Woody Allen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Woody Allen
Allen in 2016
Born	Allan Stewart Konigsberg (1935-11-30) November 30, 1935 (age 89) New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Filmmaker writer actor comedian musician
Years active	1956–present
Works	Full list
Spouse(s)	Harlene Susan Rosen ​ ​ (m. 1956; div. 1962)​ Louise Lasser ​ ​ (m. 1966; div. 1970)​ Soon-Yi Previn ​ (m. 1997)​
Partner(s)	Diane Keaton (1970–1971) Mia Farrow (1980–1992)
Children	5, including Ronan Farrow and Moses Farrow
Relatives	Letty Aronson (sister)
Awards	Full list

Woody Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American filmmaker, actor, and comedian. His career has lasted over sixty years. Allen has won many awards. He holds the record for the most nominations (16) for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

He has won four Academy Awards, ten BAFTA Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Grammy Award. He also received special honors like the Honorary Golden Lion in 1995 and the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2014. Two of his films are kept in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

Allen started his career writing for television in the 1950s. He also wrote short stories and humor pieces for The New Yorker magazine. In the early 1960s, he became a stand-up comedian. He developed a unique style, telling stories rather than traditional jokes. He released three comedy albums during this time.

After making several slapstick comedies, he directed Annie Hall (1977). This romantic comedy-drama starred Allen and Diane Keaton. The film won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. Allen has directed many films set in New York City, like Manhattan (1979). He has made a film almost every year.

Early Life and Education

Allen as a senior at Midwood High School in Brooklyn in 1953

Woody Allen was born Allan Stewart Konigsberg in Bronx, New York City, on November 30, 1935. His mother, Nettie, was a bookkeeper. His father, Martin, was a jewelry engraver and waiter. His grandparents were Jewish immigrants from Austria and Lithuania. They spoke German, Hebrew, and Yiddish.

Woody and his younger sister, Letty Aronson, grew up in Brooklyn's Midwood neighborhood. Both their parents were born in Manhattan. Allen spoke German when he was very young. He went to Hebrew school for eight years. He also attended Public School 99 and then Midwood High School, graduating in 1953.

Unlike his funny on-screen characters, he loved baseball more than school. He was often chosen first for teams. He also impressed his friends with his talent for card tricks and magic.

At age 17, he legally changed his name to Heywood Allen. Later, he started calling himself Woody. He once said his first published joke was: "Woody Allen says he ate at a restaurant that had O.P.S. prices—over people's salaries." He soon earned more money than both his parents combined.

After high school, he briefly studied communication and film at New York University and City College of New York. He dropped out of both, preferring to teach himself. He later taught at The New School.

Career Highlights

Starting as a Comedy Writer (1955–1959)

Allen began writing short jokes at age 15. The next year, he started selling them to Broadway writers. One writer, Abe Burrows, called his jokes "dazzling." Burrows helped Allen get jobs.

In 1955, at age 19, Allen joined the NBC Writer's Development Program. He then worked for The NBC Comedy Hour and as a full-time writer for humorist Herb Shriner. He also wrote for The Ed Sullivan Show and The Tonight Show. By the time he worked for Sid Caesar, he earned $1,500 a week.

He worked with famous comedians like Mel Brooks and Neil Simon. Brooks said Allen was "so wise, so smart." Allen estimated he wrote twenty thousand jokes for comics in 1962 alone. He also wrote for and appeared on Candid Camera.

Allen enjoyed writing, saying, "Nothing makes me happier than to tear open a ream of paper. And I can't wait to fill it!" He also wrote short stories and cartoon captions for magazines like The New Yorker. His humor books include Getting Even and Without Feathers.

Becoming a Stand-Up Comedian (1960–1969)

Allen on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in June 1964

From 1960 to 1969, Allen performed stand-up comedy in Greenwich Village. He shared stages with stars like Lenny Bruce and Joan Rivers. His manager, Jack Rollins, suggested he perform his written jokes. Allen said Mort Sahl inspired him to try stand-up.

He made his first professional stage appearance in October 1960. He performed with a serious face, which made his jokes even funnier. One joke was: "I don't think my family liked me. They put a live teddy bear in my crib."

Allen first appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in November 1963. He later hosted the show 17 times. He released three comedy albums from his live shows. In 1965, he filmed a stand-up special in England.

Allen, Polly Bergen, and Andy Williams on The Andy Williams Show in December 1965

In 1965, Allen performed at President Lyndon B. Johnson's inaugural gala. First Lady Lady Bird Johnson called him "that forlorn, undernourished little comedian." In 1966, he wrote a TV musical special for CBS. In 1967, he hosted a TV special for NBC with Liza Minnelli.

Life magazine featured Allen on its cover in March 1969.

Broadway and Early Films (1965–1976)

Allen's first movie was What's New Pussycat? (1965). He was not happy with the final film. This led him to direct almost every film he wrote after that. His first directing job was What's Up, Tiger Lily? (1966).

That same year, Allen wrote the play Don't Drink the Water. In 1994, he directed a TV version of it. His next play, Play It Again, Sam, opened in 1969. It starred Allen, Diane Keaton, and Tony Roberts.

Allen with the Broadway cast of Play It Again, Sam in 1969

The play was a big step for Keaton's career. She said she was "in awe" of Allen. She later starred in seven more of his films, including Sleeper and Annie Hall. Keaton said Allen "showed me the ropes."

In 1969, Allen directed, starred in, and co-wrote Take the Money and Run. It was a comedy about a small-time thief. Critics liked it, calling it "very special and eccentric and funny."

In 1971, Allen wrote and directed Bananas. He played a clumsy New Yorker caught in a revolution. He said making such comedies is hard because "if they're not laughing, you're dead."

Allen in the early 1970s

His film Everything You Always Wanted to Know About ...* (*But Were Afraid to Ask) (1972) had mixed reviews. Allen reunited with Keaton in Sleeper (1973). This was the first of four screenplays he co-wrote with Marshall Brickman.

Allen and Keaton worked together again in Love and Death (1975). This comedy was set in the Napoleonic era and made fun of Russian literature. Critics called it Allen's "grandest work." In 1976, Allen acted in The Front, a drama about the Hollywood blacklist.

Becoming a Major Filmmaker (1977–1989)

In 1977, Allen wrote, directed, and starred in Annie Hall. This romantic comedy became his most famous and personal film. He played Alvy Singer, a comedian looking back at his relationship with Annie Hall (Diane Keaton).

Critics praised the film. Roger Ebert said Allen had become a "more thoughtful...more mature director." Keaton said Allen wrote the part for her. The film won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. It is ranked among the best movies and comedies ever made.

In 1979, Allen made Manhattan, a comedy about New York City. It focused on a complicated relationship between a middle-aged man and a 17-year-old. Keaton, who made eight films with Allen, said he has "a mind like nobody else."

Allen's film Stardust Memories (1980) was inspired by other famous films. In this movie, Allen's character says, "I don't want to make funny movies anymore." Allen considers it one of his best films.

In 1981, Allen's play The Floating Light Bulb opened on Broadway. It ran for 65 shows. Allen has also written several shorter plays for off-Broadway theaters.

A Midsummer Night's ... Comedy (1982) was Allen's first film with Mia Farrow. She took over from Diane Keaton. He then directed Zelig, where he played a man who changes his appearance to match those around him.

Radio Days was a film about his childhood in Brooklyn and the importance of radio. Time magazine called The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) one of the 100 best films ever. Allen also thinks it's one of his top three films.

In 1989, Allen, Francis Ford Coppola, and Martin Scorsese made New York Stories. Allen's part, Oedipus Wrecks, was called "priceless."

Continuing His Work (1990–2004)

Allen's 1991 film Shadows and Fog was a black-and-white movie inspired by German films. He then made Husbands and Wives (1992), which earned two Oscar nominations. Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993) brought back Diane Keaton and Alan Alda.

He made lighter films like Bullets Over Broadway (1994), which was nominated for Best Director. Then came a musical, Everyone Says I Love You (1996). Mighty Aphrodite (1995) won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for Mira Sorvino.

Allen's 1999 film Sweet and Lowdown was nominated for two Academy Awards. He also made darker comedies like Deconstructing Harry (1997).

In 1995, Allen's play Central Park West opened off-Broadway. Allen also acted in the TV film The Sunshine Boys (1995). He voiced Z in DreamWorks' animated film, Antz (1998).

Small Time Crooks (2000) was Allen's first film with DreamWorks. It was a financial success. However, his next four films did not do as well. Some critics worried his best years were over. But others said his films were still good.

A New Wave of Success (2005–2014)

Allen in January 2006

In 2004, Allen said it was hard to make small films in the U.S. He went to London and made Match Point (2005). This film was very successful and received good reviews. It was darker than his previous films.

Match Point earned over $23 million in the U.S. and $62 million worldwide. It earned Allen an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. He called it his best film ever.

Allen filmed Vicky Cristina Barcelona in Spain in 2007. It starred Scarlett Johansson, Javier Bardem, and Penélope Cruz. The film was a big success and won Best Motion Picture at the Golden Globe awards. Cruz won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

In 2008, he filmed Whatever Works, starring Larry David. Allen wrote this film in the 1970s. Allen was chosen as a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2001.

His next film, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, was filmed in London. It was released in 2010.

Allen's film Midnight in Paris (2011) starred Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams. It was about a young couple in Paris. Allen wanted to "show the city emotionally." The film was highly praised and won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. It became his highest-grossing film, making $151 million worldwide.

In 2011, Allen's play Honeymoon Motel opened on Broadway. In 2012, Allen discussed his career at the 92nd Street Y in New York City. His next film, To Rome with Love (2012), was a comedy set in Rome. Allen also acted in this film.

Allen's film Blue Jasmine (2013) starred Cate Blanchett. It was set in San Francisco and New York. The film received great reviews. Blanchett won the Academy Award for Best Actress.

In 2013, Allen filmed Magic in the Moonlight in France. It starred Emma Stone and Colin Firth. The film was a financial success.

In 2014, Allen's musical Bullets Over Broadway opened on Broadway. It received six Tony nominations, including one for Allen.

In 2014, Allen filmed Irrational Man in Rhode Island. It starred Joaquin Phoenix and Emma Stone.

Recent Work (2015–Present)

Allen at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival

In 2015, Amazon Studios announced Allen would write and direct a TV series. Allen joked that he didn't know what he was doing. On September 30, 2016, his series Crisis in Six Scenes debuted. It was a comedy set in the 1960s.

Allen's film Café Society (2016) starred Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart. It was distributed by Amazon Studios and opened the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. Critics gave it positive reviews.

Emma Stone, Allen, and Parker Posey at the Cannes Film Festival in 2015

In 2016, Allen started filming Wonder Wheel. It was set in the 1950s and starred Kate Winslet. The film received mixed reviews, but Winslet's acting was praised. In 2017, Allen honored Diane Keaton at an awards ceremony. He said she was a "great inspiration" to him.

Allen filmed A Rainy Day in New York in 2017. It starred Timothée Chalamet and Selena Gomez. The film received mixed reviews. In 2019, Amazon Studios stopped working with Allen. The film was later released in Europe and the U.S.

In 2019, Allen's next film, Rifkin's Festival, was announced. It was filmed in Spain and premiered in 2020.

In 2020, Allen's autobiography, Apropos of Nothing, was published. In 2022, Allen suggested he might retire from filmmaking. However, his publicist later clarified that he has no plans to retire.

Allen has made 50 feature films. His latest film, Coup de chance (2023), is a thriller set in Paris. It is his first French-language film. It received positive reviews. In 2024, it was reported that Allen wants to start a new film soon.

Theater Work

Allen has also had a successful career in theater. In 1960, he wrote sketches for the show From A to Z. His play Don't Drink the Water opened in 1968 and ran for 598 performances. Play It Again, Sam opened in 1969, starring Allen and Diane Keaton.

In the 1970s, Allen wrote one-act plays like God and Death. In 1981, his play The Floating Light Bulb opened on Broadway. It received two Tony Award nominations.

In 1995, Allen returned to theater with Central Park West. In 2003, he directed his own plays, Old Saybrook and Riverside Drive, off-Broadway. In 2004, his play A Second Hand Memory had a long run.

In 2008, Allen directed an opera, Gianni Schicchi, for the Los Angeles Opera. He joked, "I have no idea what I'm doing." In 2011, his play Honeymoon Motel premiered on Broadway.

In 2012, it was announced that Allen would adapt Bullets over Broadway into a Broadway musical. It ran in 2014 and received six Tony Award nominations.

Jazz Music

Allen with Jerry Zigmont and Simon Wettenhall performing at Vienne Jazz Festival, Vienne, France, in September 2003

Allen loves jazz music. It often appears in his film soundtracks. He started playing clarinet as a child. He even took his stage name from clarinetist Woody Herman. He has performed publicly since the late 1960s.

Woody Allen and his New Orleans Jazz Band play every Monday evening at the Carlyle Hotel in Manhattan. They specialize in New Orleans jazz from the early 20th century. They play songs by famous jazz musicians like Sidney Bechet and Louis Armstrong.

The documentary film Wild Man Blues (1997) shows Allen and his band on a European tour. The band has released albums like The Bunk Project (1993). Critics say Allen is a good hobbyist who truly loves early jazz.

Allen and his band played at the Montreal International Jazz Festival in 2008. For many years, he wanted to make a film about the beginnings of jazz in New Orleans.

What Influenced Woody Allen

Allen has said he was greatly influenced by comedians like Bob Hope and Groucho Marx. He also admired filmmakers Ernst Lubitsch and Ingmar Bergman.

Many comedians have said Allen influenced them. These include Louis C.K., Larry David, Jon Stewart, and Chris Rock. Writers like Simon Rich and Jesse Eisenberg also look up to him.

Many filmmakers have also been influenced by Allen. These include Wes Anderson, Greta Gerwig, and Noah Baumbach. Quentin Tarantino called him "one of the greatest screenwriters of all time." Martin Scorsese said Allen's view of New York City is why he loves his work.

Directors like Spike Lee and Pedro Almodóvar also admire his films. Film critics like Roger Ebert have highly praised Allen's work.

Woody Allen's Favorite Films

In 2012, Allen shared his list of favorite films for the Sight & Sound poll. This poll asks directors to pick the greatest films of all time. His choices were:

• The 400 Blows (France, 1959)
• 8½ (Italy, 1963)
• Amarcord (Italy, 1972)
• Bicycle Thieves (Italy, 1948)
• Citizen Kane (USA, 1941)
• The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (France, 1972)
• La Grande Illusion (France, 1937)
• Paths of Glory (USA, 1957)
• Rashomon (Japan, 1950)
• The Seventh Seal (Sweden, 1957)

In his 2020 autobiography, Apropos of Nothing, Allen praised Elia Kazan's A Streetcar Named Desire (1951). He called it "total artistic perfection." He said the characters were "perfectly written" and the acting was "sensational."

Protecting Films

In 1987, Allen joined other filmmakers to speak out against "colorizing" old black-and-white films. This means adding color to films that were originally made in black and white. They argued that changing films without the director's permission was wrong. Allen said it was "mutilation of art for a few extra dollars."

Allen often made his own films in black and white, like Manhattan and Zelig.

In 1990, The Film Foundation was created to help save old or damaged films. Allen was one of the founders. He worked with other famous directors like Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg to restore films.

Filmography

Theatrical Works

Discography

• Woody Allen (Colpix Records, 1964)
• Woody Allen Vol. 2 (Colpix Records, 1965)
• The Third Woody Allen Album (Capitol Records, 1968)
• The Nightclub Years 1964–1968 (United Artists Records, 1972)
• Standup Comic (Casablanca Records, 1978)
• Wild Man Blues (RCA Victor, 1998)
• Woody With Strings (New York Jazz Records, 2005)

Awards and Honors

Woody Allen has received many awards during his long film career. He has the most Academy Award nominations for Best Original Screenplay, with 16 nominations and three wins. He won Best Director for Annie Hall. Three of his films have been nominated for Best Picture.

Allen usually avoids award ceremonies. His only appearance at the Academy Awards was in 2002. He introduced a film montage about New York City after the 9/11 attacks. Two of his films are preserved in the National Film Registry.

He has received many honors, including an Honorary Golden Palm from the Cannes Film Festival in 2002. He also received a BAFTA Fellowship in 1997 and a Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2014. In 2015, the Writers Guild of America named his screenplay for Annie Hall the funniest ever written.

In 2004, Comedy Central ranked Allen fourth on a list of the 100 greatest stand-up comedians.

Personal Life

Allen has been married three times. His first marriage was to Harlene Rosen from 1956 to 1959. His second marriage was to Louise Lasser from 1966 to 1970. Lasser appeared in some of his films, like Take the Money and Run.

Allen with Diane Keaton and Jerry Lacy in the play Play It Again, Sam

In 1968, Allen cast Diane Keaton in his Broadway show Play It Again, Sam. They became romantically involved for a year. Even after they broke up, Keaton continued to star in his films. She appeared in eight of his movies, including Sleeper and Annie Hall. Keaton and Allen remain close friends.

Allen and actress Mia Farrow began a relationship in 1980. Farrow starred in 13 of Allen's films between 1982 and 1992. They lived in separate apartments in Manhattan. Farrow had several children, some biological and some adopted.

In 1985, Farrow adopted a baby girl named Dylan Farrow. Allen took on a parental role and spent more time at Farrow's home. In 1987, Farrow gave birth to their son, Ronan Farrow. Allen also adopted Dylan and Moses Farrow in 1991.

Allen and Soon-Yi Previn in Venice

Allen married Soon-Yi Previn in Venice, Italy, on December 23, 1997. Soon-Yi was Mia Farrow's adopted daughter. They have two adopted daughters together. They live in the Carnegie Hill area of Manhattan.

Soon-Yi Previn and Allen, 2009

Works About Woody Allen

Stuart Hample wrote and drew Inside Woody Allen, a comic strip based on Allen's film characters, from 1976 to 1984.

The 1997 documentary Wild Man Blues focuses on Allen and his jazz band. Other documentaries include Woody Allen: A Life in Film (2002) and Meetin' WA (1986).

Monument to Woody Allen in Oviedo, Spain

In 2003, a life-size bronze statue of Allen was placed in Oviedo, Spain. He had visited the city to accept an award.

In 2011, the PBS series American Masters made the documentary Woody Allen: A Documentary. It included interviews with Diane Keaton, Scarlett Johansson, and Martin Scorsese.

Eric Lax wrote the book Woody Allen: A Biography. In 2015, David Evanier published Woody: The Biography.

In 2020, Allen's memoir, Apropos of Nothing, was published by Arcade.

See also

In Spanish: Woody Allen para niños