Lee Van Cleef

Lee Van Cleef

Acting
Born 1925-01-09 - Died 1989-12-16Somerville, 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".

Movies (93)

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
8.5

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

1966Movie8.5
Escape from New York
7.0

Escape from New York

1981Movie7.0
High Noon
7.7

High Noon

1952Movie7.7
For a Few Dollars More
8.0

For a Few Dollars More

1965Movie8.0
How the West Was Won
7.0

How the West Was Won

1962Movie7.0
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
7.0

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral

1957Movie7.0
Kansas City Confidential
7.0

Kansas City Confidential

1952Movie7.0
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
7.8

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

1962Movie7.8
Day of Anger
7.1

Day of Anger

1967Movie7.1
The Magnificent Seven Ride!
5.7

The Magnificent Seven Ride!

1972Movie5.7
China Gate
6.2

China Gate

1957Movie6.2
The Big Combo
7.0

The Big Combo

1955Movie7.0
Death Rides a Horse
7.0

Death Rides a Horse

1967Movie7.0
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms
6.6

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms

1953Movie6.6
Beyond the Law
5.8

Beyond the Law

1968Movie5.8
The Bravados
6.6

The Bravados

1958Movie6.6
Ride Lonesome
6.7

Ride Lonesome

1959Movie6.7
Ten Wanted Men
5.9

Ten Wanted Men

1955Movie5.9
The Young Lions
6.8

The Young Lions

1958Movie6.8
Pardners
6.7

Pardners

1956Movie6.7
The Big Gundown
7.2

The Big Gundown

1967Movie7.2
The Grand Duel
6.0

The Grand Duel

1972Movie6.0
The Tin Star
7.0

The Tin Star

1957Movie7.0
The Naked Street
6.2

The Naked Street

1955Movie6.2
Speed Zone
4.5

Speed Zone

1989Movie4.5
The Octagon
5.1

The Octagon

1980Movie5.1
Machete
6.7

Machete

1958Movie6.7
Posse from Hell
6.2

Posse from Hell

1961Movie6.2
Sabata
6.3

Sabata

1969Movie6.3
Last Stagecoach West
5.5

Last Stagecoach West

1957Movie5.5
A Man Alone
5.8

A Man Alone

1955Movie5.8
God's Gun
5.0

God's Gun

1976Movie5.0
The Commander
5.6

The Commander

1988Movie5.6
The Conqueror
3.6

The Conqueror

1956Movie3.6
Captain Apache
4.7

Captain Apache

1971Movie4.7
Barquero
6.2

Barquero

1970Movie6.2
Gun Battle at Monterey
5.2

Gun Battle at Monterey

1957Movie5.2
Return of Sabata
5.9

Return of Sabata

1971Movie5.9
Princess of the Nile
7.3

Princess of the Nile

1954Movie7.3
El Condor
5.4

El Condor

1970Movie5.4
The Road to Denver
7.0

The Road to Denver

1955Movie7.0
The Lonely Man
6.1

The Lonely Man

1957Movie6.1
The Yellow Tomahawk
6.6

The Yellow Tomahawk

1954Movie6.6
Nowhere to Hide
7.5

Nowhere to Hide

1977Movie7.5
Arrow In The Dust
6.3

Arrow In The Dust

1954Movie6.3
When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion

When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion

1979Movie
Guns Girls and Gangsters
5.9

Guns Girls and Gangsters

1959Movie5.9
Rails Into Laramie
6.5

Rails Into Laramie

1954Movie6.5
The Squeeze
5.9

The Squeeze

1978Movie5.9
Accused of Murder
4.8

Accused of Murder

1956Movie4.8
Master Ninja II
7.2

Master Ninja II

1984Movie7.2
Mean Frank and Crazy Tony
4.6

Mean Frank and Crazy Tony

1973Movie4.6
Take a Hard Ride
5.3

Take a Hard Ride

1975Movie5.3
Bad Man's River
5.0

Bad Man's River

1971Movie5.0
Vice Squad
6.1

Vice Squad

1953Movie6.1
Dawn at Socorro
7.2

Dawn at Socorro

1954Movie7.2
Commandos
5.7

Commandos

1968Movie5.7
The Desperado
7.2

The Desperado

1954Movie7.2
Master Ninja
4.4

Master Ninja

1984Movie4.4
The Lawless Breed
6.7

The Lawless Breed

1952Movie6.7
Jungle Raiders
4.4

Jungle Raiders

1985Movie4.4
Armed Response
5.2

Armed Response

1986Movie5.2
Jack Slade
7.0

Jack Slade

1953Movie7.0
The Stranger and the Gunfighter
5.4

The Stranger and the Gunfighter

1974Movie5.4
The Quiet Gun
6.4

The Quiet Gun

1957Movie6.4
Day of the Badman
6.9

Day of the Badman

1958Movie6.9
Tribute to a Bad Man
7.0

Tribute to a Bad Man

1956Movie7.0
Untamed Frontier
7.3

Untamed Frontier

1952Movie7.3
Killing Machine
4.7

Killing Machine

1984Movie4.7
Joe Dakota
6.7

Joe Dakota

1957Movie6.7
Treasure of Ruby Hills
5.0

Treasure of Ruby Hills

1955Movie5.0
Code Name: Wild Geese
5.3

Code Name: Wild Geese

1984Movie5.3
Tumbleweed
6.3

Tumbleweed

1953Movie6.3
The Best of the Martial Arts Films
8.8

The Best of the Martial Arts Films

1990Movie8.8
It Conquered the World
4.9

It Conquered the World

1956Movie4.9
Kid Vengeance
5.4

Kid Vengeance

1976Movie5.4
The Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout
5.3

The Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout

2024Movie5.3
The Badge of Marshal Brennan
6.5

The Badge of Marshal Brennan

1957Movie6.5
The Hard Way
6.1

The Hard Way

1980Movie6.1
Klaus Kinski: I'm not an actor

Klaus Kinski: I'm not an actor

2000Movie
The Bandits of Corsica
6.4

The Bandits of Corsica

1953Movie6.4
The Master Ninja 5
10.0

The Master Ninja 5

1985Movie10.0
Arena
5.0

Arena

1953Movie5.0
The Vanishing American
6.7

The Vanishing American

1955Movie6.7
I Cover the Underworld
6.5

I Cover the Underworld

1955Movie6.5
The Slowest Gun in the West
4.5

The Slowest Gun in the West

1960Movie4.5
The Perfect Killer
4.3

The Perfect Killer

1977Movie4.3
Raiders of Old California
5.4

Raiders of Old California

1957Movie5.4
Thieves of Fortune
3.8

Thieves of Fortune

1990Movie3.8
Gypsy Colt
7.2

Gypsy Colt

1954Movie7.2
White Lightning
7.5

White Lightning

1953Movie7.5
Peter Baumgartner, Filmkameramann

Peter Baumgartner, Filmkameramann

2014Movie
The Nebraskan
3.8

The Nebraskan

1953Movie3.8

TV Shows (53)

Perry Mason
7.7

Perry Mason

1957Series7.7
The Andy Griffith Show
7.6

The Andy Griffith Show

1960Series7.6
Bonanza
7.5

Bonanza

1959Series7.5
The Rifleman
7.1

The Rifleman

1958Series7.1
Wagon Train
6.6

Wagon Train

1957Series6.6
The Twilight Zone
8.5

The Twilight Zone

1959Series8.5
Maverick
7.0

Maverick

1957Series7.0
Have Gun, Will Travel
7.3

Have Gun, Will Travel

1957Series7.3
The Untouchables
8.0

The Untouchables

1959Series8.0
Cheyenne
6.2

Cheyenne

1955Series6.2
Four Star Playhouse
6.8

Four Star Playhouse

1952Series6.8
Rawhide
7.2

Rawhide

1959Series7.2
The Lone Ranger
6.8

The Lone Ranger

1949Series6.8
Zorro
7.6

Zorro

1957Series7.6
Lawman
6.0

Lawman

1958Series6.0
Gunsmoke
6.7

Gunsmoke

1955Series6.7
Wanted: Dead or Alive
7.0

Wanted: Dead or Alive

1958Series7.0
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
6.8

Richard Diamond, Private Detective

1957Series6.8
Hawaiian Eye
5.6

Hawaiian Eye

1959Series5.6
77 Sunset Strip
7.2

77 Sunset Strip

1958Series7.2
Tombstone Territory
6.9

Tombstone Territory

1957Series6.9
Branded
6.8

Branded

1965Series6.8
The Deputy
6.5

The Deputy

1959Series6.5
State Trooper
5.7

State Trooper

1956Series5.7
Studio 57
7.5

Studio 57

1954Series7.5
The Ford Television Theatre
7.8

The Ford Television Theatre

1952Series7.8
Bronco
6.0

Bronco

1958Series6.0
City Detective
7.5

City Detective

1953Series7.5
Laredo
6.4

Laredo

1965Series6.4
The Gene Autry Show
4.7

The Gene Autry Show

1950Series4.7
Trackdown
6.9

Trackdown

1957Series6.9
Mr. Lucky
6.7

Mr. Lucky

1959Series6.7
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
6.8

The DuPont Show with June Allyson

1959Series6.8
Riverboat
6.5

Riverboat

1959Series6.5
Law of the Plainsman
7.3

Law of the Plainsman

1959Series7.3
The Adventures of Kit Carson
6.0

The Adventures of Kit Carson

1951Series6.0
Black Saddle
6.2

Black Saddle

1959Series6.2
Cavalcade of America
4.6

Cavalcade of America

1952Series4.6
Annie Oakley
5.5

Annie Oakley

1954Series5.5
Yancy Derringer
6.2

Yancy Derringer

1958Series6.2
Stagecoach West
6.7

Stagecoach West

1960Series6.7
Boston Blackie
4.0

Boston Blackie

1951Series4.0
Stories of the Century
7.2

Stories of the Century

1954Series7.2
The Dakotas
6.5

The Dakotas

1963Series6.5
The Alaskans
6.7

The Alaskans

1959Series6.7
My Mother the Car
4.8

My Mother the Car

1965Series4.8
The Master
5.4

The Master

1984Series5.4
Casey Jones
5.8

Casey Jones

1957Series5.8
The Adventures of Champion
6.3

The Adventures of Champion

1955Series6.3
Wire Service
9.0

Wire Service

1956Series9.0
Buffalo Bill Jr.
6.0

Buffalo Bill Jr.

1955Series6.0
General Electric Theater
6.8

General Electric Theater

1953Series6.8
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
7.2

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

1951Series7.2