My apologies for a personal note….my mother, Joanne Grant, passed away on January 9th and yesterday was her memorial meeting. She was a journalist, author and an award-winning filmmaker and she was a proud black woman. She gave me my love of the movies and for writing. In normal years, this spot on the Oscars always makes me tear up, so this year's a little tough. Each year, it seems, I think there will be two or three filmmakers or actors who have some sort of special meaning to me and each year I am surprised at the number of legends that have passed. For example, I had no idea that Paul Winfield had died.

But really…Tony Randall, Jerry Orbach, Christopher Reeve, Marlon Brando, Mercedes McCambridge, Janet Lee and many other.

And Joanne Grant.

Joanne Grant