Terence Hill, born Mario Girotti on 29 March 1939 in Venice, is a well-known actor. He is famous for spaghetti westerns and playing Don Matteo. His career has lasted more than seven decades in Italian cinema and television.
Hill spent part of his childhood in Germany before moving to Rome, the centre of Italy’s film industry. His entry into cinema was by chance. At 12 years old, director Dino Risi spotted him and cast him in Vacanze col gangster. The adventure film follows five children who help a fugitive gangster.
From then on, roles came quickly. He later appeared in Luchino Visconti’s Il Gattopardo (The Leopard, 1963) with Burt Lancaster, Claudia Cardinale, and Alain Delon. He used his real name, Mario Girotti, in the film.
Reinventing himself for Spaghetti Westerns
In the 1960s, during the rise of Italian-made westerns, he adopted the stage name Terence Hill. A producer suggested actors with American-sounding names had better chances of success. Hill chose his surname to honour his German-born mother, Hildegard. He picked his first name after the Roman poet Terence.
His partnership with Bud Spencer became one of the most famous in Italian cinema. The duo starred in successful comedy-westerns, including They Call Me Trinity (1971) and Trinity Is Still My Name (1972). Hill also starred in My Name is Nobody (1973) alongside Hollywood legend Henry Fonda. These films blended action with humour and made him popular.
The rise of Don Matteo
Hill’s career changed direction in 2000 when he accepted the lead role in Don Matteo. The television series followed a parish priest who solved crimes. Set in Gubbio and later in Spoleto, it became one of Italy’s most successful TV series. It aired on Rai1 for over 22 years.
Hill played Don Matteo Bondini, a wise and compassionate priest. He worked with Carabinieri officer Antonio Cecchini, played by comedian Nino Frassica, to solve local crimes. His kind nature and investigative skills made him a favourite with audiences.
After 13 seasons and 259 episodes, Hill retired from the role in 2021 at 82 years old. His final scenes were filmed in Spoleto, where the cast and crew gave him an emotional farewell. His departure ended a long period in the show’s history.
