van cleef actorvan cleef salon,OXNARD, Calif., Dec. 16 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. Johns Regional Medical Center. He was 64 years old and lived in Oxnard.
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.
Mr. Van Cleef got his first film break as one of the desperadoes ced down by Gary Cooper in the 1952 movie High Noon. He went on to play a series of gunmen and caught the eye of the Italian director Sergio Leone, mous for his spaghetti Westerns. Real Violence Turns You Off
Their association led to Mr. Van Cleefs starring in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, portraying the bad.
Among Mr. Van Cleefs other film credits were the Westerns A Fistful of Dollars For a Few Dollars More, Take a Hard Ride, Sabata, El Condor, and The Magnificent Seven Ride! He also acted in the science-fiction thriller Escape From New York.
I believe in showing real violence, not toy violence, Mr. Van Cleef said in a 1970 interview. Real violence turns you off because you know its not the thing to do. If you show violence realistic enough people dont want to do it.
Lee Van Cleef was born in Somerville, N.J., on Jan. 9, 1925. His first job was as a rm worker in his home state. He then worked as an accountant in Somerville before beginning in his movie career in 1950.
He is survived by his wife, the former Barbara Havelone, and three children from a previous marriage, Alan, Deborah and David.
Lee Van Cleef (Associated Press, 1977)