Max Zorin (Christopher Walken)

Datastream Actor: Christopher Walken Character: Maxillium 'Max' Zorin Movie: A View To A Kill Date of Birth: 31 March 1943 Height: 6' (1.83m) Distinguishing Feature: Psychopathic product of Nazi genetic experiments Appearance: Average height and weight, blonde  hair, blue eyes, Aryan stereotype Status: Terminated Organisations & Alliances: Mayday, Scarpine, Dr. Carl Mortner & Zorin Industries "For centuries alchemists tried to make gold from base metals. Today, we make microchips from silicon, which is common sand, but far better than gold."

Profile
Well spoken and extraordinarily intelligent, but with a sharp temper and a clinical background, Zorin has risen to become a powerful businessman bent on crippling his competition and forming a monopoly. Zorin is the result of a manic Nazi experiment to genetically modify fetuses before birth. Conducted by Dr. Mortner (aka Hans Glaub), the experiment boasted genius-level IQs but with unexpected and disastrous side effects. Manic mood swings and a blood-lust psychopathic tendency leave this villain one of the most dangerously unpredictable Bond has crossed paths with.

While the genetics programme was halted, Zorin struck out in Western business, becoming a ruthless industrialist in the high-powered technology industry. His business dealings are shady, to say the least, and the villain will brutally close a business deal if ever negotiations do not go his way. His wealth is undisputable and associates with a range of businessmen from a variety of countries to gamble on the most unlikely investments - often with outstandingly lucrative consequences. Despite his massive entourage, Zorin harbours a compromising secret - he has been informing on the UK and American governments; passing information to the KGB in exchange for a silent helping hand in business - a large chink in his pride if his associates found out.

Scheme In the hopes of casting a massive monopoly on the US and global microchip production, Zorin plans Operation Mainstrike to afflict a "natural" disaster by flooding the San Andreas fault, which runs under Silicon Valley, the world's primary source of microchips. Zorin attempts to buy off Sutton Oil and even the executives at San Francisco City Hall in order to conduct his manic plan. Unfortunately, his lust for winning and dirty cheating at horse racing leaves him open to suspicion by the Jockey Association and in turn, MI6.

007 uncovers a trail of dodgy deals, rash and ruthless buy-outs and even murders - all in aid of furthering his manic lust for death and destruction. By flooding the faults below Silicon Valley, the Zorin predicts an earthquake of phenomenal proportions, wiping out 90% of the world's microchip production, leaving Zorin Industries the number one provider of this basic modern commodity.

I've Been Expecting You
Bond, posing as James St. John Smythe, a wealthy playboy type, has himself invited to Zorin's stock auction, where he will sell off some of his winning horses. In the midst of an extravagant and snobby party, Zorin and Bond exchange curt greetings and Bond carries off a nosey persona in order to infiltrate the villain's chateau .

Headquarters Zorin's stud farm is an expansive and ornate estate in France where he and Dr. Carl Mortner breed their elegant race horses. Below the fancy facade are production lines, manufacturing millions of microchips and of course, genetic labs, where Mortner experiments with steroid implants driven by Zorin's microchips - the crooked winning success of Zorin's steeds. "Intuitive improvisation is the secret of genius."

Gadgets & Vehicles
Beyond the chateau, Zorin travels in style, onboard attention grabbing zeppelins - the largest of which is fitted out with a very expansive boardroom, sleeping quarters for all and a nasty staircase that sees disagreeable business associates slide to their death.

Dress Code Zorin is often seen in crisp black and white suits, impeccably cut with subtly toned ties. When the occasion calls, Zorin will don top hat and cravat for formal race-days, or tan jockey's pants for a day in the saddle. Goodbye, Mr Bond When 007 foils his manic plan, Zorin takes to the air with a escape zeppelin and Stacy Sutton in unwilling tow. Bond must battle the psychotic villain on the high-strung cap of the Golden Gate bridge - in a thrilling showdown, 007 sees Zorin fall to his death into the depths of San Francisco Bay.

Biography
Ronald 'Ronnie' Walken (named after actor Ronald Colman) was born to Paul and Rosalie Walken in Queens, New York City in 1943. Walken was the youngest of three boys in the family who emigrated from Germany prior to his birth. Father, Paul, ran a bakery in Queens while his mother worked for a Stagecraft society and so, from an early age, the young Ronald Walken was exposed to photo shoots and auditions. At the age of ten was enrolled in his first dance class - along with brothers Ken and Glenn.

The boys' mother would regularly take them to be involved as extras in the shooting of various local production, but Walken's strength quickly became tap dance. Walken landed his first major role in an off-Broadway production, "J.B.", starring Christopher Plumber and went on to follow up his brothers' paths and act in various television productions during the 1950s. Ronnie and brother Glenn were soon cast alongside a young Liza Minelli in a local musical production, "Best Foot Forward". Although, as a boy, acting and stardom were very much inflicted on him by his family, he quickly caught the bug and decided to pursue further and greater roles after a bit part in a now-famous sketch with Martin and Lewis on "The Comedy Hour". At first, Walken developed his career on the stage - notably performing with his wife-to-be Georgianne Thon in the famous and stirring Sondheim musical "West Side Story" or later, his award winning performance of King Phillip in "The Lion in Winter".

With his definitive and eloquent voice, Walken picked up a regular spot as the narrator on board TV show, "The Wonderful John Acton". However, it wasn't until age 22 that he became known as Christopher. Walken was working opposite Monique Van Vooren who insistently called him Christopher - a name he liked, and it somehow stuck to him as his stage name. He was first billed as Christopher Walken in 1965, when he performed in "Baker Street".

He made his feature film debut opposite successful James Bond star Sean Connery in 1971's "The Anderson Tapes". From here he would go on to lead an impressive career in American film, including notable roles such as James Reese in "Mind Snatchers" - a sci-fi picture where Walken plays a sociopathic Private the US army and subject of mind-bending experiments. Walken played opposite Diane Keaton in 1977, taking an impressive role in Woody Allen's "Annie Hall" which won Walken critical acclaim and began to stir something of a fan-base for the New York actor.

The following year Walken would take on a staggering role in the high-impact thriller, "The Deer Hunter" by director Michael Cimino. Walken was awarded for his work in the war-torn Vietnam-based picture with a Best Supporting Actor Oscar at the 1978 Academy Awards. Walken and Cimino were united again in 1980 when the director made the substantially less successful "Heaven's Gate" - a wild western that bombed at the box office. 1985 saw Christopher Walken star in "A View To A Kill", where he  remains remembered as the first villain to have won an Oscar before his run-in with 007 and an integral highlight of the picture. 27 years after Walkin's brush with Bond, Javier Bardem was cast as the villainous Silva for 2012's "Skyfall". Bardem won his Best Supporting Actor award at the 2008 Oscars ceremony for his work on the Cohen brothers' "No Country for Old Men" (2007).

Beyond Bond, Walken has starred in an up and down range of films but has always proved a clever spark in whichever role he adopts: from Tarantino's hard-hitting "Pulp Fiction" to Julia Roberts comedy "American Sweethearts" Walken has extended his range of characterisation into the millennium and at age 65 is as busy as ever.