Image of Christopher Walken

Christopher Walken

Christopher Walken (born Ronald Walken, usually called "Chris") is an American stage and screen actor. He has appeared in more than 100 movies and television shows. Walken was born Ronald Walken (named after actor Ronald Colman) into a Methodist family in Astoria, Queens, New York. His mother, Rosalie, was a Scottish immigrant from Glasgow, and his father, Paul Walken, emigrated from Germany in 1928 with his brothers, Wilhelm and Alois. His father was a baker and his mother worked as a window dresser. Influenced by their mother's own dreams of stardom, he and his brothers Kenneth and Glenn were child actors on television in the 1950s. Walken studied at Hofstra University on Long Island, but did not graduate. Walken initially trained as a dancer in music theatre at the Washington Dance Studio before moving on to dramatic roles in theatre and then film. Walken is imitated for his deadpan affect, sudden off-beat pauses, and strange speech rhythm, in a manner similar to William Shatner. He is revered for his quality of danger and menace, but his unpredictable deliveries and expressions make him invaluable in comedy as well. Walken is noted for refusing movie roles only rarely, having stated in interviews that he will decline a role only if he is simply too busy on other projects to take it. He regards each role as a learning experience. Walken has been married to Georgianne Walken (born Thon) since 1969; she is a casting director, most notably for The Sopranos. They live in Connecticut and have no children (Walken has stated in interviews that not having children is one of the reasons he has had such a prolific career). In regard to his villainous roles preceding him when meeting new people, Walken says, "When they see me in a movie, they expect me to be something nasty ... That's why it's good to defy expectations sometimes."


Read bio at tmdb | Read bio at Wikipedia
Born:
Mar 31, 1943 In Queens, New York USA
Movie/TV Credits:
159
First Appeared:
In the series Hallmark Hall of Fame 1951-12-24
Latest Project:
Movie Dune: Part Two 2024-02-27
Known For
Poster of Father Figures
Poster of The Henry Rollins Show
Poster of Search and Destroy
Poster of Storybook Cinema
Filmography
Movie Dune: Part Two Emperor 2024-02-27
Series Severance Burt Goodman 2022-02-17
Movie Quentin Tarantino: From a Movie Buff to a Hollywood Legend Self (archive footage) 2021-01-02
Movie Showbiz Kids Self (archive footage) 2020-07-14
Movie The War with Grandpa Jerry 2020-08-27
Movie Percy Percy Schmeiser 2020-10-09
Movie Wild Mountain Thyme Tony Reilly 2020-12-11
Movie Music Videos That Defined the 00’s Self (archive footage) 2019-07-31
Movie Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage Self 2019-09-13
Movie The Jesus Rolls Warden 2019-10-17
Movie QT8: The First Eight Self (archive footage) 2019-10-21
Movie Talking with the Vampires 2018-06-26
Movie Irreplaceable You Myron 2018-02-16
Movie Trumbull Land Self (archive footage) 2018-10-15
Movie Father Figures Dr. Tinkler 2017-12-21
Movie One More Time Paul Lombard 2016-04-08
Movie Eddie the Eagle Warren Sharp 2016-02-25
Movie The Jungle Book King Louie (voice) 2016-04-07
Movie Nine Lives Felix Perkins 2016-08-03
Movie The Family Fang Caleb Fang 2016-04-16
Movie Saturday Night Live: 40th Anniversary Special Self 2015-02-15
Movie Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser Clem 2015-07-16
Movie Turks & Caicos Curtis Pelissier 2014-03-20
Movie Jersey Boys Angelo 'Gyp' DeCarlo 2014-06-18
Movie Peter Pan Live! Captain Hook 2014-12-04
Movie Marvin Hamlisch: What He Did For Love Himself 2013-10-12
Movie The Power of Few Doke 2013-02-15
Movie Gods Behaving Badly Zeus 2013-11-13
Movie Dark Horse Jackie 2012-06-08
Movie Joe Papp in Five Acts Self 2012-04-30
Movie Seven Psychopaths Hans Kieslowski 2012-10-12
Movie Cooking with Christopher Walken Himself 2012-10-19
Movie Stand Up Guys Doc 2012-12-14
Movie A Late Quartet Peter Mitchell 2012-11-02
Movie Kill the Irishman Shondor Birns 2011-03-10
Movie Life's a Beach Roy Callahan 2010-01-01
Movie The Women of SNL Various (archive footage) 2010-11-01
Movie Saturday Night Live: The Best of Amy Poehler Self (archive footage) 2009-04-18
Movie The Maiden Heist Roger Barlow 2009-05-09
Movie $5 a Day Nat Parker 2008-09-06
Movie Hairspray Wilbur Turnblad 2007-07-19
Movie Balls of Fury Feng 2007-08-29
Movie Fade to Black Brewster 2006-03-09
Series The Henry Rollins Show Unknown 2006-04-01
Movie Man of the Year Jack Menken 2006-10-09
Series 30 Rock Unknown 2006-10-11
Movie Click Morty 2006-06-23
Movie Vengeance Is Mine: Reinventing 'Man on Fire' Self 2005-05-24
Movie Wedding Crashers Secretary William Cleary 2005-07-13
Movie Romance & Cigarettes Cousin Bo 2005-09-13
Movie Domino Mark Heiss 2005-10-14
Movie Man on Fire Paul Rayburn 2004-04-23
Movie The Stepford Wives Mike Wellington 2004-06-10
Movie Envy J-Man 2004-04-30
Movie Saturday Night Live: The Best of Christopher Walken 2004-09-07
Movie Around the Bend Turner Lair 2004-10-08
Series Julius Caesar Marcus Portius Cato 2003-06-29
Movie Kangaroo Jack Salvatore 'Sal' Maggio 2003-01-17
Movie Gigli Det. Stanley Jacobellis 2003-08-01
Movie The Rundown Hatcher 2003-09-26
Movie The Work of Director Spike Jonze Self 2003-10-20
Movie Comedy Central Roast of Denis Leary Himself 2003-08-10
Movie The Country Bears Reed Thimple 2002-07-26
Movie Poolhall Junkies Uncle Mike 2002-06-30
Movie Saturday Night Live: The Best of Will Ferrell Bruce Dickinson (archive footage) 2002-09-28
Movie Undertaking Betty Frank Featherbed 2002-12-04
Movie Julius Caesar Marcus Portius Cato 2002-12-27
Movie Catch Me If You Can Frank Abagnale 2002-12-16
Movie Scotland, PA Lieutenant McDuff 2001-03-15
Movie Joe Dirt Clem 2001-04-10
Movie The Affair of the Necklace Count Cagliostro 2001-11-30
Movie America's Sweethearts Hal Weidmann 2001-07-17
Movie The Opportunists Vic Kelly 2000-05-17
Movie The Prophecy 3: The Ascent Gabriel 2000-03-14
Movie Sleepy Hollow: Behind the Legend Self 2000-05-23
Movie Madonna: The Video Collection 93:99 Guardian Angel (segment "Bad Girl") (archive footage) 1999-11-02
Movie Blast from the Past Calvin 1999-02-12
Movie New Rose Hotel Fox 1999-03-19
Movie Vendetta James Houston 1999-09-12
Movie Sleepy Hollow Hessian Horseman 1999-11-19
Movie Kiss Toledo Goodbye Max 1999-11-22
Movie Sarah, Plain and Tall: Winter's End Jacob Witting 1999-11-20
Movie The Prophecy II Gabriel 1998-01-20
Movie Illuminata Bevalaqua 1998-05-21
Movie Antz Colonel Cutter (voice) 1998-10-02
Movie The Eternal Uncle Bill Ferriter 1998-09-18
Movie Touch Bill Hill 1997-02-14
Movie Excess Baggage Ray 1997-08-29
Movie Suicide Kings Carlo Bartolucci 1997-09-06
Movie MouseHunt Caeser, the Exterminator 1997-12-19
Movie The Funeral Ray Tempio 1996-01-26
Movie Celluloide Rod Geiger 1996-01-26
Movie Wild Side Bruno Buckingham 1996-07-17
Series The Daily Show Himself 1996-07-22
Movie Basquiat The Interviewer 1996-08-09
Movie Last Man Standing Hickey 1996-09-20
Movie The Prophecy Gabriel 1995-08-05
Movie Search and Destroy Kim Ulander 1995-04-23
Movie The Addiction Peina 1995-10-06
Movie Nick of Time Mr. Smith 1995-11-22
Movie Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead The Man with the Plan 1995-12-01
Movie A Business Affair Vanni Corso 1994-03-16
Series Storybook Cinema 1994-04-02
Series Inside the Actors Studio Unknown 1994-08-14
Movie Pulp Fiction Captain Koons 1994-09-10
Movie Skylark Jacob Witting 1993-02-07
Movie True Romance Vincenzo Coccotti 1993-09-09
Movie Scam Jack Shanks 1993-05-22
Series Late Night with Conan O'Brien Unknown 1993-09-13
Movie Wayne's World 2 Bobby Cahn 1993-12-10
Series The Tonight Show with Jay Leno Unknown 1992-05-25
Movie Batman Returns Max Shreck 1992-06-19
Movie Mistress Warren Zell 1992-07-24
Movie The Big Pardon 2 Pasco Meisner 1992-12-09
Movie Sarah, Plain and Tall Jacob Witting 1991-02-03
Movie All-American Murder P.J. Decker 1991-12-01
Movie McBain McBain 1991-09-20
Movie Night of 100 Stars III Self 1990-05-21
Movie King of New York Frank White 1990-07-18
Movie The Comfort of Strangers Robert 1990-11-01
Movie Communion Whitley Strieber 1989-11-10
Series The Simpsons Unknown 1989-12-17
Movie The Milagro Beanfield War Kyril Montana 1988-03-18
Movie Biloxi Blues Sgt. Toomey 1988-03-25
Series LIVE with Kelly and Mark Unknown 1988-09-05
Movie Homeboy Wesley Pendergass 1988-08-24
Movie Puss in Boots Puss 1988-06-01
Movie Deadline Don Stevens 1987-07-02
Movie At Close Range Bradford "Brad" Whitewood Sr. 1986-04-18
Movie Night of 100 Stars II Self 1985-03-10
Movie Cat's Eye Johnny Smith (archive footage) 1985-04-12
Movie A View to a Kill Max Zorin 1985-05-24
Movie Brainstorm Michael Brace 1983-09-30
Movie The Dead Zone Johnny Smith 1983-10-21
Movie Who Am I This Time? Harry Nash 1982-02-02
Series American Playhouse Harry Nash 1982-01-12
Movie Pennies from Heaven Tom 1981-12-11
Movie Heaven's Gate Nathan D. Champion 1980-11-19
Movie The Dogs of War Jamie Shannon 1980-12-17
Movie Last Embrace Eckart 1979-05-04
Movie Shoot the Sun Down Mr. Rainbow 1978-01-01
Movie The Deer Hunter Nikanor "Nick" Chevotarevich 1978-12-08
Movie The Sentinel Det. Rizzo 1977-01-07
Movie Roseland Russel 1977-10-02
Movie Annie Hall Duane Hall 1977-04-19
Movie Next Stop, Greenwich Village Robert Fulmer 1976-02-04
Series Saturday Night Live Unknown 1975-10-11
Movie Valley Forge 1975-12-03
Series Kojak Unknown 1973-10-24
Movie The Mind Snatchers Pvt. James H. Reese 1972-06-28
Movie The Anderson Tapes The Kid 1971-06-17
Movie Cleopatra Boy 1970-07-30
Movie Me and My Brother 1969-02-02
Series Hawaii Five-O Unknown 1968-09-20
Movie Barefoot in Athens Lamprocles 1966-11-11
Series Naked City Unknown 1958-09-30
Series The Oscars Unknown 1953-03-19
Series Today Unknown 1952-01-14
Series Hallmark Hall of Fame Unknown 1951-12-24