Zelig (1983): Cast, Box Office & Plot
Zelig is a 1983 comedy starring Woody Allen as Leonard Zelig, Garrett M. Brown and Mary Louise Wilson. It runs 1 hour 19 minutes and earned $11.8 million worldwide.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 19m (79 min)
- Genre
- Comedy
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Orion Pictures
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Zelig About?
The premise of Zelig without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A mock‑documentary that follows Leonard Zelig, a man who can literally assume the appearance and mannerisms of anyone around him, propelling him to fame in the 1920s. Ingenious editing inserts Zelig into authentic newsreel clips of figures such as President Woodrow Wilson, baseball legend Babe Ruth, and other period icons, creating a seamless blend of fact and fiction.
Zelig Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- mockumentary
- celebrity
- physical transformation
- 1920s
- psychiatrist
- missing person
- jew
- hypnotism
- disappearance
- directed by star
- therapy
- character name in title
+38 more Show fewer
- title spoken by character
- man wears eyeglasses
- schizophrenia
- reference to moby dick the novel
- wedding
- chameleon
- 1930s
- reference to f. scott fitzgerald
- fictional biography
- woman wears eyeglasses
- germany
- hospital
- greek restaurant
- recording
- public apology
- falling in love
- polygamist
- airplane
- scandal
- no opening credits
- archive footage
- found footage
- satire comedy
- newsreel footage
- allen and farrow
- postmodernism
- overweight man
- mockumentary comedy
- zelig syndrome
- environmental dependency syndrome
- electroshock therapy
- written and directed by cast member
- great depression
- paris france
- reference to cole porter
- bullfighting
- reference to duke ellington
- infidelity
Zelig Cast & Characters
Woody Allen leads the cast as Leonard Zelig, with Garrett M. Brown as Actor Zelig and Mary Louise Wilson as Sister Ruth.
-
Woody Allen as Leonard Zelig - Garrett M. Brown as Actor Zelig
- Mary Louise Wilson as Sister Ruth
-
Mia Farrow as Dr. Eudora Nesbitt Fletcher
Also Starring in Zelig
· 65 more- Marianne Tatum Actress Fletcher
- John Rothman Paul Deghuee
- Mae Questel Helen Kane (voice) (uncredited)
- Peter McRobbie Workers Rally Speaker
- Deborah Rush Lita Fox
- Susan Sontag Susan Sontag - Contemporary Interviews
- Elizabeth Kaitan German Girl (uncredited)
- Michael Jeter Freshman #2
- Paula Trueman Woman on Telephone
- Arthur Anderson Other Doctor (uncredited)
- Kim Johnston Ulrich Beauty Contestant (uncredited)
- Jeanine Jackson Helen Gray
- Dwight Weist Hearst Metrotone Announcer (voice)
- Robert Berger Zelig's Lawyer
- John Doumanian Greek Waiter
- Gale Hansen Freshman #1
Show all 69 cast members Show fewer cast members
- Howard Erskine Hypodermic Doctor
- Will Hussung Other Doctor
- Ed Herlihy Pathe News Announcer (voice)
- Ralph Bell Other Doctor
- Marvin Chatinover Glandular Diagnosis Doctor
- Ken Chapin On-Camera Interviewer
- Jon Hayden Reporter (uncredited)
- Richard Whiting Other Doctor
- Paul Nevens Dr. Birsky
- Alice Beardsley Telephone Operator
- Stanley Simmonds Lita's Lawyer
- Gerald Klein Hearst Guest
- Stanley Swerdlow Mexican Food Doctor
- Ed Lane Man on Telephone
- Sol Lomita Martin Geist
- Dimitri Vassilopoulos Martinez
- Willy Holt Rally Chancellor
- Michael Kell Actor Koslow
- Kuno Sponholz Oswald Pohl - Contemporary Interviews
- George Hamlin Experimental Drugs Doctor
- Stephanie Farrow Sister Meryl
- Vincent Jerman-Jerosa Hearst Guest
- Bubba Dean Rambo Charleston Dancer (uncredited)
- Ruth Leon Weiman Mother of a Graduate (uncredited)
- John Buckwalter Dr. Sindell
- Patrick Horgan The Narrator (voice)
- Richard Litt Charles Koslow
- Charles Denny Actor Doctor
- Saul Bellow Saul Bellow - Contemporary Interviews
- Marshall Cole Sr. Calvin Turner - Contemporary Interviews
- Irving Howe Irving Howe - 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
- Robert Iglesia Man in Barber Chair
- Eli Resnick Man in Park
- Edward McPhillips Scotsman
- Sharon Ferrol-Young Miss Baker
- Francis Beggins City Hall Speaker
- Jean Trowbridge Dr. Fletcher's Mother
- Erma Campbell Zelig's Wife
- Anton Marco Wrist Victim
- Louise Deitch House-Painting Victim
- Bernice Dowis Vilification Woman
- Bernie Herold Carter Dean
- Michael Blevins Lizard Dancer (uncredited)
- Tug Wilson Police Officer (uncredited)
Zelig Plot Summary
What happens in Zelig from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Leonard Zelig, Woody Allen is a largely unremarkable man whose life unfolds as a masterclass in social camouflage. Set in the 1920s and 1930s, the film traces his uncanny talent for mirroring the people around him—shifting his speech, posture, and beliefs to blend with any crowd, as if he becomes the living embodiment of each social set he encounters.
Full summary
The whole story of Zelig, scene by scene
Zelig Box Office
Zelig grossed $11.8 million worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$11.8M
- US & Canada
- $11.8M
How Well Do You Know Zelig?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who plays the title character Leonard Zelig?
Cars in Zelig
16 cars on screen, including the 1930 Dodge unknown and the unknown.
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1930 Dodge unknown Important role -
unknown Important role -
unknown Important role -
unknown Important role
Zelig Also Known As
9 alternative titles, including “Зелиг” and “젤리그”.
- Also known as
-
- Зелиг
- 젤리그
- 西力傳
- Զելիգ
- 西力传
- זליג
- Зеліґ
- カメレオンマン, ზელიგი
- 變色龍
Seen Zelig?
Movies Like Zelig
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Schizopolis, Go for Zucker and What’s Up, Doc?.
Zelig FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, cast, box office and post-credit scenes of Zelig, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Zelig?
Zelig runs 1 hour 19 minutes (79 minutes).
When was Zelig released?
Zelig was released on July 15, 1983.
Who is in the cast of Zelig?
Zelig stars Woody Allen as Leonard Zelig, Garrett M. Brown as Actor Zelig and Mary Louise Wilson as Sister Ruth, among 69 credited actors.
How much did Zelig make at the box office?
Zelig grossed $11.8 million worldwide.
Does Zelig have a post-credit scene?
No. Zelig has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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