British actor Bernard Hill has died at the age of 79.
Hill passed away early on Sunday morning, his agent Lou Coulson confirmed to the BBC. With him at the time of his passing were his fiancee Alison and son Gabriel. No cause of death has been given.
Hill rose to fame in Alan Bleasdale's acclaimed 1982 BBC TV drama 'Boys from the Blackstuff,' in which he memorably played Jimmy 'Yosser' Hughes - a character struggling to find a job amid chronic unemployment in Liverpool.
Later in his career, Hill went on to play Captain Edward Smith in James Cameron's Oscar-winning film 'Titanic', and King Theoden in Peter Jackson's 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy. Other roles included parts in 'The Scorpion King', and alongside Tom Cruise in 'Valkyrie'.
Hill is survived by his wife, the actress Marianna Hill, with whom he had a son, Gabriel.
