(AGI) Rome, Dec 1 - Woody Allen turned 80 on Tuesday with anunparalleled career behind him: a prolific screenwriter, he hasproduced material 76 times for Hollywood and around the world,directed 56 films himself, acted in 44 films, composed sixsoundtracks, has won four Oscars and received a Golden LionAward for his career in 1995. He has specialised more than anyother director in films about psychoanalysis, stammering,neuroses, drugs, hypochondria and fear of death. A globallegend, story-maker and builder of characters and, especially,a source of quotes that have lived on in the history of cinemaand in everyday parlance. Who could forget lines such as: "I'ma practicing heterosexual, although bisexuality immediatelydoubles your chances for a date on Saturday night", or "I'm notafraid of death; I just don't want to be there when ithappens". Behind his black-rimmed glasses, made famous in thefilm Manhattan, Allen the humourist, clarinetist, and figure ofcontroversy, re-enacts himself through his aphorisms. In Cannesfor the premiere of his film Match Point, he remarked that hewas "a sucker for tragedy" and would have made only tragedies,but who would have paid for them? For the last 70 years, Allenhas endeavoured to live out the rebellious child in himself,first through the irrestistible parodies that made him popularand enabled him to overcome his stage-fright and then withheavy sessions of psychotherapy: "Psychoanalysis is a myth keptalive by the couch industry", he said, commenting that he didnot think analysis could help him. What he needed was "alobotomy". A chronic depressive, he has attempted to break hissolitude with women - three wives and two partners. "Love isthe answer, but while you're waiting for the answer, sex raisessome pretty interesting questions", he remarked. He is alsoknown as one of the modern age's most famous humourists,peddlar of many wisecracks: "I find getting older a lousy deal.There is no advantage in getting older. I advise you to avoidit if you can", he said in an interview in 2010. One wondershow he is reacting to being 80. (AGI). .