Terence Hill Turns 80

Terence Hill turns 80 - The whipping boy with the blue eyes

Terence Hill has become a cool, fast-paced bully. At the same time he did not like acting at first.

Author: Britta Gfeller

"If you try me again, I'll pay you with a dent in the gherkin!" Fans say they like Terence Hill for decades. The Italian has appeared in about 90 films.

Hill started as Mario Girotti. The famous pseudonym he started using at 28 years of age.

Subscribed to the pretty lover

The 12-year-old Mario Girotti had his first fight in the adventure movie "Vacanze col Gangster" (1951). He played the gang leader Gianni. What nobody knew then: For such aa beating he would later gain huge fame.

In the following years Mario Girotti was frequently working in films. Because of his blond hair and blue eyes he was often cast as a young lover.

But he did not want an acting career. Because he had stage fright. Later he said in an interview: "I did not like acting. I was always so nervous, it was an incredible effort."

"You can forget my first films"

Although his first successes were already apparent, he started to study literature after grammar school. He paid this through further film engagements. In retrospect, he judges this time critically: "You can forget all my first films."

In his 27th film. What many do not know: Mario Girotti played in Luchino Visconti's famous historical drama The Leopard” (1963) as a count.

In "The Leopard”, he acts with such greats as Burt Lancaster, Alain Delon and Claudia Cardinale. "From then on, I wanted to adhere to an acting career," he says.

Girotti quit his studies and moved to Germany. Because he was afraid to be in Italy and continued to be cast in the role of a girl magnet.

New name within 24 hours

His plan worked. In the legendary Karl May film adaptation "Winnetou II" (1964) he played a lieutenant. Other roles in German action productions followed.

At the same time, however, Girotti kept his eye on the film scene in his home country. When the first Italo-westerns came to the cinemas, he sensed his chance.

He returned to Italy. And was soon hired for the Western "Dio perdona ... io no!" (God Forgives, I Don’t) (1967).

At that time, the producers thought movies with American names sold better. That's why the whole crew had to change their names.

Mario Girotti was given a list of suggestions. Within 24 hours he had to choose one. The choice fell on Terence Hill, because he could pronounce this.

That Hill got the role in "Dio perdona ... io no!" What fate, he says later. He could step in for an injured actor (Peter Martell). This commitment changed his career. Because of his buddy Bud Spencer.

The rest is history. They appeared in 18 films together. Flat jokes, brawls and feeding sprees became their trademark. And the two were stars for several generations.

Terence Hill celebrated his 80th birthday on March 29th. And he is still in demand. From his TV series "Don Matteo" already is in its eleventh season. Only last year he shot again a movie. Even though Mario Girotti did not want to be an actor at first.