INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY TO HONOR ALAN ALDA & NORMAN LEAR WITH SPECIAL INTERNATIONAL EMMY® FOUNDERS AWARDS AT 40th ANNIVERSARY GALA
New York, September 11, 2012 – To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the International Emmy Awards Gala, the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences will present special Founders Awards to two global television legends, actor/director Alan Alda and writer/producer Norman Lear, it was announced today by Bruce L. Paisner, President & CEO of the International Academy. Both Mr. Alda (M*A*S*H) and Mr. Lear (All in The Family) had programs in distribution in 1972, the year of the first International Emmy Awards Gala. They will accept the awards at the 2012 Gala, on Monday, November 19, in New York City.
“In television, as in other human endeavors, we are the sum of what has come before us,” said Paisner. “It is with great pride, on the 40th anniversary of the first Gala, that the International Academy salutes these two industry legends, whose work has helped make us and television all that we are today.”
During the Gala, the International Academy will present Emmys in nine program categories as well as two special awards. Glee Creator Ryan Murphy, will receive the 2012 International Emmy Founders Award while Korean Broadcasting System President & CEO, Dr. Kim In-Kyu, will receive the 2012 International Emmy Directorate Award.
Alan Alda played Hawkeye Pierce on the classic television series M*A*S*H, and wrote and directed many of the episodes. His 33 Emmy nominations include performances in 2009 for 30 Rock, in 2006 for The West Wing (winning his 6th Emmy), and in 1999 for ER. He reprised his 30 Rock role in 2010. He has the distinction of being nominated for an Oscar, a Tony, and an Emmy – as well as publishing a bestselling book – all in the same year (2005). His Emmy nomination was for his role on The West Wing. His Tony nomination that year was for his role in the Broadway revival of David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross. In 1994 he was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame. He hosted the award winning series Scientific American Frontiers on PBS for eleven years, interviewing leading scientists from around the world. In January 2010, he hosted the PBS series The Human Spark, in which he interviewed dozens of scientists, searching for answers to the question: What is it that makes us human? On the big screen, in addition to The Aviator, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award, Alda’s films include Crimes and Misdemeanors, Everyone Says I Love You and Manhattan Murder Mystery. In 2011 – 2012 his film appearances included Tower Heist and Wanderlust. He was presented with the National Science Board’s Public Service Award in 2006 for his efforts in helping to broaden the public’s understanding of science. Since 2008, he has worked with physicist Brian Greene in presenting the annual World Science Festival in New York City, this year attended by 183,000 people.
Norman Lear has enjoyed a long career in television and film, and as a political and social activist and philanthropist. Mr. Lear began his television writing career in 1950 when he and his partner, Ed Simmons, were signed to write for the The Ford Star Revue, starring Jack Haley. Mr. Lear then began writing on his own for comedy shows including The Martha Raye Show, The George Gobel Show, and The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show. In 1958, Mr. Lear teamed with director Bud Yorkin to form Tandem Productions. Together they produced several feature films, with Mr. Lear taking on roles as executive producer, writer, and director. In 1970, CBS signed with Tandem to produce All in the Family, which first aired on January 12, 1971 and ran for nine seasons. It earned four Emmy Awards for Best Comedy series. All in the Family was followed by a succession of other television hit shows including Maude, Sanford and Son, The Jeffersons, One Day at a Time, Good Times, and Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. Concerned about the growing influence of radical religious evangelists, Mr. Lear decided to leave television in 1980 and formed People For the American Way, a non-profit organization designed to speak out for Bill of Rights guarantees and to monitor violations of constitutional freedoms. People For the American Way remains an influential and effective voice for freedom.
“In television, as in other human endeavors, we are the sum of what has come before us,” said Paisner. “It is with great pride, on the 40th anniversary of the first Gala, that the International Academy salutes these two industry legends, whose work has helped make us and television all that we are today.”
During the Gala, the International Academy will present Emmys in nine program categories as well as two special awards. Glee Creator Ryan Murphy, will receive the 2012 International Emmy Founders Award while Korean Broadcasting System President & CEO, Dr. Kim In-Kyu, will receive the 2012 International Emmy Directorate Award.
Alan Alda played Hawkeye Pierce on the classic television series M*A*S*H, and wrote and directed many of the episodes. His 33 Emmy nominations include performances in 2009 for 30 Rock, in 2006 for The West Wing (winning his 6th Emmy), and in 1999 for ER. He reprised his 30 Rock role in 2010. He has the distinction of being nominated for an Oscar, a Tony, and an Emmy – as well as publishing a bestselling book – all in the same year (2005). His Emmy nomination was for his role on The West Wing. His Tony nomination that year was for his role in the Broadway revival of David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross. In 1994 he was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame. He hosted the award winning series Scientific American Frontiers on PBS for eleven years, interviewing leading scientists from around the world. In January 2010, he hosted the PBS series The Human Spark, in which he interviewed dozens of scientists, searching for answers to the question: What is it that makes us human? On the big screen, in addition to The Aviator, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award, Alda’s films include Crimes and Misdemeanors, Everyone Says I Love You and Manhattan Murder Mystery. In 2011 – 2012 his film appearances included Tower Heist and Wanderlust. He was presented with the National Science Board’s Public Service Award in 2006 for his efforts in helping to broaden the public’s understanding of science. Since 2008, he has worked with physicist Brian Greene in presenting the annual World Science Festival in New York City, this year attended by 183,000 people.
Norman Lear has enjoyed a long career in television and film, and as a political and social activist and philanthropist. Mr. Lear began his television writing career in 1950 when he and his partner, Ed Simmons, were signed to write for the The Ford Star Revue, starring Jack Haley. Mr. Lear then began writing on his own for comedy shows including The Martha Raye Show, The George Gobel Show, and The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show. In 1958, Mr. Lear teamed with director Bud Yorkin to form Tandem Productions. Together they produced several feature films, with Mr. Lear taking on roles as executive producer, writer, and director. In 1970, CBS signed with Tandem to produce All in the Family, which first aired on January 12, 1971 and ran for nine seasons. It earned four Emmy Awards for Best Comedy series. All in the Family was followed by a succession of other television hit shows including Maude, Sanford and Son, The Jeffersons, One Day at a Time, Good Times, and Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. Concerned about the growing influence of radical religious evangelists, Mr. Lear decided to leave television in 1980 and formed People For the American Way, a non-profit organization designed to speak out for Bill of Rights guarantees and to monitor violations of constitutional freedoms. People For the American Way remains an influential and effective voice for freedom.
About the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is a membership based organization comprised of leading media and entertainment figures from over 50 countries and 500 companies from all sectors of television including internet, mobile and technology. The Academy’s yearly schedule of events includes the prestigious International Emmy® Awards Ceremony held in New York, The International Digital Emmy® Awards at MIPTV and a series of industry events such as Academy Day, the International Emmy® World Television Festival and Panels on substantive industry topics. The Academy was chartered with a mission to recognize excellence in television produced outside of the United States and it presents The International Emmy® Awards in the following fifteen categories: Arts Programming; Best Performance by an Actress; Best Performance by an Actor; Current Affairs; Children & Young People; Comedy; Digital Program: Children & Young People; Digital Program: Fiction; Digital Program: Non-Fiction; Documentary; Drama Series; News; Non-Scripted Entertainment; Telenovela; TV Movie/Mini-Series. For more information go to www.iemmys.tv.
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