Academy gives out honorary Oscars at private dinner
November 17, 2009
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences decided to try something new at the weekend by having a private dinner party away from prying cameras at which to give out its honorary awards. The move was to make the event more relaxed than it usually is. A few of the guests agreed that it was much better not to have the television cameras present. Warren Beatty said that he liked the fact that the members of the Academy could get together without having to wonder how many people were watching them in their living rooms. Producer Norman Jewison praised the events new format saying it was nice to celebrate excellence without cameras.
Amongst the six-hundred people invited to the black-tie event which was held above the Kodak Theatre in the Grand Ballroom were Steven Spielberg, Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman and Tom Hanks. Honorary Oscars were given out to actress Lauren Bacall, director of photography on the Godfather, Gordon Willis and Roger Corman, master of the B-movie genre.
The Oscar statues went to members of the film community who the Academy’s Board of Directors thought most deserved recognition for their contribution over the years.
John Cally received the Irving J. Thalberg Memorial Award for his role as producer on films like The Da Vinci Code, Catch-22 and The Remains of the Day.
The schedule for the night was to relax with Champagne and filet mignon whilst watching film clips, delivering tributes and raising toasts to everyone receiving recognition throughout the evening.
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