Actor
Lee Van Cleef
Born 9 January 1925 · Somerville, New Jersey, USA — died 16 December 1989
Lee Van Cleef (1925–1989) was an American actor whose sharp features made him a go-to screen villain in 1950s Hollywood. He became a star in Europe through Sergio Leone's Spaghetti Westerns, and went on to lead many Italian Westerns. He remains one of the genre's defining faces.
Key films
High Noon (1952)
His film debut, playing a largely silent outlaw in a classic Western.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
Prominent Hollywood Western appearance in the period when he was typically cast as a henchman.
For a Few Dollars More (1965)
Leone's film that gave him his breakthrough leading role as Colonel Mortimer, making him a star in Europe.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)On Cinespective
Played Angel Eyes in Leone's epic, his most famous and widely seen performance.
Escape from New York (1981)
Late-career role in John Carpenter's cult sci-fi thriller, introducing him to a new generation.
Key awards
No major awards are documented here.
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 93
- 1952High Noon · as Jack ColbyActor
- 1952Kansas City Confidential · as Tony RomanoActor
- 1952The Lawless Breed · as Dirk HanleyActor
- 1952Untamed Frontier · as Dave ChittunActor
- 1953The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms · as Corp. StoneActor
- 1953Vice Squad · as Pete MontyActor
- 1953Tumbleweed · as MarvActor
- 1953Arena · as SmittyActor
- 1953Jack Slade · as Bolt MackayActor
- 1953The Nebraskan · as Pvt. Reno BentonActor
- 1953The Bandits of Corsica · as NervaActor
- 1953White Lightning · as Brutus AllenActor
- 1954Rails Into Laramie · as Ace WintonActor
- 1954Dawn at Socorro · as Earl FerrisActor
- 1954Princess of the Nile · as Hakar (uncredited)Actor
- 1954Arrow In The Dust · as Tillotson HenchmanActor
- 1954The Yellow Tomahawk · as Fire KnifeActor
- 1954The Desperado · as Paul Clayton/Buck ClaytonActor
- 1954Gypsy Colt · as HankActor
- 1955The Big Combo · as FanteActor
- 1955A Man Alone · as ClantonActor
- 1955Ten Wanted Men · as Al DruckerActor
- 1955The Naked Street · as Harry Goldish (uncredited)Actor
- 1955The Road to Denver · as Pecos LarryActor
- 1955Treasure of Ruby Hills · as Frank EmmettActor
- 1955The Vanishing American · as Jay LordActor
- 1955I Cover the Underworld · as Flash LoganActor
- 1956Pardners · as GusActor
- 1956The Conqueror · as ChepeiActor
- 1956It Conquered the World · as Dr. Tom AndersonActor
- 1956Tribute to a Bad Man · as Fat JonesActor
- 1956Accused of Murder · as Police Sgt. Emmett LackeyActor
- 1957Gunfight at the O.K. Corral · as Ed BaileyActor
- 1957The Tin Star · as Ed McGaffeyActor
- 1957China Gate · as Maj. ChamActor
- 1957The Lonely Man · as FaroActor
- 1957Joe Dakota · as Adam GrantActor
- 1957Raiders of Old California · as Damon PardeeActor
- 1957The Quiet Gun · as Doug SadlerActor
- 1957Gun Battle at Monterey · as KirbyActor
- 1957Last Stagecoach West · as Steve MargoliesActor
- 1957The Badge of Marshal Brennan · as Shad DonaphinActor
- 1958The Bravados · as Alfonso ParralActor
- 1958The Young Lions · as 1st Sgt. RickettActor
- 1958Day of the Badman · as Jake HayesActor
- 1958Machete · as MiguelActor
- 1959Ride Lonesome · as FrankActor
- 1959Guns Girls and Gangsters · as Mike BennettActor
- 1960The Slowest Gun in the West · as Sam BassActor
- 1961Posse from Hell · as LeoActor
- 1962The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance · as ReeseActor
- 1962How the West Was Won · as River PirateActor
- 1965For a Few Dollars More · as Col. Douglas MortimerActor
- 1966The Good, the Bad and the Ugly · as Sentenza / Angel EyesActor
- 1967Death Rides a Horse · as RyanActor
- 1967The Big Gundown · as Jonathan CorbettActor
- 1967Day of Anger · as Frank TalbyActor
- 1968Beyond the Law · as Billy Joe CudlipActor
- 1968Commandos · as MSgt. SullivanActor
- 1969Sabata · as SabataActor
- 1970Barquero · as TravisActor
- 1970El Condor · as JarooActor
- 1971Return of Sabata · as Sabata / MajorActor
- 1971Captain Apache · as Capt. ApacheActor
- 1971Bad Man's River · as Roy KingActor
- 1972The Grand Duel · as Sheriff ClaytonActor
- 1972The Magnificent Seven Ride! · as Marshal Chris AdamsActor
- 1973Mean Frank and Crazy Tony · as FrankieActor
- 1974The Stranger and the Gunfighter · as DakotaActor
- 1975Take a Hard Ride · as KieferActor
- 1976God's Gun · as Father John / LewisActor
- 1976Kid Vengeance · as McClainActor
- 1977The Perfect Killer · as Harry ChapmanActor
- 1977Nowhere to Hide · as Ike ScanlonActor
- 1978The Squeeze · as Chris Gretchko / Ray SloanActor
- 1979When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion · as SelfActor
- 1980The Octagon · as McCarnActor
- 1980The Hard Way · as McNealActor
- 1981Escape from New York · as Police Commissioner Bob HaukActor
- 1984Code Name: Wild Geese · as Archie 'China' TraversActor
- 1984Killing Machine · as JulotActor
- 1984Master Ninja · as John Peter McAllisterActor
- 1984Master Ninja II · as John Peter McAllisterActor
- 1985Jungle Raiders · as WarrenActor
- 1985The Master Ninja 5 · as John Peter McAllisterActor
- 1986Armed Response · as Burt RothActor
- 1988The Commander · as Col. MazzariniActor
- 1989Speed Zone · as GrandfatherActor
- 1990The Best of the Martial Arts Films · as SelfActor
- 1990Thieves of Fortune · as Sergio Danielo ChristopheroActor
- 2000Klaus Kinski: I'm not an actor · as Col. Douglas Mortimer (archive footage)Actor
- 2014Peter Baumgartner, Filmkameramann · as (archive footage)Actor
- 2024The Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout · as Self (archive footage)Actor
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.