MovieChat Forums > The West Wing (1999) Discussion > Glen Allen Walken's name......Inside jok...

Glen Allen Walken's name......Inside joke?

posted 8 years ago by cherylelliotcrna
4 replies | jump to latest

In 1983, Martin Sheen played senatorial candidate and unnerving demagogue Greg Stillson in the movie The Dead Zone, based on one of Stephen King's best novels. Star Christopher Walken plays a psychic school teacher who, after shaking Stillson's hand at a rally, has a terrifying vision of a future President Stillson initiating a nuclear war, and resolves to stop him at any cost. It's a good movie, plays on tv all the time.

I can't help wondering if John Goodman's character Glen Allen Walken was given a wink, wink, nudge name, the writers doffing their caps to Sheen's memorable earlier role as the un-Bartlett and worst president imaginable.

Forgive me if this has been broached before; I'm relatively new to the boards.

[–] SaliceMcD 8 years ago

It could be, as in the "You're relieved, Mr. President" scene, the "judge" Charlie was tasked with bringing in was Supreme Court Justice "Sharon Day." Not too far off from the name of an actual Justice.

[–] cherylelliotcrna 8 years ago

Just seeing this; thank you for the reply.

[–] scootergirl9988 8 years ago

Sorry but that's one helluva stretch. If they wanted to reference Sheen's Dead Zone character they would have given Goodman's West Wing character the last name of Stillson. Giving him the last name of Walken would be, if anything, a nod to Christopher Walken's Johnny Smith character, which of course makes no sense in this context. On top of that, Goodman's president was nothing like Stillson who was proven to be evil and cowardly. The writers of the West Wing made Glenn Allen Walken a jingoist who was tough but also fair and anything but evil or cowardly.

"Nothing is more ill bred than trying to steal the affections of someone else's dog."

[–] Jes' Sayin' (6105) 3 years ago

Always wondered if the name GlenAllen came from the baseball player at that time.