MUMBAI: A galaxy of stars including Jack Nicholson, Warren Beatty, Annette Bening, Matthew McConaughey, Tobey Maguire, Martin Sheen, Oliver Stone, Benicio Del Toro and Kathleen Turner were among those present when Michael Douglas was honoured with the 37th AFI Life Achievement Award tribute held at Sony Pictures Studios last evening.
After introductions by Sony President and CEO Sir Howard Stringer and AFI President and CEO Bob Gazzale, the show opened with a surprise ‘made-for-the movies‘ moment as a stunt double fell through a fake ceiling (re-enacting Douglas‘s climactic dinner entrance in his film, The Game).
The highlights of the show included a moving appearances by the honoree‘s father, film legend and 1991 AFI honoree Kirk Douglas and Steve Swankay, an ex-child soldier from Sierra Leone whose education Douglas had sponsored.
The show also included a show-stopping performance of ‘One‘ from the musical A Chorus Line (the film version in which starred Douglas), featuring Douglas‘s wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones and a surprise musical performance by Bob Dylan. Several of Douglas‘s notable co-stars and friends also paid tribute.
The ‘94 AFI Life Achievement Award recipient and star of the Douglas produced classic One Flew Over The Cuckoo‘s Nest ,Jack Nicholson presented the award to Douglas saying, “I‘ve had so many of my high moments and so many of my fine moments with you.”
Among those whom Douglas thanked were both of his parents for his acting DNA‘, noting that both continue to act. Douglas also paid tribute to former co-star and mentor, Karl Malden. Following up on Malden‘s taped thoughts that he considered Douglas an adopted son, he said, “I‘ll be his adopted son anytime.”
The star-studded black tie gala will air on 19 July at 9pm ET/PT on TV Land Prime, TV Land‘s prime time programming block.
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