Actor Bernard Hill, of 'Titanic' and 'Lord of the Rings,' passes away at 79

LONDON: Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" and went down with the ship as the captain in "Titanic," has died. Hill joined "The Lord Of The Rings" franchise in the second film of the trilogy, 2002's "The Two Towers," as Théoden, King of Rohan. In "Titanic," Hill played Captain Edward Smith, one of the only characters based on a real person in the 1997 tragic romance starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. "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, said Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama.