Woody Allen is an American filmmaker, actor, and comedian who has been in the entertainment industry for more than six decades and has multiple Academy Award-winning films.

Allen has had three marriages. Harlene Rosen was his first wife. Allen married Harlene Rosen in 1956. He was 20 years old, and she was 17 years old. The marriage lasted until 1959.

Rosen, whom Allen referred to as “the Dread Mrs Allen” in his standup act, sued Allen for defamation after he made comments on television shortly after their divorce.

Allen stated in his mid-1960s album Standup Comic that Rosen had sued him because of a joke he made in an interview.

Harlene Rosen had been assaulted sexually outside her apartment. According to Allen, she had been “violated” in the newspapers.

In the interview, Allen said, “Knowing my ex-wife, it probably wasn’t a moving violation.” In an interview on The Dick Cavett Show, Allen repeated his comments and said he had been sued for “$1 million”.