'King' Reigns Over Golden Globes

The J.R.R. Tolkien fantasy epic "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" and the bittersweet tale of friendship "Lost in Translation" were the big winners at the 61st annual Golden Globe Awards Sunday night in Los Angeles, nabbing Best Picture trophies in the drama and musical or comedy categories, respectively.

"The Return of the King" topped the movie Globe winners with four, which also included a Best Director win for Peter Jackson.

"I never realized that seven years on this movie would end up turning me into a Hobbit," Jackson said, musingly, while accepting his award for helming the film trilogy. He also paid tribute to Tolkien upon his return to the podium to accept the Best Picture Globe, where he was joined by co-producers Barrie Osborne and Fran Walsh, as well as several other members of the cast and crew.

The honor topped off an unprecedented Golden Globe run for the film trilogy, which also received nominations for 2001's "The Fellowship of the Ring" and 2002's "The Two Towers."

"The Return of the King's" other Globes Sunday night came for Best Original Score for Howard Shore and Best Original Song for "Into the West" -- written by Shore, Walsh and the song's performer Annie Lennox.

In addition to its Best Picture trophy, "Lost in Translation" won Globes for Best Screenplay for Sofia Coppola and Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy for Bill Murray.

"You can all relax, I fired my agents a couple of months ago," joked Murray at the podium, referring to other winners earlier in the night who fretted over forgetting to thank their agents.

Murray playfully took shots at the industry during his acceptance speech, and added that he would have thanked people from the film's studio, "except there are so many people trying to take credit for this I wouldn't know where to begin."

Diane Keaton celebrated her age accepting her Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy award, noting that she and co-star Jack Nicholson were a combined 125 years old.

"Let's face it, getting to play a woman to love at 57 is like reaching for the stars with a stepladder," Keaton said, beaming.

Clint Eastwood accepted an absent Sean Penn's Globe for Best Actor for the crime drama "Mystic River," while his co-star Tim Robbins took stage to accept the first award of the night for Best Supporting Actor.

"The good thing about this (award) coming early is I get to drink now," joked Robbins, drawing a roar from the crowd.

An energized Charlize Theron whooped it up for winning the Best Actress in a Drama award for her turn as real-life prostitute-turned-serial killer in "Monster.

"This is so crazy," Theron screamed. "I'm from a farm in South Africa -- this is insane."

Taking the Best Supporting Actress Globe was Renee Zellweger for "Cold Mountain," the only win for the film -- which led the pack of nominees at the beginning of the evening with eight.

Dominating the television side of the Globes was "Angels in America," winning five Globes including Best Television Movie or Mini-Series, Best Actor for Al Pacino and Best Actress for Meryl Streep.

Also taking the television Globes by storm was the BBC America series "The Office" took the Globes by surprise, winning for Best Television Comedy and Best Actor for a Television Comedy for Ricky Gervais.

"I'm not from these parts," said an out of breath Gervais late to the stage to accept the award for Best Television Comedy. "(I'm) from a little place called England. We used to run the world before you."

Sarah Jessica Parker rounded out the television comedy category with a Best Actress Globe for "Sex and the City."

In the television drama category, "24" won its first Globe in three tries for Best Drama, while Anthony LaPaglia won for Best Actor for "Without a Trace" and Frances Conroy nabbed the Best Actress Globe for "Six Feet Under."

Michael Douglas thanked people who influenced him throughout the course of his career while accepting the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award, including the actor who guided him on his first major television series, "The Streets of San Francisco."

"I will be eternally grateful to Karl Malden, for showing me what a work ethic's about," said to the veteran, who attended the ceremony in Douglas' honor. "Carl you were a surrogate father for me at that time."

Presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the Globes were held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. It's the last big awards fling before the Oscar nominations, which will be announced Tuesday morning in Los Angeles.

Complete List Of Winners