As a star, Clint Eastwood is recalled primarily for two early roles--the -Man With No Name- of three European-made Westerns and -Dirty- Harry Callahan, the uncompromising cop who spoke softly and carried a big gun in five movies. But like few other stars, Eastwood has shaped his own career by appearing almost exclusively in films he produced or co-produced, frequently under his own direction. No other contemporary dramatic star has directed himself so often.
His acclaim as a director began in the late '70s and reached a peak with the 1992 release of his Oscar-winning...

Woody Allen (b. 1935) is one of America's most idiosyncratic filmmakers, with an unparalleled output of nearly one film every year for over three decades. His movies are filled with rapid-fire one-liners, neurotic characters, anguished relationships, and old-time jazz music. Allen's vision of New York--whether in comedies or dramas--has shaped our perception of the city more than any other modern filmmaker. -On the screen, - John Lahr wrote in the New Yorker in 1996, -Allen is a loser who makes much of his inadequacy; off-screen, he has created over the years the most wide-ranging oeuvre...

Clint Eastwood (b. 1930) is the only popular American dramatic star to have shaped his own career almost entirely through films of his own producing, frequently under his own direction; no other dramatic star has directed himself so often. He is also one of the most prolific active directors, with thirty-three features to his credit since 1971.