Australian actor Bill Hunter dead

London: Australian acting legend Bill Hunter has passed away following cancer, his manager Mark Morrissey said. He was 71.

He died Saturday in a Melbourne hospital, where he was admittted May 16. His death shocked filmmaker Baz Luhrmann, who worked with Hunter in the 1992 hit movie "Strictly Ballroom" and the 2008 epic "Australia", reports contactmusic.com. Hunter began his career in television in the 1960s and by the 1970s, became one of the country`s most popular actors with roles in "Gallipoli", alongside Mel Gibson, and "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert". In 1978, he was honoured with the Australian Film Institute (Afi) Award for the best actor for "Newsfront" and three years later he won the best supporting actor Afi award for "Gallipoli". IANS