Lee Van Cleef

Clarence LeRoy Van Cleef Jr., better known as Lee Van Cleef, was an American actor who had a strong presence in the film industry for almost 40 years, with a filmography that went beyond 170 film and TV roles. Born on January 9, 1925, in Somerville, New Jersey, Van Cleef's iconic look and taciturn screen persona saw him typecast as villains and minor characters initially. Notably, he reached stardom through his collaboration with Sergio Leone in Spaghetti westerns, particularly the 'Dollars Trilogy' films: 'For a Few Dollars More' (1965) and 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' (1966). Van Cleef's contribution to the Western film and television genre didn't go unnoticed, as he received a Golden Boot Award in 1983.

Aside from being an actor, his service in the United States Navy during World War II is noteworthy. He served aboard a minesweeper and earned the Bronze Star for his actions. After the war, Van Cleef began his career as a regional theatre actor before making his film debut in 'High Noon' (1952) in a non-speaking outlaw role. His later works included many other renowned films including 'The Big Gundown' (1967), 'Death Rides a Horse' (1967), and 'Escape from New York' (1981) among others. He played the lead role of John Peter McAllister on the martial arts TV series The Master (1984) before his death on December 16, 1989.