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Lee Van Cleef‌

Gender

Male

Birthday

calendar1925-01-09

Popularity

star23.1

Lee Van Cleef

Somerville, New Jersey, USA

Lee Van Cleef

Somerville, New Jersey, USA

Gender

Male

Birthday

calendar1925-01-09

Popularity

star23.1

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.

Movie Credits

High Noon

High Noon‌
star7.7
calendar 1952

For a Few Dollars More

For a Few Dollars More‌
star8.0
calendar 1965

Escape from New York

Escape from New York‌
star7.1
calendar 1981

The Tin Star

The Tin Star‌
star7.0
calendar 1957

Kansas City Confidential

Kansas City Confidential‌
star7.1
calendar 1952

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral‌
star7.0
calendar 1957

The Big Combo

The Big Combo‌
star7.0
calendar 1955

Pardners

Pardners‌
star6.6
calendar 1956

The Octagon

The Octagon‌
star5.0
calendar 1980

Barquero

Barquero‌
star6.3
calendar 1970

Speed Zone

Speed Zone‌
star4.5
calendar 1989

It Conquered the World

It Conquered the World‌
star4.8
calendar 1956

Beyond the Law

Beyond the Law‌
star5.5
calendar 1968

Ride Lonesome

Ride Lonesome‌
star6.6
calendar 1959

The Young Lions

The Young Lions‌
star6.8
calendar 1958

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms‌
star6.6
calendar 1953

The Stranger and the Gunfighter

The Stranger and the Gunfighter‌
star5.3
calendar 1974

Peter Baumgartner, Filmkameramann

Peter Baumgartner, Filmkameramann‌
star0.0
calendar 2014

The Lonely Man

The Lonely Man‌
star6.0
calendar 1957

Accused of Murder

Accused of Murder‌
star4.5
calendar 1956

The Magnificent Seven Ride!

The Magnificent Seven Ride!‌
star5.4
calendar 1972

The Bravados

The Bravados‌
star6.5
calendar 1958

The Grand Duel

The Grand Duel‌
star6.0
calendar 1972

Take a Hard Ride

Take a Hard Ride‌
star5.3
calendar 1975

Ten Wanted Men

Ten Wanted Men‌
star5.8
calendar 1955

The Big Gundown

The Big Gundown‌
star7.3
calendar 1967

Armed Response

Armed Response‌
star5.1
calendar 1986

Thieves of Fortune

Thieves of Fortune‌
star3.0
calendar 1990

Death Rides a Horse

Death Rides a Horse‌
star7.0
calendar 1967

Sabata

Sabata‌
star6.2
calendar 1969

Return of Sabata

Return of Sabata‌
star6.0
calendar 1971

Mean Frank and Crazy Tony

Mean Frank and Crazy Tony‌
star5.0
calendar 1973

When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion

When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion‌
star0.0
calendar 1979

Tribute to a Bad Man

Tribute to a Bad Man‌
star7.0
calendar 1956

Machete

Machete‌
star5.9
calendar 1958

Day of Anger

Day of Anger‌
star7.0
calendar 1967

Vice Squad

Vice Squad‌
star5.9
calendar 1953

El Condor

El Condor‌
star5.6
calendar 1970

China Gate

China Gate‌
star6.0
calendar 1957

Kid Vengeance

Kid Vengeance‌
star5.3
calendar 1976

Killing Machine

Killing Machine‌
star4.6
calendar 1984

God's Gun

God's Gun‌
star5.1
calendar 1976

Jungle Raiders

Jungle Raiders‌
star5.0
calendar 1985

Bad Man's River

Bad Man's River‌
star4.4
calendar 1971

Commandos

Commandos‌
star5.7
calendar 1968

The Lawless Breed

The Lawless Breed‌
star6.6
calendar 1952

Captain Apache

Captain Apache‌
star4.4
calendar 1971

The Bandits of Corsica

The Bandits of Corsica‌
star5.8
calendar 1953

Arena

Arena‌
star4.7
calendar 1953

Gypsy Colt

Gypsy Colt‌
star6.3
calendar 1954

The Hard Way

The Hard Way‌
star5.6
calendar 1980

Raiders of Old California

Raiders of Old California‌
star4.7
calendar 1957

The Commander

The Commander‌
star5.5
calendar 1988

Arrow In The Dust

Arrow In The Dust‌
star5.9
calendar 1954

Code Name: Wild Geese

Code Name: Wild Geese‌
star5.2
calendar 1984

Dawn at Socorro

Dawn at Socorro‌
star7.2
calendar 1954

Princess of the Nile

Princess of the Nile‌
star7.1
calendar 1954

The Perfect Killer

The Perfect Killer‌
star2.0
calendar 1977

Untamed Frontier

Untamed Frontier‌
star7.2
calendar 1952

The Yellow Tomahawk

The Yellow Tomahawk‌
star6.0
calendar 1954

Joe Dakota

Joe Dakota‌
star5.5
calendar 1957

Treasure of Ruby Hills

Treasure of Ruby Hills‌
star4.0
calendar 1955

The Vanishing American

The Vanishing American‌
star4.0
calendar 1955

The Badge of Marshal Brennan

The Badge of Marshal Brennan‌
star6.0
calendar 1957

The Quiet Gun

The Quiet Gun‌
star6.4
calendar 1957

The Nebraskan

The Nebraskan‌
star3.0
calendar 1953

Gun Battle at Monterey

Gun Battle at Monterey‌
star4.0
calendar 1957

Rails Into Laramie

Rails Into Laramie‌
star6.3
calendar 1954

Jack Slade

Jack Slade‌
star6.4
calendar 1953

Last Stagecoach West

Last Stagecoach West‌
star4.3
calendar 1957

The Squeeze

The Squeeze‌
star5.2
calendar 1978

The Slowest Gun in the West

The Slowest Gun in the West‌
star2.0
calendar 1960

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance‌
star7.8
calendar 1962

Octagon : le combat des maîtres

Octagon : le combat des maîtres‌
star0.0
calendar 2003

Tumbleweed

Tumbleweed‌
star6.1
calendar 1953

Posse from Hell

Posse from Hell‌
star6.1
calendar 1961

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly‌
star8.5
calendar 1966

A Man Alone

A Man Alone‌
star5.6
calendar 1955

Klaus Kinski: I'm not an actor

Klaus Kinski: I'm not an actor‌
star0.0
calendar 2000

How the West Was Won

How the West Was Won‌
star7.0
calendar 1962

The Conqueror

The Conqueror‌
star3.4
calendar 1956

The Master Ninja 5

The Master Ninja 5‌
star10.0
calendar 1985

I Cover the Underworld

I Cover the Underworld‌
star6.0
calendar 1955

The Best of the Martial Arts Films

The Best of the Martial Arts Films‌
star8.8
calendar 1990

The Desperado

The Desperado‌
star6.6
calendar 1954

The Road to Denver

The Road to Denver‌
star6.0
calendar 1955

Master Ninja

Master Ninja‌
star4.7
calendar 1984

Nowhere to Hide

Nowhere to Hide‌
star5.0
calendar 1977

White Lightning

White Lightning‌
star6.0
calendar 1953

Day of the Badman

Day of the Badman‌
star6.5
calendar 1958

Master Ninja II

Master Ninja II‌
star7.0
calendar 1984

Guns, Girls and Gangsters

Guns, Girls and Gangsters‌
star5.9
calendar 1959

The Naked Street

The Naked Street‌
star6.0
calendar 1955

Tv Credits

The Andy Griffith Show

The Andy Griffith Show‌
star7.6
calendar 1960

77 Sunset Strip

77 Sunset Strip‌
star6.7
calendar 1958

Mr. Lucky

Mr. Lucky‌
star7.0
calendar 1959

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke‌
star6.5
calendar 1955

Perry Mason

Perry Mason‌
star7.6
calendar 1957

General Electric Theater

General Electric Theater‌
star6.0
calendar 1953

Hawaiian Eye

Hawaiian Eye‌
star5.2
calendar 1959

Zorro

Zorro‌
star7.5
calendar 1957

The Twilight Zone

The Twilight Zone‌
star8.4
calendar 1959

Laredo

Laredo‌
star6.3
calendar 1965

The Adventures of Champion

The Adventures of Champion‌
star5.3
calendar 1955

Rawhide

Rawhide‌
star7.0
calendar 1959

Have Gun, Will Travel

Have Gun, Will Travel‌
star7.4
calendar 1957

My Mother the Car

My Mother the Car‌
star3.6
calendar 1965

Yancy Derringer

Yancy Derringer‌
star6.0
calendar 1958

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars‌
star7.0
calendar 1951

Richard Diamond, Private Detective

Richard Diamond, Private Detective‌
star6.2
calendar 1957

Bronco

Bronco‌
star4.8
calendar 1958

The Alaskans

The Alaskans‌
star5.5
calendar 1959

Black Saddle

Black Saddle‌
star6.0
calendar 1959

Branded

Branded‌
star6.4
calendar 1965

Wanted: Dead or Alive

Wanted: Dead or Alive‌
star6.9
calendar 1958

The Rifleman

The Rifleman‌
star7.0
calendar 1958

The Dakotas

The Dakotas‌
star5.7
calendar 1963

Lawman

Lawman‌
star5.4
calendar 1958

Law of the Plainsman

Law of the Plainsman‌
star6.0
calendar 1959

Riverboat

Riverboat‌
star6.2
calendar 1959

Wire Service

Wire Service‌
star0.0
calendar 1956

Buffalo Bill Jr.

Buffalo Bill Jr.‌
star5.0
calendar 1955

Cavalcade of America

Cavalcade of America‌
star3.5
calendar 1952

The Master

The Master‌
star4.9
calendar 1984

City Detective

City Detective‌
star0.0
calendar 1953

The Adventures of Kit Carson

The Adventures of Kit Carson‌
star5.3
calendar 1951

The DuPont Show with June Allyson

The DuPont Show with June Allyson‌
star6.3
calendar 1959

The Ford Television Theatre

The Ford Television Theatre‌
star7.0
calendar 1952

The Adventures of Boston Blackie

The Adventures of Boston Blackie‌
star4.0
calendar 1951

Studio 57

Studio 57‌
star0.0
calendar 1954

Maverick

Maverick‌
star6.8
calendar 1957

The Lone Ranger

The Lone Ranger‌
star6.8
calendar 1949

The Deputy

The Deputy‌
star6.2
calendar 1959

Lawman

Lawman‌
star5.4
calendar 1958

Casey Jones

Casey Jones‌
star5.5
calendar 1957

The Untouchables

The Untouchables‌
star7.9
calendar 1959

Rawhide

Rawhide‌
star7.0
calendar 1959

Trackdown

Trackdown‌
star6.4
calendar 1957

Cheyenne

Cheyenne‌
star5.8
calendar 1955

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke‌
star6.5
calendar 1955

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke‌
star6.5
calendar 1955

Cavalcade of America

Cavalcade of America‌
star3.5
calendar 1952

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars‌
star7.0
calendar 1951

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars‌
star7.0
calendar 1951

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars‌
star7.0
calendar 1951

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars‌
star7.0
calendar 1951

Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse‌
star6.1
calendar 1952

The Lone Ranger

The Lone Ranger‌
star6.8
calendar 1949

The Ford Television Theatre

The Ford Television Theatre‌
star7.0
calendar 1952

Bonanza

Bonanza‌
star7.5
calendar 1959

Tombstone Territory

Tombstone Territory‌
star6.3
calendar 1957

Have Gun, Will Travel

Have Gun, Will Travel‌
star7.4
calendar 1957

77 Sunset Strip

77 Sunset Strip‌
star6.7
calendar 1958

Cheyenne

Cheyenne‌
star5.8
calendar 1955

State Trooper

State Trooper‌
star5.0
calendar 1956

Wagon Train

Wagon Train‌
star6.4
calendar 1957

The Gene Autry Show

The Gene Autry Show‌
star4.8
calendar 1950

The Gene Autry Show

The Gene Autry Show‌
star4.8
calendar 1950

Annie Oakley

Annie Oakley‌
star5.6
calendar 1954

Studio 57

Studio 57‌
star0.0
calendar 1954

Annie Oakley

Annie Oakley‌
star5.6
calendar 1954

Stories of the Century

Stories of the Century‌
star5.7
calendar 1954

Stagecoach West

Stagecoach West‌
star6.0
calendar 1960