Lee Van Cleef
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- January 9, 1925
- Died
- December 16, 1989 (aged 64)
- Birthplace
- Somerville, New Jersey, USA
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
Photos
Filmography
The Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Peter Baumgartner, Filmkameramann
Movie · as (archive footage)
Klaus Kinski: I'm not an actor
Movie · as Col. Douglas Mortimer (archive footage)
Thieves of Fortune
Movie · as Sergio Danielo Christophero
The Best of the Martial Arts Films
Movie · as Self
Speed Zone
Movie · as Grandfather
The Commander
Movie · as Col. Mazzarini
Armed Response
Movie · as Burt Roth
Jungle Raiders
Movie · as Warren
The Master Ninja 5
Movie · as John Peter McAllister
Killing Machine
Movie · as Julot
Code Name: Wild Geese
Movie · as Archie 'China' Travers
Master Ninja
Movie · as John Peter McAllister
Master Ninja II
Movie · as John Peter McAllister
The Master
TV · as John Peter McAllister · 13 eps
Escape from New York
Movie · as Police Commissioner Bob Hauk
The Octagon
Movie · as McCarn
The Hard Way
Movie · as McNeal
When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion
Movie · as Self
The Squeeze
Movie · as Chris Gretchko / Ray Sloan
The Perfect Killer
Movie · as Harry Chapman
Nowhere to Hide
Movie · as Ike Scanlon
Kid Vengeance
Movie · as McClain
God's Gun
Movie · as Father John / Lewis
Take a Hard Ride
Movie · as Kiefer
The Stranger and the Gunfighter
Movie · as Dakota
Mean Frank and Crazy Tony
Movie · as Frankie
The Magnificent Seven Ride!
Movie · as Marshal Chris Adams
The Grand Duel
Movie · as Sheriff Clayton
Return of Sabata
Movie · as Sabata / Major
Bad Man's River
Movie · as Roy King
Captain Apache
Movie · as Capt. Apache
Barquero
Movie · as Travis
El Condor
Movie · as Jaroo
Sabata
Movie · as Sabata
Beyond the Law
Movie · as Billy Joe Cudlip
Commandos
Movie · as MSgt. Sullivan
The Big Gundown
Movie · as Jonathan Corbett
Death Rides a Horse
Movie · as Ryan
Day of Anger
Movie · as Frank Talby
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Movie · as Sentenza / Angel Eyes
Blade Rider, Revenge of the Indian Nations
Movie · as Charlie Yates
For a Few Dollars More
Movie · as Col. Douglas Mortimer
Laredo
TV · 1 ep
My Mother the Car
TV · 1 ep
Branded
TV · 4 eps
The Dakotas
TV · 1 ep
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Movie · as Reese
How the West Was Won
Movie · as River Pirate
Posse from Hell
Movie · as Leo
The Slowest Gun in the West
Movie · as Sam Bass
The Andy Griffith Show
TV · as Skip · 1 ep
Stagecoach West
TV · as Lin Hyatt · 1 ep
Ride Lonesome
Movie · as Frank
Guns Girls and Gangsters
Movie · as Mike Bennett
Hawaiian Eye
TV · 1 ep
Rawhide
TV · as Fred Grant, Deck Sommers · 1 ep
The Alaskans
TV · 1 ep
Black Saddle
TV · as Frank Sandoe · 1 ep
Law of the Plainsman
TV · as Tracey · 1 ep
Riverboat
TV · as Luke Cragg · 1 ep
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
TV · as Peak · 1 ep
The Deputy
TV · as Cherokee Kid · 1 ep
The Untouchables
TV · as Frank Diamond · 2 eps
Bonanza
TV · as Appling · 1 ep
The Twilight Zone
TV · as Steinhart · 1 ep
Mr. Lucky
TV · as Kruger · 1 ep
The Young Lions
Movie · as 1st Sgt. Rickett
The Bravados
Movie · as Alfonso Parral
Machete
Movie · as Miguel
Day of the Badman
Movie · as Jake Hayes
77 Sunset Strip
TV · as Majeski · 1 ep
Yancy Derringer
TV · as Ike Milton · 1 ep
Bronco
TV · as Shanghai Williams · 1 ep
Wanted: Dead or Alive
TV · as Jumbo Kane · 1 ep
The Rifleman
TV · 4 eps
Lawman
TV · as Deputy Clyde Wilson, Ned Scott · 1 ep
The Tin Star
Movie · as Ed McGaffey
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Movie · as Ed Bailey
The Lonely Man
Movie · as Faro
China Gate
Movie · as Maj. Cham
Raiders of Old California
Movie · as Damon Pardee
Joe Dakota
Movie · as Adam Grant
The Badge of Marshal Brennan
Movie · as Shad Donaphin
The Quiet Gun
Movie · as Doug Sadler
Gun Battle at Monterey
Movie · as Kirby
Last Stagecoach West
Movie · as Steve Margolies
Perry Mason
TV · as Edward Doyle · 1 ep
Zorro
TV · 1 ep
Have Gun, Will Travel
TV · as Golias, Corbin · 1 ep
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
TV · as Ed Murdock · 1 ep
Maverick
TV · 1 ep
Casey Jones
TV · as Mort Clio · 1 ep
Trackdown
TV · as Ben Fraser · 1 ep
Tombstone Territory
TV · as Sam Carver · 1 ep
Wagon Train
TV · as Rufe Beal · 1 ep
Pardners
Movie · as Gus
It Conquered the World
Movie · as Dr. Tom Anderson
Accused of Murder
Movie · as Police Sgt. Emmett Lackey
Tribute to a Bad Man
Movie · as Fat Jones
The Conqueror
Movie · as Chepei
Wire Service
TV · as Al Sanders · 1 ep
State Trooper
TV · as Frank Parnessa · 1 ep
The Big Combo
Movie · as Fante
Ten Wanted Men
Movie · as Al Drucker
Treasure of Ruby Hills
Movie · as Frank Emmett
The Vanishing American
Movie · as Jay Lord
A Man Alone
Movie · as Clanton
I Cover the Underworld
Movie · as Flash Logan
The Road to Denver
Movie · as Pecos Larry
The Naked Street
Movie · as Harry Goldish (uncredited)
Gunsmoke
TV · as Rad, John Hooker, Ike Jeffords · 1 ep
The Adventures of Champion
TV · as Frank · 1 ep
Buffalo Bill Jr.
TV · 2 eps
Cheyenne
TV · as Braden, Harry Bittercreek Bartender, Larry Jackson · 1 ep
Gypsy Colt
Movie · as Hank
Arrow In The Dust
Movie · as Tillotson Henchman
Dawn at Socorro
Movie · as Earl Ferris
Princess of the Nile
Movie · as Hakar (uncredited)
The Yellow Tomahawk
Movie · as Fire Knife
Rails Into Laramie
Movie · as Ace Winton
The Desperado
Movie · as Paul Clayton/Buck Clayton
Studio 57
TV · as Tommy · 1 ep
Annie Oakley
TV · as Amos Belcher, Tim Brennan · 1 ep
Stories of the Century
TV · as Jesse James · 1 ep
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms
Movie · as Corp. Stone
Vice Squad
Movie · as Pete Monty
The Bandits of Corsica
Movie · as Nerva
Arena
Movie · as Smitty
The Nebraskan
Movie · as Pvt. Reno Benton
Jack Slade
Movie · as Bolt Mackay
Tumbleweed
Movie · as Marv
White Lightning
Movie · as Brutus Allen
General Electric Theater
TV · as Dave Rudabaugh · 1 ep
City Detective
TV · 1 ep
High Noon
Movie · as Jack Colby
Kansas City Confidential
Movie · as Tony Romano
The Lawless Breed
Movie · as Dirk Hanley
Untamed Frontier
Movie · as Dave Chittun
Cavalcade of America
TV · as 1st Mate Hawl Finch · 2 eps
The Ford Television Theatre
TV · as Stanley Perrin · 1 ep
Four Star Playhouse
TV · as Bob Wheeler aka Sonora Kid · 1 ep
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
TV · as Dallas Clancy, Wink, Sheriff, Larkin, Cowboy · 1 ep
The Adventures of Kit Carson
TV · 6 eps
Boston Blackie
TV · as Captain Jansen, Lou · 1 ep
The Gene Autry Show
TV · as Hod - Henchman, Henchman Ray · 1 ep
Space Patrol
TV · as Ward · 1 ep
The Lone Ranger
TV · as Bull Harper, Jango · 1 ep