45th ANNUAL PUBLICISTS AWARDS RESULTSHARRISON FORD HONORED WITH LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD JUDD APATOW NAMED MOTION PICTURE SHOWMAN OF THE YEAR WARNER BROS. TV PRESIDENT PETER ROTH GETS TV SHOWMAN AWARDBeverly Hills, CA.: More than 1,000 publicity and marketing executives, producers, studio and network executives, celebrities and press turned out for the ICG 45th Annual Publicists Awards Tuesday (5) at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The event was hosted by “Access Hollywood” co-anchor Billy Bush. Producer Mace Neufeld presented Harrison Ford with the Lifetime Achievement Award. “Our honoree is one of the most popular and successful movie stars in the world who has achieved iconic status in a career that spans four decades,” said Neufeld. “He is being recognized today for a broad body of work that has encompassed an enormous range of roles, from rogue adventurers and action-minded heroes to complex, unforgettable dramatic protagonists and comedic romantic leads.” Christopher Mintz-Plasse, who became an overnight sensation in Superbad, participated in an unorthodox presentation of the Motion Picture Showmanship Award to writer, director, producer Judd Apatow. He was recognized for the tremendous success his signature brand of humor enjoyed this past year with twin sleeper hits, Knocked Up (Universal Pictures), which grossed over $215 million dollars worldwide and Superbad (Columbia Pictures) that has grossed over $167 million dollars worldwide. Peter Roth, President, Warner Bros. Television, was presented with the 2008 Television Showman of the Year Award by Anthony LaPlagia. “Under his leadership, Warner Bros. Television and Warner Horizon Television produced a combined 31 programs (25 for the broadcast networks and six for basic cable) for the 2007-2008 season,” he said, “During his tenure, nine series have reached the coveted 100-episode milestone and one, ER, celebrated its 300th episode in its 14th season on the air.” ICG President Steven Poster dedicated the 2008 Publicists Directory of Members to the memory of Merv Griffin. “Merv Griffin was a household name to several generations who watched The Merv Griffin Show. he hosted 5,500 shows and interviewed more than 25,000 extraordinary guests during 23 years of high ratings,” said poster. “he was a true visionary who earned the respect and love of the millions of people whose lives he touched.” The Press Award went to USA Today correspondent Susan Wloszczyna; the International Media Award to French journalist Didier Allouch; the Les Mason Award, the highest honor the union can bestow on one of its members, went to Warner Bros. International publicist Mary Hunter; the Maxwell Weinberg Publicists Showmanship Award for Television was presented to Warner Bros. Television publicist Rayna Schwartz and ABC publicist Ellen Gonzalez for Pushing Daisies. The Weinberg Award for Best Movie Campaign went to the publicists at Warner Bros. for their efforts in behalf of 300: Gina Soliz, Kimberly Lerner, Jess Garcia, Mary Hunter, Deya James, Barbara Hannegan, Johnny Jones, Lisa Stone, Christine Rodriguez, Ron Chan, Orna Zadeh, Tawny Harrison, Ryan Pickens, Troy C. Williams. The Excellence in Unit Still Photography Award went to François Duhamel. Presenters also included Oscar nominee Hal Holbrook (“Into the Wild”), Shirley Jones, Marty Ingels, Armand Assante, Hill Harper, Bruno Tonioli, Dolph Lundgren and Leonard Maltin. |
