David Weatherley

David John Weatherley (1 March 1939 – 12 December 2024) was an English-born New Zealand actor and voice artist known for his role as Barliman Butterbur in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

Life and career Weatherley was born in London on 1 March 1939. He moved to Canada in 1956 for a military career, serving five years in the Canadian Army. Weatherley eventually moved to New Zealand in the early 1960s to engage in a theatre acting career, where he was best known for his long association with the Mercury Theatre, Auckland. He worked in all major genres including radio drama, theatre, television and film. He was perhaps best known outside New Zealand for his series regular role as Spencer in Power Rangers Operation Overdrive, which was filmed in New Zealand.

He played Mephistopheles/The Persian in the 1993 New Zealand tour of Ken Hill's Phantom of the Opera.

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.

Weatherley died in Auckland on 12 December 2024, at the age of 85. Inkeeping with his wishes, his ashes were buried underneath the stage of Auckland's Mercury Theatre .

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes 1976 A Great Day Ken 1976 The Park Terrace Murder Inspector Pender 1984 Other Halves Judge Second Time Lucky British Officer Death Warmed Up Professor Tucker 1985 Counter Measures Karl Heyden 1989 Beyond Gravity Planetarium voice 1992 Grampire Sargent Dicky Ticker The Girl Who Came Late Lex Rubins 2001 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Barliman Butterbur 2007 Power Rangers Operation Overdrive Spencer, Benglo TV series 2009 Under the Mountain Desk Sergeant