Christopher Walken

Dates Hosted:

1/20/90
10/24/92
1/13/96
4/8/00
5/19/01
2/22/03

Biography:

Actor Christopher Walken has been entertaining people with his unique style and dance abilities since he was a boy appearing in bit parts on such classic TV shows as “Playhouse 90,” “The Colgate Comedy Hour,” and “The Wonderful John Acton.” As a teen growing up in New York in the 1950's, he studied acting and dance at the Professional Children’s School and began finding work as a dancer in musical theater. At school, he started the unusual habit of crossing out all punctuation in his scripts, giving him the quirky delivery style that's become his trademark.

For several years, he worked on Broadway, earning parts in "West Side Story" and "Best Foot Forward," starring Liza Minelli. In 1966 he got a big break, getting cast as King Philip in "The Lion in Winter." By the early 70s, he was getting cast in small film roles, culminating with an Oscar for his shattering performance in 1978's "The Deer Hunter."

A string of remarkable films soon followed. His roles in films like "King of New York," "The Dogs of War," “True Romance," "Pulp Fiction," and many others have made him an audience favorite. His unique style and sense of humor made him the perfect SNL host, and he quickly became a cast and fan favorite with characters like The Continental and Bruce Dickinson, his character from the infamous "more cowbell!" sketch. On numerous occasions, SNL has showcased his singing and dancing skills, reminding audiences of Walken's numerous talents.