Zelig (1983)

Director:

Woody Allen

Writer:

Woody Allen (written by)

Release Date:

15 July 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy

Plot:

"Documentary" about a man who can look and act like whoever he's around, and meets various famous people.

Plot Keywords:

1920s | Chameleon | Moby Dick | Song | Disappearance

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Woody Allen	...	Leonard Zelig
Mia Farrow	...	Dr. Eudora Nesbitt Fletcher
Patrick Horgan	...	The Narrator (voice)
John Buckwalter	...	Dr. Sindell
Marvin Chatinover	...	Glandular Diagnosis Doctor
Stanley Swerdlow	...	Mexican Food Doctor
Paul Nevens	...	Dr. Birsky
Howard Erskine	...	Hypodermic Doctor
George Hamlin	...	Experimental Drugs Doctor
Ralph Bell	...	Other Doctor
Richard Whiting	...	Other Doctor
Will Hussong	...	Other Doctor
Robert Iglesia	...	Man in Barber Chair
Eli Resnick	...	Man in Park
Edward McPhillips	...	Scotsman
Gale Hansen	...	Freshman #1
Michael Jeter	...	Freshman #2 (as Michael Jeeter)
Peter McRobbie	...	Workers Rally Speaker
Sol Lomita	...	Martin Geist
Mary Louise Wilson	...	Sister Ruth
Alice Beardsley	...	Telephone Operator
Paula Trueman	...	Woman on Telephone
Ed Lane	...	Man on Telephone
Marianne Tatum	...	Actress Fletcher
Charles Denny	...	Actor Doctor (as Charles Denney)
Michael Kell	...	Actor Koslow
Garrett M. Brown	...	Actor Zelig (as Garrett Brown)
Sharon Ferrol-Young	...	Miss Baker (as Sharon Ferrol)
Richard Litt	...	Charles Koslow
Dimitri Vassilopoulos	...	Martinez
John Rothman	...	Paul Deghuee
Stephanie Farrow	...	Meryl Fletcher
Francis Beggins	...	City Hall Speaker
Jean Trowbridge	...	Dr. Fletcher's Mother
Ken Chapin	...	On-Camera Interviewer
Gerald Klein	...	Hearst Guest
Vincent Jerosa	...	Hearst Guest
Deborah Rush	...	Lita Fox
Stanley Simmonds	...	Lita's Lawyer
Robert Berger	...	Zelig's Lawyer
Jeanine Jackson	...	Helen Gray
Erma Campbell	...	Zelig's Wife
Anton Marco	...	Wrist Victim
Louise Deitch	...	House-Painting Victim
Bernice Dowis	...	Vilification Woman
John Doumanian	...	Greek Waiter
Will Holt	...	Rally Chancellor
Bernie Herold	...	Carter Dean
Susan Sontag	...	Herself - Contemporary Interviews
Irving Howe	...	Himself - Contemporary Interviews
Saul Bellow	...	Himself - Contemporary Interviews
Bricktop	...	Herself - Contemporary Interviews
Bruno Bettelheim	...	Himself - Contemporary Interviews (as Dr. Bruno Bettelheim)
John Morton Blum	...	Himself - Contemporary Interviews (as Professor John Morton Blum)
Marshall Coles Sr.	...	Calvin Turner - Contemporary Interviews
Ellen Garrison	...	Older Dr. Fletcher - Contemporary Interviews
Jack Cannon	...	Mike Geibell - Contemporary Interviews
Theodore R. Smits	...	Ted Bierbauer - Contemporary Interviews
Sherman Loud	...	Older Paul Deghuee - Contemporary Interviews
Elizabeth Rothschild	...	Older Sister Meryl Fletcher - Contemporary Interviews
Kuno Sponholz	...	Oswald Pohl - Contemporary Interviews (as Kuno Spunholz)
Ed Herlihy	...	Pathe News Announcer (voice)
Dwight Weist	...	Hearst Metrotone Announcer (voice)
Gordon Gould	...	Radio Announcer (voice)
Wendell Craig	...	Universal Newsreel Announcer (voice) (as Windy Craig)
Jurgen Kuehn	...	German U.F.A. Newsreel Announcer (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Max Amann	...	Himself (with Hitler and Streicher) (archive footage) (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Josephine Baker	...	Herself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Michael Blevins	...	Lizard Dancer (uncredited)
Fanny Brice	...	Herself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Wilhelm Brückner	...	Himself - Walking Behind Hitler (archive footage) (uncredited)
Al Capone	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Charles Chaplin	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Calvin Coolidge	...	Himself - Pinning Medal (archive footage) (uncredited)
Marion Davies	...	Herself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Dolores del Rio	...	Herself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Sepp Dietrich	...	Himself - with Hitler and Streicher (archive footage) (uncredited)
Joe DiMaggio	...	Himself - Playing Baseball (archive footage) (uncredited)
Marie Dressler	...	Herself (archive footage) (uncredited)
F. Scott Fitzgerald	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Lou Gehrig	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Josef Goebbels	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Hermann Göring	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Harold 'Red' Grange	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
William Randolph Hearst	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Rudolf Hess	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Adolf Hitler	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Willy Holt	...	A Chancellor (uncredited)
Elizabeth Kaitan	...	German Girl (uncredited)
Robert Ley	...	Himself - with Goebbels (archive footage) (uncredited)
Charles A. Lindbergh	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Carole Lombard	...	Herself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Adolphe Menjou	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Tom Mix	...	Himself - At San Simeon (archive footage) (uncredited)
Franz Pfeffer von Salomon	...	Himself with Hitler and Streicher (archive footage) (uncredited)
Billy Rose	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Babe Ruth	...	Himself - Swinging Bat (archive footage) (uncredited)
Julius Schaub	...	Himself - Walking Behind Hitler (archive footage) (uncredited)
Gregor Strasser	...	Himself - with Back to Hitler (archive footage) (uncredited)
Julius Streicher	...	Himself - with Hitler and Hess (archive footage) (uncredited)
Kim Johnston Ulrich	...	Beauty Contestant (uncredited)
Franz von Epp	...	Himself - with Goebbels and Ley (archive footage) (uncredited)
Jimmy Walker	...	Himself - Mayor of New York (archive footage) (uncredited)
Claire Windsor	...	Herself (archive footage) (uncredited)

Directed by
Woody Allen

Writing credits
Woody Allen		(written by)

Produced by
Robert Greenhut	....	producer
Charles H. Joffe	....	executive producer
Michael Peyser	....	associate producer
Jack Rollins	....	executive producer (as A Jack Rollins and Charles H. Joffe Production)

Original Music by
Dick Hyman		(music composed by)

Cinematography by
Gordon Willis

Film Editing by
Susan E. Morse

Casting by
Juliet Taylor

Production Design by
Mel Bourne

Art Direction by
Speed Hopkins

Set Decoration by
Leslie Bloom		(as Les Bloom)
Janet Rosenbloom

Costume Design by
Santo Loquasto

Makeup Department
Fern Buchner	....	makeup designer
John Caglione Jr.	....	special makeup (as John Caglione)
Romaine Greene	....	hair designer
Werner Sherer	....	hair stylist (as Werner Scherer)

Production Management
Michael Peyser	....	production manager
Ezra Swerdlow	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Frederic B. Blankfein	....	first assistant director
James Chory	....	additional second assistant director
James Chory	....	dga trainee
Tony Gittelson	....	second assistant director (as Anthony Gittleson)
Thomas A. Reilly	....	additional first assistant director (as Thomas Reilly)
Duncan Scott	....	additional second assistant director

Art Department
Joseph Badalucco Jr.	....	chief set dresser
Joan Lopate	....	art department coordinator
James Mazzola	....	property master
Michael Molly	....	associate art director
Arne Olsen	....	construction grip
Cosmo Sorice	....	stand-by scenic artist
James Sorice	....	master scenic artist
Kenneth Vogt	....	property man
Anthony Zappia	....	shop craftsman (as Tony Zappia)
Susan Kaufman	....	assistant to designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Debra Bard	....	assistant sound editor
Randall Coleman	....	assistant sound editor
Marjorie Deutsch	....	sound editor
Rick Dior	....	re-recording mixer: Trans/Audio Inc. (as Richard Dior)
Frank Graziadei	....	sound recordist
Harry Peck Bolles	....	assistant sound editor (as Harry Boles)
Suzanne Pillsbury	....	assistant sound editor
Janet Lund Robbins	....	apprentice sound editor (as Janet Lund)
Gina Roose	....	assistant sound editor
Fred Rosenberg	....	assistant sound editor
James Sabat	....	production sound mixer
Louis Sabat	....	boom man
Dan Sable	....	supervising sound editor
Lynn Sable	....	apprentice sound editor
Jeffrey Stern	....	assistant sound editor
Roy B. Yokelson	....	period sound recreator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
David J. Schweitzer	....	special effects consultant (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Bill Hansard	....	rear process photography
Joel Hynek	....	optical effects: R/Greenberg Associates (as Joel Hyneck)
Steven Plastrik	....	stills animation: Computer Opticals, Inc.
Stuart Robertson	....	optical effects: R/Greenberg Associates
Karen Siegel Engel	....	newsreel artcards: Computer Opticals, Inc.
Stuart Robertson	....	visual effects co-supervisor (uncredited)

Stunts
Pam Barber	....	stunt double: Fletcher
Cole Palen	....	stunt double: Zelig

Camera and Electrical Department
Ronald Burke	....	set grip
Robert Connors	....	best boy (as Bob Conners)
Brian Hamill	....	unit photographer
Douglas C. Hart	....	assistant cameraman
Kerry Hayes	....	still photographer
Kerry Hayes	....	unit photographer
Dick Mingalone	....	camera operator
Robert Paone	....	second assistant cameraman (as Bob Paone)
Ray Quinlan	....	gaffer
Robert Ward	....	key grip (as Bob Ward)

Casting Department
Paula Herold	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lyn Carroll	....	costume assistant
Bill Christians	....	wardrobe supervisor: men
Lancey Saunders Clough	....	wardrobe supervisor: women
Richard Hornung	....	costume assistant
Jeffrey Kurland	....	associate costume designer
Tom McKinley	....	costume assistant
Mark Burchard	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Pamela Scott Arnold	....	assistant editor: stills and duping coordinator (as Pamela S. Arnold)
John Guidone	....	negative cutter: J.G. Films
Eugenia Morrison	....	negative cutter: J.G. Films
Richard Nord	....	assistant editor: optical and sound coordinator
Christine P. Williams	....	assistant editor: stock footage coordinator
Kris Cole	....	apprentice editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Dick Hyman	....	music adapted by
Roy B. Yokelson	....	music recording engineer
Vince Giordano	....	musician (uncredited)
Walt Levinsky	....	music recording supervisor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
James Fanning	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Ken Bernstein	....	production assistant
Timothy M. Bourne	....	location coordinator (as Timothy Marshall Bourne)
Dell Byrne	....	stock researcher
Kay Chapin	....	script supervisor
Danny Daniels	....	choreographer
James A. Davis	....	production assistant
Karen Dean	....	photo researcher
Don Donigi	....	film laboratory supervisor: Du Art Film Laboratories Inc.
David Epstein	....	assistant location auditor
Jeff Goodman	....	stock researcher
James Greenhut	....	studio manager
Joseph Hartwick	....	location auditor
Cheryl Hill	....	location scout
Charles Kaufman	....	production assistant
Judith Lamb	....	photo researcher
Mary Lance	....	stock researcher
Peter Lombardi	....	assistant location auditor
Kati Meister	....	stock researcher (as Katie Meister)
Philip Moore	....	retouching strip printer
Charles Musser	....	stock researcher (as Charlie Musser)
Carol Nast	....	location scout
Gloria Norris	....	assistant: Mr. Allen
Joseph Pierson	....	production assistant
Helen Robin	....	production coordinator
Susan Rollins	....	location scout
Ken Rothstein	....	location scout
Gail Sicilia	....	creative coordinator
Gail Sicilia	....	unit publicist
Todd M. Thaler	....	assistant production coordinator (as Todd Michael Thaler)
Carl Turnquest Jr.	....	projectionist (as Carl Turnquest)
Dennis Kear	....	stand-in: Woody Allen (uncredited)

Thanks
John E. Allen	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank for their assistance
Harold Axe	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank for their assistance (as Harold Axe M.D.)
Nancy Casey	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank for their assistance
Bernard Chertok	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank for their assistance
William K. Everson	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank for their assistance (as William Everson)
Ralph Friedman	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank for their assistance
Rich Herzog	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank for their assistance
Dan Jones	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank for their assistance
Paul Killiam	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank for their assistance
Laura Kreiss	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank for their assistance
Adele Lerner	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank for their assistance
Walt Levinsky	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank for their assistance (as Walter Levinsky)
Joe Mallon	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank for their assistance
Bill Murphy	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank for their assistance
Ken Murray	....	special thanks: "Golden Days of San Simeon" footage now appearing at the Hearst Castle in California
Robert Paquette	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank for their assistance
Richard Plagge	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank for their assistance
Harold Potter	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank for their assistance
John Rogers	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank for their assistance
Andrea Sheen	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank for their assistance
Bob Summers	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank for their assistance
Ted Troll	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank for their assistance
Irwin Young	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank for their assistance

Production Companies

• Orion Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Orion Pictures Corporation (1983) (USA) (theatrical) (presents)
• Warner Bros. Pictures (1983) (USA) (theatrical) (presents)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)

Special Effects

• Computer Opticals (newsreel artcards)
• Computer Opticals (stills animation)
• R/Greenberg Associates (optical effects)

Other Companies

• 92nd Street YM-YWHA Archives  still photographs courtesy of
• AON/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services  insurance (as Albert G, Ruben Insurance Co., Inc)
• Bernstein and Freedman P.C.  production accountants
• Bettman Archives  still photographs courtesy of (as The Bettman Archive)
• Cinema Services  thanks (as Cinema Services Inc.)
• Culver Pictures  still photographs courtesy of
• Davlin Gallery - New York  thanks
• Eoin Sprott Studio  special props
• FPG Photoworld  still photographs courtesy of (as Photoworld)
• General Camera Corporation  thanks
• Harry Fox Agency, The  thanks
• Hastings Sound Editorial  sound effects
• Hearst Metrotone News Library  stock footage courtesy of
• Helen Uffner Vintage Clothing  vintage clothing (costume rentals) (uncredited)
• J.G. Films  negative cutting
• John E. Allen Inc.  stock footage courtesy of
• Kaufman Astoria Studios  thanks (as Kaufman Astoria Studio, Astoria, New York)
• Killiam Shows  thanks
• Library of Congress  stock footage
• Magno Sound and Video  thanks (as Magno Sound and Video Center, Inc.)
• Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting, The  thanks (as Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting)
• Medical Center Archives of New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell  stock footage courtesy of (as Medical Archives of the New York Hospital/Cornell Medical Center)
• Museum of Modern Art Film Stills Archive  thanks
• Museum of the City of New York  thanks
• National Library of Medicine  thanks (as National Medical Audio Visual Center of the National Library of Medicine)
• National Recording Studios  music recording
• Navarro-Bertoni Casting  extras casting (as Navarro Bertoni Casting)
• New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission  thanks
• New York Daily News Photo Archive  thanks
• Olde Rhinebeck Aerodrome  thanks: Vintage Aircraft courtesy of (as Old Rhinebeck Aerodrone)
• Optical House, The  titles
• RCA Records Photo Archive  thanks
• Religious News Service  thanks
• Sherman Grinberg Film Libraries  stock footage courtesy of
• The National Film Archives  stock footage courtesy of (as National Film Archive)
• Trans / Audio  re-recording mixer
• Transit Film-Gesellschaft  stock footage courtesy of
• Twentieth Century-Fox Movietone News  stock footage courtesy of (as 20th Century Fox/Movietone News)
• United Press International (UPI)  still photographs courtesy of
• Warner / Chappell Music  thanks (as Chappell Music, Inc.)
• Warner Bros. Music  thanks
• Wide World Photos  still photographs courtesy of
• Yiddish Theatre Collection  thanks
• Yivo Institute for Jewish Research  still photographs courtesy of

Also Known As:

Identity Crisis and Its Relationship to Personality Disorder (USA) (working title)
The Cat's Pyjamas (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

79 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Germany:12 | Iceland:L | Netherlands:AL | Brazil:Livre | USA:Approved (PCA #27066) | Argentina:13 | Finland:S | France:U | Norway:12 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:Btl | UK:PG | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Alpine, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Orion Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

In 2007, Italian psychologists discovered a rare form of brain damage which affects its victims much like Zelig's condition (without, of course, the accompanying physical transformations). Researcher Giovannina Conchiglia and associates have proposed the name "Zelig-like Syndrome" for the disorder, because of the parallels to the film.

Quotes:

The Narrator: That Zelig could be responsible for the behavior of each of the personalities he assumed means dozens of lawsuits. He is sued for bigamy, adultery, automobile accidents, plagiarism, household damages, negligence, property damages, and performing unnecessary dental extractions.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Just Shoot Me!: My Dinner with Woody (#2.6)" (1997)

Soundtrack:

Charleston

Amazing concept, diminishing laughs

Zelig (1983)

Amazing concept, diminishing laughs

When this starts, it's astonishing, and funny, and inventive. And very very well done. Starting with Susan Sontag, the real Sontag, is a leap of reality that seems like it'll carry the whole 79 minutes. And there are truly moments that show up throughout that are good for a gasp or a laugh, the Hitler scene for one.

But the concept is the key, and to some extent it's been done before, at least in stills. And once you get it, which might take three minutes or might take ten, you've got it, and it depends more on acting or cleverness from then on. And for me it falters too often to really make it worthwhile (Mia Farrow is really a bore throughout, and even Allen is sometimes straining). I have to say, the first time I saw it I didn't get as tired of it, so if it's the first time you might be thrilled. And if you've seen the 1994 Forrest Gump (and liked it), you owe it to yourself to see Zelig for being first, and in my small view, better, technically.

Because technically this is a complete marvel. The original footage is as authentically 1920s and 30s as anything authentic (an odd post modern truth), and the newly composed music and dance numbers are really fabulous, and funny. The team Allen has during all his films this period (many of them my favorites) is none other than Gordon Willis behind the camera, Susan Morse editing, Juliet Taylor casting, and Santo Loquasto costumes. The music by Allen veteran Dick Hyman, who is now more famous for his ragtime renditions, is key, of course, and really convincing (sometimes convincingly bad, very period).

So whatever my reservations, this is in many ways a fresh, unique, brilliant film, a small one with big brief moments.