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Stage performer and actress Barbara Perry died Sunday from natural causes in Hollywood. She appeared in several films and TV shows including Samuel Fuller’s Shock Corridor (1963) and The Naked Kiss (1964) as well as The Dick Van Dyke Show and most recently, Baskets as well She was 97.

Born in Norfolk, Va. on June 22, 1921, Perry was a performer at a young age when she was a member of-of the children’s ballet of the Met’s corps de ballet, making her big stage debut in Madame Butterfly. She went on to study dance — with a specialty in tap — and performed at the Hollywood Bowl in the 1930s. Her talent for dancing was later on showcased at a variety of nightclubs including the Hotel Nacional de Cuba, the Chez Paris in Chicago, the Cocoanut Grove in Los Angeles and the Café de Paris in London. She also had the honor of opening...

Three movies about dogs and a documentary about a lost killer whale will compete for best feature film honors at the 23rd Genesis Awards.

Presented by the Humane Society of the United States, the awards honor news and entertainment media showcasing animal issues. Trophies will be handed out March 28 at the Beverly Hilton.

For making news on behalf of animals, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi are set to receive the Wyler Award, named after Genesis Awards founder Gretchen Wyler.

This year's event, exec produced by Beverly Kaskey, senior director of the Hsus Hollywood office, is dedicated to ending the Canadian seal hunt.

The contenders in the best feature film category are the animated film "Bolt," the family movie "Marley & Me," the revenge drama "Red" and "Saving Luna," a documentary about a wayward whale.

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi will receive The Wyler Award, one of The Humane Society of the United States' most prestigious honors, at The 23rd Genesis Awards on Saturday, March 28, 2009, at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. Given to a celebrity or public figure who has made news on behalf of animals, the award is named after the late Genesis Awards founder Gretchen Wyler, the Broadway headliner and animal activist. "Ellen and Portia stand up for their beliefs, and they have had a major impact in spreading the message about animal protection," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. "They had a particularly significant role in helping to pass Proposition 2, and they helped make the case to the people of California and to the rest of the nation that all animals deserve humane treatment, including animals raised for food."...

Newlyweds Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi are set to be honored by the Humane Society of the United States at the 23rd Genesis Awards in March.

The animal protection group is recognizing the couple's role in helping animals with The Wyler Award, named after Genesis Awards founder Gretchen Wyler.

President and CEO Wayne Pacelle said in a statement, "Ellen and Portia stand up for their beliefs, and they have had a major impact in spreading the message about animal protection."

"The had a particular significant role in helping to pass Proposition 2, and they helped make the case to the people of California and to the rest of the nation that all animals deserve humane treatment, including animals raised for food."...

Heroes star Hayden Panettiere was reduced to tears when she was honoured by the Humane Society Of The United States for her protests against the slaughter of whales in Japan.

The actress cried when she was given a standing ovation at the Humane Society's Genesis Awards on Saturday, and was forced to visit the bathroom following her speech to regain her composure.

Panettiere was given the Gretchen Wyler Award, which recognises celebrities who bring attention to animal causes, for her work with the sea-faring mammals last year.

She told the audience, "As an actress, you always dream of getting awards like the Golden Globe award, but I never expected to get an award that is this special and important to me as this.

"There are people who dedicate their entire lives to preserving the environment and defending animals, they are so much more deserving of something like this."

Beverly Kaskey, of the Humane Society, adds, "She's an inspiring example to her generation, using her compassion, courage and celebrity to help animals in a very effective way."

Panettiere's family and boyfriend Milo Ventimiglia - who kindly escorted her back from the bathroom - were in attendance at the event at the Beverly Hilton hotel in California.

Heroes star Hayden Panettiere cried Saturday night as the Humane Society gave her an activism award for protesting the annual dolphin slaughter in Southwestern Japan last year. Hayden received the Gretchen Wyler Award, given annually at the Genesis Awards to a celebrity who brings attention to animal causes. Wyler, who founded the awards and was also an actress, died last May from breast cancer, two months after presenting the first award to Paul McCartney. Hayden’s parents and her boyfriend – and Heroes costar – Milo Ventimiglia were in the audience and watched a video of the actress and others paddling out on surfboards and confronting fishermen,...