Jordan Christopher

Jordan Christopher
Jordan Christopher
Born	Jordan Christopher Zankoff; October 23, 1940; Youngstown, Ohio
Died	Error: Need valid death date (first date): year, month, day; New York, New York
Spouse	Sybil Burton

Jordan Christopher (October 23, 1940 - January 21, 1996) was an American actor and singer, remembered for recording, with his band The Wild Ones, the original version of the rock classic "Wild Thing."

Early Life

Born in Youngstown, Ohio, to Macedonian immigrants Eli and Dorothy Zankoff, he moved at an early age to Akron, where his father ran a downtown bar.

Christopher became interested in singing with the rise of rock & roll, spending much of his time at the music clubs in Akron's black section. He formed a doo-wop group called the Fascinations, who released unsuccessful singles on several small labels in the early 1960s.

Christopher's break came when he joined The Wild Ones, the house band at New York's Peppermint Lounge, as singer and guitarist. After a residency at the Peppermint Lounge of eight months, The Wild Ones were hired to play at "Arthur", the Manhattan discotheque operated by Sybil Burton, then recently divorced from Richard Burton. Within a month of meeting, Christopher and Burton -- eleven years his senior -- began dating, eventually marrying in 1966.

"Wild Thing"

Thanks to the reflected publicity Sybil received as the ex-wife of Richard Burton, there was great interest in Arthur, and The Wild Ones were able to secure a recording contract with United Artists records. Producer Gerry Granahan was dissatisfied with material set for the sessions, and commissioned Brill Building songwriter Chip Taylor to write a song specifically for the band. "Wild Thing" was the result.

Released in November 1965, The Wild Ones' "Wild Thing" was a harmonica-driven R&B track, as opposed to the distorted guitar sound on the famous cover by the Troggs, released about eight months later. Despite the publicity The Wild Ones received from Sybil Burton and the Arthur club, the single failed to chart.

The Wild Ones would continue to record, notably the title song for the 1966 film Lord Love a Duck, but never managed to break through commercially.

Acting

Christopher also acted in several films, beginning with The Fat Spy in 1966. His most celebrated role was as a dissolute rock star in the cult film Angel, Angel, Down We Go, in which he played the male lead opposite Jennifer Jones. He also appeared on Broadway in Sleuth.

Later life

Christopher would continue to act intermittently, as well as working behind the scenes with his wife in her operation of the New Theatre on 54th Street in New York City, and Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor .

Jordan Christopher died of a heart attack on January 21, 1996. He was survived by his wife Sybil, their daughter Amy, and a daughter Jodi from a previous marriage.