Lord of the Rings actor, NZ screen and stage star David Weatherley dies aged 85

David Weatherley played Barliman Butterbur in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Photo / New Line Cinema

Kiwi actor David Weatherley, who starred in Lord of The Rings and had a career spanning screen and stage, has died.

An obituary posted in the Herald on Tuesday announced the actor’s death last Thursday aged 85, remembering him as a man who “captivated audiences across theatre, radio, film, and television, earning international recognition”.

Fans of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy will remember Weatherley fondly as Barliman Butterbur, the owner of The Prancing Pony Inn where Frodo Baggins, Sam, Pippin and Merry first met Strider in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001).

Born in London in 1939, Weatherley served in the Canadian military during the 1950s before settling in New Zealand in the ’60s to start a theatre acting career.

He was a stalwart at Auckland’s Mercury Theatre, and, according to NZ On Screen, often partnered with director Sir Ian Mune.

David Weatherley. Photo / Supplied

Mune described Weatherley in his 2010 autobiography as "tall and broad-shouldered with wavy blonde hair, a clear accent, and a charm enhanced by a slightly smashed-up looking face, whether by motorcycle or genetic collision I am not sure”.

In his IMDB profile, Weatherley recalled arriving in New Zealand in 1961 “intending to join the NZ Army - unhappily a motorcycle accident finished that idea”.

Weatherley was also no stranger to the small screen, having played roles in Kiwi-produced series like Shortland Street, Hounds, Under the Mountain and Power Rangers.

According to Daily Mail, he also lived in Australia in the late ’80s and appeared in Home and Away and A Country Practice.

Branching out into other mediums, Weatherley was also credited on IMDB as having voiced characters in the popular 2004 video game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II.

His stage acting credits included Australasian productions of Evita, Chess and Oliver.

In 2016, he was presented with a Scroll of Honour from the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand for his services to the entertainment industry.

He also garnered critical acclaim for his 2006 portrayal of a dementia sufferer in the short film Together.

The obituary stated that Weatherley leaves behind two children, and a celebration of his life will be held at 4pm on Thursday, December 19 at The Good Home, Birkenhead.