Woody Allen, born Allen Stewart Konigsberg, was born on December 1, 1935, in Brooklyn, New York, as the son of Martin Konigsberg and Nettie Cherry. He is an American director, writer, actor, and musician, widely known for writing, directing, and often starring in his own films. Among his most famous works are Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex, Annie Hall, Hannah and Her Sisters, and Everyone Says I Love You.

Woody Allen’s fascination with cinema began at the age of three, when his mother took him to see Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. From that moment on, film became a second home for him. During his childhood, his favorite film was Double Indemnity, directed by Billy Wilder. In the spring of 1952, he changed his name from Allan S. Konigsberg to Woody Allen. At just sixteen years old, he began writing jokes for several local newspapers, choosing to remain anonymous due to his shy nature.

Between 1961 and 1964, Allen performed stand-up comedy, and the success of these performances led to his first opportunities in cinema. In 1965, he wrote his first film script and appeared in What's New Pussycat?. Dissatisfied with producer-driven changes to the script, he decided not to write screenplays unless he could also direct them. After appearing as an actor in Casino Royale, he directed his first critically appreciated film, What’s Up, Tiger Lily?, in 1966. His career breakthrough came with Take the Money and Run, released in 1969, after which United Artists signed a long-term agreement with him.

Allen’s personal life has often intersected with his professional work. His first marriage began in 1954 with philosophy student Harlene Rosen and ended in 1962. He later married actress Louise Lasser in 1966, one of the stars of Bananas, though the marriage ended in divorce in 1969. In the 1970s, he was romantically involved with Diane Keaton, whom he cast in multiple projects including Annie Hall, one of the most important films of his career.

In the early 1980s, Allen began a twelve-year relationship with Mia Farrow, during which they adopted two children together. Later, his relationship with her adopted daughter Soon-Yi Previn caused major public controversy. The couple stated they never had a father-daughter relationship and married in 1997, later adopting two children.

Woody Allen disliked formal education and never completed a university degree. After struggling academically, he was dismissed from New York University. He spent nearly thirty years undergoing psychoanalysis, sometimes attending sessions up to three times a week, an experience he frequently referenced and satirized in his films. From the age of fifteen, Allen has played the clarinet daily, a habit he continues to maintain alongside his filmmaking career.

Selected Filmography

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)
Interiors (1978)
Manhattan (1979)
Stardust Memories (1980)
A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy (1982)
Zelig (1983)
Broadway Danny Rose (1984)
The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)
Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
Radio Days (1987)
Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)
Alice (1990)
Husbands and Wives (1992)
Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993)
Bullets Over Broadway (1994)
Mighty Aphrodite (1995)
Deconstructing Harry (1997)
Everyone Says I Love You (1997)
Celebrity (1998)
Sweet and Lowdown (1999)
Small Time Crooks (2000)
Hollywood Ending (2002)
Match Point (2005)

Source: Biyografiler.com