Person
Lee Van Cleef
Actor· Somerville, New Jersey, USA
Lee Van Cleef, with his distinctive hatchet face and piercing eyes, navigated a career typified by early typecasting as a minor villain, his sinister features often overshadowing his acting prowess. After a car crash that left him disillusioned, Sergio Leone’s “For a Few Dollars More” revitalized his career, catapulting him to international stardom. Despite battling heart disease and a pacemaker, Van Cleef continued to perform until his death in 1989, earning a posthumous epitaph that acknowledged his enduring presence as cinema’s quintessential bad guy.
Known For
The roles that explain the career.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Sentenza / Angel Eyes · 1966
For a Few Dollars More
Col. Douglas Mortimer · 1965
Escape from New York
Police Commissioner Bob Hauk · 1981
High Noon
Jack Colby · 1952
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Reese · 1962
How the West Was Won
River Pirate · 1962
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Ed Bailey · 1957
Death Rides a Horse
Ryan · 1967
Filmography
75 credits across 1 departments.
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Klaus Kinski: I'm not an actor | Col. Douglas Mortimer (archive footage) | Film |
| 1990 | Thieves of Fortune | Sergio Danielo Christophero | Film |
| 1989 | Speed Zone | Grandfather | Film |
| 1988 | The Commander | Col. Mazzarini | Film |
| 1986 | Armed Response | Burt Roth | Film |
| 1985 | Jungle Raiders | Warren | Film |
| 1984 | Killing Machine | Julot | Film |
| 1984 | Code Name: Wild Geese | Archie 'China' Travers | Film |
| 1984 | The Master | John Peter McAllister | TV |
| 1981 | Escape from New York | Police Commissioner Bob Hauk | Film |
| 1980 | The Hard Way | McNeal | Film |
| 1980 | The Octagon | McCarn | Film |
| 1977 | The Perfect Killer | Harry Chapman | Film |
| 1976 | Kid Vengeance | McClain | Film |
| 1976 | God's Gun | Father John / Lewis | Film |
| 1975 | Take a Hard Ride | Kiefer | Film |
| 1974 | The Stranger and the Gunfighter | Dakota | Film |
| 1973 | Mean Frank and Crazy Tony | Frankie | Film |
| 1972 | The Magnificent Seven Ride! | Marshal Chris Adams | Film |
| 1972 | The Grand Duel | Sheriff Clayton | Film |
| 1971 | Bad Man's River | Roy King | Film |
| 1971 | Return of Sabata | Sabata / Major | Film |
| 1971 | Captain Apache | Capt. Apache | Film |
| 1970 | El Condor | Jaroo | Film |
| 1970 | Barquero | Travis | Film |
| 1969 | Sabata | Sabata | Film |
| 1968 | Beyond the Law | Billy Joe Cudlip | Film |
| 1968 | Commandos | MSgt. Sullivan | Film |
| 1967 | Death Rides a Horse | Ryan | Film |
| 1967 | The Big Gundown | Jonathan Corbett | Film |
| 1967 | Day of Anger | Frank Talby | Film |
| 1966 | The Good, the Bad and the Ugly | Sentenza / Angel Eyes | Film |
| 1965 | For a Few Dollars More | Col. Douglas Mortimer | Film |
| 1962 | How the West Was Won | River Pirate | Film |
| 1962 | The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance | Reese | Film |
| 1961 | Posse from Hell | Leo | Film |
| 1959 | Guns Girls and Gangsters | Mike Bennett | Film |
| 1959 | Ride Lonesome | Frank | Film |
| 1958 | The Bravados | Alfonso Parral | Film |
| 1958 | Machete | Miguel | Film |
| 1958 | The Young Lions | 1st Sgt. Rickett | Film |
| 1957 | The Badge of Marshal Brennan | Shad Donaphin | Film |
| 1957 | The Quiet Gun | Doug Sadler | Film |
| 1957 | The Lonely Man | Faro | Film |
| 1957 | China Gate | Maj. Cham | Film |
| 1957 | Gunfight at the O.K. Corral | Ed Bailey | Film |
| 1957 | The Tin Star | Ed McGaffey | Film |
| 1957 | Raiders of Old California | Damon Pardee | Film |
| 1957 | Joe Dakota | Adam Grant | Film |
| 1956 | The Conqueror | Chepei | Film |
| 1956 | Pardners | Gus | Film |
| 1956 | Accused of Murder | Police Sgt. Emmett Lackey | Film |
| 1956 | Tribute to a Bad Man | Fat Jones | Film |
| 1956 | It Conquered the World | Dr. Tom Anderson | Film |
| 1955 | A Man Alone | Clanton | Film |
| 1955 | The Big Combo | Fante | Film |
| 1955 | The Naked Street | Harry Goldish (uncredited) | Film |
| 1955 | The Vanishing American | Jay Lord | Film |
| 1955 | Ten Wanted Men | Al Drucker | Film |
| 1955 | Treasure of Ruby Hills | Frank Emmett | Film |
| 1955 | The Road to Denver | Pecos Larry | Film |
| 1954 | Dawn at Socorro | Earl Ferris | Film |
| 1954 | Arrow In The Dust | Tillotson Henchman | Film |
| 1954 | Gypsy Colt | Hank | Film |
| 1954 | The Yellow Tomahawk | Fire Knife | Film |
| 1954 | Princess of the Nile | Hakar (uncredited) | Film |
| 1953 | The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms | Corp. Stone | Film |
| 1953 | The Bandits of Corsica | Nerva | Film |
| 1953 | The Nebraskan | Pvt. Reno Benton | Film |
| 1953 | Arena | Smitty | Film |
| 1953 | Vice Squad | Pete Monty | Film |
| 1952 | High Noon | Jack Colby | Film |
| 1952 | The Lawless Breed | Dirk Hanley | Film |
| 1952 | Untamed Frontier | Dave Chittun | Film |
| 1952 | Kansas City Confidential | Tony Romano | Film |
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