Bud Spencer, birthname Carlo Pedersoli; was born on October 31, 1929, and died on June 27, 2016.
He was an Italian actor, filmmaker, and professional swimmer.
Spencer was known for action-comedy roles with his long-time film partner Terence Hill.
He was a well known successful swimmer in his youth, he obtained a degree in law and registered several patents.
Bud Spencer also became a certified commercial airline and helicopter pilot, and supported and funded many children’s charities, including the Spencer Scholarship Fund.
Together Spencer and Hill appeared in, produced and directed over 20 films together.
As a professional swimmer in his youth, Bud was the first Italian to swim the 100 m freestyle in less than one minute.
Spencer achieved this on 19 September 1950, when he swam the 100 m in 59.5 s.
During the 1951 Mediterranean Games, spencer won a silver medal in the same 100 m freestyle event.
Spencer took part in the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland, reaching the semi-finals in the 100 m freestyle (58.8 s heats, 58.9 s semi final).
The after 4 years, in Melbourne, Bud also entered the semi-finals in the same category (58.5 s heat, 59.0 s semi final).
Bud was given the Caimano d’oro (Gold Caiman) on 17 January 2005, by the Italian Swimming Federation.
Bud Spencer received from the Italian Swimming Federation’s president Paolo Barelli, swim and water polo coach diploma, on January 24, 2007.
His first film role was in Quel fantasma di mio marito, an Italian comedy shot in 1949 and released in 1950, followed by a member of the Praetorian Guard in Quo Vadis, a film shot in Italy, in 1951.
In the 1950s and part of the 1960s, Spencer appeared in some Italian films but “his career was strictly minor league until the late 1960s.”
During 1967, he changed his screen name, choosing to pay homage to Spencer Tracy as well as his favorite beer, Budweiser.
Then he met his future film partner, Terence Hill, on the set of Hannibal in 1959.
Together they worked on over 20 films.
Bud Spencer passed away at 86 yrs old.