The Golden Globe Awards are awards given for distinction in motion pictures and television. The awards are presented at a lavish dinner in a Hollywood location which varies from year to year, and the event is usually broadcast live. Some people consider the Golden Globes a cross between the Oscars and the Emmys, since they blend achievements in the fields of television and film. The publicity for the event is often on par with that for the Oscars and Emmys.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has been awarding the Golden Globes since 1944. The Association was founded in 1943, to establish a collective group of people who could share material, contacts, and general information. The Association also hoped to promoted the United States abroad by making information about America more readily available. Since much of the world was going to the movies to avoid thinking about the Second World War, the organization naturally began to recognize the role of films in global culture, and they decided to begin formally recognizing outstanding work with the Golden Globe Awards in 1944.
Thanks to the profits from the Golden Globe Awards, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association can afford to donate significant amounts of money to entertainment related charities. The organization also offers scholarships to people who are interested in pursuing entertainment careers, and it supports professional education related to the film and television industries. These donations are part of the Association's overall goal of promoting the arts in the United States.
The Association hopes that the Golden Globe Awards act as incentives, encouraging studios to produce high quality content. Since the Association also focuses on disseminating information about the United States abroad, it hopes to promote a positive image through strong film and television. The Golden Globe Awards recognize great actors, actresses, films, and distinctive film scores, among other things.
In addition to recognizing achievement on an annual basis, the Association also awards the Cecil B. DeMille award for lifetime achievement. This prestigious prize is give out every year, to people who have made a major different in the fields of film and television. Among the many recipients of this award are Gregory Peck, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Clint Eastwood, Lauren Bacall, Robert Redford, and Bette Davis. The award has been given since 1952, when it was first awarded to Cecil B. DeMille himself.