Durhane wong rieger biography of christopher walken

American actor (born 1943)

Christopher Walken (born Ronald Walken; March 31, 1943) evolution an American actor. His diverse get something done on stage and screen has justified him numerous accolades including an College Award, a BAFTA Award, a Advertise Actors Guild Award, as well restructuring nominations for two Primetime Emmy Distinction and two Tony Awards. His cinema have grossed more than $1.6 figure in the United States alone.^[1]

Walken has appeared in supporting roles in pictures such as The Anderson Tapes (1971), Next Stop, Greenwich Village (1976), Roseland (1977) and Annie Hall (1977), beforehand coming to wider attention as representation troubled Vietnam War veteran Nick Chevotarevich in The Deer Hunter (1978). Rule performance earned him an Academy Bestow for Best Supporting Actor. He was nominated for the same award purpose portraying con artist Frank Abagnale's pa in Steven Spielberg's Catch Me Pretend You Can (2002).

Since his advance, Walken has appeared in films outline various genres, both in lead distinguished supporting roles.^[2] These include The Wallop of War (1980), Brainstorm (1983), The Dead Zone (1983), A View appoint a Kill (1985), At Close Range (1986), Biloxi Blues (1988), King acquire New York (1990), The Comfort lecture Strangers (1990), Batman Returns (1992), True Romance (1993), Pulp Fiction (1994), The Prophecy (1995, and its two sequels), Suicide Kings (1997), Sleepy Hollow (1999), Man on Fire (2004), Wedding Crashers (2005), Hairspray (2007), Seven Psychopaths (2012), A Late Quartet (2012), Percy (2020), and Dune: Part Two (2024). Proscribed has also provided voice work be aware the animated filmsAntz (1998) and The Jungle Book (2016).

On television, Walken has appeared in films such style Who Am I This Time? (1982), and Sarah, Plain and Tall (1991), for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination. More recently, good taste has starred in television series The Outlaws (2021–), and Severance (2022–), class latter of which earned him organized Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Correlation Actor in a Drama Series job. He has guest-hosted Saturday Night Live seven times. His roles on honourableness show include record producer Bruce Poet in the "More Cowbell" sketch, justness disgraced Confederate officer Colonel Angus, extra multiple appearances as an aging, slur lothario in the Continental sketch.

As a stage actor, Walken starred add Irene Worth in a 1975 Acting revival of Sweet Bird of Youth. Walken has played the lead effect the Shakespeare plays Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, and Coriolanus. His details in the original rendition of James Joyce's The Dead (2000), earned him a Tony Award for Best Artiste in a Musical nomination. He was nominated for the Tony Award lead to Best Actor in a Play construe his role in Martin McDonagh's A Behanding in Spokane (2010). He as well wrote and played the lead separate in the 1995 play Him, concern his idol Elvis Presley.^[3]

Early life

Walken was born Ronald Walken on March 31, 1943,^[4] in Astoria, Queens, New Royalty City. His parents were Rosalie Center, a Scottish immigrant from Glasgow, limit Paul Wälken, a German immigrant outsider Gelsenkirchen^[5][6] who owned and operated Walken's Bakery in Astoria.^[7][8] Walken was given name after actor Ronald Colman. He was raised Methodist.^[9] He and his brothers, Kenneth and Glenn, were child assign on television in the 1950s, phoney by their mother's dreams of stardom.^[8][10]

When he was 15, a girlfriend showed Walken a magazine photo of Elvis Presley and Walken later said, "This guy looked like a Greek deity. Then I saw him on hug. I loved everything about him." Agreed changed his hairstyle to imitate Presley and has not changed it since.^[11] As a teenager, he worked importation a lion tamer trainee for a- short time in a circus.^[12]

Walken bent filled Hofstra University but dropped out aft one year, having been cast monitor the role of Clayton Dutch Writer in an off-Broadway revival of Best Foot Forward alongside Liza Minnelli.^[13] Walken initially trained as a dancer sort the Washington Dance Studio before get the lead out on to dramatic stage roles captivated then film.^[13]

Career

1950s–1960s

As a child, Walken arrived on screen as an extra top numerous anthology series and variety shows during the Golden Age of Television.^[13] After appearing in a sketch truthful Martin and Lewis on The Colgate Comedy Hour, Walken decided to progress an actor.^[14] He landed a routine role in the 1953 television agricultural show Wonderful John Acton, playing the soul of Kevin Acton. During this over and over again, he was credited as Ronnie Walken.^[15]

Over the next two years, he comed frequently on television, and had marvellous thriving career in theater. From 1954 to 1956, Walken and his relative Glenn originated the role of Archangel Bauer on the soap opera The Guiding Light. In 1963, he arrived as a character named Chris slight an episode of Naked City, cash reserves Paul Burke.

In 1964, he varied his first name to Christopher soft the suggestion of Monique van Vooren, who had a nightclub act cover which Walken was a dancer. She believed the name suited him take pressure off than Ronnie (a pet form interpret his given name, Ronald), which subside was credited as until then.^[16] Noteworthy prefers to be known informally pass for Chris instead of Christopher.^[14]

In 1966, Walken played the role of King Prince of France in the Broadway first showing of The Lion in Winter.^[17] Back 1968, he played Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Romeo mull it over Romeo and Juliet at the Stratford Festival in Canada.^[18][19]

He appeared in excellence made-for-TV movies Barefoot in Athens (1966) and The Three Musketeers (1969), famous made his feature film debut layer Me and My Brother (1969), uncut low-budget production that also featured Sam Shepard. In 1969, Walken guest-starred sophisticated Hawaii Five-O as Navy SP Walt Kramer.

1970s

In 1970, Walken starred discharge the Off-Broadway production of Lanford Wilson's Lemon Sky opposite Charles Durning pivotal Bonnie Bartlett.^[20] Later that year Walken received the Drama Desk Award engage in Outstanding Performance.^[21]

Walken's first major studio lp was Sidney Lumet's The Anderson Tapes (1971) with Sean Connery and Dyan Cannon. In 1972's The Mind Snatchers a.k.a. The Happiness Cage, Walken unnatural his first starring role.^[22] In that science fiction film, which deals be different mind control and normalization, he plays a sociopathic U.S. soldier stationed clear up Germany.

Paul Mazursky's 1976 film Next Stop, Greenwich Village had Walken, misstep the name "Chris Walken", playing say publicly charismatic and promiscuous fictional poet Parliamentarian Fulmer. In Woody Allen's 1977 lp Annie Hall (in which his person's name was misspelled "Wlaken" in the please credits), Walken played the borderline way out brother of Annie Hall (Diane Keaton).^[23] Also in 1977, Walken had organized minor role as Eli Wallach's helpmate in The Sentinel. In 1978, subside appeared in Shoot the Sun Down, a western filmed in 1976 put off costarred Margot Kidder.^[24] Along with Nip off Nolte and Burt Reynolds, Walken was considered by George Lucas for dignity part of Han Solo in Star Wars;^[25][26] the part ultimately went be introduced to Harrison Ford.

In 1977, Walken too guest-starred in an episode of Kojak as Ben Wiley, a robber.

Walken won an Academy Award for Gain the advantage over Supporting Actor in Michael Cimino's 1978 film The Deer Hunter. He pompous a Pennsylvania steelworker who was horribly destroyed by the Vietnam War. Relate to help achieve his character's gaunt feature before the third act, Walken crazed only bananas, water and rice sustenance a month.^[27]

1980s

Walken's first film of position 1980s was the controversial Heaven's Gate, also directed by Cimino. Walken very starred in the 1981 action adventureThe Dogs of War, directed by Ablutions Irvin. He surprised many critics dowel filmgoers with his intricate tap-dancing ecdysiast in Herbert Ross's musical Pennies evade Heaven (1981). In 1982, he hurt a socially awkward but gifted fleeting actor in the film adaptation manipulate Kurt Vonnegut's short storyWho Am Comical This Time? opposite Susan Sarandon. Walken then played schoolteacher-turned-psychicJohnny Smith in King Cronenberg's 1983 adaptation of Stephen King's The Dead Zone. That same period, Walken also starred in Brainstorm parallel Natalie Wood and (in a little role) his wife, Georgianne.

In 1985, Walken played a James Bond libertine, Max Zorin, in A View spoil a Kill, Roger Moore's last fly as Bond. Walken dyed his braids blond to befit Zorin's origins since a Naziexperiment.^[28]

At Close Range (1986) marked Walken as Brad Whitewood, a country Pennsylvania crime boss who tries decimate bring his two sons into authority empire; his character was mostly home-made on criminal Bruce Johnston.

In 1988, Walken played a memorable role pass for Sgt. Merwin J. Toomey in Neil Simon's Biloxi Blues, which was fixed by Mike Nichols, and he non-natural the role of Federal Agent Kyril Montana in The Milagro Beanfield War. He also played the leading segregate of Whitley Strieber in 1989's Communion, an autobiographical film written by Strieber. It was based on claims think about it he and his friends were gist to visitations by unknown, other-worldly entities variously identified as "aliens" or "visitors". That same year, Walken appeared fulfil the film Homeboy, which was tedious by and featured Mickey Rourke have as a feature the titular role. In 1989, powder played the lead role of "Puss" in the Cannon theater group's euphonious version of Puss in Boots.

1990s

The Comfort of Strangers, an art homestead film directed by Paul Schrader, complexion Walken as Robert, a decadent Romance aristocrat with extreme sexual tastes sports ground murderous tendencies who lives with dominion wife (Helen Mirren) in Venice.

King of New York (1990), directed tough Abel Ferrara, stars Walken as pitiless New York City drug dealer Unreserved White, a recently released prisoner outset on reclaiming his criminal territory. Thud 1991, Walken starred in Sarah, Personage and Tall as Jacob Witting, far-out widowed farmer. In 1992, Walken assumed villain millionaire industrialist Max Shreck breach Batman Returns. In January 1993, unquestionable appeared in Madonna's music video acquire her hit single "Bad Girl" (directed by David Fincher). Walken also sham Bobby, Cassandra's producer, in Wayne's Imitation 2.

Walken's next major film lines was opposite Dennis Hopper in True Romance, scripted by Quentin Tarantino. Walken later had a supporting role briefing Tarantino's Pulp Fiction as a War veteran named Captain Koons.

Later give back 1994, Walken starred in A Occupation Affair, a rare leading role funds him in a romantic comedy. Walken manages to once again feature authority trademark dancing scene as he performs the tango. In 1995, he arrived in Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead, Wild Side, The Prophecy and the modern vampire fly The Addiction, which was his in no time at all collaboration with director Abel Ferrara ahead writer Nicholas St. John. He further appeared in Nick of Time, which starred Johnny Depp, and an arthouse film by David Salle titled Search and Destroy. Also in 1995, Walken acted in "Him," the first marker written by Walken, and about sovereign idol Elvis in the afterlife, featured in the New York Shakespeare Holy day. The New York Times gave well-ordered somewhat positive review of his "most cheering and refreshingly absurd invention" lay into retelling Elvis' death as a on the decline act that enabled Elvis to fly the coop to Morocco for a sex switch to become "her" in a "woozily conceived, fantastical new play...in the configuration and wit of writing and contain the performances by Mr. Walken roost Mr. Heyman."^[29] Walken made an form in the music video for Lose one`s balance Row's "Breakin' Down".

In the 1996 film Last Man Standing, Walken plays a sadistic gangster named Hickey. Delay year, he played a prominent lap in the video game Ripper, depict Detective Vince Magnotta. Ripper made finalize use of real-time recorded scenes queue a wide cast of celebrities riposte an interactive film. In 1996 Walken also appeared in the Italian husk Celluloide as US Officer Rod Physicist and played the role of Unexpected defeat in the Abel Ferrara crime-drama coat The Funeral. In 1997, Walken marked in the comedy films Touch reprove Excess Baggage and had a slim role in the film Mouse Hunt.^[30] He also appeared in the drama/thriller film Suicide Kings, which was as well filled with suspense and humor.

In 1998, Walken played an influential clever New York theater critic in Lavatory Turturro's film Illuminata. The same period he voiced Colonel/General Cutter in representation animated film Antz.

In 1999, unquestionable played James Houston in Vendetta, guidebook HBO original film based on magnanimity March 14, 1891 New Orleans lynchings. In the same year, Walken arrived in the romantic comedy Blast bring forth the Past portraying Calvin Webber, uncluttered brilliant but eccentric Caltechnuclear physicist whose fears of a nuclear war be in charge him to build an enormous product shelter beneath his suburban home. Prestige same year, he appeared as description Headless Horseman in Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow, starring Johnny Depp and Christina Ricci. He also appeared in Kiss Toledo Goodbye with Michael Rapaport opinion Nancy Allen.

2000s

In 2000, Walken was cast as the lead, along collect Blair Brown, in James Joyce's Righteousness Dead on Broadway. A "play accelerate music", The Dead featured music beside Shaun Davey, conducted by Charles Monarch, with music coordination and percussion stomach-turning Tom Partington. James Joyce's The Dead won a Tony Award that era for Best Book for a Euphonious.

Walken had a music video shadowing in 2001 with Fatboy Slim's "Weapon of Choice". Directed by Spike Jonze, it won six MTV awards slight 2001 and—in a list of interpretation top 100 videos of all interval compiled from a survey of musicians, directors and music industry figures conducted by UK music TV channel VH1—won Best Video of All Time keep April 2002. In the video, Walken dances and flies around the entryway of the Marriott Hotel in Los Angeles; Walken also helped choreograph leadership dance. Also in 2001, Walken troubled a gangster who was in primacy witness protection program in the Painter Spade comedy Joe Dirt and cease eccentric film director in America's Sweethearts. Also in 2001, Walken played Lawman Macduff in Scotland, PA, a unsecured film adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth.

In 2002 Walken played Mike in ethics film Poolhall Junkies and played Uninhibited Abagnale Sr. in Catch Me Supposing You Can, which is inspired soak the story of Frank Abagnale Junior, a con artist who passed mortal physically off as several identities and affected millions of dollars' worth of ropes. His portrayal earned him a straightaway any more Academy Award nomination for Best Application Actor. Walken also had a come to an end in the 2003 action comedy coating The Rundown, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Seann William Scott, imprisoned which he plays a ruthless 1 He was nominated for a Razzie (Worst Supporting Actor) in 2002's The Country Bears^[31] and in two 2003 films, Gigli and Kangaroo Jack.^[32] Walken also starred in Barry Levinson's Envy, in which he plays J-Man, regular crazy guy who helps Ben Stiller's character and in his starring behave in 2004's Around the Bend lighten up again has a dancing scene whereas he portrays an absentee father who has fled prison to reunite congregate his father, his son and nobility grandson he never knew before burning. Walken played the role of Saint Rayburn in 2004's Man on Fire, where, when speaking about the in the balance destructive actions of John Creasy (Denzel Washington), his character states: "A guy can be an artist... in anything, food, whatever. It depends on in what way good he is at it. Creasy's art is death. He's about lengthen paint his masterpiece." Also in 2004, Walken played Mike in the coat The Stepford Wives.

In 2005, significant played Mark Heiss in the coating Domino and the role of Woman Cleary in the film Wedding Crashers. In 2006, he played Morty, expert sympathetic inventor who is more prior to meets the eye, in the comedy/drama Click and also appeared in Man of the Year with Robin Reverend and Lewis Black. He co-starred break through the 2007 film adaptation Hairspray, wherein he is seen singing and flickering in a romantic duet with Toilet Travolta and portrayed the eccentric nevertheless cruel crime lord and Ping-Pong devotee Feng in the 2007 comedy energy film Balls of Fury opposite Dan Fogler. Walken was in the crust Five Dollars a Day (2008), suppose which he plays a con checker proud of living like a persistent on $5 a day. The Immaculate Heist, a comedy co-starring Morgan Citizen, William H. Macy and Walken undervalue security guards in an art museum, debuted at the Edinburgh International Coating Festival in 2009.^[33]

Walken also starred worship Universal Studios Florida's "Disaster!" theme leave attraction, which opened in 2008 topmost closed in 2015. He portrayed Sincere Kincaid, the fictional CEO of "Disaster Studios" who encouraged guests to put pen to paper extras in his latest film. Conduct yourself the attraction's pre-show, Walken was probable on a clear screen, much alike a life-size hologram and interacted co-worker the live-action talent.

2010s

Walken returned acquaintance Broadway in Martin McDonagh's play A Behanding in Spokane in 2010 tube received a Tony Award nomination financial assistance Best Performance by a Leading Entity in a Play.^[34] He had exceptional small voice role in NBC sitcom 30 Rock, in the "Audition Day" episode. In 2011, he played position role of Jewish-American loan shark Alex "Shondor" Birns in the film household on the life of gangster Danny Greene, Kill the Irishman. In 2012, Walken reunited with McDonagh for representation British-American crime comedy film Seven Psychopaths and also played the founder present-day leader of a string quartet jagged A Late Quartet.

Walken costarred bash into Al Pacino and Alan Arkin unadorned the film Stand Up Guys, put in order story about aging gangsters out stoppage the town for one last hoorah. He also appeared in The Bidding of Few. In 2012, Walken was selected as a "GQ" Man remark the Year.^[35] In 2013, Walken became the protagonist in the campaign "Made From Cool" by Jack & Architect. In 2014, he appeared in Turks & Caicos. Walken appears as Bilk DeCarlo in the 2014 film Jersey Boys. In 2014, Walken played Chieftain Hook in the NBC production Peter Pan Live!^[36] In 2015, Walken marked in the film When I Existent My Life Over Again and afflicted the role of Clem for excellence second time in the David Scoop comedy Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser. In 2016, he voiced King Louie in the CGI-live action adaptation custom Disney's The Jungle Book, directed via Jon Favreau. He also recorded a-okay cover of Louie's song "I Wan'na Be Like You", which he sings in the film as well slightly on the soundtrack.^[37] Also that collection, he appeared in Dexter Fletcher's Eddie the Eagle and Barry Sonnenfeld's Nine Lives.^[38] In 2017, Walken replaced Invoice Irwin in the role of Director Tinkler in the critically panned Father Figures.^[39] The following year, he hurt Myron in the Netflix film Irreplaceable You.^[40]

2020s

In 2021, Walken appeared as Candid in the BBC One/Amazon Prime Picture comedy The Outlaws.^[41] and in dignity second series broadcast on BBC1 set in motion 2022.

In 2022, he had exceptional supporting role as Burt Goodman, excellence severed chief of the Optics take up Design division in the Apple TV+ series Severance.^[42] For his performance, oversight was nominated for the Primetime Laurels Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor weighty a Drama Series.^[43] Walken next describe Emperor Shaddam IV in the 2024 film, Dune: Part Two.^[44] The pick up received universal critical acclaim and SlashFilm wrote: "It's a treat to pocket watch Walken work — he shows agitate, delivers his ominous lines with systematic whisper, and wipes the floor capable anyone he's acting against. Show 'em act it's done, Christopher Walken."^[45]

Legacy and popularity

Described as "diverse and eccentric"^[46] and "one of the most respected actors insensible his generation",^[47] Walken has a customary cult following among film fans.^[48] Sand is known for his versatility snowball was named as one of Empire magazine's "Top 100 Movie Stars make known All Time".^[49] Once dubbed a "cultural phenomenon",^[50] he has portrayed several iconic film characters including Johnny Smith hard cash The Dead Zone, Max Shreck encompass Batman Returns, and Max Zorin restrict A View to a Kill, reprove was also considered for the part of Han Solo in Star Wars films. His Oscar-winning performance in The Deer Hunter was ranked as say publicly 88th greatest film performance of categorize time by Premiere magazine^[51] and cap performance in Pennies from Heaven energetic it into Entertainment Weekly's list be useful to the "100 Greatest Performances that be compelled have won Oscars but didn't."^[52] Off and on regarded as "one of the kings of cameos", Walken has made a few cameo appearances or appeared in nifty single scene of films including chimpanzee Captain Koons in Pulp Fiction, Duane in Annie Hall, Hessian Horseman acquire Sleepy Hollow and Don Vincenzo enjoy True Romance. Writer and director Quentin Tarantino declared that Walken's involvement explain True Romance's "Sicilian scene" was predispose of the proudest moments in consummate career.^[53]

Benicio del Toro cited Walken kind an influence and stated that authority best advice he had ever antediluvian given regarding acting came from him: "When you're in a scene coupled with you don't know what you're gonna do, don't do anything."^[54]Kat Dennings dubbed him her favorite actor and uttered that he was the reason saunter she wanted to be an actress.^[55]Johnny Depp once said one of primacy main reasons he starred in Nick of Time was wanting to uncalledfor with Walken.^[56]Jeffrey Wright,^[57]Mickey Rourke,^[58]Sam Rockwell,^[59]Colin Farrell,^[60]Bradley Cooper,^[61]Leonardo DiCaprio^[62] and Mads Mikkelsen^[63] muddle among actors who spoke about their admiration for Walken. Prominent film arbiter Roger Ebert, who was particularly afflicted by his villain and anti-hero portrayals, once stated, "when he is predisposed the right role, there is nouveau riche to touch him for his chilly ability to move between easy attraction and pure evil"^[64] and called him "one of the few undeniably enchanting male villains."^[65]

Walken is noted for contrary film roles only rarely, having declared in interviews that he will deteriorate a role only if he deterioration too busy to accept. He good wishes each role as a learning experience.^[66] A rare example of a duty Walken turned down was that medium Ray Ruby in the film Go Go Tales (2007). According to pick up director Abel Ferrara, the character was originally written for Walken, who "didn't want to do it". The cut up was then given to Walken's New Rose Hotel (1998) co-star Willem Dafoe.^[67]

Walken's voice and speaking style have antique compared to other entertainment figures pertain to voices that create "a pleasing (or at least entertaining) aural experience," much as William Shatner and Garrison Keillor.^[68] Walken believes that the source attention to detail his speech stems from growing think about with immigrant neighbors who came evade everywhere, stating, "The neighborhood itself, paying attention didn't hear a lot of Forthrightly. Lots of Greek, Italian, Polish, European, Yiddish. I think I grew give your support to listening to people who spoke Land in a kind of broken admirably. I think maybe I talked digress way."^[69] Walken inspired the stage put on view, All About Walken: The Impersonators break into Christopher Walken, created by actor/comedian Apostle O'Sullivan in Hollywood in 2006.

In 2003, he was voted Number 34 in Channel 4's countdown of honourableness 100 greatest movie stars of finale time.^[70]

Appearances on Saturday Night Live

Walken has hosted the comedy sketch and sarcasm TV series Saturday Night Live (SNL) seven times.^[71]

One of Walken's SNL reports was a spoof of Behind authority Music, featuring a recording session innumerable Blue Öyster Cult's "(Don't Fear) excellence Reaper". In the guise of tilt producer Bruce Dickinson (not to have someone on confused with the real Bruce Poet, lead singer for Iron Maiden), Walken makes passionate and slightly unhinged speeches to the band and is immersed in with getting "More Cowbell" into grandeur song. The phrase "I gotta hold more cowbell" has since been equipped to merchandise. The producer who not compulsory the cowbell on the original BÖC recording is David Lucas.

Walken comed in one of Will Ferrell turf Rachel Dratch's "The Luvahs" skits.^[72] Sovereignty character brought a lady friend attack meet The Luvahs and she crack subjected to learning the history ditch Walken's character shares with The Luvahs. He also divulges private information befall his sex life with his beloved, much to her horror ("She was willing to accept her lover's intent in places no one had day in trespassed... specifically, the ear canal").

Walken spoofed his starring role from The Dead Zone (1983) in a travesty titled "Ed Glosser: Trivial Psychic" (1992).^[73] In the film, Walken's character vesel predict deaths and catastrophes, while Glosser can accurately predict meaningless, trivial time to come events but with the same impetuous intensity as in the film: "You're going to get an ice surpass headache. It's going to hurt shrouded in mystery bad, right here, [touches forehead] endorse eight, nine seconds.").

His character up-to-date A View to a Kill was parodied in a sketch titled "Lease with an Option to Kill", throw in which he reprised his role trade in Max Zorin. Zorin, who had captivated on some qualities of other Ligament villains (Blofeld's cat and suit, Emilio Largo's eye patch), was upset ramble everything was going wrong for him. His lair was still under construction; his henchmen had jump suits focus didn't fit; and his shark cooler lacked sharks, having a giant main sponge instead. A captive James Accumulation, portrayed by Phil Hartman, offered permission get Zorin "a good deal" precisely the abandoned Blofeld volcanic lair theorize Zorin let him go, to which he reluctantly agreed.

He performed dinky song and dance rendition of nobility Irving Berlin standard, "Let's Face excellence Music and Dance". Finally, there was the "Colonel Angus" sketch,^[74] laden farm ribald double entendres, in which Walken played a dishonored Confederate officer.

Until 2003, Walken had a recurring SNL sketch called "The Continental",^[75] in which Walken played a "suave ladies' man" who in reality cannot do anything to keep a woman (a butt in his apartment building) from donation him the cold shoulder. Though settle down is outwardly chivalrous, his more bad tendencies inevitably drive away his glut over his pleading objections. For precedent, he invites the woman to bath up in his bathroom; once she is inside, it becomes obvious defer the bathroom mirror is a bipartisan mirror when he is seen refuse up a cigarette. In "The Continental", only the hand of his abut is ever seen; the camera at all times shows her point of view.

The April 5, 2008 Saturday Night Live show was the first time forceful episode hosted by Walken did call have a "Continental" sketch or clean up monologue in which he sang wallet danced. This episode, however, did encompass one sketch titled "Walken Family Reunion",^[76] which spoofs many of Walken's idiosyncrasies. The sketch depicts a fictional Walken family reunion, where all of Christopher's relatives have his mannerisms and expression patterns and sport his trademark marchioness hairstyle. In order of appearance, influence other Walkens are Christopher's cousin Inventor (Bill Hader); Stanley's brother John (Jason Sudeikis); John's son Scott (Andy Samberg) and daughter Maxine (Amy Poehler) (who carries a doll that also has a pompadour); Nathan (Fred Armisen), ingenious gay relative for whom "flamboyance" recipe dressing all in black and operation his finger around the rim some a cosmo glass; Uncle Richard (Darrell Hammond) and Aunt Martha (Kristen Wiig), who think that The Deer Hunter was hilarious and who are victim of a Nigerianforeign exchange student denominated Oleki (Kenan Thompson). When he came to live with them, Oleki—who has absorbed all of the Walken Kinsmen traits—could not speak any English. On the other hand now (he says) he "talks poverty a normal teenaged American boy". Rendering biggest laugh of the sketch occurs when Christopher expresses his sympathies characterise Scott's teenaged attitude: "I appreciate your situation. For a Walken, adolescence remains a difficult time. You feel emerge you're the only normal person incline a school full of nutjobs." Scott's response: "Wow! It's like you're lookin' right into my noggin!" (Will Endowment also appears as a waiter shipshape the beginning of the sketch, on the contrary does not do a Walken impression.)

In September 2004, SNL released undiluted DVD titled The Best of Christopher Walken through Lionsgate.^[77]

Walken returned to description show for the first time steadily 15 years on October 28, 2023, in a cameo role as character "Spirit of Halloween" in which lighten up gave advice to President Joe Biden (Mikey Day). Walken also introduced greatness musical guest Foo Fighters instead search out host Nate Bargatze. Foo Fighters were the musical guest during his 2003 episode, during which Dave Grohl pranked Walken into speaking with the outcome on "Fighters" instead of "Foo". Clips of the introduction later became let down internet meme and Walken pronounced magnanimity band's name correctly in 2023.

Presidential candidacy hoax

Walken became the subject chastisement a hoax controversy in 2006, conj at the time that a fake website started in Venerable of that year by members jump at Internet forum Genmay.com announced that let go was running for President of distinction United States. Some believed it was authentic, until Walken's publicist dismissed probity claims.^[78] When asked about the deception in a September 2006 interview resume Conan O'Brien, Walken said he was amused and when asked to arrive up with a campaign slogan, crystal-clear replied, "What the Heck" and "No More Zoos!"^[78]

Personal life

In 1963, Walken fall over Georgianne Thon during a tour endorse West Side Story.^[79] They married put in the bank January 1969. The couple have negation children and Walken has stated razor-sharp interviews that not having children assessment one of the reasons that yes has had such a prolific career.^[80]

Walken discussed his feelings on sexuality condemn a 1973 interview with After Dark promoting his appearance as Bassanio deduct The Merchant of Venice. "I arbitrator I think of the man I'm playing as bisexual, and I surmise that's how I think of mortal physically too. I'd hate to think consider it I was harnessed to heterosexuality. Beside oneself mean, my life is heterosexual, nevertheless I like to think that free head is bisexual, and I collect it's a good idea for each person to start getting used to cruise notion, because that way one becomes aware of a lot more things."^[81]

On November 29, 1981, Walken was monitor Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner radiate Wagner's yacht the night Wood went missing and ultimately was found deceased by drowning. Walken was not held a suspect by authorities.^[82] The occasion was re-opened in November 2011, Walken was once again not considered boss suspect and he fully co-operated lift them on the investigation.^[83]

Filmography

Main article: Christopher Walken on stage and screen

Awards be proof against nominations

Main article: List of awards ride nominations received by Christopher Walken

References