Lee Van Cleef

Lee Van Cleef

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".

Acting

2024

2000

Klaus Kinski: I'm not an actor
Movie

Col. Douglas Mortimer (archive footage)

1990

Thieves of Fortune
Movie

Sergio Danielo Christophero

1989

Speed Zone
Movie

Grandfather

1988

The Commander
Movie

Col. Mazzarini

1986

1986

1984

Code Name: Wild Geese
Movie

Archie 'China' Travers

1984

The Master
Tv

John Peter McAllister

1984

Master Ninja
Movie

John Peter McAllister

1981

Escape from New York
Movie

Police Commissioner Bob Hauk

1978

The Squeeze
Movie

Chris Gretchko / Ray Sloan

1976

God's Gun
Movie

Father John / Lewis

1972

The Grand Duel
Movie

Sheriff Clayton

1972

1971

1971

Return of Sabata
Movie

Sabata / Major

1970

1969

1968

Commandos
Movie

MSgt. Sullivan

1968

Beyond the Law
Movie

Billy Joe Cudlip

1967

1967

The Big Gundown
Movie

Jonathan Corbett

1966

1965

For a Few Dollars More
Movie

Col. Douglas Mortimer

1965

Laredo
Tv

Unknown

1963

1962

How the West Was Won
Movie

River Pirate (uncredited)

1960

1959

1959

The Untouchables
Tv

Frank Diamond

1959

1959

1959

1958

Lawman
Tv

Deputy Clyde Wilson

1958

Lawman
Tv

Unknown

1958

1958

Bronco
Tv

Unknown

1958

The Bravados
Movie

Alfonso Parral

1958

The Young Lions
Movie

1st Sgt. Rickett

1957

1957

Joe Dakota
Movie

Adam Grant

1957

Zorro
Tv

Unknown

1957

Casey Jones
Tv

Mort Clio

1957

Perry Mason
Tv

Edward Doyle

1957

1957

1957

1956

Accused of Murder
Movie

Police Sgt. Emmett Lackey

1956

1955

1955

Gunsmoke
Tv

John Hooker

1955

Gunsmoke
Tv

Ike Jeffords

1955

1955

The Naked Street
Movie

Harry Goldish (uncredited)

1954

1954

Princess of the Nile
Movie

Hakar (uncredited)

1954

Arrow In The Dust
Movie

Tillotson Henchman

1953

Jack Slade
Movie

Bolt Mackay

1953

Vice Squad
Movie

Pete Monty

1953

1952

1952

Four Star Playhouse
Tv

Bob Wheeler aka Sonora Kid

1952

1952

High Noon
Movie

Jack Colby

Infos

Full Name
Lee Van Cleef
Gender
Male
Date of Birth
1/9/1925
Date of Death
12/16/1989
Also Known As

Clarence Leroy Van Cleef Jr.

李·范克里夫

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