Almost seven years have passed since the death of one of the greatest artists of Italian cinema, one half of the iconic duo that has shaped entire generations and continues to delight with their movies. Carlo Pedersoli, known on and off the screen with his stage name Bud Spencer, died on the 27^th of June 2016, leaving thousands around the world who grew up with his movies and who considered him as a part of their families.

When speaking of Bud Spencer, you cannot help but complete the sentence with the name of the other half of the iconic action duo, his friend and scene partner Terence Hill. Together they formed one of the most popular comedy team in the world, active from 1965 until 1994 in 18 movies, entertaining aficionados of all ages thanks to their humour and wild adventures.

Movieitaly+ inaugurates a new curated collection in their ICONS section dedicated to the unforgettable titles of these two world famous and beloved actors, recalling their whole career together. A marathon perfect for a family watch that will guarantee laughs and hours of entertainment! Don’t miss the chance to review the best performances of Bud Spencer & Terence Hill on Movieitaly+, the first streaming platform all’italiana, using a special discount dedicated to WeTheItalians magazine readers for 10% OFF on the Yearly Subscription: Movieitaly4WTI.

The two actors started their career as a duo in the movie God Forgives...I don’t! (1967) by Giuseppe Colizzi. Peter Martell was originally chosen as the leading actor next to Spencer, but the day before the first shoot Martell broke his foot and was replaced by Hill: this was the event that launched their partnership. The two stage names were chosen to give the film a better chance of selling in non-Italian speaking countries; Bud Spencer’s name seems to have been inspired by the famous beer “Bud Weiser” and by the actor “Spencer Tracy”. The director couldn’t help but notice the explosive power of their intuitive synergy and started casting them together in more films.

The pair became synonymous with a certain type of movie, a new type of the spaghetti westerns genre with more humour and gags and less killing, like the iconic title Boot Hill (1969), in which they reprised their famous roles of gunman Cat Stevens (Hill) and Hutch (Spencer) who fight against an oppressive town boss with the unusual alliance of performers from a travelling circus, using comedic schemes to prevail. While bulky Spencer uses his physical strength, with more humour than violence, the second one, the fascinating Hill, prefers using his cunning and agility.

 They later ventured into various genres, especially action comedies like Crime Busters – Due superpiedi quasi piatti (1977) and Miami supercops (1985), or the iconic Go for it – Nati con la camicia (1983) and the adventure comedy Who finds a friend finds a treasure – Chi trova un amico trova un tesoro (1981), but also Odds and Evens – Pari e dispari (1978) and Double Trouble – Non c’è due senza quattro (1984).

By the end of the 1970’s they had become famous all over the world, from Europe to North and South America, Australia and South Africa, receiving the public’s attention and fan letters from everywhere. The overwhelming professional success of their work gifted audiences not only with years of genuine laughter and entertainment but also with the image of a sincere personal friendship, on and off screen. As proof of the affection of the foreign public, in June 2021, The Bud Spencer Museum opened in Berlin to celebrate the life and career of the great actor, who was much loved by the German public.

Even in Italy years go by but time does not weaken the interest in the Italian duo: this July the beloved couple of actors will be celebrated in the lovely city of Gubbio - to which Terence Hill is particularly attached thanks to a famous Italian television series­­ ­- for the first Italian edition of the “SpencerHill Festival”, that will transform the Umbrian town into a must-see for fans and cinema enthusiasts.

What better time to honour Bud Spencer’s legacy and rewatch the most amazing performances of the two Italian icons?

Check out the collection on www.movieitalyplus.com!