Naacp Image Awards

The box-office hit "Waiting to Exhale" was the big winner at the 27th annual NAACP Image Awards, presented Saturday evening at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. But if anyone was holding their breath expecting controversy from the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who was in attendance along with many of the celebrities who declined to join his recent Academy Awards protest, none ever materialized.

Here are the major winners of the 27th annual NAACP Image Awards, which were presented Saturday night at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.

"Crimson Tide," "Cry, the Beloved Country," "Devil in a Blue Dress," "Othello" and "Waiting to Exhale" will compete for outstanding motion picture when the 27th NAACP Image Awards take place April 6 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. The Image Awards, which were not held last year because of internal political problems at the NAACP, will be televised on an April date to be determined on Fox, in the award show's first two-hour prime-time telecast.

It was Whitney Houston's night, but Michael Jackson dominated the 26th annual NAACP Image Awards with a five-minute speech of his own before presenting Debbie Allen with a choreography award. Jackson received a standing ovation from the audience gathered at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium Wednesday night and had to pause several times during his remarks to let the cheers from the audience subside.

A dispute over who controls the annual NAACP Image Awards cast a shadow over the nominations for achievement in film, TV and pop music that were announced Tuesday by the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People. The dispute pits the NAACP leadership against the local NAACP Beverly Hills/Hollywood chapter. Members of the local on Tuesday vowed to take their dispute to court to seek an injunction stopping the Jan. 11 awards ceremony, which the local chapter has conducted for 23 years.

For the fourth time in the 23-year history of its Image Awards, the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People said Wednesday that it was unable to field a category of best actress in a motion picture because there were too few candidates. "This appalling situation again highlights the imbalance and irresponsibility of the film industry," said Sandra Evers-Manly, president of the organization's Beverly Hills/Hollywood branch.

Oprah Winfrey was crowned this year's unofficial queen of the black entertainment industry Saturday night at the NAACP Image Awards ceremony. However, a surprise shake-up amid ongoing discord in the civil rights association's host Beverly Hills-Hollywood chapter put a damper on the evening's celebration at the Wiltern Theatre. Talk-show host, producer and actress Winfrey was named entertainer of the year and won three other Image Awards, given annually since 1967 by the National Assn.

Oprah Winfrey, queen of the daytime talk-show circuit and co-producer and star of the TV movie "The Women of Brewster Place," was named Image Award entertainer of the year Wednesday by the Beverly Hills-Hollywood branch of the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Sammy Davis Jr., Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis were selected for induction to the Image Awards Hall of Fame.