Photo Flash: B. Harlan Boll Honored at Golden Halo Awards

Earlier this week, The Southern California Motion Picture Council (SCMPC) hosted their annuAl Golden Halo Awards. The 2010 honoree was performer, publicist, speaker, writer and activist, B. Harlan Boll.

The award was given out at gala dinner held on Monday, October 18th in the Waterfall Ballroom at the world famous Sportsman's Lodge, in Studio City. Organizer, Randal Malone, remarked "Every year we generally have to approach a few people in order to find one to present the award to the honoree. However, this year we had so many offering, we wound up with a team of presenters. Artists who attended this year's celebration included a who's who of Oscar, Emmy, Grammy and Golden Globe winners to honor their friend and colleague including Loni Anderson, George Chakiris, Carol Channing, Romi Dames, Tippi Hedren, Kate Linder, Donna Mills, Margaret O'Brien, Stefanie Powers, Rip Taylor, Bruce Vilanch, Dee Wallace, Esther Williams and original Supreme, Mary Wilson, as well as personal messages from individuals who couldn't be present such as Alison Arngrim, Carole Cook, Bruce Davison, June Lockhart, Rose Marie, Lily Tomlin and more.

In addition to published books, traveling as an honorary ambassador of arts and culture to the Peoples Republic of China, producing and/or directing projects including the recently EMMY nominated PSA's for the Channing/Kullijian Foundation for the Arts as well as the Smithsonian Institute's tribute to Legendary Ladies of Stage & Screen, Harlan has scheduled thousands of appearances or participation by public personalities for non-profits. Realizing early on that his voice alone was not influential enough to cause change change, he began enlisting help from many industry personalities that could garner tremendous success in reaching and educating others in order to raise awareness of numerous important issues and topics.

Upon taking the stage, Harlan's first order of business was to have guests retrieve their cell phones and vote for client Florence Henderson, who was simultaneously appearing on Dancing with the Stars, before commenting "I had initially thought this was a humanitarian award and concerned when I realized it was a Lifetime Achievement honor. But, as I started looking over the "achievements" they listed in my profile, the images that came to mind were not about what had been done, but rather all the people it took to accomplish them. No matter what the purpose - Raising awareness of world hunger or the struggles of the homeless, educating people about homosexuality and civil rights, caring for cancer survivors or those infected and affected with HIV/AIDS, pushing Bills through legislature that could stop animal or child abuse, fighting for Veterans who fought for us,
or protecting and ensuring a place for the Arts and its history in public schools so that future generations. Whether it was for career or charity, personal or profit, everything had one thing in common - Lots and lots of people. Behind the scenes, in front of the scenes ... Above the scenes (God). I ... we ... couldn't have done any of it without an army of individuals. So, although this may be an award TO me, it is FOR literally thousands of people who have been along for the ride. Never has an acknowledgement of the efforts by so many, been represented by so few ... myself."

Harlan currently sits on the board of directors, councils, event committees and advisory boards for various charities including; The Actors Fund, The Roar Foundation/Shambala Preserve, The Dr. Channing//Kullijian Foundation for the Arts, and The National Association to PROTECT Children.

The SCMPC is a non-profit organization founded in 1936 to promote the best in entertainment. The Council encourages production of family oriented films and television programs; promotes civic-minded, educational and cultural programs of exceptional merit and presents awards for the best in movies, television, stage plays and the performing arts. Only the "Best of the Best" in movies and television, stars whose performances deserve special recognition or members of the industry whose outstanding contributions to the field of entertainment, are selected. The Golden Halo is the SCMPC's highest award. A partial list of past acting honorees includes Bette Davis, James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Robert Mitchum, Doris Day and Charlton Heston.

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