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Christopher Walken Remembers Dancing with Judy Garland at Liza Minnelli’s Sweet 16!

BBG News

Christopher Walken relived a moment from his past where he got to dance with Judy Garland.

During a discussion at SiriusXM’s Town Hall moderated by Andy Cohen (aged 56), and featuring the cast of Severance, Cohen brought up the topic, “I recall hearing that you once danced with a young Liza Minnelli. Do you have any recollections of that?

81-year-old actor recounts a memory from 1962, when he starred in an Off-Broadway production titled ‘Best Foot Forward’. He remembers that at the time, she was just 16 years old.

Cohen asked, ‘Could you see it then that she had it?’

In response, the actor who played The Deer Hunter affirmed, “Yes, indeed,” when asked about his interactions with Judy Garland, Minnelli’s mother, by Cohen.

‘Her mom gave a sweet 16th birthday party for her,’ Walken said, adding that he attended.

He also mentioned that they had danced together, and he agreed that Judy Garland was an excellent dancer and quite attractive.

Walken kick-started his acting journey during his teenage years, spanning over seven decades with an impressive repertoire that encompasses films, TV shows, and Broadway productions.

I was absolutely thrilled when I snagged an Academy Award back in 1979, thanks to my incredible performance in The Deer Hunter. And let me tell you, it wasn’t just a nomination, but I was also recognized in 2003 for my mesmerizing role in Catch Me If You Can. What an unforgettable journey!

Minnelli, 78, told The Hollywood Reporter in 2014 that Walken was a music man at heart.

‘I can see the glint in his eye every time he has the opportunity to dance onscreen,’ she said. 

He shared that he considers himself more of a musical comedy actor, and his training primarily comes from musical theater performances.

A memorable event from his past that he feels slightly less enthusiastic about is the famous “More Cowbell” skit on Saturday Night Live, which aired during his hosting on April 5, 2000.

In the SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night documentary, Will Ferrell, who is now 57 years old, shared his memories of Walker’s reaction to that particular sketch.

In a made-up portrayal, Ferrell embodies an excessively enthusiastic cowbell performer during the recording day of Blue Oyster Cult’s famous track “Don’t Fear the Reaper.

Ferrell went to see Walken in a play a few weeks after the SNL episode aired.  

Walken expressed his frustration, saying, “It seems, every performance, the audience brings cowbells for the final bow and they ring them loudly. This can be quite unsettling for me.

Back then, the band was performed by Saturday Night Live actors Chris Parnell, Jimmy Fallon, Chris Kattan, and Horatio Sanz.

In a different phrasing, the band found Ferrell’s cowbell annoying, but the fictitious record executive portrayed by Walken urged him to play the cowbell more forcefully.

Walken’s character says, ‘I’ve got a fever – and the only prescription is more cowbell.’ 

In 2022, he reflected on his long and successful career in an interview with the New York Times. 

‘I don’t play golf or tennis, I don’t have children, and I’ve been married for 53 years. Occasionally, I contemplate writing something, but I feel my skills aren’t particularly strong in that area.’

It’s interesting to note that many individuals, including actors, possess a collection of scripts. In fact, I had a conversation with my dentist about a script he had penned himself while he was working on my teeth.

I’ve penned down some thoughts, but they aren’t up to the mark yet. Often, when I begin with two characters conversing in a setting, the dialogue turns confusing or hard to follow.

‘There’s nothing I can be other than an actor,’ he said.

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2025-01-18 04:03

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