|
Writers Guild finds Kaufman 'Spotless'
2005-02-22
LOS ANGELES - Screenwriter Charlie Kaufman boosted his Oscar momentum Saturday when "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" won the Writers Guild of America Award for original screenplay.Kaufman wrote the script from a story also credited to "Eternal" director Michel Gondry and Pierre Bismuth. "To say you're honored to be in this company -- it sounds like it's not true, but it is. So thanks," Kaufman said after noting that he'd gotten to know most of the other feature writing nominees during their tour of the awards-season "circuit" during the past few weeks. In the adapted screenplay category, the scribes gave the nod to Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor for their screen transformation of the novel "Sideways" by Rex Pickett. Payne, also a contender in Sunday's Oscar derby for adapted screenplay and for directing "Sideways," thanked Pickett "for the gift of the novel" about men, midlife crises and southern California's wine country. On the television side, first-time WGA nominee Debora Cahn made an emotional trip to the podium at the Hollywood Palladium as the episodic drama winner for "The Supremes" episode of NBC's "The West Wing." "My mom died when I was writing this episode," Cahn said. "This is for her." The episodic comedy race ended in a tie between two Fox sitcoms: "Arrested Development," for the episode "Pier Pressure" by Jim Vallely and series creator/executive producer Mitchell Hurwitz, and "Malcolm in the Middle," for the episode "Ida's Boyfriend" by Neil Thompson. "The industry support has kept this show alive," Hurwitz said of his Emmy-winning series, which has earned kudos from critics but meager ratings. Thompson praised the dedication of "Malcolm" creator/exec producer Linwood Boomer and noted the opportune timing of his win. "I have a 96-year-old father facing a colonoscopy on Tuesday," Thompson said. "This will make it go a lot easier." Two Emmy-winning HBO projects swept the longform field. "Something the Lord Made" got the nod for original screenplay for Peter Silverman and Robert Caswell. "Angels in America" was recognized for Tony Kushner's screenplay adaptation of his Pulitzer Prize-winning play. The animation award went to the "Catch 'Em If You Can" episode of Fox's "The Simpsons," penned by Ian Maxtone-Graham. "Fraudcast News," another episode of "The Simpsons," earned the guild's Paul Selvin Award honoring works that focus on First Amendment issues. The episode by Don Payne had the ever-crusading Lisa Simpson using the school newspaper to fight the politically charged agenda of a media empire run by Springfield's ruthless billionaire, Montgomery Burns. "I'd like to thank Rupert Murdoch for not having me killed," Payne said, pointing to the irony of the episode's subject matter and "The Simpsons"' corporate parentage. NBC's "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" won its fifth WGA laurel for best comedy/variety series for the writing team headed by Mike Sweeney. CBS' telecast of the "Kennedy Center Honors," penned by George Stevens Jr. and Sara Lukinson, won for comedy/variety special. Wendy Kesselman won for children's script for Showtime's adaptation of the classic coming-of-age novel "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles. CBS' "Guiding Light" was this year's sole nominee in the daytime serial category. Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
Oscar-winning "Shane" star Jack Palance dies at 87 (2006-11-10)US actress Shelley Winters dies at 85 (2006-01-14)Writers Guild finds Kaufman 'Spotless' (2005-02-22)'American Beauty' Wins WGA Award (2000-03-06)8 (11285)
| 
