Emmy and Tony Award winning actor to be honored at award reception presented with The Brattleboro Retreat in Brattleboro, Vermont

The FLICKERS: Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF) proudly announces actor and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) President, Ken Howard as the second recipient this year of the festival’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. The Award recognizes, honors and salutes an artist who exemplifies consistent and sustained excellence in their craft.

Previous recipients of the Flickers: Rhode Island International Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award have been director Blake Edwards, actresses Cicely Tyson and Patricia Neal and actors Paul Sorvino, Ernest Borgnine, Seymour Cassel and Kim Chan. This also marks the first time that the award has been presented outside of Rhode Island.

Ken Howard, who starred as Coach Reeves in the television series he created, The White Shadow, will receive the award as part of the Flickers North Country Film Festival taking place this year, October 1-2nd in Brattleboro, VT. The 2011 edition is entitled “Anna’s Vision Film Fest” reflecting the Festival’s partnership with the Brattleboro Retreat and honoring its founder, Anna Marsh. All proceeds of the Festival will be donated to The United Way of Windham County Irene Flood Relief Fund.

The Lifetime Achievement Award to Ken Howard will be presented on Saturday, October 1st , 7:30 p.m. at the Hooker-Dunham Theatre, 139 Main Street in Brattleboro, VT. The event will be open to the general public and feature a Q&A with Howard following the award presentation.

The veteran actor and Amherst College graduate has had roles in nearly 100 different television shows and movies. His feature-film debut came in 1970 in Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon opposite Liza Minnelli. Additional film credits include 1776, Such Good Friends, Clear and Present Danger, The Net,At First Sight, In Her Shoes, and Dreamer.

On Broadway, his debut was in Promises, Promises. He then starred in the popular patriotic musical 1776 where he played Thomas Jefferson. That same year, Howard, received a Tony award for his performance in Child’s Play.

In 1976, Howard, played the lead character, Coach Ken Reeves on hit television series, The White Shadow. The series was ahead of its time and tackled what were considered controversial issues of the day, notably about race — Coach Reeves mentors a basketball team that is in a predominantly black neighborhood and has a mixed basketball team.

In 2009, Howard received his first Emmy win for the acclaimed HBO drama Grey Gardens.

Ken Howard has been the President of the Screen Actors Guild since 2009, and recently won reelection.

This marks the second year that Flickers has partnered with the Brattleboro Retreat. Last year, programming took place at the historic Balsams Hotel in Dixville Notch, NH.

The Brattleboro Retreat provides specialized diagnosis and treatment services for children, adolescents and adults suffering from a wide range of psychiatric and addiction challenges. Since 1834, people from all walks of life have found strength and new hope on their safe, restorative Vermont campus.

For more information on the festival, please visit www.RIFilmFest.org