Terence Hill
Vacanze col gangster
Lazzarella
The Leopard
God forgives, I don't
They Call Me Trinity
I'm for the Hippopotamus
My Name is Nobody
Don Camillo
Troublemakers
Don Matteo

Terence was twelve years old when he starred in his first movie: Italian director Dino Risi searched for five boys for a movie called 'Vacanze col gangster', an adventure story in which five youngsters help a dangerous bandit to escape from prison and get into serious trouble. Terence landed a leading role. Other movies followed his debut, and young Terence, then still known by his real name Mario Girotti, became a popular actor in Italy.

In 1957, he acted in 'Lazzarella', which was the most successful movie in Italy of that year, and in 'The Wide Blue Road' with Yves Montand. In 1958, he played the leading part in a TV adaptation of Oscar Wilde's 'The Picture of Dorian Gray'. After starring in over 25 Italian films, he was chosen for a supporting role in the movie 'The Leopard' in 1963. 'The Leopard', directed by Luchino Visconti, features Burt Lancaster, Claudia Cardinale and Alain Delon and is considered a masterpiece. The film was a big success and Terence decided to leave university to become a full time actor.

Terence signed a contract to participate in four of the 'Winnetou' movies, based on the novels by German writer Karl May. The German-produced films represent the first and until now most successful Western adaptations made in Germany and made Terence popular in German speaking countries. Terence stayed in Germany to act in 'Die Nibelungen', based upon the epic Teutonic poem 'Das Nibelungenlied'. In 1967, Terence returned to Italy to make two films with Italian singer Rita Pavone.

In the late sixties, Italian 'Spaghetti Westerns' became popular. Terence played the leading part in 'God forgives, I don't', together with his old swimming pal Bud Spencer! Both actors had participated in the film 'Hannibal' in 1959 but had never met on the set since they always appeared in different scenes. 'God forgives, I don't' was the first movie starring both Terence and Bud Spencer as a 'couple' and paved the way of their career.

Terence Hill, then still known as Mario Girotti, was asked to change his name for this western. "It was a fashion at the time", he says. "I was given a list with twenty names and twentyfour hours to choose one from it. I chose the name Terence Hill because it appealed to me and also because the name has the same initials as my mother's."

'God forgives, I don't' was very successful, so director Giuseppe Colizzi called both actors for the sequels 'I quattro dell’Ave Maria' ('Ace High', 1968) and 'La collina degli stivali' ('Boot Hill', 1969).

One of the most important years in Terence Hill's career was undoubtedly 1970: Enzo Barboni invented the characters 'Trinity and Bambino', protagonists of the film 'They Call me Trinity', and developed a new kind of spaghetti western: Instead of being tough and cruel, the western was a comedy. Terence portrays a lazy, raggedy drifter named Trinity, Bud Spencer plays his horse-thief brother Bambino, who is posing as a sheriff.

In 'They Call Me Trinity' and the sequel 'Trinity is Still My Name', Terence showed his talent as a brilliant comedian. It was the first time that he portrayed a funny character and he was surprised to see how much fun he had doing that. "When I get together with Bud, something just clicks and we are funny", he says.

The international success of the 'Trinity Movies' gave Terence Hill and Bud Spencer the opportunity to act in many films together, always playing the two heroic characters the public came to love. Many movies with the famous couple followed, the most popular being 'All the Way, Boys' (1972), 'Watch out, We're Mad!' (1974), Crime Busters' (1977), 'Odds and Evens' (1978), 'I’m for the Hippopotamus' (1979), 'Go for it' (1983) and 'Double Trouble' (1984).

Terence also continued to make 'solo' movies: Amongst others, he played a Sardinian bandit in 'The Tough and the Mighty' in 1969 and a lawyer in 'The True and the False' in 1972. His personal favorite is 'My Name is Nobody', shot in 1973 in New Mexico, starring Henry Fonda. Terence plays a young, mysterious loner named Nobody who tries his hardest to make his aging outlaw hero go out in a blaze of glory.

In 1976/77, Terence acted in two Hollywood movies: In 'Mister Billion', Terence plays a car mechanic whose uncle leaves him a billion dollar inheritance, in 'March or Die' (starring Gene Hackman and Catherine Deneuve), he is Marco Segrain, a part gypsy cat burglar who is on the run from police and joins the French Foreign Legion to escape arrest.

In 1980, Terence had a big success with his movie 'Superfuzz', playing the role of Dave Speed, a policeman with 'super-powers'. In 1984, Terence portrayed a priest in the remake of 'Don Camillo', inspired by the novel of Giovanni Guareschi. Terence also directed and produced this film.

From 1990 to 1992, Terence produced and directed the 'Lucky Luke' western movie and TV series of eight episodes. The movie was shot on location in New Mexico. Terence also starred in the leading role of Lucky Luke, the cowboy who is the fastest gun in the West, even faster than his own shadow, based on the comic strip by Maurice de Bévère (Morris) and René Goscinny.

After a 'nine-year-separation' from Bud, the couple came together again in 1994 for the western 'The Fight before Christmas' aka 'Troublemakers' which Terence also directed. In 1997, Terence played policeman and computer expert Skims in 'Virtual Weapon', starring Marvelous Marvin Hagler.

In 1999, Terence decided to play the part of a priest again: 'Don Matteo', a clergyman who helps the police to solve crimes, is a TV series for Italian TV channel RaiUno, produced by Luxvide. Don Matteo was a big success, so a second, third and fourth series was made from 2001-2004. For his performance of 'Don Matteo', Terence received the 'Outstanding Actor of the Year' award at the 42nd International Television Festival of Monte Carlo.

Terence was back in the saddle again in 2005, for an Italian TV movie in two parts called "The Man Who Dreamt With Eagles". Shortly after, he returned to the set of 'Don Matteo', to shoot the fifth series.

In his spare time, Terence likes to ride his motorcycle, to read, to listen to classical music and to cross-country ski. And - who thinks that his favorite meal is beans is wrong: His favorite dishes are spaghetti with tomato sauce or ketchup and steak with onions...

© www.terencehill.com