Lee Van Cleef
Known for: Acting
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
Series
Perry Mason
Edward Doyle
1957
Series
Bonanza
Appling
1959
Series
The Andy Griffith Show
Skip
1960
Series
Maverick
1957
Series
Wagon Train
Rufe Beal
1957
Series
Have Gun, Will Travel
Golias
1957
Series
Have Gun, Will Travel
Corbin
1957
Series
The Twilight Zone
Steinhart
1959
Series
The Rifleman
1958
Series
Cheyenne
Braden
1955
Series
Cheyenne
Harry Bittercreek Bartender
1955
Series
Four Star Playhouse
Bob Wheeler aka Sonora Kid
1952
Series
The Untouchables
Frank Diamond
1959
Series
Wanted: Dead or Alive
Jumbo Kane
1958
Series
Rawhide
Fred Grant
1959
Series
Rawhide
Deck Sommers
1959
Series
Zorro
1957
Series
Lawman
1958
Series
Lawman
Deputy Clyde Wilson
1958
Series
Lawman
Ned Scott
1958
Series
Hawaiian Eye
1959
Series
77 Sunset Strip
1958
Series
77 Sunset Strip
Majeski
1958
Film
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Sentenza / Angel Eyes
1966
Series
The Lone Ranger
Bull Harper
1949
Series
The Lone Ranger
Jango
1949
Series
Gunsmoke
Rad
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
John Hooker
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Ike Jeffords
1955
Series
The Ford Television Theatre
1952
Series
The Ford Television Theatre
Stanley Perrin
1952
Series
Bronco
1958
Series
Bronco
Shanghai Williams
1958
Series
Trackdown
Ben Fraser
1957
Series
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
Ed Murdock
1957
Series
Studio 57
1954
Series
Studio 57
Tommy
1954
State Trooper
Frank Parnessa
1956
Series
Branded
1965
Series
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
Peak
1959
Film
For a Few Dollars More
Col. Douglas Mortimer
1965
Series
Black Saddle
Frank Sandoe
1959
Series
The Deputy
Cherokee Kid
1959
Series
Tombstone Territory
Sam Carver
1957
Series
Tombstone Territory
1957
Series
Riverboat
Luke Cragg
1959
Series
Laredo
1965
Series
The Gene Autry Show
Hod - Henchman
1950
Series
The Gene Autry Show
Henchman Ray
1950
Series
Annie Oakley
Amos Belcher
1954
Series
Annie Oakley
Tim Brennan
1954
Series
The Adventures of Kit Carson
1951
Film
Escape from New York
Police Commissioner Bob Hauk
1981
Series
Yancy Derringer
Ike Milton
1958
Series
Cavalcade of America
1952
Series
Cavalcade of America
1st Mate Hawl Finch
1952
Series
Law of the Plainsman
Tracey
1959
Series
The Alaskans
1959
Series
Boston Blackie
Captain Jansen
1951
Series
Boston Blackie
Lou
1951
Series
City Detective
1953
Series
The Master
John Peter McAllister
1984
Series
Mr. Lucky
Kruger
1959
Series
Stagecoach West
Lin Hyatt
1960
Series
The Dakotas
1963
Film
High Noon
Jack Colby
1952
Series
Space Patrol
Ward
1950
Series
Wire Service
Al Sanders
1956
Series
My Mother the Car
1965
Series
Buffalo Bill Jr.
1955
Film
How the West Was Won
River Pirate
1962
Film
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Reese
1962
Series
Stories of the Century
Jesse James
1954
Series
Casey Jones
Mort Clio
1957
Film
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Ed Bailey
1957
Film
The Young Lions
1st Sgt. Rickett
1958
Series
The Adventures of Champion
Frank
1955
Film
Speed Zone
Grandfather
1989
Film
The Magnificent Seven Ride!
Marshal Chris Adams
1972
Film
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms
Corp. Stone
1953
Series
General Electric Theater
Dave Rudabaugh
1953
Film
The Tin Star
Ed McGaffey
1957
Film
Death Rides a Horse
Ryan
1967
Series
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Dallas Clancy
1951
Series
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Larkin
1951
Series
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Sheriff
1951
Series
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Wink
1951
Series
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Cowboy
1951
Film
The Conqueror
Chepei
1956
Film
The Big Gundown
Jonathan Corbett
1967
Film
Bad Man's River
Roy King
1971
Film
The Bravados
Alfonso Parral
1958
Film
Day of Anger
Frank Talby
1967
Film
Ride Lonesome
Frank
1959
Film
Kansas City Confidential
Tony Romano
1952
Film
Sabata
Sabata
1969
Film
God's Gun
Father John / Lewis
1976
Film
Princess of the Nile
Hakar (uncredited)
1954
Film
Take a Hard Ride
Kiefer
1975
Film
Tribute to a Bad Man
Fat Jones
1956
Film
Ten Wanted Men
Al Drucker
1955
Film
The Octagon
McCarn
1980
Film
Posse from Hell
Leo
1961
Film
The Big Combo
Fante
1955
Film
Mean Frank and Crazy Tony
Frankie
1973
Film
Untamed Frontier
Dave Chittun
1952
Film
The Lonely Man
Faro
1957
Film
The Grand Duel
Sheriff Clayton
1972
Film
Barquero
Travis
1970
Film
Rails Into Laramie
Ace Winton
1954
Film
A Man Alone
Clanton
1955
Film
Beyond the Law
Billy Joe Cudlip
1968
Film
El Condor
Jaroo
1970
Film
Day of the Badman
Jake Hayes
1958
Film
Joe Dakota
Adam Grant
1957
Film
China Gate
Maj. Cham
1957
Film
Arrow In The Dust
Tillotson Henchman
1954
Film
The Master Ninja 5
John Peter McAllister
1985
Film
The Stranger and the Gunfighter
Dakota
1974
Film
It Conquered the World
Dr. Tom Anderson
1956
Film
The Road to Denver
Pecos Larry
1955
Film
Code Name: Wild Geese
Archie 'China' Travers
1984
Film
The Yellow Tomahawk
Fire Knife
1954
Film
The Naked Street
Harry Goldish (uncredited)
1955
Film
The Best of the Martial Arts Films
Self
1990
Film
Raiders of Old California
Damon Pardee
1957
Film
Return of Sabata
Sabata / Major
1971
Film
Pardners
Gus
1956
Film
The Badge of Marshal Brennan
Shad Donaphin
1957
Film
The Lawless Breed
Dirk Hanley
1952
Film
Jungle Raiders
Warren
1985
Film
The Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout
Self (archive footage)
2024
Film
Dawn at Socorro
Earl Ferris
1954
Film
Armed Response
Burt Roth
1986
Film
Captain Apache
Capt. Apache
1971
Film
The Squeeze
Chris Gretchko / Ray Sloan
1978
Film
The Perfect Killer
Harry Chapman
1977
Film
The Slowest Gun in the West
Sam Bass
1960
Film
Klaus Kinski: I'm not an actor
Col. Douglas Mortimer (archive footage)
2000
Film
The Bandits of Corsica
Nerva
1953
Film
Machete
Miguel
1958
Film
Guns Girls and Gangsters
Mike Bennett
1959
Film
Master Ninja
John Peter McAllister
1984
Film
Commandos
MSgt. Sullivan
1968
Film
When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion
Self
1979
Film
Kid Vengeance
McClain
1976
Film
Accused of Murder
Police Sgt. Emmett Lackey
1956
Film
The Commander
Col. Mazzarini
1988
Film
Last Stagecoach West
Steve Margolies
1957
Film
Vice Squad
Pete Monty
1953
Film
Master Ninja II
John Peter McAllister
1984
Film
Thieves of Fortune
Sergio Danielo Christophero
1990
Film
Treasure of Ruby Hills
Frank Emmett
1955
Film
I Cover the Underworld
Flash Logan
1955
Film
The Nebraskan
Pvt. Reno Benton
1953
Film
Jack Slade
Bolt Mackay
1953
Film
Gypsy Colt
Hank
1954
Film
The Desperado
Paul Clayton/Buck Clayton
1954
Film
The Hard Way
McNeal
1980
Film
Gun Battle at Monterey
Kirby
1957
Film
The Vanishing American
Jay Lord
1955
Film
The Quiet Gun
Doug Sadler
1957
Film
Tumbleweed
Marv
1953
Film
Nowhere to Hide
Ike Scanlon
1977
Film
Killing Machine
Julot
1984
Film
Arena
Smitty
1953
Film
White Lightning
Brutus Allen
1953
Peter Baumgartner, Filmkameramann
(archive footage)
2014