Lee Van Cleef
Acting
Born: January 9, 1925 · Somerville, New Jersey, USA
Died: December 16, 1989 (aged 64)
Highest Rated
Biography
Clarence LeRoy "Lee" Van Cleef Jr. (January 9, 1925 – December 16, 1989) was an American actor best known for his roles in Spaghetti Westerns such as For A Few Dollars More and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Hatchet-faced with piercing eyes, he had declined to have his nose altered to play a sympathetic character in his film debut, High Noon, and was relegated to a non-speaking outlaw as a result. For a decade he was typecast as a minor villain, his sinister features overshadowing his acting skills. After suffering serious injuries in a car crash, Van Cleef began to lose interest in his apparently waning career by the time Sergio Leone gave him a major role in For a Few Dollars More. The film made him a box-office draw, especially in Europe. Despite suffering from heart disease from the late 1970s and having a pacemaker installed in the early 1980s, Van Cleef continued to work in films until his death on December 16, 1989, at age 64. He was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Hollywood Hills, California, with an inscription on his grave marker referring to his many acting performances as a villain: "BEST OF THE BAD".
Known for
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
1966
For a Few Dollars More
1965
Escape from New York
1981
High Noon
1952
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
1962
The Twilight Zone
1959
How the West Was Won
1962
Bonanza
1959
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
1957
Death Rides a Horse
1967
Zorro
1957
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms
1953
Photos (8)
Movies (89)
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Sentenza / Angel Eyes
For a Few Dollars More
Col. Douglas Mortimer
Escape from New York
Police Commissioner Bob Hauk
High Noon
Jack Colby
How the West Was Won
River Pirate
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Ed Bailey
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Reese
The Magnificent Seven Ride!
Marshal Chris Adams
Kansas City Confidential
Tony Romano
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms
Corp. Stone
The Tin Star
Ed McGaffey
The Young Lions
1st Sgt. Rickett
Ten Wanted Men
Al Drucker
Death Rides a Horse
Ryan
The Bravados
Alfonso Parral
The Big Combo
Fante
The Squeeze
Chris Gretchko / Ray Sloan
Day of Anger
Frank Talby
Beyond the Law
Billy Joe Cudlip
Ride Lonesome
Frank
The Octagon
McCarn
Sabata
Sabata
Speed Zone
Grandfather
Barquero
Travis
Posse from Hell
Leo
The Conqueror
Chepei
China Gate
Maj. Cham
Last Stagecoach West
Steve Margolies
Bad Man's River
Roy King
Untamed Frontier
Dave Chittun
The Grand Duel
Sheriff Clayton
God's Gun
Father John / Lewis
The Big Gundown
Jonathan Corbett
The Lonely Man
Faro
Princess of the Nile
Hakar (uncredited)
Pardners
Gus
The Lawless Breed
Dirk Hanley
El Condor
Jaroo
Day of the Badman
Jake Hayes
Captain Apache
Capt. Apache
A Man Alone
Clanton
Vice Squad
Pete Monty
The Naked Street
Harry Goldish (uncredited)
Take a Hard Ride
Kiefer
Mean Frank and Crazy Tony
Frankie
Return of Sabata
Sabata / Major
Commandos
MSgt. Sullivan
Tribute to a Bad Man
Fat Jones
Armed Response
Burt Roth
The Desperado
Paul Clayton/Buck Clayton
The Stranger and the Gunfighter
Dakota
Joe Dakota
Adam Grant
Code Name: Wild Geese
Archie 'China' Travers
It Conquered the World
Dr. Tom Anderson
The Yellow Tomahawk
Fire Knife
Rails Into Laramie
Ace Winton
Machete
Miguel
Accused of Murder
Police Sgt. Emmett Lackey
The Quiet Gun
Doug Sadler
Master Ninja
John Peter McAllister
Dawn at Socorro
Earl Ferris
Klaus Kinski: I'm not an actor
Col. Douglas Mortimer (archive footage)
Tumbleweed
Marv
Killing Machine
Julot
Master Ninja II
John Peter McAllister
Jungle Raiders
Warren
Arrow In The Dust
Tillotson Henchman
The Commander
Col. Mazzarini
Gun Battle at Monterey
Kirby
Arena
Smitty
The Road to Denver
Pecos Larry
Guns Girls and Gangsters
Mike Bennett
The Slowest Gun in the West
Sam Bass
Treasure of Ruby Hills
Frank Emmett
Raiders of Old California
Damon Pardee
Kid Vengeance
McClain
Gypsy Colt
Hank
I Cover the Underworld
Flash Logan
The Vanishing American
Jay Lord
Nowhere to Hide
Ike Scanlon
Jack Slade
Bolt Mackay
The Bandits of Corsica
Nerva
The Badge of Marshal Brennan
Shad Donaphin
The Master Ninja 5
John Peter McAllister
The Perfect Killer
Harry Chapman
The Hard Way
McNeal
The Nebraskan
Pvt. Reno Benton
Thieves of Fortune
Sergio Danielo Christophero
White Lightning
Brutus Allen
TV Shows (73)
Perry Mason
Edward Doyle · 1 eps
The Andy Griffith Show
Skip · 1 eps
Bonanza
Appling · 1 eps
The Rifleman
4 eps
Wagon Train
Rufe Beal · 1 eps
The Twilight Zone
Steinhart · 1 eps
Have Gun, Will Travel
Golias · 1 eps
Have Gun, Will Travel
Corbin · 1 eps
Maverick
1 eps
The Untouchables
Frank Diamond · 2 eps
Cheyenne
Braden · 1 eps
Cheyenne
Harry Bittercreek Bartender · 1 eps
Rawhide
Fred Grant · 1 eps
Rawhide
Deck Sommers · 1 eps
Four Star Playhouse
Bob Wheeler aka Sonora Kid · 1 eps
The Lone Ranger
Bull Harper · 1 eps
The Lone Ranger
Jango · 1 eps
Lawman
1 eps
Lawman
Deputy Clyde Wilson · 1 eps
Lawman
Ned Scott · 1 eps
Gunsmoke
Rad · 1 eps
Gunsmoke
John Hooker · 1 eps
Gunsmoke
Ike Jeffords · 1 eps
Zorro
1 eps
Wanted: Dead or Alive
Jumbo Kane · 1 eps
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
Ed Murdock · 1 eps
Hawaiian Eye
1 eps
77 Sunset Strip
1 eps
77 Sunset Strip
Majeski · 1 eps
Tombstone Territory
Sam Carver · 1 eps
Tombstone Territory
1 eps
Branded
4 eps
The Ford Television Theatre
1 eps
The Ford Television Theatre
Stanley Perrin · 1 eps
The Deputy
Cherokee Kid · 1 eps
The Gene Autry Show
Hod - Henchman · 1 eps
The Gene Autry Show
Henchman Ray · 1 eps
Studio 57
1 eps
Studio 57
Tommy · 1 eps
City Detective
1 eps
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
Peak · 1 eps
Bronco
1 eps
Bronco
Shanghai Williams · 1 eps
Trackdown
Ben Fraser · 1 eps
Cavalcade of America
2 eps
Cavalcade of America
1st Mate Hawl Finch · 1 eps
Laredo
1 eps
Black Saddle
Frank Sandoe · 1 eps
Annie Oakley
Amos Belcher · 1 eps
Annie Oakley
Tim Brennan · 1 eps
The Adventures of Kit Carson
6 eps
Riverboat
Luke Cragg · 1 eps
Boston Blackie
Captain Jansen · 1 eps
Boston Blackie
Lou · 1 eps
Stagecoach West
Lin Hyatt · 1 eps
Law of the Plainsman
Tracey · 1 eps
Mr. Lucky
Kruger · 1 eps
My Mother the Car
1 eps
Yancy Derringer
Ike Milton · 1 eps
Stories of the Century
Jesse James · 1 eps
The Master
John Peter McAllister · 13 eps
The Adventures of Champion
Frank · 1 eps
The Alaskans
1 eps
The Dakotas
1 eps
Wire Service
Al Sanders · 1 eps
Buffalo Bill Jr.
2 eps
General Electric Theater
Dave Rudabaugh · 1 eps
Casey Jones
Mort Clio · 1 eps
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Dallas Clancy · 1 eps
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Sheriff · 1 eps
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Larkin · 1 eps
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Wink · 1 eps
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Cowboy · 1 eps
