Died Today (December 16th): Lee Van Cleef (1925–1989)

Lee Van Cleef (1925–1989)

Born: January 9, 1925 in Somerville, New Jersey, USA
Died: December 16, 1989 (age 64) in Oxnard, California, USA

Bad guys have always been my bag . . . I look mean without even trying. Audiences just naturally hate me on screen. I could play a role in a tuxedo and people would think I was rotten. You can do much more with a villain part. Movies are full of leading men, most of whom aren’t working. It’s much harder to find a good villain.

[6/12/81 interview in The Cleveland Plain Dealer, on his pierced left ear] I started wearing it when I was a kid in the Navy. I sailed all over the world, and somewhere along I started wearing an earring as a symbol of respect for all of the different cultures and people. I’ve worn it, off and on, ever since. Lately, when…