New York's finest
His large body of work and highly distinctive style can be seen on stage, screen and in books, drawing heavily on many influences, including literature, philosophy, European cinema and most importantly, New York City, where he was born and has lived all his life. Indeed, his onscreen persona is the quintessential New York Jewish intellectual: neurotic and self-absorbed, cosmopolitan yet insecure, with a self-deprecating sense of humour. In a 2005 poll The Comedian's Comedian, Allen was voted the third greatest comedy act ever by fellow comedians and comedy insiders.

The Red Entertainer
Allen was born on December 1, 1935 as Allen Stewart Königsberg in the Bronx, New York and into a Jewish family. He attended a Hebrew school in Flatbush for eight years, before going to Public School 99 and then to Midwood High, where 'Red' - as he was nicknamed because of his hair - impressed students with his extraordinary talent at cards and magic tricks. To raise money, he began writing gags for the agent David O. Alber, who sold them to newspaper columnists. At sixteen, he started writing for show stars like Sid Caesar and began calling himself Woody Allen. Even at this early stage, he was already a gifted comedian; he would later joke that when he was young he was often sent to inter-faith summer camps, in which he "was savagely beaten by children of all races and creeds".

Woody in the 60s: the king of stand up
In 1960 Allen took to the stage as a stand-up comedian, which remains some of his best ever work - just listen to 'The Moose' for an excellent example of Allen's brilliant comic routines. Together with his managers he turned his weaknesses into his strengths and developed the neurotic, nervous, and shy figure that was to forever define him in his later movies. He soon became an immensely popular comedian and appeared frequently in nightclubs and on television. His first major film was What's New, Pussycat? in 1965, for which he wrote the screenplay, but it was a rather horrid experience for Allen as the studio never showed much respect for his script, altering the film to the point where it bore little resemblance to Allen's original vision. In 1967 he also appeared in the first ever James Bond film, Casino Royale, which proved to be a major flop. To properly realise his comic talent on screen, Woody was going to have to completely take the reins.

Woody in the 70s: the existential clown
Although Allen's directorial debut came in 1966 with What's Up, Tiger Lily?, this merely involved redubbing an already existing Japanese film. His first conventional directing effort was Take The Money and Run in 1969. Throughout the seventies Allen scored a run of hits that Bananas, Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sex, Sleeper, and Love and Death. All of Allen's early films are pure comedies, relying heavily on slapstick, inventive sight gags, and non-stop one-liners. Among the many notable influences on these films are Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Bob Hope and The Marx Brothers. It was 1977's Annie Hall that moved Allen into the big league: a modern classic, the film revealed a more sophisticated sense of humour and thoughtful drama, as well as setting the standard for modern romantic comedy. Beating off the likes of Star Wars, Annie Hall won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress, although that night Allen didn't attend the ceremony! The film marked the start of a ten-year period when Allen's films were the most successful and in 2004 the film came fourth in the American Film Institute's poll of the Top 100 comedies ever made.

Woody in the 80s: the sombre philosopher
Following Annie Hall, critical and financial success was assured. In 1979 Manhattan is perhaps his most beautiful film to date and won the César Award for Best Foreign Film. He won the same award for The Purple Rose of Cairo in 1985, which is said to be Allen's personal favourite. In 1986 Hannah and Her Sisters won three Academy Awards. However, as Allen moved into the 80's, most of his films - even the comedies - have sombre and philosophical undertones. Many of these films have also often said to have been heavily influenced by the works of European directors, most notably Ingmar Bergman and Federico Fellini. Good examples of these darker films include Crimes and Misdemeanours, September and in particular Stardust Memories. This film featured the main character, played by Allen, expressing resentment and scorn for his fans; overcome by the recent death of a friend from illness, he states, "I don't want to make funny movies any more."

Woody in the 90s: the controversial figure
In 1992, Allen's films took a back seat in the eyes of the public when his personal life took centre stage. He left his long-term partner Mia Farrow after she discovered his secret affair with her adopted daughter Soon-Yi Previn. Farrow accused him of being a paedophile, since Previn is 35 years his junior, and he was charged with abusing their seven-year-old daughter Dylan, but this was later dismissed. Eerily, these events echoed the plotline of his film released at the time, Husbands and Wives: Woody and Mia play a couple whose decade-long relationship is falling apart, with Woody's character becoming attracted to one of his 20-year-old students. Farrow discusses the events in What Falls Away: A Memoir. The controvery eventually died down and Allen and Previn married in 1997. Later still they adopted two daughters, naming them Bechet and Manzie Tio, after jazz musicians Sidney Bechet and Manzie Johnson.

Woody today: European favourite
On average, Woody Allen continues to produce one film a year, although his films tend to be more popular in Europe, particularly France- a country where he has a large fan base; in fact, he himself has said that he "survives" on the European market. That said, Allen remains widely respected and admired as a major filmmaker throughout the world and he attracts diverse and talented actors including Julia Roberts, Sean Penn, Michael Caine, Anjelica Houston, Alan Alda, Helen Hunt, Christina Ricci and Chloë Sevigny. He still continues to write roles for the neurotic persona he created in the 1960s and 1970s, but as Allen gets older, the roles have been filled by actors, such as John Cusack, Kenneth Branagh and more recently Jason Biggs and Will Ferrell. Allen's second love is Jazz and he is a talented clarinettist who has been performing publicly since the late 1960s. He makes regular New York appearances with his New Orleans Jazz Band. The documentary film Wild Man Blues documents a 1996 European tour by Allen and band, as well as his relationship with Soon Yi. In the last two years Allen has revealed a love for good old Blighty and made his latest film Match Point in London, starring Scarlett Johansson.

Did you know?

Once released, Woody refuses to watch any of his movies.

In 1995 he was chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history. Ok, admittedly he came in at no. 89!

He has more Academy Award nominations (thirteen) for writing than anyone else.

In 2002 he 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.

According to Mia Farrow's biography, Frank Sinatra offered to have Allen's legs broken when he was found to be having an affair with Soon-Yi Previn.