Popular spaghetti western star dies in Rome aged 86.

The burly Italian actor Bud Spencer, who starred in numerous spaghetti western films, died in Rome aged 86, on 27 June.

Born Carlo Pedersoli in Naples in 1929, Spencer moved to Rome in the early 1950s, gaining recognition first as a champion professional swimmer and later as an actor. In 1967 he changed his stage name to Bud Spencer, reportedly in homage to the actor Spencer Tracy and Budweiser, his favourite beer.

Spencer played in over 130 films but is best remembered for his role in spaghetti westerns such as They Call Me Trinity (1970) and My Name is Nobody (1973), together with co-star Terence Hill.

His death has generated a flood of tributes from the around the world, including messages from Italian premier Matteo Renzi and Australian actor Russell Crowe.

Spencer died just days before the Ragazzi del Cinema America pay homage to the late Italian film director and creator of the spaghetti western genre Sergio Leone, by screening his films on the Scalea di Tamburino staircase, off Viale Glorioso in Trastevere, from 30 June to 6 July.