Bernard Hill, Boys from the Blackstuff and Lord of the Rings actor, dies aged 79

Bernard Hill in 2014. The actor enjoyed a long and busy career, especially in film and television, and was twice nominated for a Bafta. Photograph: Siu Chiu/Reuters

Bernard Hill, the stage, television and film actor who rose to fame for his unforgettable portrayal of Yosser Hughes, has died at the age of 79.

Hill played the unemployed character with the famous “gizza job” catchphrase in Alan Bleasdale’s 1982 BBC series Boys from the Blackstuff. It helped launch a stellar career that included playing the captain of the Titanic in James Cameron’s 1997 film and Théoden, king of Rohan, in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings film trilogy.