Lee Van Cleef

Clarence LeRoy Van Cleef Jr. (born January 9, 1925 in Somerville, New Jersey; died December 16, 1989 in Oxnard, California) was an American movie actor who made his name in Westerns. For much of his career, he played villainous characters, but he switched to heroic roles after achieving success in Spaghetti Westerns.

Career
Van Cleef made his movie debut in the classic Western High Noon (1952) as the outlaw Jack Colby. His role was a non-speaking one, but he played a harmonica as he, Robert J. Wilke, and Sheb Wooley famously waited for the noon train.

Having made a good impression, Van Cleef was in demand to play outlaws through the 1950s and early 1960s. Among his films were Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957), The Tin Star (1957), Ride Lonesome (1959), and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962). He also made numerous television appearances on shows like The Lone Ranger, Tales of Wells Fargo, Wagon Train, Laramie, Bonanza, and Gunsmoke.  

In 1965, he was cast as bounty hunter Douglas Mortimer in Sergio Leone's classic Spaghetti Western For a Few Dollars More. This was Van Cleef's big break, converting him from supporting actor to lead. He followed up with the role he is perhaps best remembered for, as Angel Eyes ("The Bad") in Leone's epic The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966). 

Van Cleef went on to enjoy great success in European cinema, especially in Italy, as the protagonist of many Spaghetti Westerns including The Big Gundown (1966), Death Rides a Horse (1967), Sabata (1969), Return of Sabata (1971), and Take a Hard Ride (1975). In the United States, he starred in Westerns such as El Condor (1970), Barquero (1970), and The Magnificent Seven Ride! (1972).

Other websites




 TheBad.net: A Tribute to Lee Van Cleef
 Brian's Drive In Theater: Lee Van Cleef

Category:1925 births
Category:1989 deaths
Category:American movie actors
Category:American television actors
Category:Actors from New Jersey
Category:Deaths from myocardial infarction