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Lee Van Cleef

American actor (1925–1989)

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Lee Van Cleef was an American actor known for his distinctive appearance and roles in Western films and television shows during the 1950s through 1980s. He became particularly famous for his performances in spaghetti Westerns and action films, making him an iconic figure in the genre during his career from 1925 until his death in 1989.

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Clarence LeRoy Van Cleef Jr. (January 9, 1925 – December 16, 1989) was an American actor. He appeared in over 170 film and television roles in a career spanning nearly 40 years, but is best known as a star of spaghetti Westerns, holding starring roles in the Sergio Leone-directed Dollars Trilogy films, For a Few Dollars More (1965) and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966). In 1983, he received a Golden Boot Award for his contribution to the Western film and television genre.

Van Cleef served in the United States Navy during World War II aboard the minesweeper USS Incredible, earning a Bronze Star for his actions. After acting on stage in regional theatre, he made his film debut in the Oscar-winning Western High Noon (1952) in a non-speaking outlaw cast role. With distinctive, angular features and a taciturn screen persona, Van Cleef was typecast as minor villain and supporting player in Westerns, film noir, and crime dramas. After suffering serious injuries in a car crash, Van Cleef's acting career started to decline. He achieved stardom when Leone gave him the co-leading role in For a Few Dollars More (1965).