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 of Dutch ancestry. Kramer originally wanted Van Cleef for the role of the deputy Harvey Pell, but as he wanted Van Cleef to have his "distinctive nose" fixed, Van Cleef declined the role in favor of the part of the silent gunslinger Jack Colby. He was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, the Bronze Star, and was eligible for the World War II Victory Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal as a result of his military service. Did Wild Bill Hickok really have the Dead Mans Hand of aces and eights when he was killed? Countries. Furthermore, Carter ( Charles Michael Davis) looked into Hannah's own past with Van Cleef: an informant's identity was leaked seven years ago, and that man was killed. Showing Editorial results for lee van cleef. He played the part of the laconic cowboy (as in 1960s "spaghetti westerns") who could fix a muffler or tailpipe with such speed that. However, the gene for blue eyes is recessive so youll need both of them to get blue eyes. He was of partial Dutch ancestry. Although it only lasted 13 episodes in the series keeps hundreds of thousands of fans around the world In 1965, Sergio Leone cast Lee Van Cleef as the villain in the film For a Few Dollars More. Descriptions: Driving home from Lonepine, California Lee was in a headon car accident. In 1955, he played one of the two villains in an episode ofThe Adventures of Championthe Wonder Horse. 1974), Patsy Ruth (m. 1943; div. He was discovered performing on stage in a Mister Roberts play in Los Angeles, and Stanley Kramer wanted to cast him as Deputy Harvey Pell in the American Western movie High Noon. Cleef received his screen debut in the 1952 movie, Jack Colby, a non-speaking role, after refusing to have his distinctive nose changed as Kramer requested. He tied the knot with Barbara Havelone on July 13, 1976. Clarence Leroy Van Cleef Jr.(January 9, 1925 December 16, 1989), was an American actor whose sinister features overshadowed his acting skills and typecast him as a minor villain for a decade before he achieved stardom inSpaghetti Westernssuch asThe Good, the Bad and the Ugly. GreenBrown, which is the most common eye color in the world. Afterwards the ship performed air-sea rescue patrols in the Black Sea before returning toPalermo, Sicily. His mother, by some reports, was once a . The band Primus has a song about Lee Van Cleef on their album Green Naugahyde.[5]. Van Cleef was also parodied in GLC: The Carnage Continues, a short British comedy film of the late 1980s that humorously joined British politics with Hollywood action stars. 16-12-1989, age 64, heart attack in Oxnard, California . He was buried at Forest Lawn in the Hollywood Hills. When they learn Van Stratten intends to cut them out of the deal, Chris and Jeff plot a countermeasure, resulting in Jeff getting thrown in jail to give him plausible deniability, and Chris convalescing in a safe house after getting shot during the heist. Despite suffering from heart disease from the late 1970s and having a pacemaker installed in the early 1980s, Van Cleef continued to work in films until his death on December 16, 1989, at age 64. The 1857 Bonneville expedition against the Apache reportedly carried 700 gallons of vinegar. List of aircraft of the Malaysian Armed Forces, This article does not contain any citations or references. He worked his way up and eventually found himself in Manhattan, at the behest of a talent scout. Some of his best known films include, The Magnificent Seven Ride! Escape from New York, and Il Buono, il Brutto, il Cattivo, or The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.. The film made him a box-office draw, especially in Europe. Box 8008,Cave Creek, AZ 85327 or e-mail him atmarshall.trimble@scottsdalecc.edu, Western movies these days are few and far between, but Western games and comic books, Hank Vaughan was a gunfighter in the Northwest. After that, he traveled with a minesweeper and carried out a number of military tasks before arriving back in Palermo, Sicily, on February 20, 1945. Corral. What happened to Clint Eastwood's finger? He was then cast mostly in villainous roles, due to his sharp cheeks and chin, piercing eyes and hawk-like nose,from the part of Tony Romano inKansas City Confidential(1952), culminating 14 years later inSergio Leone'sThe Good, the Bad and the Ugly(1966). Lee Van Cleef, 64, the film actor who appeared in noted Westerns as a rugged, steely-eyed nemesis of protagonists such as Gary Cooper and Clint Eastwood, died Dec. 16 at a hospital in Oxnard, Calif., after an apparent heart attack. Classify Lee Van Cleef. He also received the Good Conduct Medal and the Bronze Star. Two years later, he married his third wife, Barbara Havelone, to whom he remained married until his death in 1989. by Marshall Trimble | Mar 31, 2015 | Uncategorized. 1960) Joan Drane (m. 1960; div. 28 Copy quote. This injury plagued Van Cleef for the rest of his life and caused him great pain. He also played a villain in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Review: Michael B. Jordan is the one to fly now with Creed III, Hunger Games star Jena Malone says someone I had worked with sexually assaulted her, Review: The gorgeous new movie Pacifiction will hypnotize you. Although being played by the same actor the two characters arent related in any way. In Clinton, New Jersey, he got associated with the Little Theater Group, performing for them in plays like Our Town and Heaven Can Wait while also going on auditions for other parts. In 1984, Van Cleef was the main protagonist of the NBC television series The Master, created by Michael Sloan, Lee plays an ex-military master martial arts expert ninja. But the thing is he was paid to, and when he's paidhe always saw the job through. Lee Van Cleef. After serving in the United States Navy during World War II (WWII), he was trained as an accountant. Within six months he was back in the saddle. Van Cleef played a sentry on an episode of the ABC sitcomThe Real McCoys, withWalter Brennan. Van Cleef played different minor characters on four episodes of ABC's The Rifleman, with Chuck Connors, between 1959 and 1962, and twice on ABC's Tombstone Territory. . Clarence LeRoy "Lee" Van Cleef Jr. (January 9, 1925 - December 16, 1989) was an American actor best known for his roles in Spaghetti Westerns such as For A Few Dollars More and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. He was best known for being a Movie Actor. However, Captain Donati begins to piece together the events, and all the involved parties find their lives in danger. In January 1925, Lee Van Cleef was born in Somerville, New Jersey, and he died in December 1989. The ship initially patrolled the Caribbean, then moved to the Mediterranean, participating in thelandings in southern France. Clarence LeRoy "Lee" Van Cleef Jr. (January 9, 1925 - December 16, 1989) was an American actor best known for his roles in Spaghetti Westerns such as For a Few Dollars More and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. He had a disease from the late 1970s and having a pacemaker installed in the early 1980s. He has lived along the levees of the Sacramento Delta, the Powell-Hyde Street cable car line and the shaded streets of Pasadena. After basic training and further training at the Naval Fleet Sound School, he was assigned to a submarine chaser and then to a minesweeper, USSIncredible, on which he worked as a sonarman. . He appeared in over 170 film and television roles in a career spanning nearly 40 years, but is best known as a star of Italian Spaghetti Westerns, particularly the Sergio Leone-directed Dollars Trilogy films For a Few Dollars More (1965) and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966). An American actor named Lee Van Cleef had a $2 million fortune. By the early 1970s, Van Cleef had become one of the ten most popular box-office stars in Europe and had established himself as a cult figure. Tap into History at Helldorados El Gato de Cristal, The End of the Civil War and Custers New Frontier, Tom Mix: Prescotts First Junior Bonner. He was cast three times, including the role of Rocky Hatch in the episode "Greed Rides the Range" (1952), of another syndicated western series,The Range Rider. Rosemary DexterFlashbacks reveal that the watch originates from a young woman (Rosemary Dexter), who killed herself while being raped by Indio after he had found her with her lover (in Joe Millards novelization of the film, the young man is her newly-wed husband) and killed him. [1] The film has been released in the United States under the titles The Rip-Off and The Squeeze.[2]. he almost lost his life and his job in a terrible car accident in 1958. Doctors told him he would never be able to ride a . Military Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. An American actor named Lee Van Cleef had a $2 million fortune. The problem is very few people do.Granted, it looks awesome when Lee Van Cleef does it in the movies. Van Cleefs role in High Noon greatly influenced his career trajectory. He began landing a number of significant and pivotal roles in many movies, playing both heroes and villains. [2], Aside from westerns and the science fiction films, three of his early major roles were in noir films, Kansas City Confidential (1952), Vice Squad (1953) and The Big Combo (1955). Blondie smiles and rides off as Tuco, who has his gold but still has his hands tied [along with his empty gun and before he can get his horse (See in background)], curses him in rage by shouting Hey Blondie! Sabata (1969) "Ehi amico. His big break came in the 1952 American Western, High Noon. Membres de la famille. Dunn joined The Times in 1986 as a suburban reporter in the San Gabriel Valley and later moved to the Metro section, where he participated in coverage of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Clarence Leroy Van Cleef . From there, he continued to meet with the group and audition for parts. Van Cleef would later have a supporting role in John Carpenter's cult film Escape from New York (1981). His work opposite Clint Eastwood was so good that he was cast as the villain a year later in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. He co-starred with Jim Brown in an Italian-American co-production, Take a Hard Ride (1975). [2], Grave of Lee Van Cleef, at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills. [citation needed], During a performance of Mister Roberts in Los Angeles, he was noticed by film director Stanley Kramer who offered Van Cleef a role in his upcoming film High Noon. After basic training he attended the Naval Fleet Sound School where he . During this time he was observed by visiting talent scouts who were impressed by Van Cleef's stage presence and delivery. 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 1958, he was cast as Ed Murdock, a rodeo performer trying to reclaim the title in the event atMadison Square GardeninNew York City, onRichard Diamond, Private Detective. Despite suffering from heart disease from the late 1970s and having a pacemaker installed in the early 1980s, Van Cleef continued to work in films. Here Van Cleef is played by the film's director Peter Richardson, though it rather suggests Cleef the personage is unrealistically playing Tony Benn, a British MP. More Film & Theater Personalities Susan Sarandon Inbreeding stacks the odds of being born with such conditions against you. Each one for himself, and God against all. [2], Van Cleef was married three times. [citation needed]. He later was named to run science coverage. Lee Van Cleef, who died at age 64 in 1989 of heart failure, was missing the last joint of the middle finger of his right hand. One of these scouts later took him to New York City talent agent Maynard Morris of the MCA agency who then sent him to the Alvin Theater for an audition. He also appeared in an episode of the ABC/Warner Brothers western series The Alaskans. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly and For a Few Dollars More cemented Cleefs reputation as a major star of spaghetti westerns. What happened to it? When Tuco first makes his new gun, he listens to the clicks. Nationality: American. Description. The Adventures of Kit Carson (19511955, 6 episodes), Sky King (1952, 1 episode), and The Range Rider (19521953, 3 episodes), among others, were some of his early television productions. Lee Van Cleefs military service occurred during the Second World War. Now Hollywood Shuffle is a classic, Before and after photos from space show storms effect on California reservoirs, Dramatic before and after photos from space show epic snow blanketing SoCal mountains, The chance of a lifetime: Five friends ski the tallest mountain in Los Angeles, Best coffee city in the world? Lee Van Cleef`s face-a face with that oft-described ''predator`s nose''-made him the ideal bad guy. Van Cleef appeared six times between 1951 and 1955 on the children's syndicated western series The Adventures of Kit Carson, starring Bill Williams. He also played a villain in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. [citation needed]. He had to take a bit off from performing because his recovery was protracted and challenging. Clarence Leroy Van Cleef Jr (1925 - 1989) Clarence Leroy (Lee) Van Cleef Jr. Born 9 Jan 1925 in Somerville, New Jersey, United States. The next biggest part was that of the boxer, Joe Pendleton, in the play Heaven Can Wait. Also Known As: Clarence LeRoy Van Cleef Jr. Died At Age: 64 Family: Spouse/Ex-: Barbara Havelone (m. 1976), Joan Drane (m. 1960; div. In 1958, a severe car crash nearly cost Van Cleef his life and career. These Classic Actors Served During World War I and Became Huge Hollywood Stars. Home. In 1965, the actor's career underwent a dramatic change whenSergio Leonecast Van Cleef, whose career was still in the doldrums, as one of the two protagonists, alongsideClint Eastwood, inFor a Few Dollars More. He enjoys sports, politics, comic books, and anything that has to do with history. Hatchet-faced with piercing eyes, he declined to have his hook nose altered to play a sympathetic character in his film debut, High Noon, and was relegated to a non-speaking outlaw as a result. Why Do They Call Lee Van Cleef Angel Eyes? He and Joan divorced in 1974. Van Cleef possessed the rare physical characteristic ofheterochromatic eyes, having eyes of two different colors; in his case, one green and one blue. Also, did Eli Wallach play the Ugly? He and his first wife, Patsy Ruth, were married from 1943 until their divorce in 1960. He died of a heart attack in December 1989 and was buried at Forest Lawn in the Hollywood Hills. But glaring gaps remain. Blue is the second most common and brown tops the list with 45% of the U.S. population and possibly almost 80% worldwide. He was given the part.[which?] Lee's left arm was broken in two places and his left From 1943 to 1960, he was married to Patsy Ruth, his high school sweetheart. 6300 Forest Lawn Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068. During this time, he worked as a sonarman, tasked with underwater surveillance. In 1960, he appeared as a villainous swindler in theBonanzaepisode, "The Bloodline" (December 31, 1960) and also made an appearance onGunsmoke. In 1958, a severe car crash nearly cost Van Cleef his life and career. Doctors told him he would never be able to ride a horse again because of the injury. . In contrast to the ruthless character Van Cleef was cast as in the Western, "The Bad" fought selflessly for his country in WW2. He started acting in community theater while working as an office administrator, eventually landing a role in the touring company of . Van Cleef suffered a heart attack in 1989 and died at the age of 64 in Oxnard, Calif. Forest Lawn Memorial Park Hollywood Hills. Its possible he was checking if it was waterproof. You should let it, He put $40,000 on credit cards to make his first film. Actor Lee Van Cleef, Villain in Hundreds of Westerns December 16, 1989 OXNARD, Calif. (AP) _ Actor Lee Van Cleef, whose steely eyes and hawklike features won him a long career portraying arch-villains in western movies, died early Saturday, apparently of a heart attack, authorities said. Son of Clarence Leroy Van Cleef Sr and Marion Lavinia (Van Fleet) Van Cleef. By virtue of his deployments Van Cleef also qualified for the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and American Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal. After suffering serious injuries in a car crash, Van Cleef had begun to lose interest in his declining career by the time Sergio . Likewise, Van Cleef was scene thieving like mad as Angel Eyes in THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY. Or green or hazel eyes for that matter. He portrayed Angel Eyes: The Bad, a cold-blooded, callous, and psychopathic mercenary, in the movie, which made a staggering $25.1 million at the box office on a $1.2 million budget. He was then cast mostly in villainous roles, due to his sharp cheeks and chin, piercing eyes and hawk-like nose,[citation needed] from the part of Tony Romano in Kansas City Confidential (1952), culminating 14 years later in Sergio Leone's The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966). Throat cancer was listed as a secondary cause of death. After suffering serious injuries in a car crash, Van Cleef began to lose interest in his apparently waning career by the timeSergio Leonegave him a major role inFor a Few Dollars More. Will the luck of the Irish affect the Oscars? Van Cleef starred as minor villains and henchmen in various westerns, including The Tin Star and Gunfight at the O.K. "Yes, Lee was in a car accident after filming 'High Lonesome' with Randolph Scott. At age 17, he obtained his high school diploma early in his senior year in order to enlist in the United States Navy in September, 1942. He also made a number of television appearances, acting on such shows as The Rifleman (1958-63) and Gunsmoke (1955-75). One shootout claimed the life of a, In the spring of 1874, medicine man Isa-tai (translates as Wolfs Vulva) convinced 250 Kiowas,. Van Cleef appeared in 1959 as Luke Clagg in the episode "Strange Request" of the NBC western series Riverboat. And they had three children: David, Alan, and Deborah. Van Cleef starred as minor villains and henchmen in various westerns, includingThe Tin StarandGunfight at the O.K. Married and on the side of the law, Marshal Adams (Van Cleef) has settled in Arizona Territory. After suffering serious injuries in a car crash, Van Cleef began to lose interest in his apparently waning[peacock term] career by . Chris subsequently recruits his old friend, pawn shop owner Sam, who agrees to fence the diamonds afterward. Van Cleef, born of partial Dutch ancestry on January 9, 1925, inSomerville, New Jersey,was the son of Marion Van Fleet (ne Levinia) and Clarence LeRoy Van Cleef. He then began a business in interior decoration with second wife Joan, as well as pursuing his talent for painting, primarily of sea and landscapes. Los Angelesben, a Forest Lawn temetben helyeztk rk nyugalomra. In all, Van Cleef is credited with 90 movie roles and 109 television appearances over a 38-year span. Van Cleef was born on January 9, 1925 in Somerville, New Jersey, the son of Marion Levinia (ne Van Fleet) and Clarence LeRoy Van Cleef. Silent-film comedian Buster Keaton lost a finger in a clothes wringer at the age of 2. It was the latter role that made Van Cleef a star and much sought after actor. Inscription "Best Of The Bad" Love And Light. At this point, he caught the attention of several visiting talent scouts, one of whom introduced him to Maynard Morris, a talent agent with the MCA agency, in New York City. Cross draw carry can work really well if done right. " " Clarence Leroy "Lee" Van Cleef, Jr. 1925 19 - 1989 1216 . He played a villainous henchman ofLee Marvin's title character in the 1962John FordmovieThe Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. He appeared in a lot of other TV shows over the years. His recovery was long and arduous and halted his acting for a time. For his actions during the incident, Van Cleef was awarded the Bronze Star for bravery. Military service: What was the cost of the westward wagon trains? It shows up in about 9% of Americans but only 2% of the worlds population. What does one green eye and one blue eye mean? Despite suffering from heart disease from the late 1970s and having a pacemaker installed in the early 1980s, Van Cleef continued to work in films until his death on December 16, 1989, at age 64. His work has been featured in psfk.com, foxsports.com, politicususa.com and hillreporter.com. Break came in the 1952 American western, High Noon starred as villains! 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