Sep 11, 2009–John Calley, veteran studio executive and producer, largely in charge of Kubrick’s films, among many others, will receive the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) prestigious Thalberg Award.
Actress Lauren Bacall, producer-director Roger Corman and cinematographer Gordon Willis have also been selected for honorary Oscars.
"These four individuals have each, in their own unique way, made lasting impressions on the motion picture industry and audiences worldwide," said newly elected AMPAS president Tom Sherak.
The awards will be presented at a ceremony on November 14, 2009 at the Academy's inaugural Governors Awards event, to be held in the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood and Highland.
John Calley
Calley began his career as an exec at Filmways Inc. in 1960. He went on to hold top posts at Warner, United Artists and Sony Pictures Entertainment. As a producer he's shepherded such pics as "The Da Vinci Code," "Angels and Demons," "Postcards from the Edge," "The Remains of the Day" and "Closer."
The Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award is given to producers whose work "reflects a consistently high quality of motion picture production."
Lauren Bacall began acting in the 1940s and has left a stronger mark on the Broadway theater than Hollywood. She has earned only one Oscar nomination, for supporting actress in Barbra Streisand’s "The Mirror Has Two Faces" (1996).
Roger Corman
Producer Roger Corman is known for his prolific output of low-budget pics for more than five decades. His productions gave early breaks to such luminaries as Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, James Cameron, Ron Howard and Jonathan Demme.
Cinematographer Gordon Willis
Willis is an ace lenser who has shot numerous landmark films, ranging from Coppola’s "The Godfather" and "The Godfather, Part II" to Alan Pakula’s "All the President's Men" and Woody Allen’s "Annie Hall." He's earned two legit Oscar nomination, for Woody Allen’s 1983's "Zelig" and for Coppola’s 1990's "The Godfather, Part III."