Lee Van Cleef
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- January 9, 1925
- Died
- December 16, 1989
- Birthplace
- Somerville, New Jersey, USA
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".
Filmography
The Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout 2024
as Self (archive footage)
- Peter Baumgartner, Filmkameramann
Peter Baumgartner, Filmkameramann 2014
as (archive footage)
Klaus Kinski: I'm not an actor 2000
as Col. Douglas Mortimer (archive footage)
Thieves of Fortune 1990
as Sergio Danielo Christophero
The Best of the Martial Arts Films 1990
as Self
Speed Zone 1989
as Grandfather
The Commander 1988
as Col. Mazzarini
Armed Response 1986
as Burt Roth
Jungle Raiders 1985
as Warren
The Master Ninja 5 1985
as John Peter McAllister
Code Name: Wild Geese 1984
as Archie 'China' Travers
Killing Machine 1984
as Julot
Master Ninja II 1984
as John Peter McAllister
Master Ninja 1984
as John Peter McAllister
Escape from New York 1981
as Police Commissioner Bob Hauk
The Octagon 1980
as McCarn
The Hard Way 1980
as McNeal
When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion 1979
as Self
The Squeeze 1978
as Chris Gretchko / Ray Sloan
The Perfect Killer 1977
as Harry Chapman
Nowhere to Hide 1977
as Ike Scanlon
Kid Vengeance 1976
as McClain
God's Gun 1976
as Father John / Lewis
Take a Hard Ride 1975
as Kiefer
The Stranger and the Gunfighter 1974
as Dakota
Mean Frank and Crazy Tony 1973
as Frankie
The Grand Duel 1972
as Sheriff Clayton
The Magnificent Seven Ride! 1972
as Marshal Chris Adams
Captain Apache 1971
as Capt. Apache
Bad Man's River 1971
as Roy King
Return of Sabata 1971
as Sabata / Major
Barquero 1970
as Travis
El Condor 1970
as Jaroo
Sabata 1969
as Sabata
Commandos 1968
as MSgt. Sullivan
Beyond the Law 1968
as Billy Joe Cudlip
Day of Anger 1967
as Frank Talby
Death Rides a Horse 1967
as Ryan
The Big Gundown 1967
as Jonathan Corbett
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly 1966
as Sentenza / Angel Eyes
Blade Rider, Revenge of the Indian Nations 1966
as Charlie Yates
For a Few Dollars More 1965
as Col. Douglas Mortimer
How the West Was Won 1962
as River Pirate
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance 1962
as Reese
Posse from Hell 1961
as Leo
The Slowest Gun in the West 1960
as Sam Bass
Ride Lonesome 1959
as Frank
Guns Girls and Gangsters 1959
as Mike Bennett
Machete 1958
as Miguel
The Bravados 1958
as Alfonso Parral
The Young Lions 1958
as 1st Sgt. Rickett
Day of the Badman 1958
as Jake Hayes
The Tin Star 1957
as Ed McGaffey
Raiders of Old California 1957
as Damon Pardee
Gun Battle at Monterey 1957
as Kirby
Joe Dakota 1957
as Adam Grant
The Quiet Gun 1957
as Doug Sadler
Last Stagecoach West 1957
as Steve Margolies
The Lonely Man 1957
as Faro
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral 1957
as Ed Bailey
China Gate 1957
as Maj. Cham
The Badge of Marshal Brennan 1957
as Shad Donaphin
Accused of Murder 1956
as Police Sgt. Emmett Lackey
Pardners 1956
as Gus
It Conquered the World 1956
as Dr. Tom Anderson
Tribute to a Bad Man 1956
as Fat Jones
The Conqueror 1956
as Chepei
The Vanishing American 1955
as Jay Lord
A Man Alone 1955
as Clanton
The Naked Street 1955
as Harry Goldish (uncredited)
The Road to Denver 1955
as Pecos Larry
I Cover the Underworld 1955
as Flash Logan
The Big Combo 1955
as Fante
Ten Wanted Men 1955
as Al Drucker
Treasure of Ruby Hills 1955
as Frank Emmett
Dawn at Socorro 1954
as Earl Ferris
Princess of the Nile 1954
as Hakar (uncredited)
The Desperado 1954
as Paul Clayton/Buck Clayton
The Yellow Tomahawk 1954
as Fire Knife
Arrow In The Dust 1954
as Tillotson Henchman
Rails Into Laramie 1954
as Ace Winton
Gypsy Colt 1954
as Hank
The Nebraskan 1953
as Pvt. Reno Benton
Tumbleweed 1953
as Marv
Jack Slade 1953
as Bolt Mackay
Vice Squad 1953
as Pete Monty
Arena 1953
as Smitty
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms 1953
as Corp. Stone
White Lightning 1953
as Brutus Allen
The Bandits of Corsica 1953
as Nerva
The Lawless Breed 1952
as Dirk Hanley
Kansas City Confidential 1952
as Tony Romano
Untamed Frontier 1952
as Dave Chittun
High Noon 1952
as Jack Colby
Credits from TMDB.