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Lee Van Cleef

Actor

Lee Van Cleef

Born January 9, 1925 in Somerville, New Jersey, USADied December 16, 198988 films

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.

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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".

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The best way into Lee Van Cleef's work
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly posterFirst watchThe Good, the Bad and the Ugly19668.5as Sentenza / Angel EyesWhile the Civil War rages on between the Union and the Confederacy, three men – a quiet loner, a ruthless hitman, and a Mexican bandit – comb the American Southwest in search of a…View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
For a Few Dollars More poster8.0For a Few Dollars More1965Escape from New York poster7.0Escape from New York1981High Noon poster7.7High Noon1952The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance poster7.8The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance1962How the West Was Won poster7.0How the West Was Won1962Gunfight at the O.K. Corral poster7.0Gunfight at the O.K. Corral1957Death Rides a Horse poster7.0Death Rides a Horse1967The Big Gundown poster7.3The Big Gundown1967

Filmography

88 films as actor
  1. 1990Thieves of FortuneSergio Danielo Christophero
  2. 1989Speed ZoneGrandfather
  3. 1988The CommanderCol. Mazzarini
  4. 1986Armed ResponseBurt Roth
  5. 1985Jungle RaidersWarren
  6. 1985The Master Ninja 5John Peter McAllister
  7. 1984Code Name: Wild GeeseArchie 'China' Travers
  8. 1984Killing MachineJulot
  9. 1984Master NinjaJohn Peter McAllister
  10. 1984Master Ninja IIJohn Peter McAllister
  11. 1981Escape from New YorkPolice Commissioner Bob Hauk
  12. 1980The OctagonMcCarn
  13. 1980The Hard WayMcNeal
  14. 1978The SqueezeChris Gretchko / Ray Sloan
  15. 1977The Perfect KillerHarry Chapman
  16. 1977Nowhere to HideIke Scanlon
  17. 1976Kid VengeanceMcClain
  18. 1976God's GunFather John / Lewis
  19. 1975Take a Hard RideKiefer
  20. 1974The Stranger and the GunfighterDakota
  21. 1973Mean Frank and Crazy TonyFrankie
  22. 1972The Grand DuelSheriff Clayton
  23. 1972The Magnificent Seven Ride!Marshal Chris Adams
  24. 1971Captain ApacheCapt. Apache
  25. 1971Bad Man's RiverRoy King
  26. 1971Return of SabataSabata / Major
  27. 1970BarqueroTravis
  28. 1970El CondorJaroo
  29. 1969SabataSabata
  30. 1968CommandosMSgt. Sullivan
  31. 1968Beyond the LawBilly Joe Cudlip
  32. 1967Day of AngerFrank Talby
  33. 1967Death Rides a HorseRyan
  34. 1967The Big GundownJonathan Corbett
  35. 1966The Good, the Bad and the UglySentenza / Angel Eyes
  36. 1965For a Few Dollars MoreCol. Douglas Mortimer
  37. 1962How the West Was WonRiver Pirate
  38. 1962The Man Who Shot Liberty ValanceReese
  39. 1961Posse from HellLeo
  40. 1960The Slowest Gun in the WestSam Bass
  41. 1959Ride LonesomeFrank
  42. 1959Guns Girls and GangstersMike Bennett
  43. 1958MacheteMiguel
  44. 1958The BravadosAlfonso Parral
  45. 1958The Young Lions1st Sgt. Rickett
  46. 1958Day of the BadmanJake Hayes
  47. 1957The Tin StarEd McGaffey
  48. 1957Raiders of Old CaliforniaDamon Pardee
  49. 1957Joe DakotaAdam Grant
  50. 1957Gun Battle at MontereyKirby
  51. 1957The Quiet GunDoug Sadler
  52. 1957Last Stagecoach WestSteve Margolies
  53. 1957The Lonely ManFaro
  54. 1957Gunfight at the O.K. CorralEd Bailey
  55. 1957China GateMaj. Cham
  56. 1957The Badge of Marshal BrennanShad Donaphin
  57. 1956Accused of MurderPolice Sgt. Emmett Lackey
  58. 1956PardnersGus
  59. 1956It Conquered the WorldDr. Tom Anderson
  60. 1956Tribute to a Bad ManFat Jones
  61. 1956The ConquerorChepei
  62. 1955The Vanishing AmericanJay Lord
  63. 1955A Man AloneClanton
  64. 1955The Naked StreetHarry Goldish (uncredited)
  65. 1955The Road to DenverPecos Larry
  66. 1955I Cover the UnderworldFlash Logan
  67. 1955The Big ComboFante
  68. 1955Ten Wanted MenAl Drucker
  69. 1955Treasure of Ruby HillsFrank Emmett
  70. 1954Dawn at SocorroEarl Ferris
  71. 1954Princess of the NileHakar (uncredited)
  72. 1954The DesperadoPaul Clayton/Buck Clayton
  73. 1954The Yellow TomahawkFire Knife
  74. 1954Arrow In The DustTillotson Henchman
  75. 1954Rails Into LaramieAce Winton
  76. 1954Gypsy ColtHank
  77. 1953The NebraskanPvt. Reno Benton
  78. 1953TumbleweedMarv
  79. 1953Jack SladeBolt Mackay
  80. 1953Vice SquadPete Monty
  81. 1953ArenaSmitty
  82. 1953The Beast from 20,000 FathomsCorp. Stone
  83. 1953White LightningBrutus Allen
  84. 1953The Bandits of CorsicaNerva
  85. 1952The Lawless BreedDirk Hanley
  86. 1952Kansas City ConfidentialTony Romano
  87. 1952Untamed FrontierDave Chittun
  88. 1952High NoonJack Colby