Shirley MacLaine earns AFI honor

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Shirley MacLaine earns AFI honor

Shirley MacLaine earned the American Film Institute's life-achievement award Thursday night with friends and colleagues praising her accomplishments.

Shirley MacLaine earned the American Film Institute's life-achievement award Thursday night at Sony Studios in Culver City, Calif., with friends and colleagues praising her accomplishments in this life - and cracking jokes about the reincarnation believer's other lives.

Shirley MacLaine gets some comfort from the ribbing from award presenter and co-star Meryl Streep.

Comedian Don Rickles didn't stop with MacLaine, roasting the entire AFI audience.

Actor Jack Nicholson took his turn during the loving roast of Shirley MacLaine.

The 40th recipient of the annual AFI honor, MacLaine received the best-actress Oscar for "Terms of Endearment" and was nominated four other times for such films as 1958's "Some Came Running," 1960's "The Apartment" and 1977's "The Turning Point."

"Tonight we're here to honor a person I have known, a person I have loved my whole life," said MacLaine's younger brother, Warren Beatty, the 2008 recipient of the AFI honor.

Melanie Griffith (from left), Jennifer Aniston and Meryl Streep have a quiet chat before the ceremony.

Actor John Travolta made a surprise appearance.

Actress Julia Roberts congratulates Shirley MacLaine. Roberts shared screen with MacLaine in 1989's "Steel Magnolias" and 2010's "Valentine's Day."

Carrie Fisher, who wrote the 1990 comic drama "Postcards from the Edge" that starred MacLaine and Streep, joked that MacLaine "is actually some future person's past life. Can you imagine that lucky bastard?"

Actress Dakota Fanning paid tribute.

Actor Sidney Poitier sends his love to MacLaine.

Franklin J. Shaffner award winner, Wally Pfister speaks.

Actress Katherine Heigl, a longtime MacLaine admirer, spoke fondly of the star.

Meryl Streep (left) presented the award to Shirley MacLaine, saying the actress cut a path for other women in Hollywood by doing much of her best work in middle age, when good female roles typically dry up.

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Shirley MacLaine earned the American Film Institute's life-achievement award Thursday night at Sony Studios in Culver City, Calif., with friends and colleagues praising her accomplishments in this life - and cracking jokes about the reincarnation believer's other lives.

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