Christopher Walken Recalls Dancing with Judy Garland in 1962 Off-Broadway Musical

NEW YORK, N.Y. — Christopher Walken, the Oscar-winning actor, recently reminisced about his early career and a memorable moment dancing with Hollywood legend Judy Garland during a 1962 Off-Broadway musical.

During a Jan. 16 appearance on SiriusXM’s Town Hall, hosted by Andy Cohen, Walken, 81, confirmed a story about his time performing with a young Liza Minnelli in the musical *Best Foot Forward*. “We did an Off-Broadway musical called *Best Foot Forward*. 1962. Well, she was 16 years old, I remember,” Walken said.

Cohen, 56, asked Walken if he could sense Minnelli’s star potential at the time. “Oh, absolutely,” Walken replied. The conversation then turned to Minnelli’s mother, Judy Garland, with Walken recalling, “Her mom gave a sweet 16th birthday party for her. I remember I danced with Judy Garland.” He added that Garland was “a good dancer” and “very good-looking.”

Walken’s acting career began in the 1950s as a child actor under his birth name, Ronnie Walken. He adopted the stage name Christopher in the 1960s and has since built a seven-decade career spanning Broadway, film, and television. He won an Academy Award in 1979 for *The Deer Hunter* and was nominated again in 2003 for *Catch Me If You Can*.

Minnelli, now 78, has also reflected on Walken’s roots in musical theater. In a 2014 interview, she said, “I can see the glint in his eye every time he has the opportunity to dance onscreen.” Walken echoed this sentiment, telling the outlet, “I’m kind of an actor by way of musical comedy. That’s really my education, musicals.”

Walken’s career has been marked by versatility, from dramatic roles to comedic performances, including the iconic “More Cowbell” sketch on *Saturday Night Live* in 2000. Reflecting on his long career in a 2022 interview with *The New York Times*, Walken said, “I don’t golf or play tennis. I have no kids. I’ve been married for 53 years. There’s nothing I can be other than an actor.”

He also shared a humorous anecdote about his approach to acting, saying, “Sometimes I do things just to amuse myself. I’ve played scenes pretending that I was Elvis or Bugs Bunny or a U-boat commander. I just don’t tell anybody.”

Walken’s enduring passion for his craft remains evident. As he told *The New York Times*, “Acting is one of those things, you can keep doing it as long as they ask you to do it. They say you don’t retire from acting — they retire you. And I don’t want to be retired, because what would I do?”