‘Four Weddings,’ ‘Forrest Gump’ Screenplays Honored

Screenplays for “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Forrest Gump” drew honors Sunday night from the Writers Guild of America.

“Four Weddings,” a British comedy written by Richard Curtis and starring Hugh Grant as a charming bachelor who balks at matrimony, was honored as best original screenplay.

“Forrest Gump,” written by Eric Roth and based on the novel by Winston Groom about a simpleton who has a positive outlook on life, won for best adapted screenplay.

The awards were presented in dual ceremonies in Beverly Hills and New York.

At the California ceremony, Carl Reiner was awarded the 1995 Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television, the guild’s highest award for television writing. Reiner, writer-creator of “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” is also a television and film actor, director and producer.

NBC and PBS each scored several places in the winners’ circle. In addition to the screenplays, winners included:

Original long form teleplay, television: “Witness to the Execution,” Thomas Baum, story by Thomas Baum, Keith Pierce and Priscilla Prestwidge, NBC.

Adapted long form teleplay, television: “A Family Torn Apart,” Matthew Bombeck, based on a book by Leslie Walker, NBC.

Episodic drama, television: “Homicide: Life on the Street--Bop Gun,” David Simon and David Mills, story by Tom Fontana, NBC.

Episodic comedy, television: “Seinfeld: The Mango,” Lawrence H. Levy and Larry David, story by Lawrence H. Levy, NBC.

Children’s script, television: (tie) “Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle: The Radish Cure,” Lynn Montgomery, based on books by Betty MacDonald, Showtime; “The Coming Out of Heidi Leiter,” Bruce Harmon, HBO; “Ghostwriter: Don’t Stop the Music,” Carin Greenberg Baker, PBS.

Television documentary, current events: “AIDS Research: The Story So Far,” Jon Palfreman, PBS.

Television documentary other than current events: “The American Experience--America and the Holocaust: Deceit and Indifference,” Martin Ostrow, PBS.

Television spot news script: “Special Report: The Death of Richard Nixon,” Paul Fischer and Jerry Cipriano, CBS.

Radio documentary: “Bluebird of Happiness,” Roy D. Heffley, ABC Network Radio.

Radio drama/comedy: “J. Edgar, I,” Tom Leopold and Harry Shearer, KCRW, L.A. Theater Works.

Radio spot news script: “World News This Week, August 6, 1994,” Stephen B. Jones, ABC Network Radio.

Variety--music, award, tribute, special event, television: “Tracey Ullman: Takes on New York,” Tony Sheehan, Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais, Stephen Nathan and Marc Flanagan, HBO.

Daytime serial, television: “General Hospital,” Claire Labine, Matthew Labine, Eleanor Mancusi, Ralph Ellis, Meg Bennett, Michele Val Jean, Stephanie Braxton, Lewis Arlt, Karen Harris, ABC.

On-air promotion: “PBS,” Susan Meredith Lay, WNET.