Clooney honoured by Hollywood stars

George Clooney was toasted by a host of fellow stars when he received the 2006 American Cinematheque Award in Beverly Hills on Friday.

The lavish event, which was held to raise money for film-making charity American Cinematique, was attended by director Oliver Stone and actors Julia Roberts, Christian Slater, Salma Hayek, Geoffrey Rush and Lindsay Lohan.

They paid tribute to the 45-year-old, whose film credits include Good Night, And Good Luck, Syriana and Ocean's Eleven.

Slater said: "There's no man probably more worthy of getting some awards. He's a great artist, great director, and a phenomenal humanitarian. I think he serves as a great example to other actors, myself included."

Clooney said of the event: "Basically, what it is, really, is a bunch of your friends who are gonna roast the hell out of you.

"But when it's done, you're raising money to help American Cinematheque, which actually does some great things."