They Called Him Bulldozer

They Called Him Bulldozer is a 1978 Italian-West German action comedy directed by Michele Lupo, built around beefy tough-guy star Bud Spencer as the title character, a former American football player working as a sailor. After an accident leaves him stuck ashore in the port city of Livorno, Bulldozer gets pulled into a local sporting contest and uses his brawn to shake up the people around him, with brawls and slapstick set pieces typical of the era's Spencer vehicles.

The supporting cast includes Raimund Harmstorf, Reinhard Kolldehoff and boxer-turned-actor Joe Bugner, alongside Italian character players such as Giovanni Cianfriglia and Nello Pazzafini in smaller roles. Marcello Fondato, Francesco Scardamaglia and Rainer Brandt worked on the script, blending a light comic tone with the muscular set pieces that made Spencer a box-office draw across Europe. Released under alternate titles including Uppercut in some markets, the film opened in West Germany on 6 October 1978, following the pattern of other Spencer comedies pairing a burly hero with broad, brawling humor.