Glover, Motown Executive Cited

OAKLAND —  Actor Danny Glover and Motown Productions President Suzanne de Passe were inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame at the 17th annual Oscar Micheaux Awards ceremonies.

“They ran out of people,” Glover, a co-star of the hit films “Lethal Weapon” and “The Color Purple,” said backstage at the Paramount Theater on Sunday, feigning bewilderment at his selection.

But in his emotional acceptance speech, Glover predicted more black involvement in the film industry.

“This is for all black people whose souls are my playground and whose dreams are my fountain of inspiration,” Glover said as he clutched the trophy.

De Passe was executive producer of the award-winning TV miniseries “Lonesome Dove” and was nominated for an Academy Award for co-writing the screenplay for “Lady Sings the Blues.”

Gordon Parks was honored with the Paul Robeson Medal for life achievements in the arts. Parks was the first black director of a feature film for a major studio, “The Learning Tree” in 1969.