Iconic ’70s Actor, Whose Career Spans 75 Years, Turns 87
Iconic ’70s Actor, Whose Career Spans 75 Years, Turns 87
Olivia KlimekSun, March 29, 2026 at 6:34 PM UTC
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Terence Hill, the iconic Italian actor of the 1970s, turns 87 years old today.
Born on March 29, 1939, in Venice, Italy, as Mario Girotti, Hill developed a love for film at an early age. At 12 years old, he was discovered by director Dino Risi, which began his acting career. In 1957, he starred in his first musical, Guaglione, leading to his first taste of stardom in Italy.
Throughout the late 1950s, Hill continued to be cast in Italian film. Some of his early work included Lazzarella (1957) and Cerasella (1959), which solidified him as a prominent fresh face in the acting world.
In the 1964, Hill transitioned from Italian film to European westerns, moving to Germany in an effort to avoid being typecast as a teenager. Hill changed his name around this time, marking a distinct shift in his career. In 1970, he starred in the Spaghetti Western film, Lo chiamavano Trinità... (They Call Me Trinity) with Bud Spencer, a movie credited with launching him into global stardom.
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Italian actor Terence Hill sitting beside Italian actor Bud Spencer in the film Watch Out, We're Mad!.. in Rome, 1974. Mondadori via Getty Images (Mondadori via Getty Images)
Throughout his six-decade spanning career, Hill has been featured in over 79 films. Some of his most famous works include, Watch Out, We're Mad! (1974), Crime Busters (1977), Odds and Evens (1978), Who Finds a Friend Finds a Treasure (1981) and Double Trouble (1984).
Due to his dedication to the film industry, Hill has been nominated for four Jupiter Awards for Best International Actor and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Arts and Popular Culture Program. Hill's lifetime of film has built him a legacy as one of the most enduring figures in international cinema.
Related: Beloved ’80s Actor From Highest-Grossing Film of 1986 Turns 65
This story was originally published by Parade on Mar 29, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
