Lee Van Cleef

Town Hall
21

Would have been interesting, wonder if he ever tried to get him to star in one of his westerns …

22

I love Lee. He is excellent in “Raiders of Old California” (1957). One of his early co-starring roles! (He still has the tip of his finger intact!) He plays an ex-soldier and henchman named Damon Pardee. He works for Angus McKane, who steals a large tract of land from a Mexican nobleman named Don Miguel Sebastian. It plays somewhat like a SW (greed, violence, no romance, backstabbing, Mexican border setting, etc.). Great Flick! Highly recommended!

23

They had plans for a movie in '69, but unfortunately they were never realized (the info is in the first paragraph of the review):

24

[quote=“scherpschutter, post:23, topic:64”]They had plans for a movie in '69, but unfortunately they were never realized (the info is in the first paragraph of the review):

http://www.spaghetti-western.net/index.php/The_Specialists_Review[/quote]

Cool, I didn’t know that. Thanks for the info, scherpschutter!

[url]http://www.spaghetti-western.net/index.php/File:Download-6-.jpg[/url] …wait, what? lol

25

Yeh Lee Van Cleefs Great,

I’dd like to watch more of his films from the 80’s im sure there not as good as the Spaghettis but still interested to watch…

26

One to watch from the 80’s if you have not seen is Codename Wildgeese. Mindless action yarn, but good fun. Cleef plays a character called the Colonel :smiley: .

27

[quote=“natos99, post:25, topic:64”]Yeh Lee Van Cleefs Great,

I’dd like to watch more of his films from the 80’s im sure there not as good as the Spaghettis but still interested to watch…[/quote]

If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend Escape from New York. A real science-fiction masterpiece with an amazing performance by Kurt Russell and some great acting by the supporting cast, especially from Lee Van Cleef. Oh yeah, and one of the best Carpenter soundtrack there is.

28

Yeah Escape From New Yorks awesome, probably one of the few later films I have seen Lee Van Cleef in… I hear there remaking it I cant see anyone but Russel in the main role…

29

Natos check out “The Master”, it was an 80’s tv show LVC did where he was a wondering kung fu master. You can watch some of it on youtube. It’s not good but it’s not horrible. Very campy 80’s stuff. But LVC does destroy a bar by jumping up and kicking the rafters. ;D

30

I’d recommend “Armed Response” also as you get to see Lee as an older actor who still has it.

31

The Master does seem interesting…

13 episodes is not much to check out… Thanks for the suggestion.

32

I have always wondered what his epitaph actually means - “Best of the Bad” Love and Light.

Can anyone explain it to me please?

33

I would say that “Best of the Bad” refers to his career as an actor: he is, along with Jack Palance, one of the actors most identified with villainous roles. He wasn’t only the proverbial Bad in GBU, but also played the heavy in American westerns made by classic directors like Ford or Boetticher; one of his most famous appearances, is as one of the three men waiting for the train in the opening scene of High Noon.

“Love and light” seems a more personal statement of the ones he loved, and who loved him: he was their Love and Light. The contrast between the two statements works perfectly in my opinion. Bad on screen, gentle in real life. Seems that he was indeed a nice man in daily life.

34

I’d say scherpschutter nailed it.

Sad I’ve visited Lee’s grave several times and never found flowers there. I usually leave a cheroot or a single flower.

35

Thanks Scherp!!

Tom, next time you visit Lee’s grave leae a cheroot or a flower in my name.
I’ll owe you a big one.

36

He was the icon for me in spaghetti westerns from For A Few Dollars More, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, Day of Anger, and The Big Gundown.

that is sad not seeing flowers there - wonder where his family is now.

37

genesis - will do. Actually I leave them for all his fans wolrd wide who still remember him and appreciate all the great hours of entertainment he gave us.

38

Frank - Lee’s wife Barbara still lives in their home in Tarzana, CA about a 1/2 hour away from where he’s buried. She lives with her brother a character actor who appeared in a couple of Lee’s films towards the end of his career. Barbara had a stroke a few years ago and doesn’t get around much. When Dan van Husen was here in February 2010 he was staying at his sisters about 3 miles from the Van Cleef home and we offered to take Bob Hevelone to the cemetery when we visited but he said he was too busy that day.

39

Lee Van Cleef on Johnny Carson…

[url]- YouTube

40

Speaking about The Master T.V show…the stunt double scenes in that were a laugh.