One-Hour Program Featuring Tributes by Charlize Theron, Bruce Willis,
Colin Farrell, Robert DeNiro and Meryl Streep Will Premiere on Sunday,
January 22, 2006 at 10 PM ET/PT on AMC
New York, January 17, 2006 – Michael Corleone. Tony Montana. Shylock. Lt. Colonel Frank Slade. These are some of the classic screen characters that Al Pacino, an eight time Academy Award® nominee and winner of an Oscar® for Best Actor in SCENT OF A WOMAN, has created during his memorable career. Pacino will be honored on AMC when it presents a special tribute to pay homage to his career, AL PACINO: AN AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE TRIBUTE, airing on Sunday, January 22, 2006 at 10 PM ET/PT.
Throughout the one-hour special, celebrity friends and colleagues will share humorous personal stories about Pacino as they take viewers on a journey through his phenomenal career. The event features Pacino, one of the most respected talents in the entertainment industry today, along with a troupe of celebrity pals including Charlize Theron, Bruce Willis, Colin Farrell, Robert DeNiro, Meryl Streep, Keanu Reeves, Andy Garcia, Marisa Tomei, James Caan, and host Jeremy Piven. This is the fourth year that AMC has broadcast this prestigious event, which was taped before a live audience at the 20th anniversary benefit for the non-profit film arts organization the American Cinematheque.
The American Cinematheque is a non-profit, viewer-supported organization dedicated exclusively to the public presentation of the Moving Picture in all its forms. The Cinematheque presents the best of film and video – ranging from the classics to the outer frontiers of the art form. Previous honorees have included a who's who of the entertainment industry including Steven Spielberg, Mel Gibson, Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Denzel Washington, Nicole Kidman and Steve Martin.
With his career spanning film, theater and television, Pacino has starred in some of the most popular movies of recent film history – THE GODFATHER trilogy, DOG DAY AFTERNOON, SERPICO, AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, SCARFACE, DICK TRACY, INSOMNIA and the television adaptation of Tony Kushner's play "Angels In America." Pacino was the unanimous choice of the American Cinematheque Board of Directors selection committee, which since 1986 has annually honored an exceptional artist (actor, director or writer) in the entertainment industry.
About AMC
AMC, a division of Rainbow Media's Entertainment Services, which also includes WE: Women's Entertainment and IFC Companies, is a 24-hour, movie-based network, dedicated to the American movie fan. The network, which reaches over 87,000,000 homes, offers a comprehensive library of popular movies and a critically-acclaimed slate of original programming that is a diverse, movie-based mix of original series, documentaries and specials. AMC has garnered many of the industry's highest honors, including 14 Emmy awards. AMC is "TV for movie people."
About Rainbow Media Holdings LLC
A leader in the entertainment industry, Rainbow Media Holdings LLC is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation. Rainbow creates and manages some of the country's most compelling and dynamic programming with linear networks including national networks – AMC, fuse, IFC (The Independent Film Channel) and WE: Women's Entertainment; its regional programming service – Rainbow Sports Networks; on-demand networks including Mag Rack and sportskool; and the largest suite of high definition channels available anywhere – the VOOM HD Networks. Rainbow's other businesses include its film distribution, production and exhibition division – IFC Entertainment; in addition to its advertising sales division – Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation – and its full service network programming origination and distribution company – Rainbow Network Communications.