'Lord of the Rings' actor Bernard Hill dies aged 79

British actor Bernard Hill, best known for his supporting roles in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, has died aged 79, his agent announced.

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.

His agent Lou Coulson confirmed his death in the early hours of Sunday, May 5 to British media outlets.

Early in his career, Hill featured in the BBC's 1982 acclaimed drama Boys from the Blackstuff, which won numerous awards and is still lauded as one of the finest examples of its genre from the era. 

He is set to return to television screens in series two of a contemporary BBC drama, The Responder, starring Martin Freeman, which begins airing in the UK later on Sunday, May 6.