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".
Filmography (145 titles)
5.3MovieThe Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout
Self (archive footage) · 2024
Peter Baumgartner, Filmkameramann
(archive footage) · 2014
Klaus Kinski: I'm not an actor
Col. Douglas Mortimer (archive footage) · 2000
3.8MovieThieves of Fortune
Sergio Danielo Christophero · 1990
4.5MovieSpeed Zone
Grandfather · 1989
5.6MovieThe Commander
Col. Mazzarini · 1988
5.2MovieArmed Response
Burt Roth · 1986
4.4MovieJungle Raiders
Warren · 1985
10.0MovieThe Master Ninja 5
John Peter McAllister · 1985
5.3MovieCode Name: Wild Geese
Archie 'China' Travers · 1984
4.7MovieKilling Machine
Julot · 1984
4.4MovieMaster Ninja
John Peter McAllister · 1984
7.2MovieMaster Ninja II
John Peter McAllister · 1984
5.3ShowThe Master
John Peter McAllister · 1984
7.1MovieEscape from New York
Police Commissioner Bob Hauk · 1981
5.1MovieThe Octagon
McCarn · 1980
6.1MovieThe Hard Way
McNeal · 1980
MovieWhen the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion
Self · 1979
5.9MovieThe Squeeze
Chris Gretchko / Ray Sloan · 1978
4.3MovieThe Perfect Killer
Harry Chapman · 1977
7.5MovieNowhere to Hide
Ike Scanlon · 1977
5.4MovieKid Vengeance
McClain · 1976
5.2MovieGod's Gun
Father John / Lewis · 1976
5.3MovieTake a Hard Ride
Kiefer · 1975
5.4MovieThe Stranger and the Gunfighter
Dakota · 1974
4.6MovieMean Frank and Crazy Tony
Frankie · 1973
6.0MovieThe Grand Duel
Sheriff Clayton · 1972
5.6MovieThe Magnificent Seven Ride!
Marshal Chris Adams · 1972
4.7MovieCaptain Apache
Capt. Apache · 1971
4.6MovieBad Man's River
Roy King · 1971