Terence Hill (born Mario Girotti; 29 March 1939) is an Italian actor, film director, screenwriter and producer. He began his career as a child actor and gained international fame for starring roles in action and comedy films, many with longtime film partner and friend Bud Spencer. During the height of his popularity Hill was among Italy’s highest-paid actors. But few people know that he has been acting since a very young age.
Terence Hill was 12 years old when he starred in the movie Vacation with the Thug
It was Terence Hill in his first film role. Terence Hill, originally Mario Girotti, was born on March 29, 1939 in Venice, to a German mother (Hildegard Thieme) and an Italian father (Giroamo Girotti), a chemist. From 1942 to 1945, they lived with their mother’s parents in the small town of Lommatzsch in Saxony, where they also survived the bombing of nearby Dresden. Among other things, the city has commemorated its famous resident by naming the local beach Terence Hill Freibad.
They moved back to Italy in 1945, Mario attended Amelia School since 1947. It was discovered in 1951 by Italian film director Dino Risi for his upcoming film. He and his family moved to Rome that same year. After that, he received supporting and leading roles in a total of 27 films, until 1963 he was able to play his first leading role in Luchino Visconti’s The Panther. You can now watch an excerpt from the aforementioned 1951 film: boy Mario, aka Terence Hill, was 12 years old at the time. Here’s his performance in Vacation with the Gangster: