The 42nd Hugo Awards for Excellence in Television, hosted by Janet Davies and Lou Canellis of ABC-7’s 190 North, will take place this Thursday, March 23, 2006 at Chicago’s Park West.

Winners of the 2006 Hugo Awards Competition will be announced, with artists present to accept their awards in categories for both television programs and commercials. Over 15 countries participated in this year’s competition including works from South Africa, Argentina, Taiwan, Sweden, Denmark and Hong Kong. Entrants to the competition vie for the Gold Hugo, the highest honor bestowed by the Hugo Awards.

The evening will feature a Career Achievement Award presentation to renowned director James Gartner. Known for his distinct, humanistic perspective and brilliant visual style, Gartner has often been praised for his ability to richly capture fragments of our collective memory and stands among the most highly regarded commercial directors in the world. His first feature film, Glory Road, tells the story of Texas Western Coach Don Haskins (Josh Lucas), who led the first all-black starting line-up for a college basketball team to the NCAA championship in 1966. Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, Glory Road opened on January 13, 2006, to great acclaim.