Eastwood Wins Directors’ Prize for ‘Unforgiven’

Clint Eastwood won the Directors Guild of America award Saturday for his dark Western “Unforgiven,” making him the strong favorite for the best director Academy Award.

In the 45-year history of the Directors Guild of America award, only three winners have failed to win the Academy Award for best director. This year’s Oscars will be presented March 29. “Unforgiven” is up for nine Oscars, including best picture, director, actor and supporting actor.

The guild honor, voted on by 9,000 members, was presented in dual ceremonies in Beverly Hills and New York. A variety of television directors also were honored.

The other guild nominees were Robert Altman for “The Player;” James Ivory, “Howards End;” Neil Jordan, “The Crying Game,” and Rob Reiner, “A Few Good Men.”

The guild’s honorary D.W. Griffith award for lifetime achievement was awarded this year to director Sidney Lumet, whose films include “Network,” “Dog Day Afternoon,” “Serpico” and “Twelve Angry Men.”

The DGA winners for television included Tom Cherones, best comedy for “The Contest” episode of “Seinfeld”; Rob Thompson, best nighttime drama for the “Cicely” episode of “Northern Exposure”; Bobby Quinn, best musical-variety show for “The Tonight Show,” and Ron Lagomarsino, best dramatic special for the pilot of “Picket Fences.”

The career achievement award for sports direction went to television sports innovator Harry Coyle.