Harlene Rosen: Meet Woody Allen's First Wife

Harlene Rosen rose to prominence as the ex-wife of Woody Allen. Born Allan Stewart Konigsberg, Woody Allen is an American filmmaker, actor, and comedian whose career spans over six decades.

Harlene’s ex-husband, Woody Allen, has received many accolades for his work in the entertainment industry. He has won four Academy Awards, ten BAFTA Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Grammy Award. 

In addition, two of his films have been inducted into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.” Thanks to her ex-husband’s fame and his sexual abuse cases, Harlene Rosen has gained the media’s attention.

Fans are curious about what the famous actor’s first wife has been up to and who she is. Here’s everything we know.

Harlene Rosen Biography 

According to reports, Harlene Rosen was born to her parents, Julius and Judith Rosen, in the United States of America in 1939. However, her exact date of birth is unknown, as there isn’t much information about her early life and family background. Hence, it is unknown if she has siblings or grew up with any, as she hasn’t revealed much about her upbringing. 

However, Harlene Rosen is said to have worked in a jazz band before she crossed paths with the famous actor. Aside from these, there are no details about the former celebrity spouse’s life before she became Woody Allen’s wife. 

When Did Harlene Rosen and Woody Allen Tie the Knot?

Woody Allen married his first wife, Harlene Rosen, for reasons that had little, if anything, to do with love. He married Harlene, who was Jewish because he wanted sexual intimacy and to leave his parents’ house. The two were young and had common interests, but their marriage was tumultuous and short. Still, Harlene Rosen remembered it fondly. 

Although reports vary, Allen married Rosen when he was about 19 or 20, and she was 16 or 17. The famous actor pressured Rosen into marriage, and she eventually agreed. The love birds tied the knot on March 15, 1956, at the Hollywood Hawaiian Hotel in Los Angeles. Although a rabbi officiated their union, it was off to a rocky start. 

Although Allen eventually got what he wanted, things didn’t take long to fall by the wayside. Despite their rocky union, Allen and Rosen had some common ground. When she began studying in college, one of her subjects was Philosophy. Hence, she introduced Allen to the discipline, sharing her reading material, which he enjoyed thoroughly.

When Did Woody Allen Divorce His First Wife?

Rosen and Allen’s marriage lasted three years, which means they separated sometime in 1959. However, they finalized their divorce in 1962. After their divorce, much of Allen’s comedic material featured unkind jokes about Rosen, which he performed at nightclubs and on TV. Most infamously, he called her a “Quasimodo.” 

Consequently, Woody Allen’s first wife, Harlene Rosen, sued him and NBC in 1967, and a judge issued a temporary cease and desist order against him and one of the network’s hosts. However, they later settled the matter in 1970.

In addition, after it became public that someone sexually assaulted Harlene Rosen outside her apartment, in an interview, Allen said: “Knowing my ex-wife, it probably wasn’t a moving violation.” Afterward, in an interview on “The Dick Cavett Show,” Woody Allen repeated his comments and revealed that Rosen had sued him for “$1 million.”

Did Harlene Rosen Ever Remarry?

No, she did not. After separating from Allen, Harlene Rosen lived a quiet life away from the spotlight, and there are no details on whether she remarried. Hence, reports suggest she remains single.

However, after their divorce, the famous actor and comedian married Louise Lasser. Although Allen and Lasser divorced in 1970, she revealed in a 2013 interview that they were still on speaking terms. 

Afterward, Allen married Soon-Yi Previn in 1997. However, given the significant age difference, the latter union raised many eyebrows. In addition, the marriage led to more controversy as Previn was the adopted daughter of Allen’s former partner, Mia Farrow. Since Previn is his stepdaughter, their marriage shocked fans.

How Many Children Does Woody Allen’s First Wife Have?

Harlene Rosen has no children from her marriage to the famous Hollywood actor. However, Woody Allen has five children from his other relationships. Harlene Rosen’s ex-husband has three children, Dylan, Ronan, and Moses Farrow, from his relationship with Mia Farrow. In addition, he has two children, Bechet Dumaine Allen, and Manzie Tio Allen, from his marriage to Soon-Yi Previn. 

Although Dylan Farrow, whom Mia and Allen welcomed via adoption, previously accused Allen of sexually abusing her as a child, Allen denied the allegations. In an interview with Variety, Allen said the claims have “no merit.” However, in a 2021 interview with Elle, Dylan revealed that she doesn’t feel like she has a father.

Where Is Harlene Rosen Today?

Like Daniel Craig’s first wife, Fiona Loudon, Harlene Rosen has stayed out of the limelight since her marriage to Woody Allen ended in 1962. Although she hasn’t made any public appearances, reports suggest she lives somewhere in the United States.

However, on Woody Allen’s 80th birthday in 2015, Harlene Rosen appeared with a heartfelt message to her ex-husband through the author of Allen’s biography, David Evanier. 

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