Lord of the Rings star David Weatherley dies aged 85

He starred in the Fellowship of the Ring

The performer, who was born in London in 1939, died in Auckland on Thursday following a long illness.

Over a long and distinguished career, it's for his role as Barliman Butterbur in the Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring that many fans will recognise the actor.

His obituary was shared in The New Zealand Herald, reading: "Weatherley, David John. 1 March 1939 - 12 December 2024. David, father to Richard and Marion, former husband of Anita, and brother to Christine and Jane, passed away on 12 December 2024.

"Born in London, David served in the Canadian military before an acclaimed career in New Zealand's performing arts. David captivated audiences across theatre, radio, film, and television, earning international recognition. A celebration of his life will be held at 4pm, Thursday 19 December 2024, at The Good Home, Birkenhead."

Along with his role in the Fellowship of the Ring, Weatherley also starred in the TV series Xena: Warrior Princess. He also had roles in Other Halves, Second Time Lucky, Death Warmed Up, Counter Measures, Beyond Gravity, The Girl Who Came Late, Power Rangers Operation Overdrive, and Under the Mountain.

The actor was born in London in 1939 and moved to Canada in 1956 for his military career. He served five years in the Canadian Army and later moved to New Zealand in the early 1960s to start his theatre acting career in Auckland, the Mirror reports.

During the late 1980s, Weatherley lived in Australia and appeared in the likes of Home and Away and A Country Practice. He also voiced a character in the popular 2004 video game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II.

His final role was for the 2019 NZ animated movie Mosley, alongside Lucy Lawless and Temuera Morrison. David is survived by his ex-wife Anita and their two children, Richard and Marion.

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