Barry Levinson, the Oscar-winning writer-director of "Diner" and "Avalon" and the director of "Rain Man," "The Natural" and "Good Morning, Vietnam," has been named recipient of the 2010 Laurel Award for Screen by the Writers Guild of America, West.
Levinson will receive the award on Saturday, February 20 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles.
The press release announcing the award:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 21, 2010
ACCLAIMED SCREENWRITER BARRY LEVINSON
TO RECEIVE WGAW’S 2010 SCREEN LAUREL AWARD
Los Angeles – Award-winning screenwriter Barry Levinson will receive the Writers Guild of America, West’s 2010 Laurel Award for Screen, honoring lifetime achievement in outstanding writing for motion pictures, at the 2010 Writers Guild Awards West Coast ceremony to be held on Saturday, February 20, 2010, at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles.
“From 'Diner' to 'Avalon,' 'Rain Man' to 'Tin Men,' filmmaker Barry Levinson has long demonstrated a wonderful ability to create memorable movies that resonate with audiences by capturing a particular time and place,” said WGAW President John Wells . “A rare triple threat in the industry – writer, director, and producer – Barry has been the creative force behind many of this era’s defining films.”
Academy Award-winning screenwriter, director, and producer Levinson has crafted a reputation as a filmmaker able to translate literate and intelligent visions onto the big screen. As a screenwriter, Levinson has received three Oscar nominations for "…And Justice for All" (with co-writer Valerie Curtain, 1979), "Diner" (1982) and "Avalon" (1990). A six-time WGA nominee, Levinson has earned three Writers Guild Awards over the years: twice in 1991 for his script for "Avalon" (Original Screenplay) and a shared WGA statuette for his work on "Time-Warner Presents: The Earth Day Special," as well as for his work on The Carol Burnett Show earlier in his writing career.
In 1988, he was awarded the 1988 Best Director Oscar for the multiple Academy Award-winning film "Rain Man," starring Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman. In 1991, "Bugsy," directed and produced by Levinson, was nominated for ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. His other iconic films, from "The Natural" (1982) to "Good Morning Vietnam" (1987) to "Sleepers" (1996), written for the screen and directed by Levinson, based upon the book by Lorenzo Carcaterra, have been proved major box office hits.
Levinson’s other screenwriting credits include "Jimmy Hollywood," "Toys" (co-written with his frequent writing partner Valerie Curtain), "Unfaithfully Yours" (Screenplay by Valerie Curtain & Barry Levinson and Robert Klane, based upon a screenplay by Preston Sturges), "Best Friends" (co-written with Curtain), "Inside Moves" (Screenplay by Valerie Curtain & Barry Levinson , based on the novel by Todd Walton).
Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Levinson has used his hometown as the setting for four widely praised features: "Diner", the semi-autobiographical comedy/drama that marked his directorial debut; "Tin Men," involving warring aluminum siding salesmen; "Avalon," in which his native city takes center stage through the recollections of an immigrant family; and "Liberty Heights," a humorous and touching drama that captures the spirit of change in Baltimore circa 1954, addressing issues of race, class and religion.
