Christopher Walken was a dancer!! (?)

[Alexandra]

Did anyone see this last night? It was on 48 Hours, or Dateline, or one of those shows. I missed it. A friend called me, but by the time I turned it on, the dancing part was over, but:

Christopher Walken was interviewed by Charlie Rose. He began as a dancer -- his wife was a dancer. They met in a show. Apparently he did a music video recently.

The report I got was that the clip of him dancing years ago showed him as rather stiff, but with whiplash turns. Any comments?

(And now, cast Christopher Walken in your favorite ballet rep. As I said, I only caught the end of it, but he seemed rather wistful that he'd been typecast as a villain, and eager to show his other side(s).)

[Leigh Witchel]

His dancing is on film - he does a tap number in "Pennies From Heaven". And yup, he's the villain.

[Calliope]

He's in a Fatboy Slim video (techno-ish) "Weapon of Choice"

It's great, he's a bit campy and literally dances off the walls and ceiling.

He's no Fred Astaire, but he turns nicely. He had a dance sequence in "Pennies from Heaven" (I believe that was Herbert Ross?)

Doesn't seem like much of a jumper though

So if the Godfather ever becomes a ballet, he'd be perfect!

[dirac]

He had a fabulous number in "Pennies from Heaven." Always liked him a lot. I don't think Hollywood knew what to do with him – looks too unusual, that singular voice – so he wound up as a serial killer, or doing fun parts like The Comfort of Strangers, where he wears great white suits and slits Rupert Everett's throat.

Paramount would probably cast him as Carabosse. I think he'd make an interesting James.

[Alexandra]

James. The old version, where James didn't die but fell unconscious at the end. He'd have to wake up sometime. He couldn't go home. They Sylphs would never show themselves to him again, but he'd have to live in the forest.....hmmm. James at 45....

[E Johnson]

My mother, who was knocking around the theater world in the late 50's-early 60's, recalls that Walken was originally typecast as, well, whatever the male version of ingenue is. It was later (and perhaps in the movies, as opposed to theater?) that he was stuck in the psycho slot.

I agree that he'd do a good Carabosse. And why not Drosselmeier?

[dirac]

I think he started off that way in the movies – Meryl Streep and Walken were the Young Lovers in The Deer Hunter, although there was a hint of things to come – his character ended as a Russian roulette-playing zombie.

[dancingfan]

once, when christopher walken hosted saturday night live, in the opening sequence he was dancing and allegra kent came out of the audience and started dancing with him. they did a little waltz together and them some over the top ballet steps to get off the stage. it was actually quite funny.

[Mel Johnson]

FYI, the male counterpart to the ingenue is called the juvenile, or "juvie" lead.

[liebs]

His number in Pennies from Heaven is marvelous, a great moment. He wasn't always the villain. I remember seeing him in Chekov's "Seagull" as the leading man (very dashing) opposite Rosemary Harris as Arkadina.

[Leigh Witchel]

It's amazing what a Google search will turn up

Christopher Walken, Dancer

[dirac]

I think the knowledgeable and helpful posters to this board are far more useful than any silly Google search. Cool pictures, though.

[atm711]

I saw the TV show--and was quite impressed with him...He could probably do a pretty good 'Slaughter on Tenth Avenue".

[Petra]

He could repeat his film role of the Headless Horseman in the Sleepy Hollow ballet - Even in the movie he doesn't say anything, he just grunts and moans!!!

[dirac]

Walken has an important supporting role in "Catch Me If You Can," which just opened, and there's a charming bit early in the movie when he gives his wife a twirl around their living room. It's very brief, but he does it with flair. (And for the first time in ages, he's not playing a weirdo.)