WGA/DGA Sturges nod to Blake Edwards
"Blake's work is unaffected by the storytelling fads of the moment," said Del Reisman, WGAW prexy.
"He is one of those rare creative minds who holds true to his unique talent and to the cinematic tradition of the great era of visual comedies of Chaplin, Keaton and Harold Lloyd, and later, of Preston Sturges himself."
Edwards will receive the award Oct. 24 following a weekend-long retrospective of his films to be held at the DGA and WGA theaters. Edwards will participate in discussions during the weekend.
His "Son of the Pink Panther" is due out Aug. 27 under the MGM logo (he directed the film, which he co-wrote with Madeline Sunshine and Steven Sunshine).
He has received WGA nominations for "The Notorious Landlady,""The Great Race, ""The Return of the Pink Panther" and "10," and he won the award for "Victor/Victoria."
Edwards' distinctive directorial style first gained notice in 1961 with "Breakfast at Tiffany's," for which he received a DGA nomination.
Other writer-directors to receive this honor were Richard Brooks and Billy Wilder.
