A Glimpse Into the Career of a Great Comedian

With multiple film credits and countless prestigious awards from a movie career spanning more than six decades, Woody Allen is undoubtedly a Hollywood great. But how much is the veteran Comedian worth? Read on to find out. 

Woody Allen’s net worth is as big as any when compared to the richest comedians in the world today. His successful career in the entertainment industry is a big achievement for someone with such humble beginnings.

Woody Allen was born Allen Stewart Konigsberg on December 1, 1935, in Brooklyn, New York, into a Jewish middle-class family. He also has a sister Letty who was born in 1943. 

His father, Martin, held different jobs and has worked as a salesman, taxi driver, jewellery engraver, and bartender. His mother, on the other hand, had a very quick temper and would often spank Allen as a child. 

At 17, he legally changed his name to Heywood Allen and started performing stand-up comedy while still in high school. The youngster also submitted quips to newspaper columnists. Due to the quality of his jokes, it did not take long before Allen started landing gigs as a joke writer for entertainers. 

In 1953 he enrolled at New York University, but after failing a course in motion picture, he dropped out. In 1956, started writing for television which led him to join Sid Caesar’s writing team in 1958. After a while, Allen moved to the “Garry Moore Show” and also started performing stand-up comedy at a club in Greenwich Village. 

Woody Allen’s Filmography

His work at the club allowed him to guest star on multiple television programs and comedy albums. In 1964, Allen was performing at a nightclub when he was discovered by Actress Shirley MacLaine and Producer Charles K. Feldman.

They subsequently offered him the opportunity to write the screenplay for the movie “What’s New Pussycat?” in which he also starred in 1965. A year later he made his first film, “What’s Up, Tiger Lily?” redubbing a Japanese James Bond-inspired action movie, “International Secret Police: Key of Keys.” Allen also played James Bond’s nephew in “Casino Royale” a year later. 

Allen’s “Take the Money and Run” made in 1969 co-written by Mickey Rose, earned him a three-picture contract with United Artists Corporation. In 1971 He made his first movie for United Artists titled “Bananas.”

Allen followed that with “Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask),” “Play it Again,” and “Sam” in 1972. He made “Sleeper” in 1973, and he also wrote humorous short prose pieces, many of them published in “The New Yorker” magazine. 

Woody Allen’s Big Break

The Comedian and Movie maker got his big break in 1977 when he made the movie “Annie Hall.” The film starred Actress Diane Keaton who later became romantically involved with Allen.

The movie won four Academy Awards, including Best Actress for Keaton, Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay.  In 1979 Allen paid homage to New York City with the movie “Manhattan.”

Allen spent the next decade making moderately successful movies until 1986 when his film “Hannah and Her Sisters” won him another Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. The movie also broke box office records by grossing $18 million. 

In 1987 he made “Radio Days,” which earned him another Academy Award nomination for its screenplay. In 1988 he created “Another Woman” starring Gena Rowlands, followed by “Oedipus Wrecks” in 1989. Allen completed the 80s with the movie “Crimes and Misdemeanors” in 1989. The film is also considered one of his best works in Hollywood. 

The 90s started with the movie “Alice,” which received mixed reviews, then “Scenes from a Mall” (1991) which Allen starred, and “Shadows and Fog.” Due to a host of controversies, Allen spent the 1990s producing low-budget movies like “Husband and Wives” in 1992, “Bullets Over Broadway” in 1994, “Mighty Aphrodite” in 1995, and “Sweet and Lowdown” in 1999. 

Woody Allen’s Continued Success

The new millennium brought changes to Allen’s fortunes, starting with the movie “Small Time Crooks” in 2000, then “The Curse of the Jade Scorpion” in 2001, and “Hollywood Ending” in 2002. 

In 2003 he made “Anything Else,” another lowly rated movie, followed by “Melinda and Melinda” starring Radha Mitchell in 2004. Allen’s 2005 movie “Match Point” starring Jonathan Rhys-Mayers and Scarlett Johansson, became his highest rated movie in years. He made the movie “Scoop” in 2006 and then the thriller “Cassandra’s Dream” in 2007.

2008 saw Allen return to the top with the movie “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” a romantic comedy-drama. The film starring Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz became one of Allen’s most commercially successful movies grossing nearly $100 million. 

The veteran director made the movie “Whatever Works” in 2009 and then”You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger” In 2010. Also in 2010, the movie “Midnight In Paris,” became the biggest commercially successful project in his career up till that moment. 

The movie, which starred Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams, earned Allen his first Academy Award nomination for best director in 25 years. However, he won the award for best screenplay. He made “To Rome With Love” in 2012, and then “Blue Jasmine” in 2013, which earned him another Academy Award nomination for best original screenplay. 

He appeared in the comedy movie “Fading Gigolo” in 2013 before directing the film “Magic in The Moonlight” in 2014. Allen was also awarded the Cecil B. DeMille Award, which is a Golden Globe for lifetime achievement, in 2014. “Irrational Man,” starring Joaquin Phoenix, followed in 2015, and then “Café Society” in 2016. He also wrote, directed, and starred in the Amazon series “Crisis in Six Scenes” and “Wonder Wheel” in 2017. 

In 2019 he made “A Rainy Day in New York” starring Timothée Chalamet and Ella Fanning. But the movie was not get released in the United States due to the revived sexual allegations against Allen. 

Woody Allen’s Net Worth

Despite the controversies that dominated some parts of Woody Allen’s career, the comedian has enjoyed a very successful career spanning more than six decades.

With a host of movie credits and prestigious awards to his name, the veteran Hollywood star also enjoyed praise and admiration from his colleagues. As of 2012, 15 different actors had won Academy Awards nominations just by working with him. 

According to Wealthy Gorilla, as of 2022, Woody Allen’s net worth sits at a modest $140 million. Woody Allen’s net worth is quite remarkable and acts as a testament to how successful he is.

Woody Allen’s Sexual Scandal

Allen’s career first suffered a setback during the 90s when the veteran filmmaker was accused by his former partner Mia Farrow of molesting their adopted daughter Dylan Farrow.

In 1992, the seven-year-old informed her mother that Allen had molested her at Mia’s Connecticut, an accusation vehemently denied by the filmmaker. Allen claimed Mia was influencing Dylan to lie against.

He subsequently filed a lawsuit against his former partner to gain custody of their three children Moses, Dylan, who they adopted, and Ronan, their biological child. During the custody battle, the filmmaker revealed that he had doctors examine Dylan, and the result cleared his name. Still, Mia’s lawyer refuted the claim by disclosing the results were inaccurate.

Also, around this time, Allen had started a romantic relationship with Soon-Yi Previn, Mia’s daughter from a previous marriage.  In June 1993, a judge granted Mia the full custody of the three children. 

The sexual allegations had been forgotten until HBO released a four-part documentary serie to investigate the allegations in 2021. Allen denied the allegations again and called them preposterous, maintaining his claim that he was innocent. 

Woody Allen’s Current and Future Projects 

“Rifkin’s Festival” is the latest movie written and directed by Woody Allen. The film was recently released in Argentina on 20th January 2022. 

Speaking to reporters about the movie Allen claimed he wished Cinema movies would go back to how they used to be when he was young. He also explained that he had a younger protagonist in mind while writing “Rifkin’s Festival.” Still, He ultimately had to rewrite the movie to fit Wally Shawn, who played the protagonist. 

The veteran Comedian also disclosed he had finished two other projects: a movie and a book. However, Allen revealed he would only shoot the film when he and his team felt comfortable about shooting it.

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