Poitier Honoured By Academy

The legendary actor Sidney Poitier will be given an Honorary Award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences at this year's Oscars it was announced today. Poitier, who has been nominated twice for the Best Actor Oscar, won it in 1963 for his role as Homer Smith in Lilies Of The Field. The actor's 40 year career spans such cinematic greats as The Blackboard Jungle, Look Who's Coming To Dinner and In The Heat Of The Night. A popular nominee, it apparently took some time to get the session of the Academy involved in the decision to order - such were the numbers of people wanting to add to the plaudits for the 74-year-old actor. The session came to a vote when Tom Hanks added one final memory of the actor from when he himself was just starting out; 'When I was a young actor, I worked as a bellboy. I carried Mr. Poitier's bags once, and he tipped me five bucks!' Previous recipients of the award include Paul Newman, Alec Guinness and Charlie Chaplin.