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Lee Van Cleef
Actor

Lee Van Cleef

9 Jan 1925Born
16 Dec 1989Died
64Age at death
144Credits

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.

Read the full biography

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

Filmography

The 80 most recent of 144 credits.

  1. 2014Peter Baumgartner, FilmkameramannFilm: (archive footage)
  2. 2000Klaus Kinski: I'm not an actorFilm: Col. Douglas Mortimer (archive footage)
  3. 1990Thieves of FortuneFilm: Sergio Danielo Christophero
  4. 1989Speed ZoneFilm: Grandfather
  5. 1988The CommanderFilm: Col. Mazzarini
  6. 1986Armed ResponseFilm: Burt Roth
  7. 1985Jungle RaidersFilm: Warren
  8. 1985The Master Ninja 5Film: John Peter McAllister
  9. 1984Code Name: Wild GeeseFilm: Archie 'China' Travers
  10. 1984Killing MachineFilm: Julot
  11. 1984Master NinjaFilm: John Peter McAllister
  12. 1984Master Ninja IIFilm: John Peter McAllister
  13. 1984The MasterSeries: John Peter McAllister (13 episodes)
  14. 1981Escape from New YorkFilm: Police Commissioner Bob Hauk
  15. 1980The OctagonFilm: McCarn
  16. 1980The Hard WayFilm: McNeal
  17. 1978The SqueezeFilm: Chris Gretchko / Ray Sloan
  18. 1977The Perfect KillerFilm: Harry Chapman
  19. 1977Nowhere to HideFilm: Ike Scanlon
  20. 1976Kid VengeanceFilm: McClain
  21. 1976God's GunFilm: Father John / Lewis
  22. 1975Take a Hard RideFilm: Kiefer
  23. 1974The Stranger and the GunfighterFilm: Dakota
  24. 1973Mean Frank and Crazy TonyFilm: Frankie
  25. 1972The Grand DuelFilm: Sheriff Clayton
  26. 1972The Magnificent Seven Ride!Film: Marshal Chris Adams
  27. 1971Captain ApacheFilm: Capt. Apache
  28. 1971Bad Man's RiverFilm: Roy King
  29. 1971Return of SabataFilm: Sabata / Major
  30. 1970BarqueroFilm: Travis
  31. 1970El CondorFilm: Jaroo
  32. 1969SabataFilm: Sabata
  33. 1968CommandosFilm: MSgt. Sullivan
  34. 1968Beyond the LawFilm: Billy Joe Cudlip
  35. 1967Day of AngerFilm: Frank Talby
  36. 1967Death Rides a HorseFilm: Ryan
  37. 1967The Big GundownFilm: Jonathan Corbett
  38. 1966The Good, the Bad and the UglyFilm: Sentenza / Angel Eyes
  39. 1965For a Few Dollars MoreFilm: Col. Douglas Mortimer
  40. 1965LaredoSeries (1 episode)
  41. 1965My Mother the CarSeries (1 episode)
  42. 1965BrandedSeries (4 episodes)
  43. 1963The DakotasSeries (1 episode)
  44. 1962How the West Was WonFilm: River Pirate
  45. 1962The Man Who Shot Liberty ValanceFilm: Reese
  46. 1961Posse from HellFilm: Leo
  47. 1960Stagecoach WestSeries: Lin Hyatt (1 episode)
  48. 1960The Andy Griffith ShowSeries: Skip (1 episode)
  49. 1960The Slowest Gun in the WestFilm: Sam Bass
  50. 1959Mr. LuckySeries: Kruger (1 episode)
  51. 1959The UntouchablesSeries: Frank Diamond (2 episodes)
  52. 1959Hawaiian EyeSeries (1 episode)
  53. 1959The AlaskansSeries (1 episode)
  54. 1959The Twilight ZoneSeries: Steinhart (1 episode)
  55. 1959Law of the PlainsmanSeries: Tracey (1 episode)
  56. 1959The DuPont Show with June AllysonSeries: Peak (1 episode)
  57. 1959RiverboatSeries: Luke Cragg (1 episode)
  58. 1959The DeputySeries: Cherokee Kid (1 episode)
  59. 1959BonanzaSeries: Appling (1 episode)
  60. 1959Ride LonesomeFilm: Frank
  61. 1959Black SaddleSeries: Frank Sandoe (1 episode)
  62. 1959RawhideSeries: Fred Grant, Deck Sommers (1 episode)
  63. 1959Guns Girls and GangstersFilm: Mike Bennett
  64. 1958MacheteFilm: Miguel
  65. 195877 Sunset StripSeries: Majeski (1 episode)
  66. 1958LawmanSeries: Deputy Clyde Wilson, Ned Scott (1 episode)
  67. 1958Yancy DerringerSeries: Ike Milton (1 episode)
  68. 1958The RiflemanSeries (4 episodes)
  69. 1958BroncoSeries: Shanghai Williams (1 episode)
  70. 1958Wanted: Dead or AliveSeries: Jumbo Kane (1 episode)
  71. 1958The BravadosFilm: Alfonso Parral
  72. 1958The Young LionsFilm: 1st Sgt. Rickett
  73. 1958Day of the BadmanFilm: Jake Hayes
  74. 1957The Tin StarFilm: Ed McGaffey
  75. 1957Raiders of Old CaliforniaFilm: Damon Pardee
  76. 1957Joe DakotaFilm: Adam Grant
  77. 1957Gun Battle at MontereyFilm: Kirby
  78. 1957Tombstone TerritorySeries: Sam Carver (1 episode)
  79. 1957ZorroSeries (1 episode)
  80. 1957Casey JonesSeries: Mort Clio (1 episode)

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.