John Rhys-Davies

Operatically voiced Welsh character actor John Rhys-Davies endeared himself to a generation of filmgoers and filmmakers with his exuberant performances in two of the biggest movie franchises of the 20th century - "Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1981) and Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy (2001-03). When not busy with these blockbusters, he was a ubiquitous presence in international television and film, where he essayed numerous military and professorial types, as well as a wide variety of ethnicities. Rhys-Davies also lent his formidable voice to countless animated efforts and video games, making him one of the more well-rounded and revered entertainers from across the pond - but one who was so chameleon-like in all of his projects, he was able to live a comfortable life of relative anonymity off-screen.