Terence Hill facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Terence Hill
during a visit in Dresden in August 2018
Born	Mario Girotti (1939-03-29) 29 March 1939 (age 86) Venice, Kingdom of Italy
Citizenship	Italy United States Germany
Occupation	Actor film director screenwriter film producer
Years active	1951–present
Spouse(s)	Lori Zwicklbauer ​ (m. 1967)​
Children	2
Signature

Terence Hill (born Mario Girotti; 29 March 1939) is a famous Italian actor, film director, and producer. He started acting when he was a child. He became very well-known around the world for his action and comedy movies. Many of these films starred his long-time friend and acting partner, Bud Spencer. When he was most popular, Terence Hill was one of the highest-paid actors in Italy.

Some of his most popular movies include funny Westerns, often called "spaghetti Westerns." Some of these were based on books by a German writer named Karl May, who wrote about the Wild West. His most famous films are They Call Me Trinity (1970) and Trinity Is Still My Name (1971). Trinity Is Still My Name was the highest-earning Italian film at that time. Another big hit was My Name Is Nobody (1973), where he acted alongside Henry Fonda. Terence Hill also had a very successful career on Italian television. He played the main character in the popular TV show Don Matteo from 2000 until 2022.

Early Life and Beginnings

Terence Hill was born on March 29, 1939, in Venice, Italy. His mother, Hildegard Girotti, was from Germany, and his father, Girolamo Girotti, was Italian and worked as a chemist. When he was a child, Hill lived in a small town in Germany called Lommatzsch. He stayed there until the end of World War II.

Becoming a Child Actor

Terence Hill was discovered when he was 12 years old. Italian filmmaker Dino Risi saw him at a swimming competition. Soon after, he became a child actor. His first movie was Vacation with a Gangster (1951), where he played Gianni, the leader of a group of orphans. He later said, "They were looking for a boy gang leader and they found me."

He had small parts in other movies like Voice of Silence (1953) and It Happened in the Park (1953). He also appeared in films such as Golden Vein (1954) and Folgore Division (1955).

Becoming a Main Actor

Mario Girotti, as he was known then, got his first main role in the movie Guaglione (1956). He also appeared in La grande strada azzurra (1956) and Lazzarella (1957).

He acted with famous stars like Gina Lollobrigida in Anna of Brooklyn (1958). He also had a role in Hannibal (1959) with Carlo Pedersoli. Carlo Pedersoli later became known as Bud Spencer, his future film partner. Girotti took on lead roles in teen comedies like Cerasella (1959).

He continued to appear in supporting roles in historical films such as Carthage in Flames (1960) and The Story of Joseph and His Brethren (1961). He also had parts in adventure movies like The Wonders of Aladdin (1961).

A big role for him was in Luchino Visconti's epic film The Leopard (1963). In this movie, he acted alongside Burt Lancaster and Alain Delon. During this time, he also studied classical literature at an Italian university for three years.

Working in Germany

In 1964, Terence Hill went to Germany. There, he acted in many adventure and Western films. These movies were based on popular novels by the German author Karl May. Some of these films included Last of the Renegades (1964) and Amongst Vultures (1964). He also starred in The Oil Prince (1965) and Old Surehand (1965).

Partnership with Bud Spencer

Terence Hill in Django, Prepare a Coffin (1968)

Terence Hill then acted with Bud Spencer (who was still known as Carlo Pedersoli) in the Western movie God Forgives... I Don't! (1967). Even though they were in the same movie, Hannibal, in 1959, they didn't actually meet during filming. For Westerns made in Italy, actors often chose American names to help sell the movies in other countries. So, Mario Girotti changed his name to "Terence Hill." He chose it from a list of 20 names he was given. This movie was a huge success in Italy and made him a star.

Terence Hill (right) with Bud Spencer in They Call Me Trinity (1970)

After this, Hill made another Western called Django, Prepare a Coffin (1968). In this film, he played the character Django, which was originally played by another actor in an earlier movie. He then reunited with Bud Spencer in Ace High (1968). This was a follow-up to God Forgives... I Don't!.

Hill and Spencer had a massive hit with the comedy Western They Call Me Trinity (1971). Hill also made a pirate movie, Blackie the Pirate (1971), where Spencer had a small part. They then teamed up again for a sequel to Trinity, called Trinity Is Still My Name (1972). This movie was even more popular than the first one.

They continued to make movies together, including ... All the Way, Boys! (1972), which was their first adventure film that wasn't a Western.

International Films

Terence Hill has said that My Name Is Nobody (1973) is his favorite film. In this movie, he starred with the famous actor Henry Fonda. The idea for the film came from director Sergio Leone.

Terence Hill and Bud Spencer in Watch Out, We're Mad! (1974)

Hill and Spencer starred together again in Watch Out, We're Mad! (1974) and Two Missionaries (1974). Hill then made a Western without Spencer, called A Genius, Two Partners and a Dupe (1975). He later moved from Italy to live in the United States.

He was cast in his first English-language film, Mr. Billion (1977). After returning to Italy for Crime Busters (1977) with Spencer, Hill made another English-language movie, March or Die (1977).

Even though he spoke Italian and English very well, other actors often provided his voice in his films. For English versions, he started dubbing his own voice from Mr. Billion onwards.

Hill and Spencer continued their successful partnership in many more films. These included Odds and Evens (1978), I'm for the Hippopotamus (1979), Who Finds a Friend Finds a Treasure (1981), and Go for It (1983).

Becoming a Director

Terence Hill directed his first movie, The World of Don Camillo (1984), where he also acted and produced. He teamed up with Bud Spencer again for Double Trouble (1984) and Miami Supercops (1985). He then made They Call Me Renegade (1987), which was based on a story he wrote.

Television Career

Hill directed and starred in the film Lucky Luke (1991), which was filmed in the United States. This movie led to a TV series of the same name.

He reunited with Bud Spencer one last time for the movie Troublemakers (1994), which Hill also directed.

In 2000, he took on the main role in the Italian TV series Don Matteo. In this show, he played an inspiring priest who helps the police solve crimes in his community. This role was very popular and earned him an "Outstanding Actor of the Year" award at the Monte Carlo Television Festival. Terence Hill left Don Matteo in 2022 after 13 seasons.

While working on Don Matteo, he also appeared in TV movies like L'uomo che sognava con le aquile (2009) and Doc West (2009). He also helped direct Doc West and Triggerman (2009).

In 2010, Hill filmed another Italian TV series called Un passo dal cielo (One Step from Heaven). In this show, he played a chief of the state foresters in the Alto Adige region.

Terence Hill directed the 2018 film My Name Is Thomas, where he also acted. In the same year, a video game called Bud Spencer & Terence Hill: Slaps and Beans was released, featuring both him and Bud Spencer.

Personal Life

Terence Hill is married to Lori Hill. They have two sons: Jess, born in 1969, and Ross, who was adopted in 1973. Sadly, Ross passed away in a car accident in 1990 in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, U.S. This happened while Hill was getting ready to film Lucky Luke (1991).

He is a citizen of the United States. In November 2022, he also became a German citizen. He received this citizenship because his mother was German.

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles

Video Games

See also

In Spanish: Terence Hill para niños