Actor Biography - Christopher Walken Posted by: Hollywood Lot Staff

Christopher Walkens’s film career skyrocketed after his role as Diane Keaton’s brother in Woody Allen’s Academy Award-winning Annie Hall in 1977.  The next year, he won the 1978 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in The Deer Hunter.  He has since acted in several films, including Neil Simon’s Biloxi Blues, At Close Range, Pennies From Heaven, The Dead Zone, Heaven’s Gate, King of New York and Communion.

 

In more recent years Walken has worked on films including Sleepy Hollow, The Opportunist, Illuminata, Pulp Fiction, True Romance and The Funeral.

 

At the age of ten, Walken began acting and dancing and appeared as a child on such television shows as The Ernie Kovacs Show and The Colgate Comedy Hour.  He made his New York stage debut in 1959 in Archibald MacLeish’s “J.B.,” opposite Christopher Plummer. 

 

While studying English and Drama at Hofstra University, Walken decided he decided to turn back to the stage and made his musical stage debut opposite Liza Minnelli in “Best Foot Forward.”  He then studied with Wynn Handman at the Actor’s Studio.  In 1966 he was named “Theatre World’s Most Promising Personality” for his role in Tennessee Williams’ “The Rose.”  Other theatrical performances include his Obie Award-winning “House of Blue Leaves,” “A Streetcar Named Desire,” “Coriolanus” and “Othello.”

 

Partial Filmography

[2005] The Wedding Crashers

[2004] Romance & Cigarettes

[2004] Around the Bend

[2004] The Stepford Wives – Dale Coba

[2004] Envy – J-Man

[2004] Man on Fire – Reyburn

[2003] True Crime: Streets of LA – George (voice)

[2003] The Rundown – Hatcher

[2003] Gigli – Det. Stanley Jacobellis

[2003] Kangaroo Jack – Sal Maggio

[2002] Catch Me If You Can – Frank Abagnale, Sr.

[2002] Plots with a View – Frank Featherbed

[2002] Engine Trouble – Rusty

[2002] The Country Bears – Reed Thimple

[2002] Poolhall Junkies – Mike

[2001] Jungle Juice – Roy

[2001] The Affair of the Necklace – Count Cagliostro

[2001] Chelsea Walls

[2001] America’s Sweethearts – Hal Weidmann

[2001] Joe Dirt – Clem

[2001] Scotland, Pa. – Lieutenant McDuff

[2000] The Opportunists – Victor Kelly

[2000] The Prophecy 3:  The Ascent – Gabriel

[1999] Cast and Crew

[1999] Kiss Toledo Goodbye – Max

[1999] Sleepy Hollow – The Hessian Horseman

[1999] Madonna: The Video Collection 93:99 – Guardian Angel

[1999] Blast from the Past – Calvin Webber

[1998] New Rose Hotel – Fox

[1998] Antz – Colonel Cutter (voice)

[1998] Trance – Uncle Bill Ferriter

[1998] Illuminata – Bevalaqua

[1998] The Prophecy II – Gabriel

[1997] Mouse Hunt – Caeser, the Exterminator

[1997] Suicide Kings – Carlo Bartolucci/ Charlie Barret

[1997] Excess Baggage – Raymond Perkins

[1997] Touch – Bill Hill

[1996] Privateer 2: The Darkening – David Hassan

[1996] Ripper – Det. Vince Magnotta

[1996] Last Man Standing – Hickey

[1996] The Funeral – Ray

[1996] Basquiat – The Interviewer

[1996] Celluloide

[1995] Nick of Time – Mr. Smith

[1995] The Addiction – Peina

[1995] The Prophesy – Gabriel

[1995] Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead – The Man With The Plan

[1995] Search and Destroy – Kim Ulander

[1995] Wild Side – Bruno Buckingham

[1994] Pulp Fiction – Capt. Koons

[1994] A Business Affair – Vanni Corso

[1993] Wayne’s World 2 – Bobby Cahn

[1993] True Romance – Vincenzo Coccotti

[1992] All-American Murder – P.J. Decker

[1992] Le Grand Pardon II – Pasco Meisner

[1992] Batman Returns – Max Shreck

[1992] Mistress – Warren Zell

[1991] McBain – McBain

[1990] The Comfort of Stranger – Robert

[1990] King of New York – Frank White

[1989] Communion – Whitley Strieber

[1998] Cannon Movie Tales: Puss in Boots – Puss

[1988] Homeboy – Wesley Pendergrass

[1998] Biloxi Blues – Sgt. Toomey

[1988] The Milagro Beanfield War – Kyril Montana

[1987] Deadline – Don Stevens

[1986] At Close Range – Brad Whitewood Sr.

[1985] A View to a Kill – Max Zorin

[1983] The Dead Zone – Johnny Smith

[1983] Brainstorm – Dr. Michael Anthony Brace

[1981] Shoot the Sun Down – Mr. Rainbow

[1981] Pennies from Heaven – Tom

[1981] The Dogs of War – Shannon

[1980] Heaven’s Gat – Nathan D. Champion

[1979] Last Embrace – Eckhart

[1978] The Deer Hunter – Nick

[1977] Roseland – Russel

[1977] Annie Hall – Duane Hall

[1977] The Sentinel – Det. Rizzo

[1976] Next Stop, Greenwich Village – Robert

[1972] The Happiness Cage – Pvt. James H. Reese

[1971] The Anderson Tapes – The Kid

[1968] Me and My Brother

 

Television Filmography

[2002] Julius Caesar – Marcus Cato

[1999] Sarah, Plain and Tall: Winter’s End – Jacob Witting

[1999] Vendetta – James Houston

[1993] Scam – Jack Shanks

[1993] Skylark – Jacob Witting

[1992] Defenders of Dynatron City – Dr. Mayhem

[1991] Sarah, Plain and Tall – Jacob Witting

[1982] Who Am I This Time? – Harry Nash

[1975] Valley Forge

[1969] The Three Musketeers – Felton

[1966] Barefoot in Athens - Lamprocles