Lord of the Rings actor Bruce Allpress has died at the age of 89, six months after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

The New Zealand actor had a 60-year career working in film and TV in his homeland, most notably his role in the 1970s soap Close To Home.

In 2002, Allpress appeared in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers as archer Aldor and he also had a part in Al Pacino's The Scarecrow.

"I guess you could describe him as the guy you would like to have a beer with," youngest son Pete told Stuff.co.nz. "He would find a joke in anything.

"Dad picked a lot of people up when they were on the bones of their arse, whether it was his time or his money or humour, he was incredibly generous. He fought to the bloody end, he was a scrapper."

Allpress is survived by his two sons and three daughters.