Thin film growth and electronic structure Of C-60 on Ni(1 1 1) and Cu(1 1 1) were studied by reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). A single-crystalline C-60 film is found to grow heteroepitaxially on Ni(1 1 1) with a 4 x 4 structure. The EELS results show peak broadening and energy shifts of pi-plasmon and interband transitions. The binding energy of the g(g) + h(g) orbital decreases through the interaction with the Cu 3d band for C-60/Cu(1 1 1), while the binding energy of the h(u) orbital increases through the interaction with the Ni 3d band for C-60/Ni(1 1 1). The shift of the binding energy of the C-60 orbital can be explained by the position of the C-60 orbital relative to the metal 3d band. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.