The Tragic Life And Scandalous Ending Of Lee Van Cleef

The Tragic Life And Scandalous Ending Of Lee Van Cleef
Lee Van Cleef was the bad guy we all hated to love. This legend of the Western genre brought more than just his sharp looks to the industry and changed the trajectory of the Western genre for good. His ability to take on plain characters and add an ounce of dimension and moral ambiguity leaving the audience rooting for the “bad guy” is an art that is yet to be imitated more than 50 years later.
However, those Angel Eyes hid secrets and tragedies untold of a life of hardship, near-death experience, and a broken heart. In this video, we will delve into the tragic life and sad end of Lee Van Cleef.

[@germanshepherdlover2613]

My father loved him. He used to say "he is so bad that he is good" What an amazing man he was!

[@markrutter2486]

Spot on

[@michaelbajorek1972]

I remember Van Cleef from his many roles in westerns. An amazing actor and career. I always enjoy watching his performances.

[@user-zx4uz6xx2l]

He was also "The Master" on TV.

[@luckyguy600]

It just wasn't a good cowboy movie without him.

[@pepp4560]

I loved how he performed his role in "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly." But even before that, in "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance," with Lee Marvin and Strother Martin, he perfected the Sinister Trio.

[@wesdale1753]

The villain that is loved throughout the world. He is unique and his acting and posture is outstanding

[@DUCKSAREEVILLLLLLLL]

None of us will have a happy ending, but Van Cleef made every movie he was in worth watching up till the very end of his career.

[@markrutter2486]

Angel eyes rules

[@AJ-bz7wq]

here here. Very underrated , I loved him as an actor ,, Fantastic Actor

[@Daddylongneck371]

Ha ha i like that one none of us will have a happy ending .

[@markrutter2486]

@@AJ-bz7wq yes agree angel eyes

[@JohnnyCarroll-wi6tx]

evilllllllll.

[@jamescastillo2405]

Man.... he had a great face!, coolest bad guy ever!

[@paulvaughan3699]

Van cleef and Jack Palance

[@BuzzBuzzbuzzbuzzcutlight-zy7yv]

Right?

[@pepp4560]

I loved the intensity of his dark eyes, aquiline nose, and prominent incisor teeth, especially when he sported a mustache and chin feather.

[@paulvaughan3699]

@@pepp4560 he even carried that screen presence as a cop in Escape from New York Magnificent actor

[@pepp4560]

The man personified menace.

[@felixmadison5736]

I was born in 1949 so I grew up watching westerns in the movies, and t.v. Lee Van Cleef was one of the best character actors, ever! He had a face only a mother could love! LOL!!! When I found out Lee Van Cleef was appearing in a western, I knew it had to be worth watching. His presence always overshadowed the lead character. RIP Lee Van Cleef, and thank you for your service to our country, and the film legacy you left behind for the world to enjoy.

[@luckyguy600]

Without reading your words you wrote. I wrote basically the same, just today when I watched this bio. I was born in 1950, so we both were at the cowboy movies on Saturday afternoons at the same time. How about that eh? Those were good days indeed.

[@felixmadison5736]

@@luckyguy600Remember the western cliffhanger serials every week? Yes, those were good times!

[@zbfng812]

He also was in several episodes of The Rifleman. With those penetrating eyes, he played a convincing villain you didn't want to mess with. As one of the best, Mr. Van Cleef will be missed. Among many others movies, he was superb in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

[@xyrokhan]

He and Charles Bronson are unrepeatable. RIP

[@maureenmooney8291]

My father & I watched westerns every Saturday. Lee Van Cleef was always on the screen. No western is complete without Lee Van Cleef. No matter what transpired in his later years he was the man westerns were made of

[@llamudos9809]

Great actor. Never in my opinion received the recognition like Clint. He was the good bad and the Ugly all in one.

[@kevindaugherty6529]

My grandfather and Lee were lookalikes, every time I watch him I see my own grandad, who passed away in 1973, rip Lee and grandpa 😢

[@karlsenula9495]

My grandmother's second husband also looked like Lee Van Cleef.

[@gergemall]

Sorry for your loss

[@Daddylongneck371]

My great aunts cat also looked like Lee van Cleef.@@karlsenula9495

[@kennethausten]

When i first ever saw him i was totally amazed, what a character plus alongside Clint Eastwood. They made the spaghetti western the success it was. Never forgotten lee and that devilish mischievous look.

[@RespectMyAuthoritaah]

One of my childhood hero's. I enjoyed all his work. The world is a sadder place without him.

[@josedess8823]

Van Cleef one of my favourite actors I love watching his movies especially western ones his mean looking acting is amazing and great one of the greatest actors of all time. Thanks.

[@geraldkruth5250]

One of my favorite actors. That gravely voice and squinting eyes were unique.

[@hissingsidll750]

Lee Marvin ?.........not that unique

[@luckyguy600]

Those eyes could see right through you.

[@blakewu1375]

He’s the Clint Eastwood of bad guy actors, only not having as long a life and career. There’s a mystery to his presence that very few actors have.

[@luckyguy600]

A man of his word, and he stood for something. Very few people now do that. or have you noticed looking all around us and in Hollywood?

[@alshotrodsandratrods8780]

I was a fan of Lee since our paths crossed in 1961. I was 17 and got in some trouble and went to jail in Salem Mass. I should have gone to a juvenile detention facility but they wanted to teach me a lesson. So there wasn't much to do there except to play poker with the guy in the next cell. It was Lee Van Cleef. His first wife had him arrested for not paying alimony or child support. They could throw you in jail for that in 61. His second marriage must have triggered her. Anyway he didn't talk much at first but after a couple of months he told me about his acting career and how they wanted him to get a nose job. He said he was killed three times by Chuck Conners on the rifleman show. He said his nose got him called back. He was pretty humble as he had done a lot of movies before 61 but I only found that out by seeing him in some movies. I was happy to see him on TV shows and in movies later. He never got the recognition and attention he deserved until the role of Angel Eyes. He was the nicest guy I ever met in jail. RIP Lee.

[@jhscheppele2448]

.

[@kennethtalbott2233]

now that my friend was worth going to jail for. what a great story.

[@jamesburns2232]

Lee Van Cleef was a cat with nine lives. He was killed three times by Chuck Conners and at least once by Clint Eastwood. 🤠

[@DavidMScott-cs8pp]

Is this an AI voice ? Listen to the strange pronunciation to some very simple words !

[@gabrieldjarf8104]

Playing poker with Lee Van Cleef in jail...What a story, thanks for sharing!

[@margaretadler6162]

One of my favorite actors! RIP Mr. Van Cleef

[@VenturiLife]

Van Cleef was always so convincing as a villian, menacing onscreen performances.

[@karlsenula9495]

One of my favorite actors

[@richardgamble4147]

Lee Van Cleef, the giant of Western movies the world will love forever. RIP most precious one. We all love you and we are thankful for your beautiful work

[@mikesey1]

An instantly recognisable actor, due to his unusual eyeset and high cheekbones. A memorable man who really left his mark. 👍👍

[@MIKETTT369-do2cg]

I am 74 years old and a Malaysian during the 60s in my hometown Muar every weekends three cinemas will be housefull all will be cowboy movies,Clint Eastwood Lee van cleef and also Franko Nero and others.I still remember these movies.

[@user-jn2hn3bx5f]

As a bulgarian person, even that i speak and understand English well, watching the movies with Van Cleef never made me feel him like an evil personality. He rather was emitting the energy of a calm, cunning, well mannered leader figure that every kid showd have in his childhood to take example of. 😮

[@fasteddie9055]

Lee Van Cleef is a prototype actor of the 60s. Both Lee and Steve Mcqueen are the 1960s movie houses of yesteryear. RIP Lee and Steve. You are both missed.

[@tominglis3465]

Funny they would want to change his nose. It's what makes his "look". A normal nose just wouldn't give him that tough villain personage that made him so great on screen.

[@user-su1iv3zr9w]

He had the amazing ability to be the “bad guy” but still be someone you could understand and relate to. An awesome actor that made any film he was in enjoyable.

[@johnbutler-gm8pv]

Love to have information on Lee Van Cleef, but did not need the cringe-worthy AI narration. When will that trend die?

[@jabiantakarua9347]

Agreed. Absolute fxxking shame.

[@dniemi58]

Van Lee? A Few More Dollars? 🤦‍♂️

[@schtepke]

and no fxxking clue how to pronounce Italian names. which goes for lots of 'real' american speakers too though

[@user-nn1vk4rt8n]

He is one of the greatest

[@CV_CA]

00:08 Loved to hate and not hated to love.

[@charlesmoore1386]

One of my all time favorites, classic actor, Thankyou! Mr. LFC.

[@JohnnyCarroll-wi6tx]

he was a very good actor.respect.

[@kennethtalbott2233]

just loved him in the big the bad and the ugly. incredible. looked hard as nails.

[@1tulip]

OMG! Was this comment AI generated?

[@kingsleyperera9655]

I never get tired of him watching in Dollarsries especially " Good Bad & Ugly !

[@doug595959]

when i was 7 or 8 years old in the mid 60s i was able to meet lee van cleef. he came to the small town where i lived to visit his relatives who my aunt was friends with we went to their house and sat at the kitchen table with mr. van cleef we were there about 45 minutes and i remember he was one of the most kind and gracious people i have ever met he spoke to me as if i was and old friend. i know i ask dumb questions but it didn't bother him one bit he answered all my silly questions as if they were the most important thing in the world. i'm in my late 60s now and i will remember that day till i die. R.I.P lee van cleef. a great man.

[@chevyford8898]

Thanks for this, always liked him on shows, didn't know what a good man he was.

[@michaelturner9458]

He was the villan that made the.box office stars look good,deserved an OSCAR

[@Tronic1Records]

Lee Van Cleef was one of the best

[@markkendrick7547]

He such an amazing actor...He did everything he was supposed to do in life ......He will be forever missed and remembered......🎬🎥🔥💪👊🙏

[@francishodge320]

Never mind Clint Eastwood Lee Van Cleef made them Superstars an unsung legend

[@bradkarlzahn-bp6jx]

Is it possible to have a better "Clint squint" than Clint!?! Close up scene in The Good, The Bad And The Ugly is the best! 🇺🇲💪🇺🇲👁️🇺🇸

[@simaos.desouza8767]

From the days of an extra till his impeccable days as top gun actor , I watched many of his films . Just loved him, one of my favourite. 👍👌🤗❤️🙏

[@Trowblood]

Man, Lee Van Cleef having a stare out with Klaus Kinski was some intense shit.

[@andrefalconer6537]

Having just Watched this Documentary About Lea Van Cleef Brilliant Man & Actor, Allways admired this Man from the First time i saw him in High Noon 1952;? It was telling to myself he was going to play a bad Guy in Most of his early films ,Gun fight O.K Corral 1957 Burt Lancaster & Is good Friend Kirk Douglas, Lea. Had about 4 minutes in that film when Kirk killed him & that is about how it went for him in early films, Surprised all the Western' s he made Not a very good Horse Man, Anyway, The two films with Mr Eastwood Brilliant Acting Parts for Lea. Sadly Missed, Lea Van Cleef. God Bless you,

[@ritaclark467]

Enjoyed watching all his rolls over the years.

[@cpuuk]

Old school actors had values because they were brought up properly, even when from humble beginnings.

[@NRecob]

Lee Van Cleef. AMAZING actor. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly = One of my most favorite films. I'm going to Spain to see the Sad Hill Cemetary.

[@OcotilloTom]

The "Best of the Bad", his tombstone says it all. El Mirage Land and Cattle Company El Mirage, Arizona

[@francisclause4668]

What an awesome actor!!!!! Loved all of his work!!!!!

[@luckyguy600]

" You know. That guy who played the bad guy" Oh, what's his name? Well, he was dam good at what he did. R.I.P. sir, you did service to your country, and you made a lot of kids love the Western Cowboy Moivie. For both, I salute you. Whatever your name was.

[@BloodylocksBathory]

Van Cleef did end up learning a little bit of Italian, though in his New Kersey accent. He did so in order to appear on talk shows for movie promotions. Speaking of talk shows, I kind of hated that Johnny Carson appearance. I was like, "come on, Carson, at least pretend you're interested." For a change in role, I recommend El Condor. It's not great, but Van Cleef gives a very good performance different than much of his career. Jaroo is slightly eccentric, often drunk, and both funny and sad, a bit of a proto Jack Sparrow.

[@Destroyer-ng3sc]

An icon of the western movies

[@aureliusaugustin4185]

Great face wonderful actor ..I love such a actor's

[@buzzpaff]

Lee Van Cleef was offered the Gary Cooper role I the movie High Noon - but only if he had rhinoplasty on his nose. Instead he had a minor role as one of the bad guys Did you know Angel Eyes had one blue eye and one green eyes

[@billgoodwin8742]

The movie was not titled "For a few more dollars". It was titled "For a few dollars more"!

[@Bikedueder]

Narrator screwed up a LOT, though it may have been the writer who ruined it. Called him Van Lee several times...

[@davidm3maniac201]

​@Bikedueder it's AI generated voice.

[@Bikedueder]

@@davidm3maniac201 If it's reading text, or spouting out written text, then it's misspelled or someone with no knowledge of Lee Van, wrote it. If it's entirely AI generated, then AI currently sucks.

[@vickikirakosian]

iI met him on a construction site! He was very nice

[@jagadeeshanarve5667]

Hats off to him my beloved villain.Good bad and ugly. Ever in our memory

[@TheMan-je1iy]

Legend. Great screen presence.

[@fingerfeller]

excellent documentary, thank you

[@glennjoseph33]

I enjoy his film brilliant actor RIP 🙏🏿

[@fishbike9103]

I was surprised that his short lived TV series “Night Stalker” didn’t catch on better. I don’t know if it was his last job or not, but I thought it was unique and rather creative, even though it left his hard-guy image in the past. I wish he could have stuck around a bit longer.

[@joaoheinz3449]

No mention of his role as Sherlock Holmes. Released in 1992 after his death, TV movie titled “Sherlock Holmes: Incident at Victoria Falls”

[@kjeldhesselmann]

Lee Van Cleef, what a badass appearance and a pro. RIP.

[@earlmcpherson6913]

Where in the hell does this narration come from?

[@mikeure1528]

computer AI generated?

[@AVB2]

I think so but I'm not sure.@@mikeure1528

[@erikdewane3319]

Excellent! Thank you for taking the time to make this one! =)

[@PrimeDiscovery-jp1gj]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@sonnysoldies5288]

What a great actor and he was one of my mother's favorites and I still watch the spaghetti westerns even though Clint was the main star, Lee wasn't far behind in my eyes.

[@advancedtv1110]

Van cleef should have played " Dracula"

[@bornr2797]

One of the best!...possibly coolest man in all hollywood

[@peterwilliams4094]

I liked him the most in for a few dollars more , Col. Douglas Mortimer , thanks to Sergio Leone that he discovered this man

[@user-rr1mn4px4e]

I clearly recall him being in many movies and being a gifted actor. I knew nothing previous to this video, about his personal life. Interesting . Thank you.

[@khaisaarh]

None like Li van cleef. The true legend un forgettable

[@Emanonik]

When the casting agents needed a bad guy for an upcoming "oater", they'd say "Get me Van Cleef", or maybe "Where's Bronson?", or "See if Marvin is Available" or "Borgnine, Elam (Jack), Lauter (Harry), Dehner (John), Bettger (Lyle), and even Steele (Bob), who was a good guy in earlier days. Yep, these bad hombres played the characters we loved to hate. I always wondered how many times Allan Lane beat up or killed Roy Barcroft.

[@jazzridez]

He was ALWAYZ MY FAVORITE.

[@patrickthom5798]

He is a famous actor in our fays now i am 84 i liked him much.

[@wallywally8282]

Excellent portrayal👍

[@lesliegunawardhane882]

I love much this Great actor ❤❤❤❤

[@tevienotser5924]

Great video, but do something about the poor artificial reader.

[@paultaylor7947]

He was just one of those more vivid characters i grew up watching on the homescreen or one of his more famous movie parts.like part of the furniture. Cool to watch

[@user-ip8qy4ft9j]

I always liked the characters Lee Van Cleef played. To me, he was always "the good guy". Rest In Peace, my friend...

[@ycc9369]

The good the bad and the ugly, what an epic movie

[@pandg48]

Loved him a lot. In india first day first show was a crazy but we did it for western movie. Indeed he was marvelous actor.

[@michellerubino2921]

Love you always Mr Lee van cleef may he rest in peace loved missed but not forgotten in our hearts ❤forever and always 😇💐💝🫶🏻

[@jumecker001]

In the End of the Eighties while travelling (got lost) trough ...Spanish Sierra Nevada... We went to a place called Mini Hollywood. Like Lemmy would say: In the Western movies ! Tough and Rough but gentle . Nice one.

[@timothy4557]

What ????

[@hyliedoobius5114]

That alleged minesweeper at 03:34 is actually a knox-class destroyer, later reclassified as a fast frigate in the 70's. Note the landing pad for a SH-2 Seasprite helo and the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow anti-missile system on the fantail. I spent 3 years on one.

[@ewanbaxter9199]

Van Lee???, A Few More Dollars?? Can you not read???

[@Scavenger2012]

Welcome to the world of AI-generated narration and/or videos! It sucks!

[@coloradomountainman8659]

Point in fact: At 11:38, the ever-so-brilliant editor at "Prime Discovery" states: ...and a shattered knee cap on his left foot...? Huh? I'm not very anatomically savvy, but I'm pretty sure the right knee (as shown in the illustration) and the left foot aren't exactly next door neighbors. Just sayin...

[@coloradomountainman8659]

And at 15:25, the brilliant narrator fumbles the movie title "A Few Dollars More" by naming it "A Few More Dollars". Huh?

[@coloradomountainman8659]

And lastly, this computer generated voice with it's multitude of mistakes is, I fear, portending the future.

[@JamesEis]

...not to mention where the picture of his second wife is shown, and then later his third wife - and it's the same picture!

[@WallyMartin-si6xm]

Ha! Ha! 😄😄😄

[@liberty5069]

He was the best villain Clint Eastwood ever had.

[@stevelauda5435]

He was a fine actor and played all his rolls perfectly!

[@mathstar4176]

I was a huge fan

[@RigsbyPiggyBoy]

A great actor, I love him..Safe in the After Life..

[@annemiekevaneijkeren4486]

Death Van Cleef's grave at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills 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.[25] He collapsed in his home in Oxnard, California, from a heart attack.[26] Throat cancer was listed as a secondary cause of death.[27] He was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Hollywood Hills, California,

[@davidm3maniac201]

QQQÀ❤❤❤😢

[@wrldtrvlr4vr]

My dad was inspired by him

[@johnnydavis5896]

Van Cleef was awesome!

[@alrino9820]

I liked the job he did in every movie I saw him in. He's no Clint Eastwood, but still a capable actor!

[@danskehans]

You could get an Oscar for the documentary with the most irrelevant clips!

[@TheSLUser]

Why claim he had a Sad ending....Do you even research these video's or just pack in the Tragic titles in the hopes of getting more views he in fact lived a full life and had many interest outside of acting, he was a Painter ran a successful business with one of his X wives, the only serious issue he had in his life was firstly his bad knee which caused him pain, His heart problems for which he had a Pacemaker and later Cancer. Be he lived a full life and was working till his death his last film came out after his death.

[@DUCKSAREEVILLLLLLLL]

it's click bait. Van Cleef made every movie he was in worth watching up till his very end.

[@davidollino8105]

One of these best

[@sirrom5155]

Van Lee Fleec was simply unforgettable...

[@davidwaterhouse2552]

I LOVED HIM in every fIlm I ever saw him in ! dx

[@akulinamackenzie4492]

💕👍 short but top in : the man who shot liberty valence….💪❤️