|  He died of a heart attack in December 1989 and was buried at Forest Lawn in the Hollywood Hills. Clarence Leroy "Lee" Van Cleef, Jr., was an American actor who appeared mostly in Westerns and action films. 1947), Deborah (B. Coronavirus Update. I could play a role in a tuxedo and people would think I was rotten. [6/12/81 interview in The Cleveland Plain Dealer, on his pierced left ear] I started wearing it when I was a kid in the Navy. He served in the U.S. Navy aboard minesweepers and sub chasers during World War II. Jim Beaver , Other Works AKA Clarence Leroy Van Cleef, Jr. Born: 9-Jan-1925 Birthplace: Somerville, NJ Died: 16-Dec-1989 Location of death: Oxnard, CA Cause of death: Heart Attack Remains: . Lee Van Cleef was born on January 9, 1925 and died on December 16, 1989. Was portrayed as a bounty hunter in the Lucky Luke comic book "The Bounty Hunter". His sharp features and piercing eyes led to him being cast as a villain in scores of films, such as Kansas City Confidential, High Noon, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, prior to becoming a leading man. If you see something that doesn't look right on this page, please do inform us using the form below: © 2017 Dead or Kicking / All Rights Reserved. For the next decade he played a string of memorably villainous characters, primarily in westerns but also in crime dramas such as The Big Combo (1955). If you show violence realistic enough people don't want to do it. He was involved in a car accident in 1959 in which he lost his left kneecap. Lately, when directors and producers see the bloody thing, they ask me to wear it on camera. Van Cleef started out as an accountant. His sharp features and piercing eyes led to him being cast as a villain in scores of films, such as Kansas City Confidential, High Noon, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, prior to becoming a leading man. Publicity Listings Official Sites, Beady eyes that frequently squinted in the Western sun. You can do much more with a villain part. Leone then chose Van Cleef to appear again with Eastwood, this time as the primary antagonist, Angel Eyes, in the now seminal Western The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966). Submit a correction or make a comment about this profile, Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Hollywood Hills, CA, Captain Yankee and the Jungle Raiders (1985), The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (23-Dec-1966), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (22-Apr-1962), Gunfight at the O.K. 1948), and David. Son of Clarence Leroy Van Cleef and Maria Lavinia Van Fleet, both mostly of Dutch ancestry. It would be the first of many bad guys he would portray in westerns. Within six months he was back in the saddle. For his film debut, he appeared, solo, in the opening pre-title shots of the classic "High Noon" (1952)." Was on the short list of actors under consideration for arms dealer. After the war he worked as an office administrator, becoming involved in amateur theatrics in his spare time. When Van Cleef's employer heard this, he promptly fired him, removing the need for any notice period. An audition for a professional role led to a touring company job in "Mr. Roberts". Was the inspiration for the character Revolver Ocelot in the "Metal Gear" series of games. - IMDb Mini Biography By: With his roles in Leone's films, Van Cleef became a major star of Spaghetti Westerns, playing central, and often surprisingly heroic, roles in films such as The Big Gundown (1966), Death Rides a Horse Interviewed in "Bad at the Bijou" by William R. Horner (McFarland, 1982). Lee Van Cleef - Biography. He also had distant French, Swedish, Belgian (Flemish), English, and German, roots. Doctors told him he would never be able to ride a horse again because of the injury. . A new career as a western hero (or at least anti-hero) opened up, and Van Cleef became an international star, though in films of decreasing quality. One episode of his short-lived TV series, He had almost given up his acting career in the mid-'60s and turned to painting when he was cast by. Your contribution is much appreciated! Bad guys have always been my bag . Lee Van Cleef. I look mean without even trying. He protested that he needed to give his employer two weeks' notice, only to be told that he started on Monday or didn't start at all. During one summer in the early 1950s he was a camp counselor in NYC for Marc Furstenberg. One of the great movie villains, Clarence Leroy Van Cleef, Jr. was born in Somerville, New Jersey, to Marion Lavinia (Van Fleet) and Clarence LeRoy Van Cleef, Sr. His parents were both of Dutch ancestry. . Movies are full of leading men, most of whom aren't working. I believe in showing real violence, not toy violence. Audiences just naturally hate me on screen. Marion Levinia [née]'s information is not available now. They adopted a daughter, Denise. Appeared in two films nominated for Best Picture Oscar: Being born with a pair of beady eyes was the best thing that ever happened to me. And just in time, too. In 1965, Sergio Leone cast Van Cleef, whose career had yet to take off, as a main protagonist alongside Clint Eastwood in For a Few Dollars More. My story suddenly turned into a rags-to-riches saga. Celebrities and Notable People Who Have Had Coronavirus. His final western Vengeance (1977) was actually filmed before his previous western Diamante Lobo (1976), but released afterwards. In the 1980s he moved easily into action and martial-arts movies and starred in The Master (1984), a TV series featuring almost non-stop martial arts action. In 1960, when Lee married his second wife Joan Miller. Clarence Leroy "Lee" Van Cleef, Jr., was an American actor who appeared mostly in Westerns and action films. Corral (30-May-1957), The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (13-Jun-1953), Submit a correction or make a comment about this profile. His hawk nose and steely, slit eyes seemed destined to keep him always in the realm of heavies, but in the mid 1960s Sergio Leone cast him as the tough but decent Col. Mortimer opposite Clint Eastwood in For a Few Dollars More (1965). Clarence passed away on December 16, 1989 at the age of 64 in Oxnard, California,United States. He was missing the last joint of his middle finger, a disfigurement prominently featured in the climactic gunfight of. Military service: US Navy (WWII, 1942-46) [1] St. John's Regional Medical Center, Oxnard, CA Father: Clarence LeRoy Van Cleef, Sr. His performance was seen by Stanley Kramer, who cast him as henchman Jack Colby in High Noon (1952), a role that brought him great recognition despite the fact that he had no dialogue. He had three children from his first marriage: Alan (B. View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. His death certificate gave throat cancer as a secondary cause of death.

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