Actress Cloris Leachman to be Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award by Alliance for Women in Media

Los Angeles, CA, April 09, 2013 --(PR.com)-- Oscar and Emmy winning actress Cloris Leachman is being honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 56th Annual Genii Awards on Tuesday, April 23, presented by the Alliance for Women in Media Southern California. Leachman’s acting career dates back to the 1950s when she studied with Oscar and Tony winning writer/director Elia Kazan, whose other protégés include Warren Beatty, Lee Remick and Eli Wallach. Leachman starred on Broadway as Nellie Forbush in the original run of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic “South Pacific,” followed by other Broadway roles and appearances in acclaimed television series like “Studio One” and “Suspense.” She won an Oscar as Best Supporting Actress in 1971 for her riveting performance in “The Last Picture Show.” But audiences around the country really came to know and love her as the quirky Phyllis Lindstrom, friend, neighbor and landlord to Mary Richards in the classic 1970s sitcom, “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” She currently co-stars on the popular sitcom “Raising Hope” airing on FOX.

“We are so thrilled to be honoring Cloris this year,” says AWMSC President Erica Olsen. “Over the course of her more than 60 year career, Cloris has earned eight primetime Emmys, an achievement no other actor has come close to. The diversity of roles she’s played over the years is remarkable – everything from tear-inducing drama to laugh out loud comedy. Cloris is also well known as someone who gives of her time. She was most recently presented with the Celebrity Trailblazer Award by the Alliance for Housing and Healing, a non-profit organization that provides housing and food to those who are destitute and suffering with AIDS in Los Angeles.”

The Genii Awards, first presented in 1958, celebrates the outstanding contributions of women in Radio, Television, New Media and Advertising. Past honorees include Betty White, Florence Henderson, Rita Moreno, Ellen Degeneres, Camryn Manheim, Heather Locklear, Jamie Lee Curtis, Candice Bergen, Lucille Ball, Carole Black, Anne Sweeney, Whoopi Goldberg and many others.

This year, in addition to Leachman, AWM SoCal will honor the following women:

•Excellence in Television – Entertainment Tonight co-host Nancy O’Dell

•Excellence in New Media – WhatTheFlicka.com creator/founder Felicity Huffman

•Excellence in Management – EVP Programming MundoFox Adriana Ibañez

•Excellence in Media Communications – CBS Entertainment Communications Director of Publicity Cindy Marshall

•Excellence in Advertising – Zenith Media SVP of Local Activation Marti Grimsley

•Inspiration Award – Actress/Author Alison Sweeney

•Excellence in Radio – NPR’s Morning Edition Host Renee Montagne

“These remarkable women serve as powerful role models, whether they are known to the public, like Nancy O’Dell, Felicity Huffman, Alison Sweeney or Renee Montagne, or work behind the scenes in executive positions like Adriana Ibañez, Cindy Marshall or Marti Grimsley,” says Cyndee Maxwell, the AWMSC’s VP of Communications and herself a prominent voiceover talent and web producer for KFWB News. “Since one of the reasons we hold the Genii Awards every year is to fund a scholarship program for young women in Southern California, it’s especially important that our honorees are women whose career successes can inspire future generations.”

The 56th Annual Genii Awards will be held on Tuesday, April 23 at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. Mark Steines, host of the Hallmark Channel’s “Home and Family” will emcee. A silent auction and cocktail reception will lead into the dinner and award presentations. For ticket and sponsorship information, go to http://awmsocal.org.

About AWM SoCal:

AWM SoCal's Genii Awards, named after the Southern California Chapter Founder, Jeanne Gray McDonald, celebrates the outstanding accomplishments of women in the media who have shown tremendous leadership, a commitment to promote progress and create change and dedication to the community.

The gala benefits AWM SoCal's scholarship program, which provides financial assistance to promising college students who are aiming for careers in the media and entertainment industries.

http://awmsocal.org/index.php

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Nadine@euphoricent.com
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