Christopher Walken Returns To ‘SNL’ As The Spirit Of Halloween

On the latest episode of Saturday Night Live, actor Christopher Walken, 80, made a surprise cameo in the episode’s cold open.

Walken started cast alongside Mikey Day as President Joe Biden, in a skit where Biden decorated the Oval Office for Halloween. In the sketch, Biden greeted the newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson (Michael Longfellow) and his son (Devon Walker).

Walken’s bizarre Halloween character, clad in a black and orange cape, appears as “The spirit of Halloween…The Ghost of All Hallows Past. In South America, they call me ‘Papa Pumpkin’.”

An alternate take on Santa Claus’ chimney route, Walken explains that ‘Papa Pumpkin’ entered the White House through the toilet.

Walken offered holiday advice, “Meet the neighbors you don’t wanna see again on any other day. After all, you can’t spell ‘Halloween’ without, ‘hello’!”

Walken made another appearance later in the show to introduce the musical guest Foo Fighters’ performance of “Rescued.”

Foo Fighters were also the musical guest on Walken’s 2003 SNL episode.

Band leader Dave Grohl told Radio X host Chris Moyles, “He asked us if the accent was on ‘Foo’ or ‘Fighters.’” The band decided to lie that the accent was on “fighters,” and Walken emphasized “Fighters” heavily in the promo.

Twenty years later, Walken got a redo at his introduction – this time he hit the “Foo” hard.

Walken has hosted Saturday Night Live seven times between the years of 1990 and 2008. He has taken on memorable roles such as Bruce Dickinson, a record producer unrelated to the singer of the same name, in the famous “More Cowbell” sketch.

He also had a recurring role as “The Continental,” a suave ladies’ man who is unable to find love due to his predatory nature. Its first sketch aired on the eleventh episode of the 15th season, January 20, 1990.