Honorary Oscars Presented Early

Tinseltown awarded its own a early this year, breaking tradition by bestowing the 2009 honorary Oscars off camera. Legendary actress Lauren Bacall, Godfather cinematographer Gordon Willis and celebrated indie director Robert Corman were presented with honorary Oscars Saturday night—the first of the season—at a black-tie gala at Los Angeles’ Kodak Theater. Among the 600 guests at the Governors Awards dinner were Warren Beatty, Anjelica Huston, Jack Nicholson, Tom Hanks, Annette Bening, Morgan Freeman, Quentin Tarantino, Kirk Douglas, Ron Howard and Steven Spielberg. Guests spent hours drinking Champagne and feasting on filet mignon as the honorees, chosen by the academy’s Board of Governors, were celebrated with tributes, toasts, and film clips without being typically interrupted by orchestral music. Abbreviated portions of the evening’s events will be shown during the 82nd annual Academy Awards on March 7, 2010. Upon accepting her award, 85-year-old Bacall spoke of her “great love,” Humphrey Bogart and quipped, “The thought when I get home that I'm going to have a two-legged man in my room is so exciting.”