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Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
January 9, 1925
Died
December 16, 1989
Place of Birth
Somerville, New Jersey, USA
Also Known As
- Clarence Leroy Van Cleef Jr.
- 李·范克里夫
- 리 밴 클리프
Lee Van Cleef
3.9 Popularity
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
5.3
Self (archive footage)
The Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout
2024
🎬
0.0
(archive footage)
Peter Baumgartner, Filmkameramann
2014
0.0
Octagon : le combat des maîtres
2003
🎬
0.0
Col. Douglas Mortimer (archive footage)
Klaus Kinski: I'm not an actor
2000
2.7
Sergio Danielo Christophero
Thieves of Fortune
1990
4.5
Grandfather
Speed Zone
1989
5.5
Col. Mazzarini
The Commander
1988
4.7
Burt Roth
Armed Response
1986
3.7
Warren
Jungle Raiders
1985
10.0
John Peter McAllister
The Master Ninja 5
1985
Credits
The Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout
as Self (archive footage)
2024
5.3
🎬
Peter Baumgartner, Filmkameramann
as (archive footage)
2014
0.0
Octagon : le combat des maîtres
2003
0.0
🎬
Klaus Kinski: I'm not an actor
as Col. Douglas Mortimer (archive footage)
2000
0.0
Thieves of Fortune
as Sergio Danielo Christophero
1990
2.7
Speed Zone
as Grandfather
1989
4.5
The Commander
as Col. Mazzarini
1988
5.5
Armed Response
as Burt Roth
1986
4.7
Jungle Raiders
as Warren
1985
3.7
The Master Ninja 5
as John Peter McAllister
1985
10.0
Code Name: Wild Geese
as Archie 'China' Travers
1984
5.2
Killing Machine
as Julot
1984
4.5
Master Ninja II
as John Peter McAllister
1984
7.0
The Master
as John Peter McAllister
1984
5.1
Master Ninja
as John Peter McAllister
1984
4.7
Escape from New York
as Police Commissioner Bob Hauk
1981
7.1
The Octagon
as McCarn
1980
5.0
The Hard Way
as McNeal
1980
5.7
When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion
as Self
1979
0.0
The Squeeze
as Chris Gretchko / Ray Sloan
1978
5.2
The Perfect Killer
as Harry Chapman
1977
3.0
Nowhere to Hide
as Ike Scanlon
1977
5.0
Kid Vengeance
as McClain
1976
5.1
God's Gun
as Father John / Lewis
1976
5.2
Take a Hard Ride
as Kiefer
1975
5.2
The Stranger and the Gunfighter
as Dakota
1974
5.3
Mean Frank and Crazy Tony
as Frankie
1973
4.1
The Grand Duel
as Sheriff Clayton
1972
6.0
The Magnificent Seven Ride!
as Marshal Chris Adams
1972
5.5
Captain Apache
as Capt. Apache
1971
4.5
Bad Man's River
as Roy King
1971
4.5
Return of Sabata
as Sabata / Major
1971
5.9
Barquero
as Travis
1970
6.2
El Condor
as Jaroo
1970
5.5
Sabata
as Sabata
1969
6.3
Commandos
as MSgt. Sullivan
1968
5.7
Beyond the Law
as Billy Joe Cudlip
1968
5.8
Day of Anger
as Frank Talby
1967
7.0
Death Rides a Horse
as Ryan
1967
7.0
The Big Gundown
as Jonathan Corbett
1967
7.3
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
as Sentenza / Angel Eyes
1966
8.5
For a Few Dollars More
as Col. Douglas Mortimer
1965
8.0
Laredo
1965
6.3
My Mother the Car
1965
4.3
Branded
1965
6.6
The Dakotas
1963
5.7
How the West Was Won
as River Pirate (uncredited)
1962
7.0
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
as Reese
1962
7.8
Posse from Hell
as Leo
1961
6.2
Stagecoach West
as Lin Hyatt
1960
6.0
The Andy Griffith Show
as Skip
1960
7.6
The Slowest Gun in the West
as Sam Bass
1960
2.0
Mr. Lucky
as Kruger
1959
6.4
The Untouchables
as Frank Diamond
1959
7.8
Hawaiian Eye
1959
5.2
The Alaskans
1959
5.5
The Twilight Zone
as Steinhart
1959
8.5
Law of the Plainsman
as Tracey
1959
6.0
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
as Peak
1959
6.3
Riverboat
as Luke Cragg
1959
6.2
Bonanza
as Appling
1959
7.5
The Deputy
as Cherokee Kid
1959
6.2
Ride Lonesome
as Frank
1959
6.7
Black Saddle
as Frank Sandoe
1959
6.0
Rawhide
as Fred Grant
1959
7.2
Rawhide
as Deck Sommers
1959
7.2
Guns, Girls and Gangsters
as Mike Bennett
1959
5.8
Machete
as Miguel
1958
5.9
77 Sunset Strip
1958
6.7
77 Sunset Strip
as Majeski
1958
6.7
Lawman
1958
5.6
Lawman
as Deputy Clyde Wilson
1958
5.6
Yancy Derringer
as Ike Milton
1958
6.0
The Rifleman
1958
7.1
Bronco
1958
5.9
Wanted: Dead or Alive
as Jumbo Kane
1958
6.8
The Bravados
as Alfonso Parral
1958
6.6
The Young Lions
as 1st Sgt. Rickett
1958
6.8
Day of the Badman
as Jake Hayes
1958
6.5
The Tin Star
as Ed McGaffey
1957
7.0
Raiders of Old California
as Damon Pardee
1957
4.7
Joe Dakota
as Adam Grant
1957
6.3
Gun Battle at Monterey
as Kirby
1957
4.6
Tombstone Territory
as Sam Carver
1957
6.2
Zorro
1957
7.5
Casey Jones
as Mort Clio
1957
5.5
Trackdown
as Ben Fraser
1957
6.4
Maverick
1957
6.9
Perry Mason
as Edward Doyle
1957
7.7
Wagon Train
as Rufe Beal
1957
6.6
Have Gun, Will Travel
as Golias
1957
7.3
Have Gun, Will Travel
as Corbin
1957
7.3
The Quiet Gun
as Doug Sadler
1957
6.4
Last Stagecoach West
as Steve Margolies
1957
4.3
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
as Ed Murdock
1957
6.2
The Lonely Man
as Faro
1957
5.9
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
as Ed Bailey
1957
7.0
China Gate
as Maj. Cham
1957
6.0
The Badge of Marshal Brennan
as Shad Donaphin
1957
6.0
Accused of Murder
as Police Sgt. Emmett Lackey
1956
4.5
Wire Service
as Al Sanders
1956
0.0
🎬
State Trooper
as Frank Parnessa
1956
5.0
Pardners
as Gus
1956
6.7
It Conquered the World
as Dr. Tom Anderson
1956
4.8
Tribute to a Bad Man
as Fat Jones
1956
7.0
The Conqueror
as Chepei
1956
3.5
The Vanishing American
as Jay Lord
1955
4.0
A Man Alone
as Clanton
1955
5.7
The Adventures of Champion
as Frank
1955
5.3
Cheyenne
as Braden
1955
6.0
Cheyenne
as Harry Bittercreek Bartender
1955
6.0
Gunsmoke
as Rad
1955
6.6
Gunsmoke
as John Hooker
1955
6.6
Gunsmoke
as Ike Jeffords
1955
6.6
The Naked Street
as Harry Goldish (uncredited)
1955
6.1
The Road to Denver
as Pecos Larry
1955
6.4
I Cover the Underworld
as Flash Logan
1955
6.0
Buffalo Bill Jr.
1955
5.0
The Big Combo
as Fante
1955
7.0
Ten Wanted Men
as Al Drucker
1955
5.8
Treasure of Ruby Hills
as Frank Emmett
1955
4.0
Studio 57
1954
0.0
Studio 57
as Tommy
1954
0.0
Dawn at Socorro
as Earl Ferris
1954
7.2
Princess of the Nile
as Hakar (uncredited)
1954
7.1
The Desperado
as Paul Clayton/Buck Clayton
1954
6.6
The Yellow Tomahawk
as Fire Knife
1954
6.0
Arrow In The Dust
as Tillotson Henchman
1954
5.8
Rails Into Laramie
as Ace Winton
1954
6.3
Gypsy Colt
as Hank
1954
6.3
Stories of the Century
as Jesse James
1954
6.8
Annie Oakley
as Amos Belcher
1954
5.2
Annie Oakley
as Tim Brennan
1954
5.2
The Nebraskan
as Pvt. Reno Benton
1953
2.7
Tumbleweed
as Marv
1953
6.1
Jack Slade
as Bolt Mackay
1953
6.4
City Detective
1953
7.0
Vice Squad
as Pete Monty
1953
5.7
Arena
as Smitty
1953
4.7
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms
as Corp. Stone
1953
6.6
White Lightning
as Brutus Allen
1953
6.0
The Bandits of Corsica
as Nerva
1953
5.8
General Electric Theater
as Dave Rudabaugh
1953
6.4
The Lawless Breed
as Dirk Hanley
1952
6.6
Kansas City Confidential
as Tony Romano
1952
7.1
The Ford Television Theatre
1952
7.3
The Ford Television Theatre
as Stanley Perrin
1952
7.3
Cavalcade of America
1952
3.5
Cavalcade of America
as 1st Mate Hawl Finch
1952
3.5
🎬
Four Star Playhouse
as Bob Wheeler aka Sonora Kid
1952
6.7
Untamed Frontier
as Dave Chittun
1952
7.2
High Noon
as Jack Colby
1952
7.7
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
as Dallas Clancy
1951
7.2
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
as Sheriff
1951
7.2
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
as Larkin
1951
7.2
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
as Wink
1951
7.2
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
as Cowboy
1951
7.2
Boston Blackie
as Captain Jansen
1951
4.0
Boston Blackie
as Lou
1951
4.0
The Adventures of Kit Carson
1951
5.3
The Gene Autry Show
as Hod - Henchman
1950
4.2
The Gene Autry Show
as Henchman Ray
1950
4.2
The Lone Ranger
as Bull Harper
1949
6.8
The Lone Ranger
as Jango
1949
6.8