The City of Santa Clarita will induct Western legends Joel Cox and Glenn Ford into the Walk of Western Stars this year as part of the 19th Annual Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival. The induction ceremony is open to the public and will take place on Thursday, April 19, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. as part of the City’s Wild, Wild, West SENSES event on Main Street.

Academy Award-winning film editor Joel Cox, who lives in the Santa Clarita Valley with wife Judy, is best known for his more than 30 collaborations with Clint Eastwood. He took home Oscar gold in 1992 for his editing of the Unforgiven and most recently worked with Eastwood on J. Edgar, Invictus, Gran Torino, and Million Dollar Baby.

Actor Glenn Ford will be honored posthumously for his illustrious career, which spanned seven decades and included such notable films as: 3:10 to Yuma, Advance to the Rear, Cimarron, Cowboy, Heaven with a Gun, The Fastest Gun Alive, and The Desperadoes, among others. In 1978 Ford was inducted into the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City and his son, Peter Ford, will accept the honor in Santa Clarita on behalf of this father.

“The City of Santa Clarita takes great pride in its Western roots, from historic points of interest to cinematic milestones,” said Mayor Laurie Ender. “Our Cowboy Festival and famed Walk of Western Stars are just two ways we pay tribute to our past. This year we could not be more pleased to honor Joel Cox, who is legendary for his work behind the camera, and Glenn Ford, whose work in front of the camera spans seven decades. This year’s induction ceremony will be exciting and memorable and we hope the community joins us as we pay tribute to these great men.”

About the Walk of Western Stars
The Walk of Western Stars pays homage to the City of Santa Clarita’s Western roots and rich film culture. Similar in style to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Walk of Western Stars honors actors, directors and film professionals for their contributions to the Western heritage of America. Sponsored by the City of Santa Clarita and the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Walk was established in 1981 and continues today as stars are immortalized in bronze and terrazzo tile stamped into the streets of Old Town Newhall.

For more information on the Walk of Western Stars, please contact Andree Walper, economic development associate for the City of Santa Clarita, at (661) 286-4166.