A letter from Danny Daniels...
Feb. 19, 1999
I first met Chris (Ronnie at that time) when he was a youngster in the early 50's. I was teaching tap at Jack Stanley's dance studio in the Roseland Building, 51st and Bdwy (replaced by a skyscraper) and one of my private lessons was with the Walken boys, three brothers.....Kenny, Ronnie, and Glenn. They were all very good students, and I was their teacher for about a year or two. A few years later, I was directing and choreographing an off Broadway musical, Best Foot Forward, and there were parts in the show that I thought Ronnie and his brother Glenn would be perfect for. I hired them and Ronnie suggested I audition a young girl he was taking acting lessons with, Liza Minnelli. She auditioned for me and I now had two future stars in the show. A couple of years later, I choreographed the Bdwy musical "High Spirits" with Bea Lillie and asked Ronnie if he would dance in the chorus of the show. He said sure, and was one of my pillars of strength as a dancer, starring in a number with Bea Lillie, and another number with Tammy Grimes. Whenever I needed someone to do an unpleasant task, like manipulating tables and chairs with string, standing in the wings, I asked Ronnie to do it and he was always willing, even though at times he was running around backstage like a mad man! After that show our paths separated and Ronnie became Chris and many years passed while Chris became a famous actor and received and Academy Award. I was in a conference with director Herbert Ross on the film Pennies From Heaven, and Herb was looking for an actor to play the character of the pimp in the picture. He had offered the part of the peddler to Chris and his agent turned it down. When I heard that, I told Herbert to offer the part of the pimp to Chris. Herb said......but he has to dance.....and when I told him how good a dancer he was Herb was delighted and the next thing I knew we were working together again. Chris is a superb performer, both as an actor and a musical player. I hope to have another opportunity to do another stage musical or film with him.
.... Danny Daniels