LOS ANGELES, Jul 18, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The award-winning hit series "House" will be the inaugural recipient of the Goodbye with Love HUMANITAS Prize. The newly created award, which honors long-running series of extraordinary writing quality, will be presented to "House" creator and Executive Producer David Shore at the organization's annual award ceremony on September 14, 2012, at the Montage Beverly Hills Hotel.

"'House,'" said HUMANITAS President Tom Fontana, "introduced us to one of television's most compelling and complex characters, Dr. Gregory House, a brilliant, charismatic and deeply flawed man who sought the truth above all else."

In its eight seasons, "House" received five Primetime Emmy® Awards, two Golden Globe® Awards, a Peabody Award and nine People's Choice Awards. Shore was awarded the HUMANITAS Prize and an Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for his work on the show.

"We developed the Goodbye with Love award to recognize the Herculean achievement of creating an enduring television series which, over the entire length of its run, consistently delivers powerful storytelling, vivid characters and insight into the human soul," said Cathleen Young, Executive Director, HUMANITAS. "I can't think of a more fitting first recipient than David Shore and 'House.'"

Hugely popular around the world, the genre-bending series focused on the personal and professional lives of a cynical rare-disease specialist (Hugh Laurie) and his colleagues at a fictional New Jersey hospital. Each week, Dr. House and his team of young residents raced against the clock to save the life of a new patient with a baffling array of dire symptoms, often using unconventional methods of diagnosis and treatment. The cast also included Lisa Edelstein, Robert Sean Leonard, Omar Epps, Jennifer Morrison, Jesse Spencer, Peter Jacobson, Kal Penn, Olivia Wilde, Amber Tamblyn, Odette Annable and Charlyne Yi. In addition to Shore, the show's executive producers were Paul Attanasio, Katie Jacobs, Bryan Singer, Thomas L. Moran, Russel Friend, Garrett Lerner and Hugh Laurie.

The 177th and final episode of "House" aired May 21, 2012.

After earning his law degree from the University of Toronto, David Shore developed the popular Canadian television series "Traders" and wrote for numerous series including "Due South" and "NYPD Blue." He was part of the writing team behind the first season of "The Practice," and was twice nominated for an Emmy for his work as a producer on "Law & Order." Shore is a member of the Board of Directors of the Writer's Guild of America West as well as of HUMANITAS.

About HUMANITAS

Since its inception in 1974, The HUMANITAS Prize has awarded over $3 million to more than 283 deserving television and motion picture writers whose work affirms the dignity of the human person, probes the meaning of life, and enlightens the use of human freedom. HUMANITAS exists to encourage, stimulate and sustain the nation's screenwriters in their humanizing task, and to give them the recognition they deserve.

The HUMANITAS Prize is funded by an endowment established through the generosity of individuals, networks, studios and foundations.

For more information, please visit the website at www.humanitasprize.org .

SOURCE: The HUMANITAS Prize


The HUMANITAS Prize
Deirdre Dooley, 310-454-8769