Lawrence Kasdan on tap for WGA honor

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- The Writers Guild of America west has chosen four-time Oscar nominee Lawrence Kasdan as the recipient of its 2006 Screen Laurel Award.

The lifetime achievement honor will be bestowed on the screenwriter of "Raiders of the Los Ark," "The Empire Strikes Back," "The Return of the Jedi" and other blockbuster hits at the 2006 Writers Guild Awards ceremony Feb. 6 at the Hollywood Palladium, Zap2it.com reported.

Among the films Kasdan has both written and directed are "Body Heat," "The Accidental Tourist" and "Silverado." He directed and co-wrote the 1984 WGA award-winning ensemble drama, "The Big Chill," with Barbara Benedek.