Walter Charles, now in his 41st season as a professional actor, is widely respected as one of the country's most versatile performers. A graduate of Boston University's School For the Arts with a Bachelor of Music Degree, Walter made his Broadway debut

on Christmas Eve, 1973, in Grease , as disc jockey Vince Fontaine. He happily judged the hand jive contest for 2 years before being tapped by Leonard Bernstein for 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue . Subsequent seasons saw him featured with Richard Kiley in Knickerbocker Holiday and the pre-Broadway tour of The Prince of Grand Street with Robert Preston. 1979 saw him in the precedent-setting Broadway production of Sweeney Todd , where he understudied Len Cariou in the title role. In the national tour that followed, he was understudy to George Hearn and appeared with Angela Lansbury as Sweeney in Los Angeles, as well as on the 1981 Tony Awards telecast.

In 1982, he was in the original Broadway company of Cats , and 6 months later, he again understudied Mr. Hearn, this time in the trend-setting Broadway smash hit La Cage Aux Folles , also playing the gracious cafe owner, M. Renaud. Then, in true show-biz tradition, the "big break" came. When the producers of the show were looking for a new Albin to co-star with Gene Barry in the West Coast production of La Cage , Mr. Charles stepped into the starring role for the Act I finale of "I Am What I Am" on the 1983 Grammy Awards national telecast. He was, they realized, sensational, and a few weeks later he opened to rave reviews in San Francisco, receiving the Bay Area Drama Critics Best Actor award for his performance. The show then broke the record at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, and he followed that with an 18 month run at the Palace Theatre in New York.

Since then, Walter has become a "Broadway veteran"! In addition to Cats , he has worked with director Trevor Nunn in the Broadway productions of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Aspects of Love , The Woman In White , and co-starred with Diahann Carroll as Max in the Canadian production of Sunset Boulevard (CD). He co-starred with Tyne Daley in the Encores! production of Call Me Madam (CD), and he has appeared in the Roundabout Theatre productions of The Boys From Syracuse , Big River , and The Apple Tree with Kristin Chenoweth. 1991 saw his New York City Opera debut with 110 In The Shade , and he also appeared with that company as Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd . In 1994, Mr. Charles starred as Scrooge in the World Premiere of Alan Mencken's A Christmas Carol at the Paramount Theatre (CD). His other Broadway appearances include Me & My Girl , Anna Karenina , and Kiss Me, Kate .

egionally, Walter has starred with both Tovah Feldshuh and Michele Lee in productions of Hello Dolly! , with Constance Towers in Follies , and with Lainie Kazan in Gypsy and A Little Night Music . At Kennedy Center's Sondheim Celebration in 2002, he played Judge Turpin again, this time with Brian Stokes Mitchell and Christine Baransky, and - on 3 days' notice - appeared opposite Lynn Redgrave as Larry in Company . Mr. Charles has appeared in regional theatre productions around the country, including Arthur Miller's The Price with Jack Klugman, and starring roles in Shenandoah , Annie , South Pacific , and 3 productions of Man of La Mancha . TV work includes "Cagney & Lacey," "Kate & Allie," and several episodes of "Law & Order." Films include "A Fine Mess," "Weeds," and "Prancer."