Zelig
“You wanted more when it was all over!”
Synopsis
Fictional documentary about the life of human chameleon Leonard Zelig, a man who becomes a celebrity in the 1920s due to his ability to look and act like whoever is around him. Clever editing places Zelig in real newsreel footage of Woodrow Wilson, Babe Ruth, and others.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
35mm Theatrical Teaser Trailer [4K] [FTD-0893]
Type: Trailer • Published 2022-09-10
Top Cast
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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
Richard Whiting
Other Doctor
Ralph Bell
Other Doctor
Will Hussung
Other Doctor
Gale Hansen
Freshman #1
Michael Jeter
Freshman #2
Peter McRobbie
Workers Rally Speaker
Richard Litt
Charles Koslow
Mary Louise Wilson
Sister Ruth
Alice Beardsley
Telephone Operator
Paula Trueman
Woman on Telephone
Release History & Theatrical Window
Venice Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
July 15, 1983
Wide Cinema Exhibition
August 12, 2005
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$13.5M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$11.8M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.87x
-$1.7M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Woody Allen
- Screenplay & Story
- Woody Allen
- Original Score
- Dick Hyman
- Original Title
- Zelig
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English, German
- Runtime
- 1h 19m
- Production Budget
- $13.5M
- Worldwide Gross
- $11.8M
- Production Studios
- Orion Pictures, Jack Rollins & Charles H. Joffe Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Woody Allen
Woody Allen
Dick Hyman
Gordon Willis
Susan E. Morse
Jack Rollins, Charles H. Joffe, Robert Greenhut
Department Leadership Roster
Gordon Willis
Director of Photography
Dick Hyman
Original Music Composer
Robert Greenhut
Producer
Woody Allen
Director
Susan E. Morse
Editor
Woody Allen
Writer
Santo Loquasto
Costume Design
Mel Bourne
Production Design
Stuart Robertson
Visual Effects Supervisor
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG: Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Zelig.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Zelig.
TSPDT - 1000 Greatest Films
They Shoot Pictures, Don't They? (TSPDT) - The 1,000 Greatest Films. A definitive meta-list aggregating thousands of critics' polls, historical rankings, and director top 10s to represent the ultimate critical consensus in cinema history. TSPDT 影史最伟大的1000部电影： 全球最权威的电影元榜单，由该网站汇总世界各大电影刊物历史评选结果及数千名影评人、学者的个人十佳榜单，通过算法加权计算得出的终极共识。 *片单说明：* 本片单只收录纯电影，以下剧集或迷你剧不予收录： • [#335] Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) • [#514] Twin Peaks: The Return (2017) • [#614] Edvard Munch (1974) • [#703] The Sorrow and the Pity (1969) • [#890] Elephant (1989) • [#925] Heimat (1984) • [#968] Doomed Love (1978) 以下作品在 TMDB 被拆分为多个独立电影条目；本片单按作品/章节顺序连续收录，且每个分拆条目均沿用同一 TSPDT 名次： • [#171] Dekalog (1989) — 展开为 10 部电影 • [#988] Olympia (1938) — 展开为 2 部电影 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:30:01 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About Zelig
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Zelig about?
Fictional documentary about the life of human chameleon Leonard Zelig, a man who becomes a celebrity in the 1920s due to his ability to look and act like whoever is around him. Clever editing places Zelig in real newsreel footage of Woodrow Wilson, Babe Ruth, and others.
Who directed Zelig?
Zelig was directed by Woody Allen.
Who stars in Zelig?
The principal cast of Zelig includes Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Patrick Horgan, John Buckwalter, Marvin Chatinover.
When was Zelig released and how long is it?
Zelig was released in 1983 with a total runtime of 1h 19m.
What was the box office and production budget of Zelig?
Zelig had a reported production budget of $13.5M and grossed $11.8M at the worldwide box office (0.87 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for Zelig?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Zelig was composed by Dick Hyman.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Zelig?
Zelig holds official age classifications: DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); GB: PG (Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.); US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).