Christopher Walken

Academy Award-winning actor, Christopher Walken was born on March 31, 1943 as Ronald "Ronnie" Walken. He was born in the Glendale section of the New York City borough of Queens.

Before moving on to serious roles in theatre and film, Walken trained as a dancer in musical theatre. A select number of his movies include dance sequences that he has worked on, reflecting this early background.

He has appeared in over 100 movies and television shows since 1953 including, A View to a Kill (1985), Batman Returns (1992), Pulp Fiction (1994), etc. In 1978, he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for The Deer Hunter for his role as a disturbed Vietnam vet alongside Robert De Niro.

He has also starred in three music videos. His first video role was in Madonna's "Bad Girl" video, the second in Skid Row's "Breakin' Down" video, and most notably in Fatboy Slim's "Weapon of Choice" video in 2001.

Walken has also hosted the New York comedy sketch and satire TV series Saturday Night Live on six occasions. His recurring sketch "The Continental" has been a favorite with audiences. However, his most popular SNL performance was a spoof of "Behind the Music" featuring a recording session of Blue Öyster Cult's "(Don't Fear) The Reaper", where he asked for "More cowbell!"