Terence Hill is an Italian actor, director, and screenwriter best known for his legendary roles in spaghetti westerns, particularly his long-running partnership with Bud Spencer.
With his piercing blue eyes, effortless charm, and playful screen presence, Hill became an iconic figure of 1970s European cinema, earning a devoted fan base with hits like They Call Me Trinity and My Name Is Nobody.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Terence Hill was born Mario Girotti on March 29, 1939, in Venice, Italy. Raised in Germany and Italy, he showed early promise in athletics, especially swimming, before turning to acting as a teenager.
His film debut came at age 12 in Holiday for Gangsters (1951), and he spent the next decade working steadily in Italian and German cinema, often in peplum (sword-and-sandal) epics and historical dramas.
In the 1960s, his career took a major turn when he began acting in spaghetti westerns, a genre booming in Italy at the time. To appeal to international audiences, he adopted the anglicized stage name “Terence Hill,” chosen from a list of options provided by his producers.
Breakout Role: They Call Me Trinity
Hill’s breakthrough came in 1970 with They Call Me Trinity, a comedic twist on the classic western, where he played the lazy but lightning-fast gunslinger Trinity. The film was a massive hit across Europe and introduced audiences to his unique blend of physical comedy, charisma, and martial arts-inspired slapstick.
Its 1971 sequel, Trinity Is Still My Name, was even more successful and became one of the highest-grossing Italian films of all time. These films launched Hill into superstardom and solidified his partnership with actor Bud Spencer (Carlo Pedersoli), with whom he would make over a dozen films.
Partnership with Bud Spencer
The Hill-Spencer duo became one of the most beloved screen pairings in European cinema. Together, they starred in a string of action comedies and westerns known for their lighthearted tone, choreographed brawls, and lack of traditional violence. Their chemistry — Hill as the clever, agile trickster and Spencer as the gruff, brawny enforcer — won over audiences from Italy to Latin America.
Some of their most popular collaborations include Watch Out, We’re Mad (1974), Crime Busters (1977), and Odds and Evens (1978). Though often dismissed by critics at the time, the duo’s films have since become cult classics.
Solo Career and My Name Is Nobody
In addition to his partnership with Spencer, Hill starred in several successful solo projects, most notably My Name Is Nobody (1973), produced by Sergio Leone. A witty and ironic take on the traditional western hero, the film saw Hill play a mysterious gunman trying to convince a fading legend (played by Henry Fonda) to go out in a blaze of glory.
The film was praised for its style and originality, and Hill’s performance stood out as one of his finest. It remains a standout in the spaghetti western genre and introduced him to American audiences.
Later Work and Television
As the western genre faded, Hill transitioned to more family-friendly films and television. In the 2000s, he created and starred in the Italian series Don Matteo, playing a crime-solving priest. The long-running show became a hit in Italy and showcased his ability to evolve with the times while maintaining his signature charm.
He also directed and starred in several films, including The World of Don Camillo and Doc West, continuing to work well into his later years.
Personal Life
Terence Hill has long valued his privacy and quiet life away from Hollywood. He married Lori Hill, an American screenwriter, in 1967, and they had two sons. Tragically, their adopted son Ross died in a car accident in 1990, a loss that deeply affected Hill and briefly led him to step away from acting.
Despite this, he returned to the screen, continuing to work on passion projects and maintaining a strong bond with his audience.
