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Lee Van Cleef

Lee Van Cleef

Known for
Acting
Born
Jan 9, 1925
Died
Dec 16, 1989 (aged 64)
Place of birth
Somerville, New Jersey, USA
Credits
147

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

MovieRated 8.5

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

1966Movie

Sentenza / Angel Eyes

MovieRated 8.0

For a Few Dollars More

1965Movie

Col. Douglas Mortimer

MovieRated 7.0

Escape from New York

1981Movie

Police Commissioner Bob Hauk

MovieRated 7.7

High Noon

1952Movie

Jack Colby

MovieRated 7.8

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

1962Movie

Reese

TVRated 8.5

The Twilight Zone

1959TV

Steinhart

Filmography

MovieRated 5.3

The Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout

2024Movie

Self (archive footage)

Movie

Peter Baumgartner, Filmkameramann

2014Movie

(archive footage)

Movie

Klaus Kinski: I'm not an actor

2000Movie

Col. Douglas Mortimer (archive footage)

MovieRated 3.8

Thieves of Fortune

1990Movie

Sergio Danielo Christophero

MovieRated 8.8

The Best of the Martial Arts Films

1990Movie

Self

MovieRated 4.5

Speed Zone

1989Movie

Grandfather

MovieRated 5.6

The Commander

1988Movie

Col. Mazzarini

MovieRated 5.1

Armed Response

1986Movie

Burt Roth

MovieRated 4.4

Jungle Raiders

1985Movie

Warren

MovieRated 10.0

The Master Ninja 5

1985Movie

John Peter McAllister

MovieRated 5.3

Code Name: Wild Geese

1984Movie

Archie 'China' Travers

MovieRated 4.6

Killing Machine

1984Movie

Julot

MovieRated 4.4

Master Ninja

1984Movie

John Peter McAllister

MovieRated 7.2

Master Ninja II

1984Movie

John Peter McAllister

TVRated 5.4

The Master

1984TV

John Peter McAllister

MovieRated 7.0

Escape from New York

1981Movie

Police Commissioner Bob Hauk

MovieRated 5.1

The Octagon

1980Movie

McCarn

MovieRated 6.1

The Hard Way

1980Movie

McNeal

Movie

When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion

1979Movie

Self

MovieRated 5.9

The Squeeze

1978Movie

Chris Gretchko / Ray Sloan

MovieRated 4.2

The Perfect Killer

1977Movie

Harry Chapman

MovieRated 7.5

Nowhere to Hide

1977Movie

Ike Scanlon

MovieRated 5.4

Kid Vengeance

1976Movie

McClain

MovieRated 5.0

God's Gun

1976Movie

Father John / Lewis

MovieRated 5.3

Take a Hard Ride

1975Movie

Kiefer

MovieRated 5.4

The Stranger and the Gunfighter

1974Movie

Dakota

MovieRated 4.6

Mean Frank and Crazy Tony

1973Movie

Frankie

MovieRated 6.0

The Grand Duel

1972Movie

Sheriff Clayton

MovieRated 5.7

The Magnificent Seven Ride!

1972Movie

Marshal Chris Adams

MovieRated 4.7

Captain Apache

1971Movie

Capt. Apache

MovieRated 4.8

Bad Man's River

1971Movie

Roy King

MovieRated 5.9

Return of Sabata

1971Movie

Sabata / Major

MovieRated 6.2

Barquero

1970Movie

Travis

MovieRated 5.4

El Condor

1970Movie

Jaroo

MovieRated 6.3

Sabata

1969Movie

Sabata

MovieRated 5.7

Commandos

1968Movie

MSgt. Sullivan

MovieRated 5.8

Beyond the Law

1968Movie

Billy Joe Cudlip

MovieRated 7.1

Day of Anger

1967Movie

Frank Talby

MovieRated 7.0

Death Rides a Horse

1967Movie

Ryan

MovieRated 7.3

The Big Gundown

1967Movie

Jonathan Corbett

MovieRated 8.5

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

1966Movie

Sentenza / Angel Eyes

MovieRated 8.0

For a Few Dollars More

1965Movie

Col. Douglas Mortimer

TVRated 6.4

Laredo

1965TV

TVRated 4.8

My Mother the Car

1965TV

TVRated 6.8

Branded

1965TV

TVRated 6.5

The Dakotas

1963TV

MovieRated 7.0

How the West Was Won

1962Movie

River Pirate

MovieRated 7.8

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

1962Movie

Reese

MovieRated 6.2

Posse from Hell

1961Movie

Leo

TVRated 6.7

Stagecoach West

1960TV

Lin Hyatt

TVRated 7.6

The Andy Griffith Show

1960TV

Skip

MovieRated 4.5

The Slowest Gun in the West

1960Movie

Sam Bass

TVRated 6.7

Mr. Lucky

1959TV

Kruger

TVRated 8.0

The Untouchables

1959TV

Frank Diamond

TVRated 5.6

Hawaiian Eye

1959TV

TVRated 6.7

The Alaskans

1959TV

TVRated 8.5

The Twilight Zone

1959TV

Steinhart

TVRated 7.3

Law of the Plainsman

1959TV

Tracey

TVRated 6.8

The DuPont Show with June Allyson

1959TV

Peak

TVRated 6.5

Riverboat

1959TV

Luke Cragg

TVRated 6.5

The Deputy

1959TV

Cherokee Kid

TVRated 7.5

Bonanza

1959TV

Appling

MovieRated 6.7

Ride Lonesome

1959Movie

Frank

TVRated 6.2

Black Saddle

1959TV

Frank Sandoe

TVRated 7.3

Rawhide

1959TV

Fred Grant, Deck Sommers

MovieRated 5.9

Guns Girls and Gangsters

1959Movie

Mike Bennett

MovieRated 6.7

Machete

1958Movie

Miguel

TVRated 7.2

77 Sunset Strip

1958TV

Majeski

TVRated 6.0

Lawman

1958TV

Deputy Clyde Wilson, Ned Scott

TVRated 6.2

Yancy Derringer

1958TV

Ike Milton

TVRated 7.1

The Rifleman

1958TV

TVRated 6.0

Bronco

1958TV

Shanghai Williams

TVRated 7.1

Wanted: Dead or Alive

1958TV

Jumbo Kane

MovieRated 6.6

The Bravados

1958Movie

Alfonso Parral

MovieRated 6.7

The Young Lions

1958Movie

1st Sgt. Rickett

MovieRated 6.9

Day of the Badman

1958Movie

Jake Hayes

MovieRated 7.0

The Tin Star

1957Movie

Ed McGaffey

MovieRated 5.4

Raiders of Old California

1957Movie

Damon Pardee

MovieRated 6.7

Joe Dakota

1957Movie

Adam Grant

MovieRated 5.2

Gun Battle at Monterey

1957Movie

Kirby

TVRated 6.9

Tombstone Territory

1957TV

Sam Carver

TVRated 7.6

Zorro

1957TV

TVRated 5.8

Casey Jones

1957TV

Mort Clio

TVRated 6.9

Trackdown

1957TV

Ben Fraser

TVRated 7.0

Maverick

1957TV

TVRated 7.7

Perry Mason

1957TV

Edward Doyle

TVRated 6.6

Wagon Train

1957TV

Rufe Beal

TVRated 7.3

Have Gun, Will Travel

1957TV

Golias, Corbin

MovieRated 6.4

The Quiet Gun

1957Movie

Doug Sadler

MovieRated 5.5

Last Stagecoach West

1957Movie

Steve Margolies

TVRated 6.8

Richard Diamond, Private Detective

1957TV

Ed Murdock

MovieRated 6.1

The Lonely Man

1957Movie

Faro

MovieRated 7.0

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral

1957Movie

Ed Bailey

MovieRated 6.2

China Gate

1957Movie

Maj. Cham

MovieRated 6.5

The Badge of Marshal Brennan

1957Movie

Shad Donaphin

MovieRated 4.8

Accused of Murder

1956Movie

Police Sgt. Emmett Lackey

TVRated 9.0

Wire Service

1956TV

Al Sanders

TVRated 5.7

State Trooper

1956TV

Frank Parnessa

MovieRated 6.7

Pardners

1956Movie

Gus

MovieRated 4.8

It Conquered the World

1956Movie

Dr. Tom Anderson

MovieRated 7.0

Tribute to a Bad Man

1956Movie

Fat Jones

MovieRated 3.6

The Conqueror

1956Movie

Chepei

MovieRated 6.7

The Vanishing American

1955Movie

Jay Lord

MovieRated 5.8

A Man Alone

1955Movie

Clanton

TVRated 6.2

The Adventures of Champion

1955TV

Frank

TVRated 6.2

Cheyenne

1955TV

Braden, Harry Bittercreek Bartender

TVRated 6.7

Gunsmoke

1955TV

Rad, John Hooker, Ike Jeffords

MovieRated 6.2

The Naked Street

1955Movie

Harry Goldish (uncredited)

MovieRated 7.0

The Road to Denver

1955Movie

Pecos Larry

MovieRated 6.5

I Cover the Underworld

1955Movie

Flash Logan

TVRated 6.0

Buffalo Bill Jr.

1955TV

MovieRated 7.0

The Big Combo

1955Movie

Fante

MovieRated 5.9

Ten Wanted Men

1955Movie

Al Drucker

MovieRated 5.0

Treasure of Ruby Hills

1955Movie

Frank Emmett

TVRated 7.5

Studio 57

1954TV

Tommy

MovieRated 7.2

Dawn at Socorro

1954Movie

Earl Ferris

MovieRated 7.3

Princess of the Nile

1954Movie

Hakar (uncredited)

MovieRated 7.2

The Desperado

1954Movie

Paul Clayton/Buck Clayton

MovieRated 6.6

The Yellow Tomahawk

1954Movie

Fire Knife

MovieRated 6.2

Arrow In The Dust

1954Movie

Tillotson Henchman

MovieRated 6.5

Rails Into Laramie

1954Movie

Ace Winton

MovieRated 7.2

Gypsy Colt

1954Movie

Hank

TVRated 7.2

Stories of the Century

1954TV

Jesse James

TVRated 5.5

Annie Oakley

1954TV

Amos Belcher, Tim Brennan

MovieRated 3.8

The Nebraskan

1953Movie

Pvt. Reno Benton

MovieRated 6.2

Tumbleweed

1953Movie

Marv

MovieRated 7.0

Jack Slade

1953Movie

Bolt Mackay

TVRated 7.5

City Detective

1953TV

MovieRated 6.1

Vice Squad

1953Movie

Pete Monty

MovieRated 5.0

Arena

1953Movie

Smitty

MovieRated 6.6

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms

1953Movie

Corp. Stone

MovieRated 7.5

White Lightning

1953Movie

Brutus Allen

MovieRated 6.4

The Bandits of Corsica

1953Movie

Nerva

TVRated 6.8

General Electric Theater

1953TV

Dave Rudabaugh

MovieRated 6.7

The Lawless Breed

1952Movie

Dirk Hanley

MovieRated 7.0

Kansas City Confidential

1952Movie

Tony Romano

TVRated 7.8

The Ford Television Theatre

1952TV

Stanley Perrin

TVRated 4.6

Cavalcade of America

1952TV

1st Mate Hawl Finch

TVRated 6.8

Four Star Playhouse

1952TV

Bob Wheeler aka Sonora Kid

MovieRated 7.3

Untamed Frontier

1952Movie

Dave Chittun

MovieRated 7.7

High Noon

1952Movie

Jack Colby

TVRated 7.2

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

1951TV

Dallas Clancy, Sheriff, Larkin, Wink, Cowboy

TVRated 4.0

Boston Blackie

1951TV

Captain Jansen, Lou

TVRated 6.0

The Adventures of Kit Carson

1951TV

TVRated 6.2

Space Patrol

1950TV

Ward

TVRated 4.7

The Gene Autry Show

1950TV

Hod - Henchman, Henchman Ray

TVRated 6.7

The Lone Ranger

1949TV

Bull Harper, Jango

Lee Van Cleef: movies and TV shows | Reelhouse