Lee Van Cleef
Known for Acting · 145 credits
- Born
- 1925-01-09
- Died
- 1989-12-16
- Place of birth
- Somerville, New Jersey, USA
- Also known as
- Clarence Leroy Van Cleef Jr. · 李·范克里夫 · 리 밴 클리프
Biography
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".
Known For
TV Shows (53)
Perry Mason
1957
as Edward Doyle
The Rifleman
1958
Bonanza
1959
as Appling
The Andy Griffith Show
1960
as Skip
Wagon Train
1957
as Rufe Beal
Have Gun, Will Travel
1957
as Golias / Corbin
Maverick
1957
The Twilight Zone
1959
as Steinhart
Rawhide
1959
as Fred Grant / Deck Sommers
The Lone Ranger
1949
as Bull Harper / Jango
The Untouchables
1959
as Frank Diamond
Cheyenne
1955
as Braden / Harry Bittercreek Bartender
Four Star Playhouse
1952
as Bob Wheeler aka Sonora Kid
Lawman
1958
as Deputy Clyde Wilson / Ned Scott
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
1957
as Ed Murdock
Gunsmoke
1955
as Rad / John Hooker / Ike Jeffords
Wanted: Dead or Alive
1958
as Jumbo Kane
Zorro
1957
77 Sunset Strip
1958
as Majeski
The Deputy
1959
as Cherokee Kid
Hawaiian Eye
1959
State Trooper
1956
as Frank Parnessa
Annie Oakley
1954
as Amos Belcher / Tim Brennan
Laredo
1965
The Ford Television Theatre
1952
as Stanley Perrin
Tombstone Territory
1957
as Sam Carver
Bronco
1958
as Shanghai Williams
The Gene Autry Show
1950
as Hod - Henchman / Henchman Ray
Yancy Derringer
1958
as Ike Milton
Studio 57
1954
as Tommy
Branded
1965
Trackdown
1957
as Ben Fraser
Black Saddle
1959
as Frank Sandoe
Riverboat
1959
as Luke Cragg
City Detective
1953
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
1959
as Peak
Cavalcade of America
1952
as 1st Mate Hawl Finch
Law of the Plainsman
1959
as Tracey
The Adventures of Kit Carson
1951
The Alaskans
1959
Mr. Lucky
1959
as Kruger
Wire Service
1956
as Al Sanders
Stagecoach West
1960
as Lin Hyatt
Casey Jones
1957
as Mort Clio
The Dakotas
1963
The Master
1984
as John Peter McAllister
Boston Blackie
1951
as Captain Jansen / Lou
Buffalo Bill Jr.
1955
My Mother the Car
1965
Stories of the Century
1954
as Jesse James
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951
as Dallas Clancy / Sheriff / Larkin / Wink / Cowboy
The Adventures of Champion
1955
as Frank
General Electric Theater
1953
as Dave Rudabaugh
Movies (92)
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
1966
as Sentenza / Angel Eyes
For a Few Dollars More
1965
as Col. Douglas Mortimer
High Noon
1952
as Jack Colby
Escape from New York
1981
as Police Commissioner Bob Hauk
Last Stagecoach West
1957
as Steve Margolies
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
1962
as Reese
How the West Was Won
1962
as River Pirate
The Bravados
1958
as Alfonso Parral
Treasure of Ruby Hills
1955
as Frank Emmett
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
1957
as Ed Bailey
Death Rides a Horse
1967
as Ryan
Princess of the Nile
1954
as Hakar (uncredited)
The Yellow Tomahawk
1954
as Fire Knife
Posse from Hell
1961
as Leo
The Grand Duel
1972
as Sheriff Clayton
God's Gun
1976
as Father John / Lewis
Sabata
1969
as Sabata
Take a Hard Ride
1975
as Kiefer
It Conquered the World
1956
as Dr. Tom Anderson
Day of Anger
1967
as Frank Talby
Machete
1958
as Miguel
Bad Man's River
1971
as Roy King
Master Ninja II
1984
as John Peter McAllister
Ten Wanted Men
1955
as Al Drucker
The Young Lions
1958
as 1st Sgt. Rickett
Return of Sabata
1971
as Sabata / Major
China Gate
1957
as Maj. Cham
The Naked Street
1955
as Harry Goldish (uncredited)
Dawn at Socorro
1954
as Earl Ferris
Code Name: Wild Geese
1984
as Archie 'China' Travers
Tribute to a Bad Man
1956
as Fat Jones
The Magnificent Seven Ride!
1972
as Marshal Chris Adams
Master Ninja
1984
as John Peter McAllister
The Lawless Breed
1952
as Dirk Hanley
The Tin Star
1957
as Ed McGaffey
Armed Response
1986
as Burt Roth
Mean Frank and Crazy Tony
1973
as Frankie
Untamed Frontier
1952
as Dave Chittun
El Condor
1970
as Jaroo
Kid Vengeance
1976
as McClain
The Big Gundown
1967
as Jonathan Corbett
Ride Lonesome
1959
as Frank
Joe Dakota
1957
as Adam Grant
Captain Apache
1971
as Capt. Apache
The Bandits of Corsica
1953
as Nerva
The Octagon
1980
as McCarn
The Big Combo
1955
as Fante
Kansas City Confidential
1952
as Tony Romano
Arrow In The Dust
1954
as Tillotson Henchman
Rails Into Laramie
1954
as Ace Winton
Speed Zone
1989
as Grandfather
Guns Girls and Gangsters
1959
as Mike Bennett
A Man Alone
1955
as Clanton
Jack Slade
1953
as Bolt Mackay
The Road to Denver
1955
as Pecos Larry
The Vanishing American
1955
as Jay Lord
Killing Machine
1984
as Julot
Day of the Badman
1958
as Jake Hayes
Beyond the Law
1968
as Billy Joe Cudlip
Vice Squad
1953
as Pete Monty
The Commander
1988
as Col. Mazzarini
The Conqueror
1956
as Chepei
The Badge of Marshal Brennan
1957
as Shad Donaphin
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms
1953
as Corp. Stone
Arena
1953
as Smitty
Gypsy Colt
1954
as Hank
Gun Battle at Monterey
1957
as Kirby
The Slowest Gun in the West
1960
as Sam Bass
The Quiet Gun
1957
as Doug Sadler
Commandos
1968
as MSgt. Sullivan
The Squeeze
1978
as Chris Gretchko / Ray Sloan
Barquero
1970
as Travis
Nowhere to Hide
1977
as Ike Scanlon
Jungle Raiders
1985
as Warren
The Nebraskan
1953
as Pvt. Reno Benton
White Lightning
1953
as Brutus Allen
The Lonely Man
1957
as Faro
Tumbleweed
1953
as Marv
The Hard Way
1980
as McNeal
Raiders of Old California
1957
as Damon Pardee
Thieves of Fortune
1990
as Sergio Danielo Christophero
The Stranger and the Gunfighter
1974
as Dakota
Pardners
1956
as Gus
The Master Ninja 5
1985
as John Peter McAllister
The Perfect Killer
1977
as Harry Chapman
The Desperado
1954
as Paul Clayton/Buck Clayton
I Cover the Underworld
1955
as Flash Logan
The Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout
2024
as Self (archive footage)
Accused of Murder
1956
as Police Sgt. Emmett Lackey
Klaus Kinski: I'm not an actor
2000
as Col. Douglas Mortimer (archive footage)
When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion
1979
as Self
Peter Baumgartner, Filmkameramann
2014
as (archive footage)
About 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 c… With 145 credits spanning from 1949 to 2024, Lee Van Cleef has appeared in 92 films and 53 TV shows.
Fans searching for Lee Van Cleef movies, Lee Van Cleef filmography, or the latest projects starring Lee Van Cleef can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Lee Van Cleef Movies
- The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) — as Sentenza / Angel Eyes
- For a Few Dollars More (1965) — as Col. Douglas Mortimer
- High Noon (1952) — as Jack Colby
- Escape from New York (1981) — as Police Commissioner Bob Hauk
- Last Stagecoach West (1957) — as Steve Margolies
Where to Watch Lee Van Cleef Films
Most Lee Van Cleef movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Lee Van Cleef, check our movies catalogue and browse page.