Lee Van Cleef

Lee Van Cleef

Known for: Acting
Biography: 1925-01-09
Deathday: 1989-12-16 (64 years old)

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Biography

Clarence LeRoy "Lee" Van Cleef Jr. 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.


Military service:


After basic training and further training at the Naval Fleet Sound School, Van Cleef was assigned to a submarine chaser and then to a minesweeper, USS Incredible, on which he worked as a sonarman.


After leaving the Navy, Van Cleef read for a part in Our Town at the Little Theater Group in Clinton, New Jersey and received his first stage role. From there, he continued to meet with the group and audition for parts. The next biggest part was that of the boxer, Joe Pendleton, in the play Heaven Can Wait. During this time, he was observed by visiting talent scouts, who were impressed by Van Cleef's stage presence and delivery. One of these scouts later took him to New York City talent agent Maynard Morris of the MCA agency, who then sent him to the Alvin Theater for an audition.


Van Cleef's screen debut came in High Noon. During a performance of Mister Roberts in Los Angeles, he was noticed by film director Stanley Kramer, who offered Van Cleef a role in his upcoming film. Kramer originally wanted Van Cleef for the role of the deputy Harvey Pell, but as he wanted Van Cleef to have his "distinctive nose" fixed, Van Cleef declined the role in favor of the part of the silent gunslinger Jack Colby. He was then cast mostly in villainous roles, due to his sharp cheeks and chin, piercing eyes, and hawk-like nose, from the part of Tony Romano in Kansas City Confidential (1952), culminating 14 years later in Sergio Leone's The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)


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". Description above from the Wikipedia article Lee Van Cleef, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Filmography

all 146

Movies 93

TV Shows 53

self 2

(archive footage)
Peter Baumgartner, Filmkameramann

Peter Baumgartner, Filmkameramann (2014)

Movie
Octagon : le combat des maîtres

Octagon : le combat des maîtres (2003)

Movie
Col. Douglas Mortimer (archive footage)
Klaus Kinski: I'm not an actor

Klaus Kinski: I'm not an actor (2000)

Movie
Sergio Danielo Christophoro
Thieves of Fortune

Thieves of Fortune (1990)

Movie
Himself
The Best of the Martial Arts Films

The Best of the Martial Arts Films (1990)

Movie
Grandfather
Speed Zone

Speed Zone (1989)

Movie
Col. Mazzarini
The Commander

The Commander (1988)

Movie
Burt Roth
Armed Response

Armed Response (1986)

Movie
Warren
Jungle Raiders

Jungle Raiders (1985)

Movie
John Peter McAllister
The Master Ninja 5

The Master Ninja 5 (1985)

Movie
China
Code Name: Wild Geese

Code Name: Wild Geese (1984)

Movie
Julot
Killing Machine

Killing Machine (1984)

Movie
John Peter McAllister
Master Ninja

Master Ninja (1984)

Movie
John Peter McAllister / The Master
The Master

The Master (1984)

TV
John Peter McAllister
Master Ninja II

Master Ninja II (1984)

Movie
Hauk
Escape from New York

Escape from New York (1981)

Movie
5.38
McCarn
The Octagon

The Octagon (1980)

Movie
McNeal
The Hard Way

The Hard Way (1980)

Movie
Self
When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion

When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion (1979)

Movie
Chris Gretchko / Ray Sloan
The Squeeze

The Squeeze (1978)

Movie
Harry Chapman
The Perfect Killer

The Perfect Killer (1977)

Movie
Ike Scanlon
Nowhere to Hide

Nowhere to Hide (1977)

Movie
McClain
Kid Vengeance

Kid Vengeance (1976)

Movie
Father John / Lewis
God's Gun

God's Gun (1976)

Movie
Kiefer
Take a Hard Ride

Take a Hard Ride (1975)

Movie
Dakota
The Stranger and the Gunfighter

The Stranger and the Gunfighter (1974)

Movie
Frankie Diomede
Mean Frank and Crazy Tony

Mean Frank and Crazy Tony (1973)

Movie
Clayton
The Grand Duel

The Grand Duel (1972)

Movie
2
Chris
The Magnificent Seven Ride!

The Magnificent Seven Ride! (1972)

Movie
Roy King
Bad Man's River

Bad Man's River (1971)

Movie
Capt. Apache
Captain Apache

Captain Apache (1971)

Movie
Sabata / Major
Return of Sabata

Return of Sabata (1971)

Movie
3.5
Travis
Barquero

Barquero (1970)

Movie
Jaroo
El Condor

El Condor (1970)

Movie
Sabata
Sabata

Sabata (1969)

Movie
6.75
MSgt. Sullivan
Commandos

Commandos (1968)

Movie
Billy Joe Cudlip
Beyond the Law

Beyond the Law (1968)

Movie
Frank Talby
Day of Anger

Day of Anger (1967)

Movie
2
Ryan
Death Rides a Horse

Death Rides a Horse (1967)

Movie
6
Jonathan 'Colorado' Corbett
The Big Gundown

The Big Gundown (1967)

Movie
6.2
Sentenza / Angel Eyes
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)

Movie
5.66
Col. Douglas Mortimer
For a Few Dollars More

For a Few Dollars More (1965)

Movie
5.85
Laredo

Laredo (1965)

TV
6
My Mother the Car

My Mother the Car (1965)

TV
Charlie Yates / Fred Slater
Branded

Branded (1965)

TV
5.91
Larry Jackson / Slade Tucker
The Dakotas

The Dakotas (1963)

TV
River Pirate (uncredited)
How the West Was Won

How the West Was Won (1962)

Movie
6
Reese
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

Movie
3.67
Leo
Posse from Hell

Posse from Hell (1961)

Movie
Skip
The Andy Griffith Show

The Andy Griffith Show (1960)

TV
6
Sam Bass
The Slowest Gun in the West

The Slowest Gun in the West (1960)

Movie
Mr. Lucky

Mr. Lucky (1959)

TV
Frank Diamond
The Untouchables

The Untouchables (1959)

TV
5.29
Hawaiian Eye

Hawaiian Eye (1959)

TV
The Alaskans

The Alaskans (1959)

TV
The Twilight Zone

The Twilight Zone (1959)

TV
8
Tracey
Law of the Plainsman

Law of the Plainsman (1959)

TV
Peak
The DuPont Show with June Allyson

The DuPont Show with June Allyson (1959)

TV
Luke Cragg
Riverboat

Riverboat (1959)

TV
Cherokee Kid
The Deputy

The Deputy (1959)

TV
Appling
Bonanza

Bonanza (1959)

TV
1
Frank
Ride Lonesome

Ride Lonesome (1959)

Movie
1
Frank Sandoe
Black Saddle

Black Saddle (1959)

TV
Fred Grant / Deck Sommers
Rawhide

Rawhide (1959)

TV
4
Mike Bennett
Guns, Girls and Gangsters

Guns, Girls and Gangsters (1959)

Movie
Miguel
Machete

Machete (1958)

Movie
Majeski
77 Sunset Strip

77 Sunset Strip (1958)

TV
Deputy Clyde Wilson
Lawman

Lawman (1958)

TV
Ike Milton
Yancy Derringer

Yancy Derringer (1958)

TV
The Rifleman

The Rifleman (1958)

TV
6.67
Bronco

Bronco (1958)

TV
Jumbo Kane
Wanted: Dead or Alive

Wanted: Dead or Alive (1958)

TV
Alfonso Parral
The Bravados

The Bravados (1958)

Movie
1st Sgt. Rickett
The Young Lions

The Young Lions (1958)

Movie
Jake Hayes
Day of the Badman

Day of the Badman (1958)

Movie
Sgt. Damon Pardee
Raiders of Old California

Raiders of Old California (1957)

Movie
Adam Grant
Joe Dakota

Joe Dakota (1957)

Movie
Kirby
Gun Battle at Monterey

Gun Battle at Monterey (1957)

Movie
Ed McGaffey
The Tin Star

The Tin Star (1957)

Movie
Sam Carver
Tombstone Territory

Tombstone Territory (1957)

TV
Zorro

Zorro (1957)

TV
5.73
Mort Clio
Casey Jones

Casey Jones (1957)

TV
Ben Fraser
Trackdown

Trackdown (1957)

TV
Maverick

Maverick (1957)

TV
5.33
Edward Doyle
Perry Mason

Perry Mason (1957)

TV
4.33
Rufe Beal
Wagon Train

Wagon Train (1957)

TV
8
Corbin
Have Gun, Will Travel

Have Gun, Will Travel (1957)

TV
6
Doug Sadler
The Quiet Gun

The Quiet Gun (1957)

Movie
Steve Margolies
Last Stagecoach West

Last Stagecoach West (1957)

Movie
Ed Murdock
Richard Diamond, Private Detective

Richard Diamond, Private Detective (1957)

TV
Faro
The Lonely Man

The Lonely Man (1957)

Movie
Ed Bailey
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957)

Movie
4
Maj. Cham
China Gate

China Gate (1957)

Movie
Shad Donaphin
The Badge of Marshal Brennan

The Badge of Marshal Brennan (1957)

Movie
Police Sgt. Emmett Lackey
Accused of Murder

Accused of Murder (1956)

Movie
Al Sanders
Wire Service

Wire Service (1956)

TV
Frank Parnessa
State Trooper

State Trooper (1956)

TV
Gus
Pardners

Pardners (1956)

Movie
Dr. Tom Anderson
It Conquered the World

It Conquered the World (1956)

Movie
Fat Jones
Tribute to a Bad Man

Tribute to a Bad Man (1956)

Movie
3.71
Chepei
The Conqueror

The Conqueror (1956)

Movie
Jay Lord
The Vanishing American

The Vanishing American (1955)

Movie
Clanton
A Man Alone

A Man Alone (1955)

Movie
Frank
The Adventures of Champion

The Adventures of Champion (1955)

TV
Braden / Harry Bittercreek Bartender
Cheyenne

Cheyenne (1955)

TV
Rad / John Hooker / Ike Jeffords
Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke (1955)

TV
6
Harry Goldish (uncredited)
The Naked Street

The Naked Street (1955)

Movie
5.89
Pecos Larry
The Road to Denver

The Road to Denver (1955)

Movie
Flash Logan
I Cover the Underworld

I Cover the Underworld (1955)

Movie
Buffalo Bill Jr.

Buffalo Bill Jr. (1955)

TV
Fante
The Big Combo

The Big Combo (1955)

Movie
Al Drucker
Ten Wanted Men

Ten Wanted Men (1955)

Movie
Frank Emmett
Treasure of Ruby Hills

Treasure of Ruby Hills (1955)

Movie
Studio 57

Studio 57 (1954)

TV
Earl Ferris
Dawn at Socorro

Dawn at Socorro (1954)

Movie
Hakar (uncredited)
Princess of the Nile

Princess of the Nile (1954)

Movie
Paul Clayton/Buck Clayton
The Desperado

The Desperado (1954)

Movie
Fire Knife
The Yellow Tomahawk

The Yellow Tomahawk (1954)

Movie
Tillotson Henchman
Arrow In The Dust

Arrow In The Dust (1954)

Movie
Ace Winton
Rails Into Laramie

Rails Into Laramie (1954)

Movie
Hank
Gypsy Colt

Gypsy Colt (1954)

Movie
Jesse James
Stories of the Century

Stories of the Century (1954)

TV
Amos Belcher
Annie Oakley

Annie Oakley (1954)

TV
Pvt. Reno Benton
The Nebraskan

The Nebraskan (1953)

Movie
Marv
Tumbleweed

Tumbleweed (1953)

Movie
Bolt Mackay
Jack Slade

Jack Slade (1953)

Movie
City Detective

City Detective (1953)

TV
Pete Monty
Vice Squad

Vice Squad (1953)

Movie
Smitty
Arena

Arena (1953)

Movie
Corp. Stone
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)

Movie
Brutus Allen
White Lightning

White Lightning (1953)

Movie
Nerva
The Bandits of Corsica

The Bandits of Corsica (1953)

Movie
Dave Rudabaugh
General Electric Theater

General Electric Theater (1953)

TV
Dirk Hanley
The Lawless Breed

The Lawless Breed (1952)

Movie
Tony Romano
Kansas City Confidential

Kansas City Confidential (1952)

Movie
Stanley Perrin
The Ford Television Theatre

The Ford Television Theatre (1952)

TV
1st Mate Hawl Finch
Cavalcade of America

Cavalcade of America (1952)

TV
Bob Wheeler aka Sonora Kid
Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse (1952)

TV
Dave Chittun
Untamed Frontier

Untamed Frontier (1952)

Movie
Jack Colby
High Noon

High Noon (1952)

Movie
4.44
Wink / Cowboy / Larkin / Dallas Clancy / Sheriff
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951)

TV
The Adventures of Boston Blackie

The Adventures of Boston Blackie (1951)

TV
The Adventures of Kit Carson

The Adventures of Kit Carson (1951)

TV
Henchman Ray / Hod - Henchman
The Gene Autry Show

The Gene Autry Show (1950)

TV
Bull Harper / Jango
The Lone Ranger

The Lone Ranger (1949)

TV
John Peter McAllister
The Master Juggernaut

The Master Juggernaut

TV

Ratings

Average 5.96
Based on 1.83 Million movie and tv ratings over time
1949
1955
1958
1955
2014
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Lee Van CleefLee Van CleefLee Van CleefLee Van CleefLee Van CleefLee Van CleefLee Van CleefLee Van Cleef

Information

Known For
Acting

Gender
Male

Birthday
1925-01-09

Deathday
1989-12-16 (64 years old)

Birth Place
Somerville, United States of America

Height
188-centimeter

Citizenships
United States of America

Also Known As
Clarence Leroy Van Cleef Jr., 李·范克里夫, 리 밴 클리프

Awards
Golden Boot Awards


This article uses material from Wikipedia.
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