[5] He was discharged from the Navy in 1946. She lived in Alexandria. Jhow Rock Show. Januar 1925 in Somerville, New Jersey, USA, als Sohn von Clarence LeRoy Van Cleef. The US Navy hero continued to work up until the day he died, with a total of 90 move roles and 109 TV appearances under his belt. http://www.alexcox.com/freestuff.htm. That same year, he appeared in "The Day of the Misfits" on The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters. [26] Throat cancer was listed as a secondary cause of death. I have been told Van Cleef did", "Western Archivillain Lee Van Cleef Dies", "The Cinema Behind Star Wars: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly", "Primus Lee Van Cleef (Official Music Video)", "Jonathan Green, Author: N is for Nathan Creed", "Lee van Cleef by Tamas Cseh (amazon.com)", "Stargate SG-1 Easter Egg - Lee van Cleef", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lee_Van_Cleef&oldid=1144180158, 'El Latigo' / Joe 'Utah Joe' / Rocky Hatch, "Treasure of Santa Dolores"; "Outlaw's Double"; "Greed Rides the Range", Joe Singer / 'Bull' Harper / Henchman Jango, "Desperado at Large"; "The Brown Pony"; "Stage to Estacado", "Snowshoe Thompson"; "The Hat That Won the West", Dan Maury / 'Stinger' / Wicks / Johnny Drako, "The Deadly Wait"; "The Prodigal"; "The Clarence Bibs Story"; "Death Never Rides Alone", Wes Torrey / Dawson / 'Mac' Morgan / Caleb, ".45 Calibre"; "Killer Odds"; "Vengeance"; "The Stranger", Rad Meadows / Johnny Hooker / Ike Jeffords, "Old Flame"/"The Pariah"/"My Father, My Son", "Trouble Street"; "A Man Called Ragen"; "Man Alone", "The Richest Man in Boot Hill", "Call to Glory", Lee Van Cleef's characters in the Sergio Leone movies inspired the creation of the characters Elliot Belt of the, Van Cleef served as visual inspiration for the characters of, This page was last edited on 12 March 2023, at 07:11. He also played the lead role of John Peter McAllister on the martial arts television series The Master (1984). in Douglas Thompsons book Sexual Cowboy (about Eastwood), LVC is quoted that his favorite dollar movie is the second one, you have to ask Lee Van Cleef himself - from time to time he logs in on SWDB ;D He enjoys sports, politics, comic books, and anything that has to do with history. Votes: 5,301 | Gross: $0.23M. He also had been awarded the Bronze Star and the Good Conduct Medal. Thanks, Bill san Antonio. Year should not be greater than current year. It was the latter role that made Van Cleef a star and much sought after actor. You can always change this later in your Account settings. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. He had almost given up his acting career in the mid-'60s and turned to Ransom Stoddard, senior U.S. In 1965, Sergio Leone cast Lee Van Cleef as the villain in the film For a Few Dollars More. For a decade he was typecast as a minor villain, his \"sinister\" features overshadowing his acting skills. Please try again later. [15] His film characters died in many of his Westerns and gangster portrayals. Jhow Rock Show. Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. After suffering serious injuries in a car crash, Van Cleef's acting career started to decline. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Movies. lee van cleef on Johnny Carson MrBILLESPIE 9.1K subscribers Subscribe 17K 2.8M views 9 years ago Lee Van Cleef in his only interview with Johnny Carson. 0:25. While Lee Van Cleef arguably made his biggest films during the 1960s, he kept on acting through the 1970s and 80s. Lately, when directors and producers see the bloody thing, they ask me to wear it on camera. Lee graduated high school early at the age of 17 from Somerville High School New Jersey[3] in order to enlist in the United States Navy in September 1942.[4]. Within six months he was back in the saddle. In fact, he was a hero who bravely served his country during the Second World War. Andy Gibb Funeral Barry Gibb 1988 'React. The quote goes like this: A lot of actors think that the more words they have, the more attention they get. He . 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 appeared in an episode of the ABC/Warner Brothers Western series The Alaskans.[14]. His performance was seen by, - IMDb Mini Biography By: Jim Beaver , Beady eyes that frequently squinted in the Western sun. Weve updated the security on the site. 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. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie . Lee Van Cleef (n. 9 ianuarie 1925, Somerville (d), New Jersey, SUA - d. 16 decembrie 1989, Oxnard (d), California, SUA) a fost un actor american de film, care a aprut mai ales n filme aciune i western.Caracterul prelung al trsturilor feei sale la care s-a adugat forma neobinuit a ochilor si l-au fcut un "candidat permanent" la roluri negative, dei ocazional a . Share this memorial using social media sites or email. 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. http://www.alexcox.com/freestuff.htm[/quote] THE ITALIAN COP AND GANGSTER FILMS THAT RULED THE '70s, available everywhere (jussabouts). 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). He worked for Hecht's for eight years before retiring in 1928 because of ill health. This account has been disabled. Thanks for your help! Learn more about merges. Failed to delete flower. Original Airdate: 02/09/1984#johnnycarson #thetonightshow #leevancleef What happened to it? Failed to report flower. By virtue of his deployments, Van Cleef also qualified for the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the American Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal. In January 1945, Incredible sailed to the Black Sea, where she performed sweeping duties out of a Soviet naval base in Sevastopol, Crimea and air-sea rescue patrols, before returning to Palermo, Italy. The play was Mister Roberts. Born and raised in New Jersey, Van Cleef served in the United States Navy during World War II aboard a minesweeper, earning a Bronze Star for his actions. Lee Van Cleef, the film actor whose steely eyes and rugged features led to a long career portraying Western arch-villains, died, apparently of a heart attack, early today at St. John's. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. 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. When he is not sitting in front of a laptop, Todd enjoys soaking up everything the Jersey Shore has to offer with his wife, two sons and American Foxhound, Wally. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. (1972), Mean Frank and Crazy Tony (1973), Take a Hard Ride (1975), The Octagon (1980), Escape from New York (1981) and Speed Zone (1989). Her marriage to H. Cabell Maddux ended in divorce. Menu. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. Lee Van Cleef was born on January 9, 1925, in Somerville, New Jersey,[2] to Marion Lavinia Van Fleet and Clarence LeRoy Van Cleef. What about some interviews with Lee Van Cleef? With Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, Gian Maria Volont, Mara Krupp. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. He was disappointed to find out that he'd be sharing the screen with two big actors namely Eli Wallach and Lee Van Cleef. He had Crohn's disease, a gastrointestinal disorder. Ganhou notoriedade no cinema pelos papis de vilo em filmes de faroeste. . based on information from your browser. A master gunfighter sides with a banjo-playing drifter and a Mexican tramp to foil the dignitaries of Daugherty, who want to use stolen army money to buy land that the railroad will cross. After the Spaghetti Westerns, when Eastwood came back to the States, he was establishing himself as a major force, and you seldomif eversaw him getting upstaged, especially in his 70s and 80s films. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. After serving in the United States Navy during World War II (WWII), he was trained as an accountant. The Funeral of our Dear and Eternal Maurice Gibb. He loved boats of all kinds and his was always the most well-kept in the boat yard. A master gunfighter sides with a banjo-playing drifter and a Mexican tramp to foil the dignitaries of Daugherty, who want to use stolen army money to buy land that the railroad will cross. He then worked as an accountant in Somerville before beginning in his movie career in 1950. Somerville, Somerset County, New Jersey, USA. He was involved in a car accident in 1959 in which he lost his left kneecap. A beloved friend and pillar of the sailing community, David lived his life with passion and purpose. [16] 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). In the true spirit of David, the family asks those in attendance to wear your crazy socks and avoid wearing black or dark colors. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. 'Real Violence Turns You Off', Their association led to Mr. Van Cleef's starring in ''The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,'' portraying ''the bad. [25] He collapsed in his home in Oxnard, California, from a heart attack. Lee Van Cleef was born on January 9, 1925, in Somerville, New Jersey, US to Clarence LeRoy Van Cleef and Marion Van Fleet (ne Levinia). Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Van Cleef went on to appear in such films as Leone's The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966), Death Rides a Horse (1967), Day of Anger (also 1967), Sabata (1969) and its sequel Return of Sabata (1971), El Condor (1970), The Magnificent Seven Ride! He was surrounded by his loving family and the outpouring of prayers and love from his many friends. 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. This is a carousel with slides. An audition for a professional role led to a touring company job in "Mr. Roberts". I forgot from where though, but the gist of it is that they got along very well on set and that they ran into each other in Las Vegas (I think) during the 70s and discussed the possibility of doing another project together but that Clint was preoccupied with other projects so it never happened. 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 began working in the printing trade here when he was 12. A beloved friend and pillar of the sailing community, David lived his life with passion and purpose. He also made a number of television appearances, acting on such shows as The Rifleman (1958-63) and Gunsmoke (1955-75). Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. He appeared in 1952s High Noon, 1954s The Yellow Tomahawk, 1957s Gunfight at the O.K. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. Please reset your password. His first marriage was to Patsy Ruth Kahle, in 1943. The Grand Duel: Directed by Giancarlo Santi. Audiences just naturally hate me on screen. It was during one of these landings that Incredible came under heavy torpedo fire by the Germans. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. What Shows Have Been Renewed or Canceled? I look mean without even trying. Van Cleef started out as an accountant. He also didn't like the fact that Wallach's character had been given all the juicier dialogue. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. [12] In 1958, he was cast as Ed Murdock, a rodeo performer trying to reclaim the title in the event at Madison Square Garden in New York City, on Richard Diamond, Private Detective.[13]. When Van Cleef's employer heard this, he promptly fired him, removing the need for any notice period. After all, Gene Hackman and Richard Harris did steal the scenes they were in. Clarence LeRoy Lee Van Cleef Jr. was born on January 9, 1925. 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. This interview is an April 1978 interview conducted by Alex Cox at USC. V for Van Cleef! Lee Van Cleef's Westerns. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. You can do much more with a villain part. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. Van Cleefs role in High Noon greatly influenced his career trajectory. Oops, we were unable to send the email. He died of a heart attack in December 1989 and was buried at Forest Lawn in the Hollywood Hills. A system error has occurred. Eli Wallach was Ugly, and Van Cleef was Bad., Marshall Trimble is Arizonas official historian. John Phillip Law & Lee Van Cleef (both stars from Death Rides A Horse) Jack Palance & Lee Van Cleef George Kennedy & Lee Van Cleef Lee Van Cleef, Bo Hopkins, Robert Tessier & John Dennis Johnston Whiskey commercial: This one's the coolest though, with OUATITW music and style: LVC in a Bavaria Beer commercial: I was the DP on this commercial. He is also one of the all-time great screen presences on screen; so much so that the only people I can think of who rival him are Lee Van Cleef, William Smith, Jack Palance, and Gene Hackman. Someone earlier mentioned Van Cleef interviews. [23][self-published source? Early Life. Andy Gibb Funeral 1988 BEE GEES RARE. Over the following decade, he regularly appeared in Western films, usually played the role of the villain. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Following his time overseas, Van Cleef returned to New Jersey and participated in community theater. Why? happened to me. He is survived by his wife, the former Barbara Havelone, and three children from a previous marriage, Alan, Deborah and David. He raced all over the world, but his true joy was inspiring new sailors and sharing his passion with others. [10] In 1954, Van Cleef appeared as Jesse James in the syndicated series Stories of the Century. . Van Cleef guest-starred on the CBS Western series Have Gun Will Travel, on the ABC/Warner Bros. series Colt .45, on the NBC Western series Cimarron City and Laramie, and on Rod Cameron's syndicated crime dramas City Detective and State Trooper. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. He served in the U.S. Navy aboard minesweepers and sub chasers during World War II. [11], In 1955, he was cast twice on another syndicated Western series, Annie Oakley. 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. Resend Activation Email. Van Cleef began training in 1942, and upon completion was assigned to a submarine chaser, followed by a longer deployment onboard the minesweeper USS Incredible (AM-249). Mr. Van Cleef, who had a history of heart disease, collapsed at his home, about 60 miles north of Los Angeles, late Friday night, said a deputy Ventura County coroner, Craig Stevens. In 1960, he appeared as a villainous swindler in the Bonanza episode, "The Bloodline" (December 31, 1960) and also made an appearance on Gunsmoke. You can download it from his site: Never knew Van Cleef went in so many I guess he decided he wanted a Few More Dollars after all. They had three children, Alan, Deborah and David, and divorced in 1958. Van Cleef played a sentry on an episode of the ABC sitcom The Real McCoys, with Walter Brennan. It wasnt until UNFORGIVEN where I believe he finally realized himself to be talented and specialeven if critics had, up to that point disagreed. A young Van Cleef also made an appearance on The Andy Griffith Show and as Frank Diamond in The Untouchables, in an episode entitled "The Unhired Assassin". He was a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Washington, the Knights of Columbus and the Holy Name Society. ], Despite suffering from heart disease from the late 1970s and having a pacemaker installed in the early 1980s,[24] Van Cleef continued to work in films until his death on December 16, 1989, at age 64. She had emphysema. In 1963, he appeared on Perry Mason (episode: "The Case of the Golden Oranges"). Not the one thats been published but older with same name. Lo was perhaps best known as Chao Chih-Hao in the 1972 martial arts film King Boxer (a.k.a. Van Cleef would make several more European-filmed westerns over the following decade, and would make a notable, atypical appearance in the John Carpenter-helmed science-fiction action cult classic "Escape From New York" (1981). I have been told Van Cleef did. There was a youtube video where he was on Johnny Carson talking about a ninja movie and other things, but its been taken down, Theres an interview with LVC in Alex Cox old book 10.000 Ways to Die. In January 1945, Incredible moved to the Black Sea, and performed sweeping duties out of the Soviet Navy base at Sevastopol, Crimea. The 1857 Bonneville expedition against the Apache reportedly carried 700 gallons of vinegar. Also, did Eli Wallach play the Ugly? Verify and try again. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Failed to delete memorial. For his film debut, he appeared, solo, in the opening pre-title shots of the classic "High Noon" (1952)." Ad Director George Irving Snowden, 95, a former advertising director of Hecht's department stores who was a member of the Washington Hebrew Congregation, died Dec. 16 at Sibley Memorial Hospital. Mr. Van Cleef, who had a long history of heart trouble, was stricken about 11:40 p.m. Friday at his Oxnard home and was pronounced dead at St. John's Regional Medical Center shortly after. You may request to transfer up to 250,000 memorials managed by Find a Grave. The next biggest part was that of the boxer, Joe Pendleton, in the play Heaven Can Wait. Services will be live streamed by St. Stephens Lutheran Church for those uncomfortable with attending in person, but the family invites all to join them following at the sailing club. Likewise, Van Cleef was scene thieving like mad as Angel Eyes in THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY. Add to your scrapbook. Im sure he knew this as Van Cleef stole the show as The Colonel in FAFDM. However, Eastwoods world-weary but deadly persona hung bullet for bullet with both Hackman and Harris. In fact, he was a hero who bravely served his country during the Second World War. He continued to appear in movies directed by Leone throughout the remainder of the 1960s, and also starred in such films as Death Rides a Horse (1967), Day of Anger (1967) and Sabata (1969). Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. . Survivors include her husband, Mark W., of Venice; two sons, Andy, of Somerset, N.J., and Wes, of Columbus, Ohio; and a daughter, Sherri Reed of Fairfax. He appeared in episode 82 of the TV series The Lone Ranger in 1952. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. This led to a long string of supporting roles, usually playing menacing roles in westerns both in films and on television. 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. Mrs. Reed was a graduate of Washington-Lee High School and the University of Maryland. -- Fred Williamson, Henry Silva and Ted Rusoff remember working and socializing with cult tough-guy actor Lee Van Cleef, best known for Spaghetti Westerns like THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY and American Westerns like HIGH NOON.Lee Van Cleef, like Charles Bronson, was a particular, one-of-a-kind cinematic badass, so info on him shouldn't just be languishing on an old harddrive of mine.All three of these interviews were lit and shot by Michael A. Martinez, for EUROCRIME! Learn more about managing a memorial . It's much harder to find a good villain. The Dignity Memorial brand name is used to identify a network of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers that include affiliates of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. The primary cause was listed as a heart attack, with throat cancer also attributed. Director: John Ford | Stars: James Stewart, John Wayne, Vera . Lee Van Cleef, Actor, Dies at 64; Played Villains in Many Westerns, https://www.nytimes.com/1989/12/17/obituaries/lee-van-cleef-actor-dies-at-64-played-villains-in-many-westerns.html. Lee Van Cleef would pass away in December of 1989 at the age of 64 at his home in California. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. He had congestive heart failure. '', ''I believe in showing real violence, not toy violence,'' Mr. Van Cleef said in a 1970 interview. Lee Van Cleef - Actor . Lee Van Cleef was born Clarence LeRoy Van Cleef Jr. on January 9, 1925, in Somerville, New Jersey. With Lee Van Cleef, Alberto Dentice, Jess Hahn, Horst Frank. Jack Van Cleef. 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. His mother, by some reports, was once a . His work has been featured in psfk.com, foxsports.com, politicususa.com and hillreporter.com. In recent years, he had slipped out of the limelight, starring in such forgettable productions as the television show "The Master," about a martial arts expert searching for his long-lost daughter, and the movie "Killing Machine" with Margaux Hemingway. The finger was prominently featured in the 1966 film that starred Clint Eastwood as the "Man With No Name." Rumors suggested he had lost it in a bad car wreck in 1958 or in a bar fight. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. [18] In 1984, he was cast as a ninja master in the NBC adventure series The Master, but it was canceled after thirteen episodes. [27] He was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Hollywood Hills, California, with an inscription on his grave marker referring to his many acting performances as a villain: "BEST OF THE BAD".[28]. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Lee Van Cleef (2175)? Van Cleef made a career of playing a villain in Westerns. I believe in showing real violence, not toy violence. He settled in the Washington area in 1919 after serving in the Army during World War I. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Columbia Sailing Club for the David Van Cleef Scholarship Fund. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. -- Fred Williamson, Henry Silva and Ted Rusoff remember working and socializing with cult tough-guy actor Lee Van Cleef,. 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. ''Real violence turns you off because you know it's not the thing to do. These Classic Actors Served During World War I and Became Huge Hollywood Stars. Haha well maybe if he coulda gotten more deserved film roles he could have stayed out of those commercials, Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled, http://www.alexcox.com/freestuff.htm[/quote]. Miss Moore, a native of Missouri, had lived in the Washington area since returning to this country from Europe in 1975. Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Stella A., of Greenbelt; two sons, Louis, of Beltsville, and Carl, of Hyattsville; nine grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. In real life, though, he wasn't a bad guy. Id have to look through my books, but I recall an interview somewhere when Eastwood briefly mentions Lee Van Cleef. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Let others know about your loved one's death. I remember Sollima said something like (partly joking I presume) he was great actor but needed 20-25 bottles of beer a day. Not interviews, but heres a few Midas Muffler advertisements from 1980, John Phillip Law & Lee Van Cleef (both stars from Death Rides A Horse), Lee Van Cleef, Bo Hopkins, Robert Tessier & John Dennis Johnston. For his actions during the incident, Van Cleef was awarded the Bronze Star for bravery. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. [19] His second marriage was to Joan Marjorie Drane, from 1960 to 1974. Raised in Somerville, New Jersey, he graduated from high school early, with the intention of enlisting in the US Navy. I MAKE people LOOK at me. Classic! 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. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. (but really, we have LVC forum member). This ones the coolest though, with OUATITW music and style: thanks for those commercials, autephex, great stuff, didnt know LVC made something like that. cemeteries found in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles County, California, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Actor. 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. Sign up for service and obituary updates. Todd Neikirk is a New Jersey-based politics, entertainment and history writer. His sharp features and stoicism made him the ideal villain. [22][bettersourceneeded], In 1958, a severe car crash nearly cost Van Cleef his life and career. Apart from his family, sailing was his second love. In 1966, he was noticed by Leone, who was searching for actors with distinctive facial features to star in Italian-made Westerns. 11:03. 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 played different characters on four episodes of ABC's The Rifleman, with Chuck Connors, between 1959 and 1962, and twice on ABC's Tombstone Territory. A resulting knee injury made his physicians think that he would never ride a horse again. The life of Maurice Gibb and his funeral RARE. Some of his most notably movie appearances during this time included as Police Commissioner Bob Hauk in Escape from New York (1981) and as Chris Adams in The Magnificent Seven Ride (1972). Being born with a pair of beady eyes was the best thing that ever Born January 9, 1925 Died December 16, 1989 (64) Add to list Awards 1 win Photos 243 Known for