Lee Van Cleef | Western Villain

Lee Van Cleef's piercing eyes and sharp features led to his being cast primarily as a villain in scores of films. His first western acting film was the western classic High Noon.

Clarence LeRoy Van Cleef, Jr. was born to Clarence and Marion Van Cleef on January 9, 1925 in Somerville, New Jersey.

Van Cleef became an actor after a brief career as an accountant, following his discharge from the United States Navy. His first acting experiences were on the Broadway stage.

Lee Van Cleef's piercing eyes and sharp features led to his being cast primarily as a villain in scores of films. His first western acting film was the western classic High Noon.

Between 1950 and 1961, Lee Van Cleef appeard in several TV westerns including The Rifleman, The Adventures of Kit Carson, Laramie, Bonanza and Tombstone Territory.

Lee Van Cleef in

The Good, The Bad

And The Ugly.

Van Cleef appeared in several spaghetti westerns including The Good, The Bad And The Ugly, and For A Few Dollars More, starring Clint Eastwood.

Lee Van Cleef has been credited with appearances in some 90 movie roles and over a hundred TV appearances over a 38-year span.

Lee Van Cleef died of a heart attack in Oxnard, California on December 16, 1989.