Terence Hill and Bud Spencer were not supposed to meet each other and form one of the most popular team in cinema history.
Carlo Pedersoli was an olympic athlet before he begun his actor career only at the age of 38. But in the fifties, he used to make extras in several films like « Hannibal » (Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia and Edgar G. Ulmer-1959), in which Mario Girotti had a supporting role !
In 1968, Carlo Pedersoli was chosen by Giuseppe Colizzi to play a tough guy in the spaghetti western « God forgives, I don't » with Peter Martell (Pietro Martellanza). After four days of shooting, Martell broke his leg by falling from horse. Mario Girotti replaced him and played for the first time with Carlo Pedersoli. Terence Hill and Bud Spencer were born.
1969, of course, is the year of « They call me Trinity », one of their most famous movies. But again, Terence Hill was not supposed to play the role. During the shooting of « Django » (Sergio Corbucci-1965), the cameraman Enzo Barboni (better know under the name of « E.B. Clucher ») asked Franco Nero to be Trinity. « I said : 'Listen, I have to go to America to do 'Camelot' and you know, I couldn't do it.' So they got an actor who looked like me and it was Terence Hill... » (Giallo Pages #3-1994)
After « Trinity is still my name », they made their last serious film, « Blackie, the pirate », a pirate adventure directed by Vincent Thomas in 1972.
« All the way boys » (1972) was their first modern film. Farewell Colts and ships ! Spencer and Hill drove airplanes and cars. But the year after, Bud made a team with another guy (in the Hill-style), the famous Giuliano Gemma, in « Even Angels eat beans », directed by Trinity-maker Enzo Barboni.
Hill and Spencer made « Watch out, we're mad » (1973), « Two missionaries » (1974), « Two supercops » (1976), « Odds and evens » (1978), « I'm for the hippopotamus » (1979), etc, together. The success was huge.
In 1984, Terence Hill directed his first movie : « Don Camillo ». He played the famous priest and Colin Blakely was the mayor Peppone. « Bud Spencer could have played Peppone, Terence Hill explained. Buth then, we would have done a Terence Hill Bud Spencer movie , with everything that it implies. We would not have had enough freedom. We could not have shot « Don Camillo » while respecting this piece as I did. » (in « Starfix » n°2, 1984)
After « Miami supercops » (1985), the two actors made films separetely. The duo should reformed in 1991 for « Speaking of the devil » (Enzo Barboni), but Terence was not available (because of the « Lucky Luke » series) and French actor Thierry Lhermitte took the part.
After 14 years of waiting, they met again in « Troublemakers », a Trinity-like western written by Terence Hill's son and produced by Bud Spencer's. Hill directed himself this comedy filled with references to « They call me Trinity », « My name is Nobody », « For a few dollars more » and « The good, the bad and the ugly ».
When « Troublemakers » was released, the two friends announced that they were going to shoot a new version of « Don Quichotte ». Today, the project does not exist anymore. Hill and Spencer continue their own carrers, mainly in television (« We're angels », « Lucky Luke », « Father Brown », etc.)
Bud Spencer was recently at the 16th Paris Film
Festival, dedicated this year to italian movies. On
Sunday april 1st, a golden tablet has been unveiled on
the Champs-Elysées as a tribute to Bud Spencer, who
was accompanied by his wife Maria. Lots of people and
photographers were present at this event. After the
ceremony, Bud Spencer went to another place on the
Champs-Elysées, called « L’atelier Renault », to sign
autographs to his fans. He said to a french journalist
that he comes to Paris every year as a tourist and
that he was happy this time to come and meet the
audience.
You can also see the photos (226 kb) Philippe made from this event.