Bud Spencer

[Flick James]

Well, there's this thing called "America" and then there's this thing called "The rest of the world." Sometimes they influence each other culturally, but there are tons of things like this where something is a household name in another country but nobody here knows or cares about.

I recently found out that Frank Stallone as a musical artist is a big deal in Australia. When he goes there he sells out arenas.

Go figure.

That's news to me, Flick.  I assume that's Sly's brother?  Man, I gotta start watching more tv!

Yes, he's Sly's younger brother, who had some work as both and actor and as a musical artist. I think he wrote some music for the movie Staying Alive and had a song or two in the 80's that came close to being hits. One of my favorites movie roles of his was the film Barfly with Mickey Rourke, where he plays the macho ladies man bartender that the Bukowski character is always getting in fist fights with.

[frank]

Bud Spencer and Terence Hill are (were?) definitely big in Germany in their time, and definitely not just the Western movies.

Interesting thread though. Some well-known actors of my childhood not from the US:

Louis de Funes

Jean Paul Belmondo

hmmm, there should be more...

[claws]

Bud Spencer and Terence Hill are (were?) definitely big in Germany in their time, and definitely not just the Western movies.

They are still idolized in Germany. I notice every other day when browsing German message boards.

[Hammock Rider]

I know him from the Trinity films. Hilarious!

[Neville]

Both Terence Hill and Bud Spencer were wildly popular in Spain during the 80s. When I was a kid I knew them because of their comedic films in contemporary settings, only later I learnt they had been around since the spaghetti western trend. My favourite Spemcer / Hill film is "Watch out, we're mad". I think it was even shot in Spain.

And I have living proof, so to speak, that people here still remember and like Bud Spencer. Here's a TV ad that aired last year in Spain:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8bvKwsAZVA

[The Burgomaster]

I prefer Bud Abbott

[bladerunnerblues]

I was a bit afraid of checking out this thread,thinking that it would say that he had passed away.I was relieved to see I was wrong.
I think the first time I ever saw a Bud Spencer movie,is about 16 or so years back when the local UHF channel showed ALADDIN at 1 A.M.
Something I have been wondering about for years is just how many of their(Bud and Terence) films were shown in US theaters?
I was born in '71 and went to the movies a lot when I was kid,but the only one I know of that played near me(i live just outside of Kansas City MO)is SUPER FUZZ(aka SUPER SNOOPER).

[claws]

Something I have been wondering about for years is just how many of their(Bud and Terence) films were shown in US theaters?

Not very much. It's ironic since most of their films were shot with the overseas market in mind. I guess there was no actual U.S. interest for dubbed beat-em-up comedies in the 70s and 80s.
Like I said before, I used to rent tapes at countless video stores throughout the 80s but non ever had Bud Spencer/Terence Hill except for Aladdin.

[Trevor]

Their movies were and continue to be popular in Zimbabwe and South Africa. 

[Cthulhu]

Their movies were and continue to be popular in Zimbabwe and South Africa. 

Awesome!

[the ghoul]

I'm a big spaghetti western fan, so I am familiar with Bud Spencer.  I've seen both Bud Spencer and Terence Hill in spaghetti westerns together as well as on their own.  That having been said, I guess you would have to count me in as one of the Americans who just doesn't "get" the whole Terence Hill and Bud Spencer thing.  They are pretty much hit and miss for me, but mostly miss.  Overall, I think I've actually liked them better when they go solo rather than as co-stars.