Woody Allen was born on December 1, 1935, as Allen Konigsberg, in Brooklyn, New York. At the age of 15, he started selling one-liners to gossip columns. After working a while as a stand up comedian, he was hired to write What's New, Pussycat in 1965. He directed his first film a year later, What's Up, Tiger Lily? in 1966.


What's Up, Tiger Lily? (1966): $66,000

Dated Diane Keaton. Ranked #43 in Empire (UK) magazine's Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time list (October 1997). Speaks French. He and former lover Mia Farrow had three children: Moses Farrow (adopted son, aka Misha), Dylan O'Sullivan Farrow (adopted daughter, aka Mallone), and Satchel Farrow (biological son, b. 1988, aka Ronan). He loves Venice, and helped to raise funds to rebuild the Venetian theater La Fenice, which was destroyed by a fire. Adopted his second daughter Manzie Tio Allen, named after Manzie Johnson, a drummer with Sidney Bechet's band, after she had been born in Texas. (February 2000). Was once invited to appear with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Stanley Kubrick also considered casting him in Sydney Pollack's part in Eyes Wide Shut (1999). One of the most prolific American directors of his generation, he has written, directed, and more often than not starred in a film just about every year since 1969. Born at 10:55 PM EST. Made what was apparently his first and probably his last appearance at the Oscars in Hollywood to make a plea for producers to continue filming their movies in New York after the 9/11 tragedy (2002). Attended the Cannes Film Festival for the first time to receive the Palm of Palms award for lifetime achievement (2002). After completing his first musical, Everyone Says I Love You (1996), he stated that he'd like to do another in the future with an all-original score. Since making that statement, however, nothing has yet to materialize. Some sources have incorrectly referred to his formal professional name as Woodrow. In his stand-up days, he referred to himself as Heywood. Son of bookkeeper Martin Konigsberg (December 25, 1900-January 13, 2001) and his wife Nettie Konigsberg (November 8, 1906-January 27, 2002). Was voted the 19th greatest director of all time by Entertainment Weekly. Biography in: John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume Two, 1945-1985." Pages 20-29. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1988. Directed Carrie Fisher in Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) and Natalie Portman in Everyone Says I Love You (1996). This makes him the only director other than George Lucas who has worked with both actresses. Biological son, Ronan Farrow, graduated from college at 15 and was accepted into Yale Law School. Longtime fan and season ticket holder of the NBA's New York Knicks. Directed 15 different actors in Oscar-nominated performances: 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, Penélope Cruz, and himself. Keaton, Caine, Wiest, Sorvino, and Cruz won Oscars for their performances in one of his movies. Ranked #10 in Empire (UK) magazine's Greatest Directors Ever! poll (2005). He and Diane Keaton made 8 movies together: Annie Hall (1977), Love and Death (1975), Manhattan (1979), Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993), Radio Days (1987), Play It Again, Sam (1972), Interiors (1978) and Sleeper (1973). According to Mia Farrow's biography, "What Falls Away", Frank Sinatra offered to have Allen's legs broken when he was found to be having an affair with her adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn. Does not allow his films to be edited for airlines and television broadcasts. Got hooked on movies when he was three years old, when his mother took him him to see Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). From that day, he said, theaters became his second home. Five of his movies brought home his actresses Academy Awards: Annie Hall (1977) for Diane Keaton, Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) and Bullets Over Broadway (1994) both for Dianne Wiest, Mighty Aphrodite (1995) for Mira Sorvino and Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) for Penélope Cruz. Wrote What's Up, Tiger Lily? (1966), Take the Money and Run (1969) and Bananas (1971) with his childhood friend and first writing partner, Mickey Rose. Rose also co-wrote on all of Allen's earlier comedy albums and had a big hand in writing the famous "Moose" sketch. Distant cousin of Abe Burrows. Was originally attached to co-star with Jim Carrey in the Farrelly Brothers comedy Stuck on You (2003), but decided to pass on the idea. Is a vegetarian. His variety of neuroses include: arachnophobia (spiders), entomophobia (insects), heliophobia (sunshine), cynophobia (dogs), altophobia (heights), demophobia (crowds), carcinophobia (cancer), thanatophobia (death), misophobia (germs). He admits to being terrified of hotel bathrooms. After dropping out from New York University where he studied communication and film, he attended City College of New York. A life-size statue of him was erected in the Spanish city of Oviedo (2002). According to Eric Lax's book Woody Allen's favorite films are (in order): Match Point (2005), The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985), Stardust Memories (1980), Broadway Danny Rose (1984), and Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993). Although he was granted visitation rights for his son Ronan after a custody battle with Mia Farrow, their relationship is estranged (similar to his other children with Farrow, Moses and Dylan O'Sullivan Farrow). Ronan stated that he thinks that he cannot have a morally consistent relationship with a man who is his father and his brother-in-law. Manages his one film per year schedule by setting strict budgets. Actors large and small receive the same salary. He directed, wrote and starred in five of the American Film Institute's 100 Funniest Movies: Annie Hall (1977) at #4, Manhattan (1979) at #46, Take the Money and Run (1969) at #66, Bananas (1971) at #69 and Sleeper (1973) at #80.