Christopher Walken is a famous American actor who has worked in more than a hundred movies and television shows. He is recognized in the industry as an actor who operates all the time and has not been very judicious about the characters he has been suggested. His rise to prominence was the 1977 film ‘Annie Hall’ by Woody Allen. Walken began off with theatre when he was still a teenager and by the early 1970s, he had started his journey in the movie industry. He is known to have tried a variety of projects including music videos by famous artists. He pulled up the tools of his trade, as well as dancing, from the Hofstra University & ANTA.
He has increased popularity in the past as a guest host in ‘Saturday Night Live’. Recognized for his characteristic dialogue performance and a unique voice, he has performed several sharp characters and criminals but has also earned positive acclaim for comedy performances. For his unique speech, he has often been targeted in spoofs, satires, and animations. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his character in ‘The Deer Hunter’ (1978).
Christopher Walken Wiki/Bio
Birth Name | Ronald Walken |
Nick Name | • Chris • Ronnie |
Age | (as in 2023) 80Years |
Religion | Christianity |
Sun Sign/Zodiac Sign | Aries |
Birth Place | Astoria, New York, United States |
Date of Birth | 31 March 1943 |
Nationality | American |
Residence | • Weston, Connecticut, United States • Block Island, Rhode Island, United States |
Home Town | Astoria, New York, United States |
Hobbies | Not Available |
Family |
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Mother’s Name | Rosalie Wälken |
Father’s Name | Paul Wälken (Owned Walken’s Bakery in Astoria) |
Brother | • Kenneth Wälken • Glenn Wälken |
Sister | None |
Others | • Joseph Egen (Maternal Grandfather) • Matthew Egen (Maternal Great Grandfather) • Alice Chambers (Maternal Great Grandmother) • Mary/Molly Russell (Maternal Grandmother) • William Charles Russell (Maternal Great Grandfather) • Mary MacFarlane Burgess (Maternal Great Grandmother) |
Girlfriends/Affairs |
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Affairs/Girlfriends | • Liza Minnelli (1963-1964) • Natalie Wood (1981) • Georgianne Thon (1968-Present) |
Marital Status, Wife and Children |
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Wife/Spouse | Georgianne Walken |
Marriage Date | January 1969 |
Children | None |
Education |
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School | The Professional Children’s School |
College/University | Hofstra University, Hampstead, New York |
Educational Qualification | Dropped out from university to take up an acting role in a Broadway |
Profession | Actor, Singer, Dancer, Comedian, Director, Screenwriter, Playwright |
Brands Endorsed | Not Available |
Career Manager | ICM Partners, Talent and Literary Agency, Los Angeles, California, United States |
Height, Weight, and Figure Measurements |
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Height (Approx.) | in centimeters- 183 cm in meters- 1.83 m in feet inches- 6’0” |
Weight (Approx.) | in kilograms- 78 kg in pounds- 172 lbs |
Figure Measurements |
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Chest Size | Not Available |
Biceps Size | Not Available |
Waist Size | Not Available |
Extra Ordinary Features |
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Race / Ethnicity | White |
Hair Color | Light Brown |
Eye Color | One eye is ‘Blue’ and the other is ‘Hazel’ |
S*xual Orientation | Straight |
Dress Size | Not Available |
Shoe Size | 10 (US)/ 43 (EU) |
Favorite Things |
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Favourite Actor | John Gielgud |
Controversies | None |
Life Journey
Christopher Walken was born Ronald Walken in Astoria, New York, the son of Rosalie Russell, a Scottish immigrant from Glasgow, and Paul Wälken, a German newcomer from Gelsenkirchen who had and operated Walken’s Bakery in Astoria. Walken was called after actor Ronald Colman. He was built Methodist. He and his brothers, Kenneth and Glenn, were youth actors on television in the 1950s, inspired by their mother’s hopes of stardom.
When he was 15, a girlfriend gave him a magazine photo of Elvis Presley, and Walken later stated, “This guy seemed like a Greek god. Then I noticed him on television. I liked everything about him.” He turned his hairstyle to emulate Presley and has not replaced it since. As a teenager, he served as a lion-tamer in a circus.
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He attended Hofstra University but left out after one year, having gotten the character of Clayton Dutch Miller in an off-Broadway revival of Best Foot Forward alongside Liza Minnelli. Walken originally trained as a dancer at the Washington Dance Studio before going on to dramatic stage performances and then the movie.
In 1963, Walken met Georgianne Thon through a tour of West Side Story. They married in January 1969. The couple has no children, and Walken has said in interviews that being childless is one of the causes he has had such a prolific career.
The couple has a cat named Bowtie, and their previous cat was identified Flapjack. They reside in Westport, Connecticut, with a vacation home on Block Island, Rhode Island. Christopher Walken was one of the latest people to see actress Natalie Wood alive before her drowning on November 29, 1981, while on a Thanksgiving weekend sailing trip near Santa Catalina Island, California.
In 2011, Walken appointed a lawyer when authorities opened the Wood case, while the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said, “Walken is not a suspect.” The case was finished and termed an accidental death until June 2012, when the investigation was resumed and the cause of death was changed to “undetermined”.
Christopher Walken Net Worth
Christopher Walken has a net worth of $55 million.
Estimated Net Worth in 2023 (Approx) | $55 Million |
Estimated Net Worth in 2022 (Approx) | $50 Million |
Estimated Net Worth in 2021 (Approx) | Under Review |
Annual Salary | Under Review |
Income Source | Actor, Singer, Dancer, Comedian, Director, Screenwriter, Playwright |
Christopher Walken Movies And TV Shows – Career
- During 1953–1965, he grew regular television productions and soap operas like ‘The Wonderful John Acton’, ‘The Guiding Light’, and ‘Nak*d City’ among others. Meanwhile, his career in theatre increased.
- At the Broadway opening of ‘The Lion in Winter’, Walken performed the character of King Philip of France.
- It is around this time, in 1964, that he turned his name from Ronald to Christopher after a friend suggested that it suited him better.
- Walken’s feature movie debut was a minor character in 1971 opposite Sean Connery in Sidney Lumet’s ‘The Anderson Tapes’.
- His breakthrough role came with Woody Allen’s ‘Annie Hall’ in 1977, in which he surpassed in the performance of Duane, the borderline neurotic and homicidal brother.
- Walken delivered a stellar performance in ‘The Deer Hunter’ by Michael Cimino in 1978, one that won him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
- Walken went into some amount of turmoil in his life during the shooting of ‘Brainstorm’, when his co-star, Natalie Wood, drowned near the Santa Catalina Island during a Thanksgiving boating trip on November 29.
- He acted in ‘A View to Kill’, the James Bond film starring Roger Moore as the competitor Max Zorin in 1985, and by this time, he had become famous for his ability to play negative roles.
- In 1992, he performed in Madonna’s coffee table book, ‘S*x’, and also starred as a villain in the movie ‘Batman Returns’.
- His next significant film was ‘True Romance’, scripted by Quentin Tarantino.
- He also performed a supporting character in Tarantino’s ‘Pulp Fiction’.
- In 1996, Walken starred as a sadistic gangster in ‘Last Man Standing’, and in the same year, had a prominent role in the video game, ‘Ripper’
- He performed Frank Abagnale Sr. in ‘Catch Me if You Can’, a character that brought him a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
- Through and beyond the 1990s, Walken has been a popular guest-host in ‘Saturday Night Live’ multiple times.
- Walken performed significant performances in comedies like ‘Wedding Crashers’ (2005) and ‘Click’ (2006).
- He acted characters of criminals in both, ‘Kill the Irishman’ in 2011 and ‘Stand Up Guys’ in 2012.
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Movies List |
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1966 | Barefoot in Athens |
1969 | The Three Musketeers Me and My Brother |
1971 | The Anderson Tapes |
1972 | The Happiness Cage |
1975 | Valley Forge |
1976 | Next Stop, Greenwich Village |
1977 | The Sentinel Annie Hall Roseland |
1978 | Shoot the Sun Down The Deer Hunter |
1979 | Last Embrace |
1980 | Heaven’s Gate The Dogs of War |
1981 | Pennies from Heaven |
1983 | Brainstorm The Dead Zone |
1985 | A View to a Kill |
1986 | At Close Range |
1987 | Deadline |
1988 | The Milagro Beanfield War Biloxi Blues Puss in Boots Homeboy |
1989 | Communion |
1990 | King of New York The Comfort of Strangers |
1991 | McBain |
1992 | Mistress Batman Returns Day of Atonement All-American Murder |
1993 | True Romance Wayne’s World 2 |
1994 | A Business Affair Pulp Fiction |
1995 | Wild Side Search and Destroy The Prophecy The Addiction Nick of Time Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead |
1996 | Last Man Standing Celluloide Basquiat The Funeral |
1997 | Excess Baggage Suicide Kings Mouse Hunt Touch |
1998 | The Prophecy II Illuminata New Rose Hotel Trance Antz |
1999 | Sleepy Hollow Kiss Toledo Goodbye Blast from the Past |
2000 | The Prophecy 3: The Ascent The Opportunists |
2001 | Joe Dirt The Affair of the Necklace America’s Sweethearts Scotland, Pa. Popcorn Shrimp Jungle Juice |
2002 | The Country Bears Catch Me If You Can Undertaking Betty Engine Trouble Poolhall Junkies |
2003 | Kangaroo Jack The Rundown Gigli |
2004 | Envy The Stepford Wives Around the Bend Man on Fire |
2005 | Wedding Crashers Domino |
2006 | Romance & Cigarettes Click Man of the Year Fade to Black |
2007 | Hairspray Balls of Fury |
2008 | Five Dollars a Day |
2009 | The Maiden Heist |
2010 | Life’s a Beach |
2011 | Kill the Irishman Dark Horse |
2012 | Seven Psychopaths A Late Quartet Stand Up Guys |
2013 | The Power of Few Gods Behaving Badly |
2014 | Jersey Boys |
2015 | One More Time The Family Fang Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser |
2016 | Eddie the Eagle The Jungle Book Nine Lives |
2017 | Father Figures |
2018 | Irreplaceable You |
2019 | The Jesus Rolls |
2020 | Percy The War with Grandpa |
TV Shows & Serials List |
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1953 | The Wonderful John Acton |
1954 | The Motorola Television Hour |
1954–1956 | The Guiding Light |
1963 | Nak*d City |
1970 | Hawaii Five-O |
1977 | Kojak |
1982 | Who Am I This Time? |
1991 | Sarah, Plain and Tall |
1993 | Skylark Scam |
1999 | Vendetta Sarah, Plain and Tall: Winter’s End |
2003 | Julius Caesar |
2014 | Turks & Caicos Peter Pan Live! |
Facts About Christopher Walken
- As a kid, he used to give cakes in a station wagon, work in the back of the bakery, and put jelly in the doughnuts.
- At the age of 10, he was inspired by Jerry Lewis, whom he met on The Colgate Comedy Hour (1950) when he was operating as an extra on the show while doing a skit with Lewis.
- At the age of 15, he worked shortly as a lion tamer in a circus.
- In the October 1997 issue of the Empire (UK) magazine, he was listed #96 in the list of “The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time”.
- He has a phobia of driving in speeding cars.
- In 1980, two men attacked and broke his nose in a street in New York when Christopher ordered them to turn down their music.
- He once got stolen at Venice airport, where his The Prophecy II (1998) script, glasses, keys, driver’s license, and $100 were stolen. All items except for the money were recovered.
- He was present on Natalie Wood’s yacht the night she drowned.
- Christopher gained an MTV Video Music Award for choreographing his own dance in Fatboy Slim’s music video Weapon Of Choice (2001).
- He is a part of the Saturday Night Live‘s prestigious “Five-Timers Club”.
- Has does not like handguns and uses prop guns in movies.
- When co-hosting the Saturday Night Live specials in 1975, his introduction song used to be I’m Walkin, I’m ‘Talkin as it rhymed with his name.
- He chose the name “Christopher” on his friend’s suggestion who said that the name befitted him better than the nickname “Ronnie”.
- While filming The Rundown (2003), he was hesitant to use the phrase “Oompah Loompah” in his final scene as he had never seen the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971).
- He has been given the same role name “Max” for many films including Kiss Toledo Goodbye (1999), Batman Returns (1992), and A View to a Kill (1985).
- He likes horror movies, especially with zombies in it.
- In training for his appearance in The Deer Hunter (1978), he ate a diet of only rice and bananas.
- In the 100th issue of Tropopkin, he was placed #1 on their list of “Top 25 Most Intriguing People”.
- His mother lived to be 102 years old (May 16, 1907-March 26, 2010).
- In 2006, Premiere Magazine placed his appearance as Nick Chevotarevich in The Deer Hunter (1978) as #88 on their list of “100 Greatest Performances of All Time”.
- In 1994, he won the Shakespeare Theater’s Will Award for his work in classical theater.
- He doesn’t use a computer or own a cell phone.
- He is the first actor to play the role of King Philip of France on stage for The Lion in Winter in 1966, at the Ambassador Theatre, New York City.
- Christopher is recognized to be a skilled chef.
- His mother called him after his favorite actor, Ronald Colman.
- On February 15, 2008, he was bestowed the Harvard’s “Hasty Pudding Man of the Year”.
- He is not a good swimmer.
- To create the emotions of his character during the Russian roulette scene in The Deer Hunter (1978), he recalled his summer camp days, which he hated as he felt disappointed, isolated, and alone.
- Since his mid-teens, he has always been a huge fan of Elvis Presley.
- He quit smoking cigarettes in his late 30s.
- Actress Rosie O’Donnell once called him as one of the scariest people alive.
- He had cats named Bowtie and Flapjack.
- He loves studying his scripts while cooking.
- In 1972, he got Muhammad Ali‘s boxing shorts for $40 at an auction, which he had kept expressed in his house.
- Christopher does not like eating sweet items.
- He typically doesn’t set down scripts to remain engaged in his work.
- In 2001, he wrote and directed a short movie titled Popcorn Shrimp.
- He is not using social media.
FAQs
Christopher Walken speaks with a modified Queens, New York accent that he has developed over his years of performing. While its New York roots are often not noticeable, he can (and does) emphasize them when the role requires it. He was born in Queens, NY, and sounds like it.
Not only does the man sing and dance (tap!) he also knits! And look at how he’s holding the yarn! Post by Springwools, Ireland’s Largest Wool Shop.
Wood died in mysterious circumstances at age 43 during the making of Brainstorm while on a weekend boat trip to Catalina Island on board Wagner’s yacht Splendour. Wood was with her husband Robert Wagner, Brainstorm co-star Christopher Walken, and Splendour’s captain Dennis Davern on the evening of November 28, 1981.
Walken initially trained as a dancer at the Washington Dance Studio before moving on to dramatic stage roles and then film.
Multi-talented actor and dancer Christopher Walken is still thrilling us at 75! Born Ronald Walken, on March 31, 1943, in Astoria, Queens, NY, he’s known as a character actor with great depth.