint Eastwood film True Crime. Hill was also known for playing roles in television dramas, including Yosser Hughes, the troubled "hard man" whose life is falling apart in Alan Bleasdale's Boys from the Blackstuff in the 1980s, and more recently, as the Duke of Norfolk in the BBC adaptation of Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall.
Bernard Hill | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Hill in 2007 | |
| Born | 17 December 1944 Blackley, Manchester, England |
| Nationality | English |
| Education | Xaverian College |
| Alma mater | Manchester Polytechnic School of Drama |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1970–present |
| Spouse | Marianna Hill |
| Children | 1 |
Hill has the distinction of being the only actor to have appeared in more than one film that won 11 Academy Awards, for his roles in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and Titanic.
Early life edit
Hill was born in Blackley, Manchester. He was brought up in a Catholic family of miners.[1] Hill attended Xaverian College, and then Manchester Polytechnic School of Drama at the same time as Richard Griffiths. He graduated with a diploma in theatre in 1970.[2]
Career edit
In 1976, Hill was seen as Police Constable Cluff in the Granada Television series Crown Court, the episode entitled "The Jolly Swagmen".
Hill first came to prominence 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.[2] His character's much-repeated phrase Gizza job ("Give us a job")[2] became popular with protesters against Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government, because of the high unemployment of the time.[3]
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.[4] He had previously taken smaller parts in a number of British television dramas, appearing in I, Claudius in 1976 as the character Gratus.[4]
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,[4] and the title roles in Macbeth and A View from the Bridge.[4]
Hill appeared as Joe Bradshaw in Shirley Valentine (1989),[4] about a Liverpool housewife (Pauline Collins) who was a former anti-establishment rebel and engages in an extramarital affair. Hill added more prominent films to his resume, including Mountains of the Moon (1990),[4] Skallagrigg (1994) and Madagascar Skin (1995).[4]
In the mid-1990s, Hill began appearing in films more regularly. His first major role came in The Ghost and the Darkness (1996),[5] starring Val Kilmer and (Michael Douglas). Hill then portrayed Captain Edward J. Smith in Titanic (1997), by James Cameron.[6]
Hill played Philos in The Scorpion King (2002), starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Michael Clarke Duncan and Kelly Hu.[4]
In 2002 and 2003, Hill played King Théoden of Rohan in the 2nd and 3rd films of Peter Jackson's epic trilogy The Lord of the Rings.[7]
He held a minor role in the 2008 film Valkyrie, as the commanding general of the 10th Panzer Division of the German Afrika Korps and as a voice actor for Sir Walter Beck in Fable III (2010).[8]
Hill was the voice of The Judge in the American stop-motion animated comedy horror film ParaNorman in 2012.[9] 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.[10]
He appeared as Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk in the 2015 six-part BBC adaptation of Hilary Mantel's novels, Wolf Hall.[11] Later in 2015, he starred as John Claridge in the British gangster movie North v South.[12]
Personal life edit
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2012) |
Hill is married to Marianne, with whom he has a son named Gabriel. He lives in Suffolk.[2]
Hill is a longtime supporter of Manchester United FC.[13]
In 2019, Hill received an honorary degree from the University of East Anglia.[14]
Filmography edit
Films edit
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | It Could Happen to You | Syph | Film also known as Intimate Teenage Secrets |
| 1976 | Trial by Combat | Blind Freddie | Film also known as Dirty Knights Work |
| 1978 | The Sailor's Return | Carter | |
| The Spongers | Sullivan | ||
| 1982 | Gandhi | Sergeant Putnam | |
| 1983 | Squaring the Circle | Narrator | 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 | Film also known as 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 | David Livingston | |
| 1991 | The Law Lord | Martin Allport | |
| 1992 | The Name of the Game | Ignatius "Iggy" Smith | Film also known as 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 | |
| 1997 | The Wind in the Willows | Engine driver | Film also known as Mr. Toad's Wild Ride |
| Titanic | Captain Edward J. Smith | Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture One of two films in which Hill stars that have won 11 Oscars. | |
| The Mill on the Floss | Edwards Tulliver | ||
| 1999 | The Titanic Chronicles | Captain S. Lord | |
| The Criminal | Walker | ||
| True Crime | Lunther Plunkitt | ||
| A Midsummer Night's Dream | Egeus | Film also known as Sogno di una notte di mezza estate | |
| The Loss of Sexual Innocence | Susan's father | ||
| 2000 | Blessed Art Thou | Frederick | |
| Einstein | Voice of Stalin | Film also known as The Furnace | |
| Going Off Big Time | Murray | ||
| 2002 | The Scorpion King | Philos | |
| The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers | King Théoden | Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast Nominated – DVD Exclusive Awards for Best Audio Commentary Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture | |
| 2003 | The Boys from County Clare | John Joe | |
| Gothika | Phil Parsons | ||
| The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King | King Théoden | Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Cast National Board of Review Award for Best Cast Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated – Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast The second film in which Hill starred that won 11 Oscars. | |
| 2004 | Wimbledon | Edward Colt | |
| The Deal | Victor | Short film | |
| 2005 | The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse | King William | |
| 2006 | Joy Division | Dennis | |
| Save Angel Hope | Oscar Kurz | ||
| 2007 | Exodus | N/A | Film made for television. Broadcast on Channel 4 |
| 2008 | Valkyrie | Unnamed German General in the desert | |
| Franklyn | Peter | ||
| 2011 | The Wraith | The Narrator | Short Film |
| 2012 | ParaNorman | The Judge | Voice only |
| 2015 | North v South | John Claridge | |
| 2016 | Golden Years | Arthur Goode | |
| Interlude City | Richard | ||
| 2018 | Second Chance | Peter | |
| 2023 | Forever Now | Oscar Smith |
Television edit
| Year | Programme | Role | Episodes | Broadcasting Network | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Hard Labour | Edward Thornley | N/A | BBC | |
| 1976 | I, Claudius | Gratus | 2 | BBC | 1977
Our Flesh and Blood Bernard Blencoe 1 BBC |
| 1978 | Pickersgill People | N/A | 1 | BBC | |
| 1979 | Telford's Change | Jack Burton | 1 | BBC | |
| The Black Stuff | Yosser Hughes | 1 | BBC | ||
| 1980 | Fox | Vin Fox | 11 | ITV | |
| 1982 | Boys from the Black Stuff | Yosser Hughes | 5 | BBC | Broadcasting Press Guild Awards for Best Actor Nominated – BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor |
| 1983 | Henry VI, Part 1 | Duke of York | 1 | BBC | Part of the BBC Television Shakespeare series |
| Henry VI, Part 2 | Duke of York | 1 | BBC | Part of the BBC Television Shakespeare series | |
| Henry VI, Part 3 | Duke of York | 1 | BBC | Part of the BBC Television Shakespeare series | |
| Richard III | First Murderer | 1 | BBC | Part of the BBC Television Shakespeare series | |
| 1984 | Antigone | Messenger | 1 | BBC | |
| 1985 | The Burston Rebellion | Tom Higdon | 1 | BBC | |
| 1985 | John Lennon: A Journey in the Life | John Lennon | 1 | BBC | |
| 1993 | Olly's Prison | Mike | 1 | BBC | |
| 1993 | Telltale | Det. Sgt. Gavin Douglas | 3 | ITV | |
| 1993 | Lipstick on Your Collar | Uncle Fred | Channel 4 | ||
| 1994 | Once Upon a Time in the North | Len Tollit | N/A | BBC | |
| 1995 | The Gambling Man | Frank Nickle | all | Tyne Tees TV | |
| 1999 | Great Expectations | Abel Magwitch | 2 | BBC | |
| 1999 | The Titanic Chronicles | Captain Stanley Lord | N/A | ||
| 2001 | Horizon | Narrator | 9 | BBC | |
| 2002 | Timewatch | Narrator | 1 | BBC | |
| 2004 | Atheism: A Rough History of Disbelief | Himself | 1 | BBC | |
| 2005 | A Very Social Secretary | David Blunkett | 1 | Channel 4 | Nominated – BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor Nominated – International Emmy Award for Best Performance by an Actor |
| 2006 | Ocean Odyssey | Narrator | 2 | Nominated - Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated | |
| 2007 | Egomania | Narrator | 1 | Channel 4 | |
| 2007 | Bombay Railway | Narrator | 2 | BBC Series | |
| 2008 | Sunshine | Granddad Crosby | 3 | BBC | |
| 2008 | Wild China | Narrator | 6 | BBC | A BBC/CTV/Travel Channel co-production in association with Canal+ |
| 2009 | Folk America | Narrator | 3 | BBC | |
| 2009 | Ice Patrol | Narrator | 4 | National Geographic | |
| 2010 | Old Trafford 100 Years | Narrator and Presenter | 1 | MUTV | |
| 2010 | Five Days | Gerard Hopkirk | 5 | BBC | |
| 2010 | Indian Hill Railways | Narrator[15] | 3 | BBC | |
| 2010 | Canoe Man | John Darwin | 1 | BBC | |
| 2012 | Falcón | Ramón Salgado | 2 | Sky | Episode "The Blind Man of Seville" |
| 2014 | From There to Here | Samuel Cotton | 3 | BBC | |
| 2014 | Hope And Wire | Len Russell | 3 | TV3 | New Zealand mini-series |
| 2015 | Wolf Hall | Duke of Norfolk | 6 | BBC | |
| 2015 | India's Frontier Railways | Narrator[16] | 3 | BBC | |
| 2015 | Unforgotten | Father Robert Greaves | 6 | ITV |
Theatre edit
| 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 |
Video games edit
| Year | Video game | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Fable III | Sir Walter Beck |
References and notes edit
- ^ "The OxStu talks Titanic, Daniel Day-Lewis and more with film star Bernard Hill". The Oxford Student. 7 June 2012.
- ^ a b c d "Manchester Films – Bernard Hill – a biography". BBC. Retrieved 21 August 2011.
- ^ "Out of work – and this time it won't just be Yosser who will feel the pain | News". Thisislondon.co.uk. 17 December 2008. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Bernard Hill credits". tvguide.com. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- ^ Klady, Leonard (7 October 1996). "The Ghost and the Darkness". Variety. Archived from the original on 15 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
- ^ "Bernard Hill visits Titanic's street of death". BBC. 13 April 2012. Archived from the original on 16 April 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
- ^ "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers". EW.com. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
- ^ "Behind The Voice Actors – Bernard Hill". Behind The Voice Actors.
- ^ "ParaNorman (2012)". behindthevoiceactors.com. 17 August 2012.
- ^ "Stellar cast assemble for Peter Bowker's new BBC One drama, From There To Here". BBC Media Centre. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
- ^ "Wolf Hall - Who are the royal subjects? The Duke of Norfolk (Bernard Hill)". BBC. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
- ^ McCahill, Mike (15 October 2015). "North v South review – Romeo and Juliet caught up in gang war". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
- ^ Grimsditch, Lee (22 December 2022). "The Blackley-born actor with a famous catchphrase who made Hollywood history". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
- ^ "A Titanic actor, climate change trailblazer and banking boss: Meet UEA's newest honorary graduates". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ Unit, Commercial Development. "Indian Hill Railway". ABC Shop. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
- ^ "BBC Four - India's Frontier Railways". BBC. 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
External links edit
- Bernard Hill at IMDb
- Bernard Hill at the BFI's Screenonline
- Bernard Hill at AllMovie
- Interview with BBC Suffolk