Actor Robert Redford has been chosen to receive an Honorary Award by the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The citation will read: “Robert Redford – Actor, Director, Producer, Creator of Sundance, inspiration to independent and innovative filmmakers everywhere.”
“Bob’s dedication to independent filmmaking has had an enormously positive impact on the motion picture industry since he created Sundance 20 years ago, and young filmmakers for years to come will continue to benefit from the training that his institute provides and the world-class showcase that his festival offers,” said Academy President Frank Pierson.
Since his acting debut in the 1962 drama “War Hunt,” Redford has appeared in more than 35 films including “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” “The Way We Were,” “All the President’s Men” and “The Sting,” for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in 1973.
After gaining success as an actor, Redford tried his hand at directing and won an Academy Award in his directorial debut for the film “Ordinary People” in 1980. He received two nominations in 1994 for directing and producing Best Picture nominee “Quiz Show.”
Honorary Awards, in the form of Oscar(R) statuettes, are given by the Academy for “exceptional distinction in the making of motion pictures or for outstanding service to the Academy.” Previous recipients include Ernest Lehman, Stanley Donen, Deborah Kerr, Federico Fellini, Ralph Bellamy, Michael Kidd, Alex North and Hal Roach.
Redford’s Honorary Award will be presented, along with other Academy Awards(R) for outstanding film achievements of 2001, on Sunday, March 24, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland(R). Sunday at the Oscars(R) will be televised live by the ABC Television Network beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST. A half-hour arrival segment will precede the presentation ceremony at 5 p.m.
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