Acting · Somerville, New Jersey, USA · Born January 9, 1925
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".
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2024
as Self (archive footage)
Peter Baumgartner, Filmkameramann
2014
as (archive footage)
Klaus Kinski: I'm not an actor
2000
as Col. Douglas Mortimer (archive footage)
MovieThieves of Fortune
1990
as Sergio Danielo Christophero
MovieSpeed Zone
1989
as Grandfather
MovieThe Commander
1988
as Col. Mazzarini
MovieArmed Response
1986
as Burt Roth
MovieJungle Raiders
1985
as Warren
MovieThe Master Ninja 5
1985
as John Peter McAllister
MovieCode Name: Wild Geese
1984
as Archie 'China' Travers
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1984
as Julot
MovieMaster Ninja
1984
as John Peter McAllister
MovieMaster Ninja II
1984
as John Peter McAllister
TVThe Master
1984
as John Peter McAllister
MovieEscape from New York
1981
as Police Commissioner Bob Hauk
MovieThe Octagon
1980
as McCarn
MovieThe Hard Way
1980
as McNeal
MovieWhen the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion
1979
as Self
MovieThe Squeeze
1978
as Chris Gretchko / Ray Sloan
MovieThe Perfect Killer
1977
as Harry Chapman
MovieNowhere to Hide
1977
as Ike Scanlon
MovieKid Vengeance
1976
as McClain
MovieGod's Gun
1976
as Father John / Lewis
MovieTake a Hard Ride
1975
as Kiefer
MovieThe Stranger and the Gunfighter
1974
as Dakota
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1973
as Frankie
MovieThe Grand Duel
1972
as Sheriff Clayton
MovieThe Magnificent Seven Ride!
1972
as Marshal Chris Adams
MovieCaptain Apache
1971
as Capt. Apache
MovieBad Man's River
1971
as Roy King
MovieReturn of Sabata
1971
as Sabata / Major
MovieBarquero
1970
as Travis
MovieEl Condor
1970
as Jaroo
MovieSabata
1969
as Sabata
MovieCommandos
1968
as MSgt. Sullivan
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1968
as Billy Joe Cudlip
MovieDay of Anger
1967
as Frank Talby
MovieDeath Rides a Horse
1967
as Ryan
MovieThe Big Gundown
1967
as Jonathan Corbett
MovieThe Good, the Bad and the Ugly
1966
as Sentenza / Angel Eyes
MovieFor a Few Dollars More
1965
as Col. Douglas Mortimer
TVLaredo
1965
TVMy Mother the Car
1965
TVBranded
1965
TVThe Dakotas
1963
MovieHow the West Was Won
1962
as River Pirate
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1962
as Reese
MoviePosse from Hell
1961
as Leo
TVStagecoach West
1960
as Lin Hyatt
TVThe Andy Griffith Show
1960
as Skip
MovieThe Slowest Gun in the West
1960
as Sam Bass
TVMr. Lucky
1959
as Kruger
TVThe Untouchables
1959
as Frank Diamond
TVHawaiian Eye
1959
TVThe Alaskans
1959
TVThe Twilight Zone
1959
as Steinhart
TVLaw of the Plainsman
1959
as Tracey
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as Peak
TVRiverboat
1959
as Luke Cragg
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1959
as Cherokee Kid
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1959
as Appling
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as Frank
TVBlack Saddle
1959
as Frank Sandoe
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1959
as Fred Grant
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1959
as Mike Bennett
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1958
as Miguel
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1958
TVLawman
1958
TVYancy Derringer
1958
as Ike Milton
TVThe Rifleman
1958
TVBronco
1958
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1958
as Jumbo Kane
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1958
as Alfonso Parral
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1958
as 1st Sgt. Rickett
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1958
as Jake Hayes
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1957
as Ed McGaffey
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1957
as Damon Pardee
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1957
as Adam Grant
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1957
as Kirby
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1957
as Sam Carver
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1957
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1957
as Mort Clio
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1957
as Ben Fraser
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1957
TVPerry Mason
1957
as Edward Doyle
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1957
as Rufe Beal
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as Golias
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as Doug Sadler
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1957
as Steve Margolies
TVRichard Diamond, Private Detective
1957
as Ed Murdock
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1957
as Faro
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1957
as Ed Bailey
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1957
as Maj. Cham
MovieThe Badge of Marshal Brennan
1957
as Shad Donaphin
MovieAccused of Murder
1956
as Police Sgt. Emmett Lackey
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1956
as Al Sanders
State Trooper
1956
as Frank Parnessa
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1956
as Gus
MovieIt Conquered the World
1956
as Dr. Tom Anderson
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1956
as Fat Jones
MovieThe Conqueror
1956
as Chepei
MovieThe Vanishing American
1955
as Jay Lord
MovieA Man Alone
1955
as Clanton
TVThe Adventures of Champion
1955
as Frank
TVCheyenne
1955
as Braden
TVGunsmoke
1955
as Rad
MovieThe Naked Street
1955
as Harry Goldish (uncredited)
MovieThe Road to Denver
1955
as Pecos Larry
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1955
as Flash Logan
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1955
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1955
as Fante
MovieTen Wanted Men
1955
as Al Drucker
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1955
as Frank Emmett
TVStudio 57
1954
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1954
as Earl Ferris
MoviePrincess of the Nile
1954
as Hakar (uncredited)
MovieThe Desperado
1954
as Paul Clayton/Buck Clayton
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1954
as Fire Knife
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1954
as Tillotson Henchman
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1954
as Ace Winton
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1954
as Hank
TVStories of the Century
1954
as Jesse James
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1954
as Amos Belcher
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1953
as Pvt. Reno Benton
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1953
as Marv
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1953
as Bolt Mackay
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1953
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1953
as Pete Monty
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1953
as Smitty
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1953
as Corp. Stone
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1953
as Brutus Allen
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1953
as Nerva
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1953
as Dave Rudabaugh
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1952
as Dirk Hanley
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1952
as Tony Romano
TVThe Ford Television Theatre
1952
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1952
TVFour Star Playhouse
1952
as Bob Wheeler aka Sonora Kid
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as Dave Chittun
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1952
as Jack Colby
TVSchlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951
as Dallas Clancy
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1951
as Captain Jansen
TVThe Adventures of Kit Carson
1951
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1950
as Hod - Henchman
TVThe Lone Ranger
1949
as Bull Harper
