Heywood "Woody" Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; December 1, 1935) is an American director, writer, actor,comedian, playwright, and musician whose career spans more than six decades.

Allen is a passionate fan of jazz, featured prominently in the soundtracks to his films. He began playing the clarinet as a child and took his stage name from clarinetist Woody Herman. He has performed publicly at least since the late 1960's, notably with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band on the soundtrack of "Sleeper". One of his earliest televised performances was on "The Dick Cavett Show" on October 20, 1971.

Woody Allen and his New Orleans Jazz Band have been playing each Monday evening at Manhattan's Carlyle Hotel for many years (as of 2011, specializing in classic New Orleans jazz from the early twentieth century). The documentary film "Wild Man Blues" (directed by Barbara Kopple) documents a 1996 European tour by Allen and his band. The band has released two CDs: "The Bunk Project" (1993) and the soundtrack of "Wild Man Blues"(1997).

Allen has described himself as being a "militant Freudian atheist". Allen has had three wives: Harlene Rosen (1956–1959), Louise Lasser (1966–1970) and Soon-Yi Previn (1997–present). Though he had a 12-year on and off romantic relationship with actress Mia Farrow, the two never married. Allen also had long-term romantic relationships with Stacey Nelkin and Diane Keaton.

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