Bernard Hill, Actor in ‘Titanic’ and ‘Lord of the Rings,’ Dies at 79

Veteran actor who played King Theoden in the trilogy died on Sunday aged 79

In one of the film’s most memorable scenes, Hill’s character fires up his overmatched forces by delivering a battle cry on horseback that sends his troops thundering downhill toward the enemy and his own imminent death.

He played Captain Edward Smith in the Oscar-winning 1997 epic romance "Titanic", and earned worldwide recognition playing Theoden, King of Rohan, in two of the three "The Lord Of The Rings" films directed by Peter Jackson.

Hill joined "The Lord Of The Rings" franchise in the second film of the trilogy, 2002's "The Two Towers," as Theoden, King of Rohan.