Actor's roles included chasing Jagger

Martyn Sanderson was working on a production of the African play Muntu at Downstage in Wellington when he died.

Acclaimed actor Martyn Sanderson has died, aged 71.

Sanderson was also a writer and director with a career that spanned more than 40 years. He was still producing theatre when he died.

Born in Westport, he was co-founder of Downstage theatre in Wellington in the 1960s.

In 1970, he played a policeman chasing Ned Kelly - played by Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger - in the movie about the notorious Australian bush ranger.

Sanderson played New Zealand writer Frank Sargeson in 1990's An Angel at my Table, about author Janet Frame, winning a New Zealand Film Award for the role.

He wrote and directed one feature film - Flying Fox and Freedom Tree - in 1989, which he adapted from works by Samoan writer Albert Wendt.

He appeared in The Lord of the Rings: the Fellowship of the Ring, in 2001 and was one of 15 actors to sue New Line Cinema over internet merchandising revenue. They settled out of court a year ago.

In the 1970s he toured with the late Bruno Lawrence's rock group Blerta.

Sanderson won a 1976 Feltex Award for his portrayal of aviation pioneer Richard Pearse in a television drama.

In 2005, he was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to literature and the theatre.

Just this month, he was one of hundreds calling for outdated censorship laws to be reformed, as films or TV shows did not need to be classified to be shown on TV, but did to be rented or sold on DVD.

He has lived in Australia and Hawkes Bay, spent time in communities in India, and was educated at Oxford University.

He also tried theology at Cambridge, before abandoning plans to become a priest and marrying Liz Earth. He was then married to Kenyan-born actor Wanjiku Kiarie.

Sanderson was producing Muntu, a Downstage theatre production, at the time of his death.

Downstage director Hilary Beaton said the theatre would hold a minute's silence to honour him. "I would like to pay tribute to Martyn for his tireless support for our work and for the principles on which we depend."

His positive influence had remained with the theatre since it was established.

Ms Beaton said Muntu performances featuring Toi Whakaari drama students and local Africans would go ahead as planned this weekend.

- NZPA