MICHAEL DOUGLAS - DOUGLAS + ZETA-JONES HONOURED AT CHRISTOPHER REEVE GALA

Hollywood couple MICHAEL DOUGLAS and CATHERINE ZETA-JONES were honoured with the CHRISTOPHER REEVE Spirit of Courage Award for their charity work at a star-studded gala in Hollywood on Thursday night (17NOV05).

The Douglases, who share the same birthday (25SEPT) as the late SUPERMAN star, joined ROBIN WILLIAMS, GLENN CLOSE and MERYL STREEP, among other stars at the Christopher Reeve Foundation benefit.

The gala, which raised over $2 million (GBP1.1 million) for the paralysis charity, also marked the first public appearance of Reeve's widow DANA since she was diagnosed with lung cancer earlier this year.

Wearing a wig to hide the ravages of chemotherapy, Dana Reeve joked that she could feel her late husband's presence at the event: "He's saying go forward and he's also saying I look great."

She added, "I'm feeling great, surprisingly. I was married to a man who never gave up. He really lives with me in this."

The highlight of the night came when movie veteran PAUL NEWMAN handed over a personal cheque to Dana Reeve for $100,000 (GBP55,000).