Editing Lee Van Cleef

{{Short description|American actor (1925–1989)}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = 
| image              = Lee Van Cleef - Death Rides A Horse (1).jpg
| caption            = Van Cleef in ''[[Death Rides a Horse]]'' (1967)
| birth_name         = Clarence LeRoy Van Cleef Jr.
| birth_date         = {{Birth date|1925|1|9}}
| birth_place        = [[Somerville, New Jersey]], U.S.
| death_date         = {{nowrap|{{Death date and age|1989|12|16|1925|1|9}} }}
| death_place        = [[Oxnard, California]], U.S.
| occupation         = Actor 
| years_active       = 1952–1989
| spouse             = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Patsy Ruth Kahle|1943|1958|reason=div}}
* {{marriage|Joan Marjorie Drane|1960|1974|reason=div}}
* {{marriage|Barbara Havelone|1976}}
}}
| children           = 4
| module             = {{Infobox military person
| embed         = yes
| branch        = [[File:Flag of the United States Navy.svg|25px]] [[United States Navy|US Navy]]
| serviceyears  = 1942–1946
| rank          = [[File:PO1 NOGC, winter.svg|23px]] [[Sonar technician|Sonarman]] [[Petty officer first class|First Class]]
| unit          = [[USS Incredible (AM-249)|USS ''Incredible'' (AM-249)]]
| battles       = [[World War II]]
*[[Battle of the Caribbean]]
*[[Operation Dragoon]]
| awards        = [[File:Bronze Star Medal ribbon.svg|25px]] [[Bronze Star Medal|Bronze Star]]<br />[[File:U.S. Navy Good Conduct Medal ribbon.svg|25px]] [[Good Conduct Medal (United States)|Good Conduct Medal]]<br />[[File:American Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|25px]] [[American Campaign Medal]]<br />[[File:European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign ribbon.svg|25px]] [[European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal]]<br />[[File:Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|25px]] [[Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal]]<br />[[File:World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg|25px]] [[World War II Victory Medal (United States)|World War II Victory Medal]] 
}}
}}
'''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 Western]]s, particularly 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 Awards|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 a [[minesweeper]], earning a [[Bronze Star Medal|Bronze Star]] for his actions. After acting on stage in regional theatre, he made his film debut in the [[Academy Awards|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 and [[Crime Drama|crime dramas]].<ref name="ap" /> 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).

Van Cleef later appeared in ''The Good, the Bad and the Ugly'' (1966), ''[[The Big Gundown]]'' (1967), ''[[Death Rides a Horse]]'' (1967), ''[[Day of Anger]]'' (1967), ''[[Beyond the Law (1968 Italian film)|Beyond the Law]]'' (1968), ''[[Commandos (film)|Commandos]]'' (also 1968), ''[[Sabata (film)|Sabata]]'' (1969) and its sequel ''[[Return of Sabata]]'' (1971), ''[[Barquero]] (1970)'', ''[[El Condor (film)|El Condor]]'' (also 1970), ''[[Captain Apache]] (1971)'',''[[The Magnificent Seven Ride!]]'' (1972), ''[[The Grand Duel]]'' (also 1972), ''[[Mean Frank and Crazy Tony]]'' (1973), ''[[The Stranger and the Gunfighter]]'' (1974), ''[[Take a Hard Ride]]'' (1975), ''[[God's Gun]]'' (1976), ''[[The Rip-Off (film)|The Rip-Off]]'' (1978), television film ''[[The Hard Way (1980 film)| The Hard Way]]'' (1979), ''[[The Octagon (film)|The Octagon]]'' (1980), ''[[Escape from New York]]'' (1981), ''[[Code Name: Wild Geese]]'' (1984), and ''[[Armed Response (1986 film)|Armed Response]]'' (1986). He played the lead role of John Peter McAllister on the martial-arts television series ''[[The Master (U.S. TV series)|The Master]]'' (1984).

== Early life ==
Lee Van Cleef was born on January 9, 1925, in [[Somerville, New Jersey]],<ref name="aw">{{cite book|last1=Rowan|first1=Terry|title=The American Western A Complete Film Guide|date=2013|publisher=Lulu.com|isbn=978-1-300-41858-0|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aevGBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA418|access-date=June 30, 2017|language=en}}{{self-published source|date=February 2020}}</ref> to Marion Lavinia Van Fleet and Clarence LeRoy Van Cleef. His father was a pharmacist and his mother a concert pianist, both of Dutch descent. Lee graduated from [[Somerville High School (New Jersey)|Somerville High School]] and enlisted in the United States Navy in September 1942.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hatala |first=Greg |date=August 26, 2013 |title=Glimpse of History: 'Being born with a pair of beady eyes was the best thing that ever happened to me' - Lee Van Cleef |url=https://www.nj.com/somerset/2013/08/glimpse_of_history_being_born_with_a_pair_of_beady_eyes_was_the_best_thing_that_ever_happened_to_me.html |access-date=October 12, 2024 |website=NJ.com True Jersey |publisher=Advance Local Media LLC |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Blazeski |first=Goran |title=Lee Van Cleef, the 'Bad' in Leone's classic Western, was a decorated sonarman on a WWII minesweeper |url=https://www.thevintagenews.com/2017/12/06/lee-van-cleef-wwii-minesweeper/ |date=December 6, 2017 |access-date=May 16, 2018 |newspaper=The Vintage News}}</ref>

== Military service ==
After completing his military training, Van Cleef was assigned to a [[submarine chaser]] and then to a minesweeper called the {{USS|Incredible|AM-249|6}}, on which he worked as a [[Sonar technician|sonarman]].

The ship initially patrolled the [[Caribbean Sea|Caribbean]], then moved to the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]], participating in the [[Operation Dragoon|landings in southern France]]. In January 1945, ''Incredible'' moved to the [[Black Sea]], and performed sweeping duties out of the [[Soviet Navy]] base at [[Sevastopol]], [[Crimea]]. Afterwards, the ship performed air-sea rescue patrols in the Black Sea before returning to [[Palermo]], Sicily. 

By the time of his discharge in March 1946, he had achieved the rank of sonarman first class (SO1) and had earned his mine sweeper patch. He also had been awarded the [[Bronze Star Medal|Bronze Star]] and the [[Good Conduct Medal (United States)|Good Conduct Medal]]. By virtue of his deployments, Van Cleef also qualified for the [[European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal|European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal]], [[Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal|Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal]], the [[American Campaign Medal]], and the [[World War II Victory Medal (United States)|World War II Victory Medal]].<ref>{{cite book | first=Mike | last=Malloy | author-link= Mike Malloy | title=Lee Van Cleef: A Biographical, Film and Television Reference | publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc | year = 1998 | page=5 | isbn= 0-7864-0437-X}}</ref> He was discharged from the navy in 1946.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://navy.togetherweserved.com/usn/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=580401 |title=PO1 Clarence Leroy Van Cleef, Jr. |work=TogetherWeServed |year=2015 |access-date=May 25, 2015}}</ref>

{|
|-
|[[File:Bronze Star ribbon.svg|80px|border]] [[Bronze Star]]
|-
|[[File:United States Navy Good Conduct Medal ribbon.svg|border|80px]] [[Good Conduct Medal (United States)|Good Conduct Medal]]
|-
|[[File:European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign ribbon.svg|80px]] [[European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal]]
|-
|[[File:Asiatic-Pacific Campaign ribbon.svg|80px|Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal ribbon]] [[Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal]]
|-
|[[Image:American Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|80px|border|alt=American Campaign Medal ribbon]] [[American Campaign Medal]]
|-
|[[Image:World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg|80px|Ribbon for World War II Victory Medal]] [[World War II Victory Medal]]
|
|
|}

== Acting career ==

After leaving the navy, Van Cleef returned home to Somerset. He played in an amateur dance band.<ref>"Valentine Party Held by Lions," ''Bridgewater Courier-News,'' February 19, 1947, p. 4</ref> Van Cleef received his first acting role as George in the play ''[[Our Town]]'' at the Little Theater Group in [[Clinton, New Jersey]].<ref name=ap>{{cite web |title=Actor Lee Van Cleef, Villain in Hundreds of Westerns |url=https://www.apnews.com/2605778957043863d0c9dde89d02c6fb |access-date=February 26, 2019 |website=Apnews.com |date=December 26, 1989 |archive-date=August 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820005839/https://www.apnews.com/2605778957043863d0c9dde89d02c6fb |url-status=dead }}</ref> His next role was that of the boxer, Joe Pendleton, in the play ''Heaven Can Wait''. A talent scout took him to New York City talent agent Maynard Morris of the [[MCA Inc.|MCA]] agency, who sent him to the [[Neil Simon Theatre|Alvin Theater]], where he won a role in ''[[Mister Roberts (play)|Mister Roberts]]''.<ref>{{cite book |last=Horner |first=William R. |date=2000 |title=Bad at the Bijou |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pAGICo2y5kwC&pg=PA48 |publisher=McFarland |page=48 |isbn=078640938X}}</ref>

Van Cleef's screen debut came in ''High Noon''.<ref name=aw /> During a performance of ''Mister Roberts'' in Los Angeles, he was noticed by film producer [[Stanley Kramer]], who offered Van Cleef a role in his upcoming film. Kramer wanted Van Cleef for the role of the deputy Harvey Pell, but wanted Van Cleef to have his nose fixed. Van Cleef declined the role in favor of the part of the silent gunslinger Jack Colby. He was cast in ''[[Kansas City Confidential]]'' (1952), [[Vice Squad (1953 film)|''Vice Squad'']] (1953), ''[[The Big Combo]]'' (1955), and ''The Good, the Bad and the Ugly'' (1966).<ref>''The Good, the Bad and the Ugly''</ref><ref>''Kansas City Confidential''</ref>

===Supporting actor=== 
[[File:Lee Van Cleef in Kansas City Confidential.jpg|thumb|upright|Van Cleef in ''[[Kansas City Confidential]]'' (1952)]]In 1952, he made his television debut when he was cast in the episode "Formula for Fear" of the Western aviation series ''[[Sky King]]''. Van Cleef appeared six times between 1953 and 1955 on the children's [[Broadcast syndication|syndicated]] Western series ''[[The Adventures of Kit Carson]]''. He was cast three times in syndicated Western series, ''[[The Range Rider]]''. He appeared in episode 82 of the television series ''[[The Lone Ranger (TV series)|The Lone Ranger]]'' in 1952.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2013/06/johnny_depp_the_lone_ranger.html |title='The Lone Ranger' on DVD: Hi-yo, Silver! |date= June 20, 2013 |website=NJ.com |access-date= September 8, 2020}}</ref> In 1954, he appeared as [[Jesse James]] in the syndicated series ''Stories of the Century''.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Boggs|first1=Johnny D.|title=Jesse James and the movies|date=2011|publisher=McFarland & Co., Publishers|isbn=978-0-7864-8496-6|page=239}}</ref>

In 1955, he was cast twice on the syndicated Western series, ''[[Annie Oakley (TV series)|Annie Oakley]]'' and guest-starred on the [[CBS]] Western series ''[[Brave Eagle]]''. Van Cleef played a villain in an episode of ''[[The Adventures of Champion (TV series)|The Adventures of Champion]]'' the Wonder Horse in 1955. He played Cherokee Bob in the [[NBC]] Western series ''[[Tales of Wells Fargo]]'' in 1957.<ref>{{Citation |last=Miner |first=Allen H. |title=Alder Gulch |date=1957-04-08 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0717107/ |series=Tales of Wells Fargo |access-date=2022-07-06}}</ref> In 1958, he was cast as Ed Murdock, a rodeo performer trying to reclaim the title in the event at [[Madison Square Garden (1925)|Madison Square Garden]] in New York City, on ''[[Richard Diamond, Private Detective]]''.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://jcurtmanshow.weebly.com/uploads/9/0/8/5/908502/the_nickel_pop_gazette_vol_i_issue_1.pdf| title = ''The Nickel Pop Gazette''|website=Jcurtmanshow.weebly.com}}</ref>

Van Cleef played different characters on four episodes of [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s ''[[The Rifleman]]'', with [[Chuck Connors]], between 1959 and 1962 (as Stinger in S2 E31 "The Prodigal" 1960), and twice on ABC's ''[[Tombstone Territory]]''. In 1958, he was cast as Deputy Sid Carver in the episode "The Great Stagecoach Robbery" of another syndicated Western series, ''[[Frontier Doctor]]'', starring [[Rex Allen]]. In 1959, Van Cleef appeared as Luke Clagg in the episode "Strange Request" of the [[NBC]] Western series ''[[Riverboat (TV series)|Riverboat]]'', as Jumbo Kane in the episode "The Hostage" on the [[CBS]] Western series "[[Wanted Dead or Alive (TV series)|Wanted Dead or Alive]]", and in an episode of ''[[Maverick (TV series)|Maverick]]'' titled "Red Dog" in 1961.
[[File:Fante and Mingo.jpg|thumb|right|Van Cleef (l.), [[Jean Wallace]] and [[Earl Holliman]] in ''[[The Big Combo]]'' (1955)]]
Van Cleef played a sentry on an episode of the [[ABC News (United States)|ABC]] sitcom ''[[The Real McCoys]]''. Van Cleef was cast with [[Pippa Scott]] and again with Chuck Connors in the 1960 episode "Trial by Fear" of the CBS [[anthology series]] ''[[The DuPont Show with June Allyson]]''. A young Van Cleef also made an appearance on ''[[The Andy Griffith Show]]'' and as Frank Diamond in ''[[The Untouchables (1959 TV series)|The Untouchables]]'', in an episode entitled "The Unhired Assassin". He also appeared in an episode of the ABC/[[Warner Brothers]] Western series ''[[The Alaskans]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/the-alaskans/episodes-season-1/199665/ |title=The Alaskans |website=TV Guide |access-date=September 8, 2020}}</ref>

Van Cleef guest-starred on the CBS Western series ''[[Have Gun – Will Travel]]'', on the ABC/[[Warner Bros.]] series ''[[Colt .45 (TV series)|Colt .45]]'', on the NBC Western series ''[[Cimarron City (TV series)|Cimarron City]]'' and ''[[Laramie (TV series)|Laramie]]'', and on [[Rod Cameron (actor)|Rod Cameron's]] syndicated [[Crime film|crime dramas]] ''[[City Detective]]'' and ''[[State Trooper (TV series)|State Trooper]]''. He guest-starred in an episode of [[John Bromfield]]'s syndicated crime drama ''[[Sheriff of Cochise]]''. Van Cleef starred as minor villains and henchmen in various Westerns, including ''[[The Tin Star]]'' and ''[[Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (film)|Gunfight at the O.K. Corral]]''.<ref name="IMDB-tt0050468">{{cite web |title=Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050468/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm |website=Internet Movie Database |publisher=IMDB |access-date=July 26, 2020}}</ref>

In 1960, he appeared as a villainous swindler in the ''[[Bonanza]]'' episode, "The Bloodline" (December 31, 1960), and also made an appearance on ''[[Gunsmoke]]''. In 1961, he played a role on episode seven ("[[The Grave (The Twilight Zone)|The Grave]]") of the third season of ''[[The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)|The Twilight Zone]]'' starring [[Lee Marvin]]. He played a villainous henchman of Lee Marvin's titular character in the 1962 [[John Ford]] movie ''[[The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance]]'' starring [[John Wayne]] and [[James Stewart]]. In 1963, he appeared on ''[[Perry Mason (1957 TV series)|Perry Mason]]'' (episode: "The Case of the Golden Oranges"). That same year, he appeared in "The Day of the Misfits" on ''[[The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters (TV series)|The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters]]''.

=== Stardom with ''For a Few  Dollars More'' and ''The Good, the Bad and the Ugly'' ===
[[File:LeeVanCleefDeathridesahorse.gif|thumb|Van Cleef in ''[[Death Rides a Horse]]'' (1967)]]
In 1965, [[Sergio Leone|Leone]] cast Van Cleef, whose career had yet to take off, as a main protagonist alongside [[Clint Eastwood]] in ''For a Few Dollars More''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://eu.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/entertainment/2018/10/17/lee-van-cleef-iconic-presence-spaghetti-western-genre/1663603002/ |title=Lee Van Cleef was an iconic presence in the veteran villain category of film |last=Robinson |first=Larry |date=December 12, 2019 |website=Poughkeepsie Journal |access-date=September 8, 2020}}</ref> 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). 

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]]'' (1967), ''[[Day of Anger]]'' (1967), and ''[[The Grand Duel]]'' (1972). He played the title role in ''[[Sabata (film)|Sabata]]'' (1969) and ''[[Return of Sabata]]'' (1971). Van Cleef starred in the Kung fu Spaghetti Western ''[[The Stranger and the Gunfighter]]'' and co-starred with [[Jim Brown]] in an Italian-American co-production, ''[[Take a Hard Ride]]'' (1975). In two of his final Westerns, he co-starred with [[Leif Garrett]] in ''[[God's Gun]]'' (1976) and ''Kid Vengeance'' (1977), both of which were filmed mainly in Israel. During the 1970s, Van Cleef also had leading roles in American Westerns, such as ''[[Barquero]]'' (1970), ''[[El Condor (film)|El Condor]]'' (1970) and ''[[The Magnificent Seven Ride!]]'' (1972). Van Cleef would later star alongside [[Patrick McGoohan]] in the [[John Boorman]] produced crime thriller ''[[The Hard Way (1980 film)|The Hard Way]]'' (1980). 

Van Cleef starred alongside [[Chuck Norris]] in the martial-arts film ''[[The Octagon (film)|The Octagon]]'' (1980). Van Cleef later had a supporting role in [[John Carpenter]]'s [[cult film]] ''[[Escape from New York]]'' (1981).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://eu.democratandchronicle.com/story/lifestyle/entertainment/2015/05/27/jacks-plan-escape-new-york/27957439/ |title=Jack's Plan B: 'Escape from New York' |last=Garner |first=Jack |date=May 27, 2015 |access-date=August 20, 2018 |newspaper=[[Rochester Democrat and Chronicle]] |publisher=[[Gannett]]}}</ref> He slipped out of the limelight in his later years.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-12-17-mn-1417-story.html|title=Cowboy Film Villain Lee Van Cleef Dies|date=December 17, 1989|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=February 15, 2022}}</ref> In 1984, he was cast as a [[ninja]] master in the NBC adventure series ''[[The Master (American TV series)|The Master]]'', but it was canceled after 13 episodes. Van Cleef also appeared alongside [[David Carradine]] in ''[[Armed Response (1986 film)|Armed Response]] '' (1986). In all, Van Cleef is credited with 90 movie roles and 109 television appearances over a 38-year span.

== Personal life ==
Van Cleef married Patsy Ruth Kahle in 1943 and the couple had three children before divorcing in 1958.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jacksonville.com/article/20160227/NEWS/801244088|title=Mark Woods: His dad was 'The Bad'|first=Mark|last=Woods|website=The Florida Times-Union}}</ref> In 1960, he married Joan Marjorie Drane, from whom he was divorced in 1974.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newnetherlandinstitute.org/history-and-heritage/dutch_americans/clarence-leroy-lee-van-cleef/|title=Clarence Leroy (Lee) Van Cleef|website=Newnetherlandinstitute.org}}</ref> He married Barbara Havelone in 1976, who survived him upon his death in 1989.<ref name="NYT obituary">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/12/17/obituaries/lee-van-cleef-actor-dies-at-64-played-villains-in-many-westerns.html|title=Lee Van Cleef, Actor, Dies at 64; Played Villains in Many Westerns|newspaper=The New York Times|date=December 17, 1989}}</ref>

He lost the last joint of his right-hand middle finger while building a playhouse for his daughter.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Trimble |first=Marshall |date=March 31, 2015 |title=In The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Lee Van Cleef (the Bad) is missing part of a finger. What happened to it? Also, did Eli Wallach play the Ugly? I have been told Van Cleef did. |url=https://truewestmagazine.com/?s=In+The+Good,+the+Bad+and+the+Ugly,+Lee+Van+Cleef+(the+Bad)+is+missing+part+of+a+finger.+What+happened+to+it?+Also,+did+Eli+Wallach+play+the+Ugly?+I+have+been+told+Van+Cleef+did. |access-date=October 12, 2024 |website=[[True West Magazine]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

[[File:Barañain_-_Graffiti_40.jpg|thumb|Mural depicting Van Cleef as Jonathan Corbett in ''[[The Big Gundown]]'' (1967)]]

==Death==
[[File:Lee Van Cleef Grave.JPG|thumb|upright=0.9|Van Cleef's grave at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills]]
Despite suffering from [[heart disease]] from the 1970s and having a [[pacemaker]] installed in the 1980s,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.apnews.com/2605778957043863d0c9dde89d02c6fb |title=Actor Lee Van Cleef, Villain in Hundreds of Westerns |location=Oxford, Calif. |date=December 17, 1989 |access-date=August 19, 2018 |work=[[AP News]] |archive-date=August 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820005839/https://www.apnews.com/2605778957043863d0c9dde89d02c6fb |url-status=dead }}</ref> Van Cleef continued to work in films until his death on December 16, 1989.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/12/17/obituaries/lee-van-cleef-actor-dies-at-64-played-villains-in-many-westerns.html |title=Lee Van Cleef, Actor, Dies at 64; Played Villains in Many Westerns |author=AP |author-link=Associated Press |date=December 17, 1989 |access-date=August 20, 2018 |newspaper=[[NY Times]] |publisher=[[The New York Times Company]]}}</ref> He collapsed from a [[heart attack]] in his home in [[Oxnard, California]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.deseretnews.com/article/77244/WESTERN-ARCHVILLAIN-LEE-VAN-CLEEF-DIES.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820074554/https://www.deseretnews.com/article/77244/WESTERN-ARCHVILLAIN-LEE-VAN-CLEEF-DIES.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 20, 2018 |title=Western Archivillain Lee Van Cleef Dies |date=December 17, 1989 |access-date=August 20, 2018 |newspaper=[[Deseret News]] |publisher=[[Deseret News Publishing Company]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Ap |date=1989-12-18 |title=Lee Van Cleef, 64; Actor Was a Villian In Many Westerns |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/12/18/obituaries/lee-van-cleef-64-actor-was-a-villian-in-many-westerns.html |access-date=2025-03-30 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dunn |first=Ashley |date=1989-12-17 |title=Cowboy Film Villain Lee Van Cleef Dies |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-12-17-mn-1417-story.html |access-date=2025-03-30 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> [[Head and neck cancer|Throat cancer]] was listed as a secondary cause of death.<ref>{{cite web|last=Magers|first=Boyd|title=Lee Van Cleef|url=http://www.westernclippings.com/heavies/leevancleef_charactersheavies.shtml|publisher=Western Clippings|access-date=January 18, 2014}}</ref> 

He was buried at [[Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)|Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Hollywood Hills, California]], with an inscription on his grave marker reading "BEST OF THE BAD", referring to his many notable acting performances as a villain.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Hughes|first1=Howard|title=Once Upon A Time in the Italian West: The Filmgoers' Guide to Spaghetti Westerns|date=2006|publisher=I.B. Tauris|isbn=978-0-85773-045-9|page=158}}</ref>

== Filmography ==

=== Film ===
{|class="wikitable sortable" 
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Director
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=3|1952
|''[[High Noon]]''
|Jack Colby
|[[Fred Zinnemann]]
|
|-
|''[[Untamed Frontier]]''
|Dave Chittun
|[[Hugo Fregonese]]
|
|-
|''[[Kansas City Confidential]]''
|Tony Romano
|[[Phil Karlson]]
|
|-
|rowspan=9|1953
|data-sort-value="Lawless Breed, The" | ''[[The Lawless Breed]]''
|Dirk Hanley
|[[Raoul Walsh]]
|
|-
|data-sort-value="Bandits of Corsica, The" | ''[[The Bandits of Corsica]]''
|Nerva
|[[Ray Nazarro]]
|
|-
|''[[White Lightning (1953 film)|White Lightning]]''
|Brutus Allen
|[[Edward Bernds]]
|
|-
|data-sort-value="Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, The" | ''[[The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms]]''
|Corporal Stone
|[[Eugène Lourié]]by
|
|-
|''[[Arena (1953 film)|Arena]]''
|"Smitty" Smith
|[[Richard Fleischer]]
|
|-
|''[[Vice Squad (1953 film)|Vice Squad]]''
|Pete Monte
|[[Arnold Laven]]
|
|-
|''[[Jack Slade (film)|Jack Slade]]''
|"Bolt" Mackay
|[[Harold D. Schuster]]
|
|-
|''[[Tumbleweed (1953 film)|Tumbleweed]]''
|Marvin "Marv"
|[[Nathan Juran]]
|
|-
|data-sort-value="Nebraskan, The" | ''[[The Nebraskan]]''
|Private Reno Benton
|[[Fred F. Sears]]
|
|-
|rowspan=7|1954
|''[[Gypsy Colt]]''
|Hank
|[[Andrew Marton]]
|
|-
|''[[Rails Into Laramie]]''
|"Ace" Winton
|[[Jesse Hibbs]]
|
|-
|''[[Arrow in the Dust]]''
|Tilotson Henchman
|[[Lesley Selander]]
|
|-
|data-sort-value="Yellow Tomahawk, The" | ''[[The Yellow Tomahawk]]''
|Fire Knife
|[[Lesley Selander]]
|
|-
|''[[Princess of the Nile]]''
|Hakar
|[[Harmon Jones]]
|Uncredited
|-
|data-sort-value="Desperado, The" | ''[[The Desperado]]''
|Paul Crayton / 'Buck' Crayton
|[[Thomas Carr (director)|Thomas Carr]]
|
|-
|''[[Dawn at Socorro]]''
|Earl Ferris
|[[George Sherman]]
|
|-
|rowspan=8|1955
|''[[Treasure of Ruby Hills]]''
|Frank Emmett
|[[Frank McDonald (director)|Frank McDonald]]
|
|-
|''[[Ten Wanted Men]]''
|Al Drucker
|[[H. Bruce Humberstone]]
|
|-
|data-sort-value="Big Combo, The" | ''[[The Big Combo]]''
|Fante
|[[Joseph H. Lewis]]
|
|-
|''[[I Cover the Underworld]]''
|"Flash" Logan
|[[R. G. Springsteen]]
|
|-
|data-sort-value="Road to Denver, The" | ''[[The Road to Denver]]''
|Larry "Pecos Larry"
|[[Joseph Kane]]
|
|-
|data-sort-value="Naked Street, The" | ''[[The Naked Street]]''
|Harry Goldish
|[[Maxwell Shane]]
| Uncredited
|-
|data-sort-value="Man Alone, A" | ''[[A Man Alone (film)|A Man Alone]]''
|Clanton
|[[Ray Milland]]
|
|-
|data-sort-value="Vanishing American, The" | ''[[The Vanishing American (1955 film)|The Vanishing American]]''
|Jay Lord
|[[Joseph Kane]]
|
|-
|rowspan=5|1956
|data-sort-value="Conqueror, The" | ''[[The Conqueror (1956 film)|The Conqueror]]''
|Chepei
|[[Dick Powell]]
|
|-
|''[[Tribute to a Bad Man]]''
|"Fat" Jones
|[[Robert Wise]]
|
|-
|''[[It Conquered the World]]''
|Dr. Tom Anderson
|[[Roger Corman]]
|
|-
|''[[Pardners]]''
|Gus
|[[Norman Taurog]]
|
|-
|''[[Accused of Murder]]''
|Sergeant Emmett Lackey
|[[Joseph Kane]]
|
|-
|rowspan=10|1957
|data-sort-value="Quiet Gun, The" | ''[[The Quiet Gun]]''
|Doug Sadler
|William F. Claxton
|
|-
|data-sort-value="Badge of Marshal Brennan, The" | ''[[The Badge of Marshal Brennan]]''
|"Shad" Donaphin
|[[Albert C. Gannaway]]
|
|-
|''[[China Gate (1957 film)|China Gate]]''
|Major Cham
|[[Samuel Fuller]]
|
|-
|''[[Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (film)|Gunfight at the O.K. Corral]]''
|Ed Bailey
|[[John Sturges]]
|
|-
|data-sort-value="Lonely Man, The" | ''[[The Lonely Man]]''
|Faro
|[[Henry Levin (film director)|Henry Levin]]
|
|-
|data-sort-value="Last Stagecoach West, The" | ''[[The Last Stagecoach West]]''
|Steve Margolies
|[[Joseph Kane]]
|
|-
|''[[Joe Dakota (1957 film)|Joe Dakota]]''
|Adam Grant
|[[Richard Bartlett]]
|
|-
|data-sort-value="Tin Star, The" | ''[[The Tin Star]]''
|Ed McGaffey
|[[Anthony Mann]]
|
|-
|''[[Gun Battle at Monterey]]''
|Kirby
|Sidney Franklin Jr.<br />Carl K. Hittleman
|
|-
|''[[Raiders of Old California]]''
|Sergeant Damon Pardee
|[[Albert C. Gannaway]]
|
|-
|rowspan=5|1958
|''[[Day of the Bad Man]]''
|Jake Hayes
|[[Harry Keller]]
|
|-
|data-sort-value="Young Lions, The" | ''[[The Young Lions (film)|The Young Lions]]''
|1st Sergeant Rickett
|[[Edward Dmytryk]]
|
|-
|data-sort-value="Bravados, The" | ''[[The Bravados]]''
|Alfonso Parral
|[[Henry King (director)|Henry King]]
|
|-
|''[[Guns, Girls, and Gangsters]]''
|Mike Benett
|[[Edward L. Cahn]]
|
|-
|''[[Machete (1958 film)|Machete]]''
|Miguel
|[[Kurt Neumann (director)|Kurt Neumann]]
|
|-
|1959
|''[[Ride Lonesome]]''
|Frank
|[[Budd Boetticher]]
|
|-
|1961
|''[[Posse from Hell]]''
|Leo
|Herbert Coleman
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1962
|data-sort-value="Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The" | ''[[The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance]]''
|Reese
|[[John Ford]]
|
|-
|''[[How the West Was Won (film)|How the West Was Won]]''
|River Pirate
|[[John Ford]]<br />[[Henry Hathaway]]<br />[[George Marshall (director)|George Marshall]]
|Uncredited
|-
|1965
|''[[For a Few Dollars More]]''
|Colonel Douglas Mortimer
|[[Sergio Leone]]
|Nominated - [[Laurel Awards|Laurel Award for Male Supporting Performance]]
|-
|1966
|data-sort-value="Good, the Bad and the Ugly, The" | ''[[The Good, the Bad and the Ugly]]''
|"Angel Eyes" / "The Bad"
|[[Sergio Leone]]
|
|-
|rowspan=3|1967
|data-sort-value="Big Gundown, The" | ''[[The Big Gundown]]''
|Jonathan Corbett
|[[Sergio Sollima]]
|
|-
|''[[Death Rides a Horse]]''
|Ryan
|[[Giulio Petroni]]
|
|-
|''[[Day of Anger]]''
|Frank<br>Talby
|[[Tonino Valerii]]
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1968
|''[[Beyond the Law (1968 Italian film)|Beyond the Law]]''
|Billy Joe Cudlip
|[[Giorgio Stegani]]
|
|-
|''[[Commandos (film)|Commandos]]''
|Master Sergeant Sullivan
|[[Armando Crispino]]
|
|-
|1969
|''[[Sabata (film)|Sabata]]''
|[[Sabata (film series)|Sabata]]
|[[Gianfranco Parolini]]
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1970
|''[[Barquero]]''
|Travis
|[[Gordon Douglas (director)|Gordon Douglas]]
|
|-
|''[[El Condor (film)|El Condor]]''
|Jaroo
|[[John Guillermin]]
|
|-
|rowspan=3|1971
|''[[Captain Apache]]''
|Captain Apache
|[[Alexander Singer]]
|Also Performer ''Captain Apache'' and ''Morning April''<br>Sung by him
|-
|''[[Return of Sabata]]''
|Sabata
|[[Gianfranco Parolini]]
|
|-
|''[[Bad Man's River]]''
|Roy King
|[[Eugenio Martín]]
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1972
|data-sort-value="Magnificent Seven Ride!, The" | ''[[The Magnificent Seven Ride!]]''
|[[Chris Adams (character)|Chris Adams]]
|[[George McCowan]]
|
|-
|data-sort-value="Grand Duel, The" | ''[[The Grand Duel]]''
|Sheriff Clayton
|[[Giancarlo Santi]]
|
|-
|1973
|''[[Mean Frank and Crazy Tony]]''
|Frankie Diomede
|[[Michele Lupo]]
|
|-
|1974
|data-sort-value="Stranger and the Gunfighter, The" | ''[[The Stranger and the Gunfighter]]''
|Dakota
|[[Antonio Margheriti]]
|Also Performer ''Rye Whiskey''<br>Sung by him
|-
|1975
|''[[Take a Hard Ride]]''
|Kiefer
|[[Antonio Margheriti]]
|
|-
|1976
|''[[God's Gun]]''
|Father John / Lewis
|[[Gianfranco Parolini]]
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1977
|''{{Interlanguage link|Kid Vengeance|it|3=L'uomo di Santa Cruz|lt=Kid Vengeance}}''
|McClain
|Joe Manduke
|
|-
|data-sort-value="Perfect Killer, The" | ''{{Interlanguage link|The Perfect Killer|it}}''
|Harry Chapman
|[[Mario Siciliano]]
|
|-
|1978
|data-sort-value="Rip-Off, The" | ''[[The Rip-Off (film)|The Rip-Off]]''
|Chris Gretchko / Ray Sloan
|[[Antonio Margheriti]]
|Also known as ''The Squeeze''
|-
|1980
|data-sort-value="Octagon, The" | ''[[The Octagon (film)|The Octagon]]''
|McCarn
|Eric<br>Karson
|
|-
|1981
|''[[Escape from New York]]''
|Police Commissioner Bob Hauk
|[[John Carpenter]]
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1984
|''{{Interlanguage link|Killing Machine|it|3=Macchina per uccidere 2|lt=Goma-2}}''
|Julot
|José Antonio de la Loma
|
|-
|''[[Code Name: Wild Geese]]''
|"China"
|[[Antonio Margheriti]]
|
|-
|1985
|''[[Jungle Raiders (1985 film)|Jungle Raiders]]''
|Warren
|[[Antonio Margheriti]]
|
|-
|1986
|''[[Armed Response (1986 film)|Armed Response]]''
|Burt Roth
|[[Fred Olen Ray]]
|
|-
|1988
|data-sort-value="Commander, The" | ''{{Interlanguage link|The Commander (film)|de|3=Der Commander|lt=The Commander}}''
|Colonel Mazzarini
|[[Antonio Margheriti]]
|
|-
|1989
|''[[Speed Zone]]''
|Rock-Skipping Grandfather
|[[Jim Drake (director)|Jim Drake]]
|
|-
|1990
|''[[Thieves of Fortune]]''
|Sergio Danielo Christophero
|Michael MacCarthy
|''Posthumous release'' and ''Final film role''
|}

=== Television ===
{|class="wikitable sortable" 
!Year
!Title
!Role(s)
!Episode(s)
!Network(s)
|-
| rowspan="2" |1952
|''[[Sky King]]''
|Mark
|"Formula for Fear"
|NBC-TV, ABC-TC
|-
|[[Boston Blackie#Television|''Boston Blackie'']]
|Lou / Captain Jansen
|Inside Crime; Deep Six
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |1952–53
|data-sort-value="Range Rider, The" | ''[[The Range Rider]]''
|'El Latigo' / Joe 'Utah Joe' / Rocky Hatch
|"Treasure of Santa Dolores"; "Outlaw's Double"; "Greed Rides the Range"
|
|-
|data-sort-value="Lone Ranger, The" | ''[[The Lone Ranger (TV series)|The Lone Ranger]]''
|Joe Singer / 'Bull' Harper / Henchman Jango
|"Desperado at Large"; "The Brown Pony"; "Stage to Estacado"
|
|-
|1954–62
|''[[Death Valley Days]]''
|Unknown / Brogger
|"Snowshoe Thompson"; "The Hat That Won the West"
|-
|1954
|data-sort-value="Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, The" | ''[[The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin]]''
|Ed McCleod
|"Rin Tin Tin and The Ranging River"
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |1955
|data-sort-value="Man Behind the Badge, The" | ''[[The Man Behind the Badge]]''
|Floyd
|"The Case of the Desperate Moment"
|CBS
|-
|''[[Champion the Wonder Horse]]''
|Frank
|"Crossroad Trail"
|CBS
|-
| rowspan="2" |1957
|''[[Tales of Wells Fargo]]''
|Cherokee Bob
|Alder Gulch
|NBC
|-
|''[[Trackdown (TV series)|Trackdown]]''
|Ben
|"The Town"
|
|-
| rowspan="3" |1958
|''[[Wagon Train]]''
|'Rufe' Beal
|"The Jesse Cowan Story"
|
|-
|''[[Zorro (1957 TV series)|Zorro]]''
|Antonio Castillo
|"Welcome to Monterey"
|
|-
|''[[Richard Diamond, Private Detective]]''
|Ed Murdock
|"Rodeo"
|
|-
| rowspan="4" |1959
|''[[Mr. Lucky (TV series)|Mr. Lucky]]''
|
|"Dangerous Lady"
|
|-
|''[[Yancy Derringer]]''
|Ike Milton / Frank James
|"Outlaw at Liberty"
|
|-
|''[[Wanted: Dead or Alive (TV series)|Wanted: Dead or Alive]]''
|'Jumbo' Kane
|"The Hostage"
|
|-
|data-sort-value="Real McCoys, The" | ''[[The Real McCoys]]''
|1st Sentry
|"Grandpa Fights the Air Force"
|
|-
|1959–62
|data-sort-value="Rifleman, The" | ''[[The Rifleman]]''
|Dan Maury / 'Stinger' / Wicks / Johnny Drako
|"The Deadly Wait"; "The Prodigal"; "The Clarence Bibs Story"; "Death Never Rides Alone"
|ABC-TV
|-
| rowspan="3" |1960
|data-sort-value="Slowest Gun in the West, The" | ''The Slowest Gun in the West''
|Sam Bass
|TV movie
|
|-
|''[[77 Sunset Strip]]''
|Deek
|"Attic"
|Warner Bros.
|-
|''[[Bonanza]]''
|Appling
|"The Blood Line"
|NBC-TV
|-
|1960–63
|''[[Laramie (TV series)|Laramie]]''
|Wes Torrey / Dawson / 'Mac' Morgan / Caleb
|".45 Calibre"; "Killer Odds"; "Vengeance"; "The Stranger"
|
|-
|1960–66
|''[[Gunsmoke (TV series)|Gunsmoke]]''
|Rad Meadows / Johnny Hooker / Ike Jeffords
|"Old Flame"/"The Pariah"/"My Father, My Son"
|
|-
|1961
|''[[Maverick (TV series)|Maverick]]''
|'Wolf' McManus
|"Red Dog"
|
|-
|1961–62
|''[[Cheyenne (TV series)|Cheyenne]]''
|Braden / Larry Jackson / Harry
|"Trouble Street"; "A Man Called Ragen"; "Man Alone"
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |1961
|data-sort-value="Twilight Zone, The" | ''[[The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)|The Twilight Zone]]''
|Steinhart
|"[[The Grave (The Twilight Zone)|The Grave]]"
|CBS-TV
|-
|''[[Stagecoach West (TV series)|Stagecoach West]]''
|Lin Hyatt
|"Never Walk Alone"
|
|-
| rowspan="3" |1963
|data-sort-value="Joey Bishop Show, The" | ''[[The Joey Bishop Show (TV series)|The Joey Bishop Show]]''
|Charlie
|"Double Exposure"
|
|-
|data-sort-value="Dakotas, The" | ''[[The Dakotas (TV series)|The Dakotas]]''
|Slade Tucker
|"Thunder in Pleasant Valley"
|ABC-TV
|-
|''[[Perry Mason (1957 TV series)|Perry Mason]]''
|Edward Doyle
|"The Case of the Golden Oranges"
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |1962–63
|''[[Have Gun – Will Travel]]''
|Corbin / Golias
|"The Treasure"; "Face of a Shadow"
|
|-
|''[[Ripcord (TV series)|Ripcord]]''
|Henry Kane / Jack Martin
|"Thoroughbred"; "The Money Mine"
|
|-
|1964
|''[[Rawhide (TV series)|Rawhide]]''
|Fred Grant / Deck Sommers
|"The Enormous Fist"; "Piney"
|CBS-TV
|-
| rowspan="2" |1965
|data-sort-value="Andy Griffith Show, The" | ''[[The Andy Griffith Show]]''
|Purse Thief
|"Banjo-Playing Deputy"
|CBS-TV
|-
|''[[My Mother the Car]]''
|Nick Fitch
|"Burned at the Steak"
|
|-
|1965–66
|''[[Branded (TV series)|Branded]]''
|
|"The Richest Man in Boot Hill", "Call to Glory"
|NBC-TV
|-
|1966
|''[[Laredo (TV series)|Laredo]]''
|Mike 'Big Mike' Kelly
|"Quarter Past Eleven"
|
|-
|1977
|''No Where to Hide''
|Ike Scanlon
| TV movie 
|
|-
|1980
|data-sort-value="Hard Way, The" | ''[[The Hard Way (1980 film)|The Hard Way]]''
|McNeal
|
|ITV (UK)
|-
|1984
|data-sort-value="Master, The" | ''[[The Master (U.S. TV series)|The Master]]''
|John Peter McAllister / The Master 
|All episodes; starring role
|NBC-TV
|}

== In popular culture ==
{{in popular culture|date=May 2018}}
<!-- [[WP:NFCC]] violation: [[File:LuckyLukeChasseur.jpg|thumb|upright=0.68|The character Elliot Belt in the ''[[Lucky Luke]]'' album [[Chasseur de primes|''The Bounty Hunter'']]]] -->
* Lee Van Cleef's characters in the Sergio Leone movies inspired the creation of the characters Elliot Belt of the ''[[Lucky Luke]]'' comic album [[Chasseur de primes|''The Bounty Hunter'']],<ref>{{cite book |last=Lombard |first=Philippe |title=Goscinny-scope: D'Astérix au Viager, tout le cinéma du maître de la BD |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NXwzDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT40 |publisher=Dunod |date=September 6, 2017 |page=40 |isbn=9782100771110 |language=fr}}</ref> and [[Cad Bane]] of the ''[[Star Wars]]'' franchise.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.starwars.com/news/the-cinema-behind-star-wars-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly |title=The Cinema Behind Star Wars: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly |date=December 17, 2012 |access-date=June 16, 2018 |work=[[StarWars.com]] |publisher=[[Lucasfilm Ltd.]]}}</ref>
* The band [[Primus (band)|Primus]] has a song about Lee Van Cleef on their album ''[[Green Naugahyde]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1WaOKlldIE| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211117/d1WaOKlldIE| archive-date=2021-11-17 | url-status=live|title=Primus – Lee Van Cleef (Official Music Video)| date=June 27, 2012|via=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
* Guitarist and ex-[[Guns N' Roses]] member Ron Thal recorded an instrumental piece titled "The Legend of Van Cleef".
* The ''[[Warcraft]]'' universe features the villain Edwin Van Cleef, inspired by Lee Van Cleef.
* The [[Black Library]] magazine ''[[Inferno!]]'' featured several short stories, within the [[Necromunda]] setting, starring a bounty hunter named Nathan Creed, who was written as a homage to Lee Van Cleef; writer [[Jonathan Green (speculative fiction writer)|Jonathan Green]] described the character as "Lee Van Cleef, Clint Eastwood, The Man With No Name and John Wayne all rolled into one",<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://jonathangreenauthor.blogspot.com/2011/04/n-is-for-nathan-creed.html|title=Jonathan Green, Author: N is for Nathan Creed|last=Green|first=Jonathan|date=April 16, 2011|website=Jonathan Green, Author|access-date=September 25, 2018}}</ref> and illustrations in the magazine clearly showed Creed as physically nearly identical to Van Cleef.
* [[Philip Pullman]], author of the bestselling trilogy ''[[His Dark Materials]]'', stated that the first name of his fictional American explorer, airman, and crack marksman Lee Scoresby was a reference to Van Cleef, with the character's surname as an homage to the famous Arctic explorer [[William Scoresby]].
* Van Cleef was parodied in ''[[GLC: The Carnage Continues...]]'', a short British comedy film of the late 1980s that humorously joined British politics with Hollywood action stars. Van Cleef is portrayed by the film's director [[Peter Richardson (English director)|Peter Richardson]], though it rather suggests Van Cleef the personage is unrealistically playing [[Tony Benn]], a British member of Parliament.
* Van Cleef served as visual inspiration for the characters of [[Revolver Ocelot]] and Old Snake in the [[Metal Gear Solid|''Metal Gear Solid'' video game series]] as well as inspiring the gunslinger personality of the former.
* Hungarian musician [[Tamás Cseh]] wrote the song "Lee van Cleef".<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.amazon.com/Lee-van-Cleef/dp/B01L97ECEC| title = Lee van Cleef by Tamas Cseh (amazon.com)| website = Amazon}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzZzm0bF0os| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211117/TzZzm0bF0os| archive-date=2021-11-17 | url-status=live|title=Cseh Tamás – Lee van Cleef| date=April 27, 2010|via=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
*British singers [[Paul_Heaton#Paul_Heaton_and_Jacqui_Abbott|Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott]] mention Lee and [[Clint Eastwood]] in the song, "When I Get Back to Blighty".
*[[The Fugees]] song "The Score" includes the line, "I'm more magnificent than Lee Van Cleef".
*[[Stargate SG-1]] has references to Lee Van Cleef in Season 4, Episode 20 "Entity". The 'Entity' is searching through personnel files on a projected computer screen, with the first listed name that shows up as Lee Van Cleef, with team designation "SG-1" and a rank of "Master". His name appears several more times with pictures of different people. <ref>{{cite web | url=https://eeggs.com/items/52854.html | title=Stargate SG-1 Easter Egg - Lee van Cleef }}</ref>
*In the 2000 comedy-western film ''[[Shanghai Noon]]'', actor [[Xander Berkeley]] portrays an antagonistic character named Marshal Nathan Van Cleef.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
*{{IMDb name|1812}}
* [http://www.thebad.net/ TheBad.net: A Tribute to Lee Van Cleef]

{{Portal bar|New Jersey|California}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Van Cleef, Lee}}
[[Category:1925 births]]
[[Category:1989 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:American male film actors]]
[[Category:American male television actors]]
[[Category:American people of Dutch descent]]
[[Category:American people of English descent]]
[[Category:American people of German descent]]
[[Category:Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)]]
[[Category:Male Spaghetti Western actors]]
[[Category:Male Western (genre) film actors]]
[[Category:Male actors from Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Male actors from Oxnard, California]]
[[Category:Male actors from Somerville, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Somerville High School (New Jersey) alumni]]
[[Category:United States Navy personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:United States Navy sailors]]
[[Category:Western (genre) television actors]]
[[Category:Deaths from throat cancer in California]]