Woody Allen (born 1935) was born in Brooklyn, New York. He is a former stand-up comedian, and currently an acclaimed writer, director and actor. Woody Allen is an outspoken atheist.[1] See also: Celebrity atheists
He now lives in Manhattan. Best known for his offbeat and often self-deprecating comedies, Allen produced his most popular films in the 1970s, most notably Annie Hall, which set a mold for romantic comedies that others would try to emulate. His work in the 80s and 90s changed to more serious pieces, including dark comedies and genre experimentalism. Allen's more recent films have done well at the box office, with his 2011 film Midnight In Paris earning more than any of his previous films. He considers his 2005 feature film Match Point to be one of his best. Since the early '80s, Allen is noted for making at least one film per year.
Career overview
- Allen directed 14 different actors in performances that went on to be Academy Award nominated: Diane Keaton, Geraldine Page, Maureen Stapleton, Mariel Hemingway, Michael Caine, Dianne Wiest, Martin Landau, Judy Davis, Chazz Palminteri, Jennifer Tilly, Mira Sorvino, Sean Penn, Samantha Morton and himself. Keaton, Caine, Wiest and Sorvino won Oscars for their performances in his movies.
- He made 13 movies in which he cast Mia Farrow: Broadway Danny Rose (1984), Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989), Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), Alice (1990), Another Woman (1988), The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985), September (1987), Husbands and Wives (1992), A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy (1982), New York Stories (1989), Radio Days (1987), Shadows and Fog (1992) and Zelig (1983).
Personal/Family Life
- Allen is of Jewish ancestry and has used this as a frequent basis for his comic material on stage and in film.
- He married his first wife Harlene Rosen in 1956; they were divorced six years later.
- His second marriage was to Louise Lasser in 1966, and they divorced after five years.
- He had a long-term relationship with actress Mia Farrow, from 1980 to 1992; the couple had one child.
- He married Soon-Yi Previn in 1997, and they have had two children.
Moral depravity of Woody Allen
In 1992, Allen's moral depravity was revealed when Mia Farrow, with whom he had a long time relationship but did not marry, discovered nude photographs taken by Allen of Farrow's then 21-year-old daughter Soon-Yi Previn, whom she had adopted as a child in Korea. Through his relationship with Farrow, Allen had known Soon-Yi since she was 9. Farrow had been unaware that Allen had seduced her daughter, and after the discovery Farrow ended her relationship with Allen. However Previn remained with Allen and she and Farrow became estranged. In 1997, Previn, then 27, and Allen, 62, were married.[2] Allen said, regarding Farrow seeing the nude pictures of Soon-Yi that he had left out in the open, "It was just one of those fortuitous events, one of the great pieces of luck in my life."[3] According to Farrow's biography, What Falls Away, Frank Sinatra (her former husband) offered to have Allen's legs broken when the affair with Previn was discovered.[4] He also admitted recently that he believes life to be inherently meaningless, which is why the protagonists of his films, whom he often portrays, hold the same views.[5]
Filmography
Director
- What's Up, Tiger Lily? (1966)
- Take the Money and Run (1969)
- Bananas (1971)
- Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (1972)
- Sleeper (1973)
- Love and Death (1975)
- Annie Hall (1977) (Oscar, best director)
- Interiors (1978) (Oscar nomination, best director)
- Manhattan (1979)
- Stardust Memories (1980)
- A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy (1982)
- Zelig (1983)
- Broadway Danny Rose (1984) (Oscar nomination, best director)
- The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)
- Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) (Oscar nomination, best director)
- September (1987)
- Radio Days (1987)
- Another Woman (1988)
- New York Stories (1989)
- Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989) (Oscar nomination, best director)
- Alice (1990)
- Shadow and Fog (1992)
- Husbands and Wives (1992)
- Manhattan Murder Mystery (1992)
- Bullets Over Broadway (1994) (Oscar nomination, best director)
- Mighty Aphrodite (1995)
- Everyone Says I Love You (1997)
- Deconstructing Harry (1997)
- Sweet and Lowdown (1999)
- Small Time Crooks (2000)
- The Curse of the Jade Scorpion (2001)
- Hollywood Ending (2002)
- Anything Else (2003)
- Melinda and Melinda (2004)
- Match Point (2005)
- Scoop (2006)
- Cassandra's Dream (2007)
- Whatever Works (2008)
- Vicky Christina Barcelona (2008)
- You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (2010)
- Midnight In Paris (2011)
- To Rome with Love (2012)
- Blue Jasmine (2013)
- Magic in the Moonlight (2014)
Actor
- That Was the Week That Was (1964)
- What's New, Pussycat (1965)
- What's Up, Tiger Lily? (1966)
- Casino Royale (1967)
- Take the Money and Run (1969)
- Bananas (1971)
- Play It Again, Sam (1972)
- Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (1972)
- Sleeper (1973)
- Love and Death (1975)
- The Front (1976)
- Annie Hall (1977) (Oscar nomination, best actor)
- Manhattan (1979)
- Stardust Memories (1980)
- A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy (1982)
- Zelig (1983)
- Broadway Danny Rose (1984)
- Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
- King Lear (1987)
- Radio Days (1987)
- Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)
- New York Stories (1989)
- Scenes From a Mall (1991)
- Husbands and Wives (1992)
- Shadows and Fog (1992)
- Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993)
- Don't Drink the Water (1994)
- Mighty Aphrodite (1995)
- Everyone Says I Love You (1997)
- Deconstructing Harry (1997)
- Wild Man Blues (1998)
- Antz (1998) (voice)
- Sweet and Lowdown (1999)
- Picking Up the Pieces (2000)
- Small Time Crooks (2000)
- Company Man (2000)
- The Curse of the Jade Scorpion (2001)
- Hollywood Ending (2002)
- Anything Else (2003)
- Scoop (2006)
- To Rome with Love (2012)
Writer
- The Laughmakers (1962)
- What's New, Pussycat (1965)
- What's Up, Tiger Lily? (1966)
- Take the Money and Run (1969)
- Don't Drink the Water (1969)
- Bananas (1971)
- Play It Again, Sam (1972)
- Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (1972)
- Sleeper (1973)
- Love and Death (1975)
- Annie Hall (1977) (Oscar, best original screenplay)
- Interiors (1978) (Oscar nomination, best original screenplay)
- Manhattan (1979) (Oscar nomination, best original screenplay)
- Stardust Memories (1980)
- A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy (1982)
- Zelig (1983)
- Broadway Danny Rose (1984) (Oscar nomination, best original screenplay)
- The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) (Oscar nomination, best original screenplay)
- Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) (Oscar, best original screenplay)
- September (1987)
- Radio Days (1987) (Oscar nomination, best original screenplay)
- Another Woman (1988)
- New York Stories (1989)
- Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989) (Oscar nomination, best original screenplay)
- Alice (1990) (Oscar nomination, best original screenplay)
- Shadows and Fog (1992)
- Husbands and Wives (1992) (Oscar nomination, best original screenplay)
- Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993)
- Bullets Over Broadway (1994) (Oscar nomination, best original screenplay)
- Mighty Aphrodite (1995) (Oscar nomination, best original screenplay)
- Everyone Says I Love You (1997)
- Deconstructing Harry (1997) (Oscar nomination, best original screenplay)
- Celebrity (1998)
- Sweet and Lowdown (1999)
- Small Time Crooks (2000)
- The Curse of the Jade Scorpion (2001)
- Hollywood Ending (2002)
- Anything Else (2003)
- Melinda and Melinda (2004)
- Match Point (2005)
- Scoop (2006)
- Cassandra's Dream (2007)
- Whatever Works (2008)
- Vicky Christina Barcelona (2008)
- You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (2010)
- Midnight In Paris (2011)
- To Rome with Love (2012)
- Blue Jasmine (2013)
- Magic in the Moonlight (2014)