Early roles
Walken first appeared on the screen as a child extra in numerous anthology series and variety shows during the Golden Age of Television. After appearing in a sketch with Martin and Lewis on The Colgate Comedy Hour, Walken decided to become an actor. He landed a regular role in the 1953 television show The Wonderful John Acton as the show's narrator. During this time, he was credited as "Ronnie Walken."
Over the next 20 years, he appeared frequently on television, landed an experimental film role in Me and My Brother, and had a thriving career in theatre. In 1964, he changed his name to "Christopher" at the suggestion of a friend who believed the name suited him better. Coincidentally, Walken's last credited role under the name "Ronnie" was a character with the name of "Chris". Nowadays, he prefers to be known informally as "Chris Walken."
More about Christopher Walken (From Wikipedia)
Early Roles
Walken first appeared on the screen as a child extra in numerous anthology series and variety shows during the Golden Age of Television. After appearing in a sketch with Martin and read more...
1970s
Walken made his feature film debut with a small role opposite Sean Connery in Sidney Lumet's The Anderson Tapes in 1971. In 1972's The Mind Snatchers a.k.a The Happiness Cage, Walken read more...
1980s
Walken's first film of the 1980s was the controversial Heaven's Gate, helmed by Deer Hunter director Michael Cimino. Walken also starred in the 1981 action adventure The Dogs of read more...
1990s
The Comfort of Strangers, an art house film directed by Paul Schrader, had the distinction of providing a role for Walken that disturbed even him. He plays Robert, a decadent Italian read more...
2000s
In 2000, Walken was cast as the lead, along with Faith Prince, in James Joyce's The Dead on Broadway. A "play with music," The Dead featured music by Shaun Davey, conducted by Charles read more...
Christopher Walken (born March 31, 1943) is an Academy Award-, BAFTA-, and Screen Actors Guild Award-winning, Tony-, Golden Globe- and Emmy-nominated American film and theatre actor.
Walken read more...
Walken has been married to Georgianne Walken (née Thon) since 1969. She is a casting director, most notably for The Sopranos; they live in rural Connecticut. In regard to his read more...