'STAR WARS' BLASTS COMPETITION AT PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS.

Byline: Greg Hernandez Staff Writer

``Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith,'' easily the biggest box office hit of 2005, received favorite movie honors Tuesday at the 32nd Annual People's Choice Awards.

Creator George Lucas was on hand to personally thank the public for supporting his six-part ``Star Wars'' saga over three decades. Lucas, who received his award from Harrison Ford, told the crowd that he has never been a favorite of the critics or of movie studio executives but considers the public's support most important.

``You are the most important people for any filmmaker,'' Lucas said in his speech, which was greeted by wild applause. ``The reason I make films is for you. The audience rules!''

``Sith'' was also named favorite movie drama while ``Wedding Crashers'' was voted favorite comedy and ``Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'' was named favorite family movie.

Reese Witherspoon continued her recent awards roll with a win for favorite leading lady. She won the Broadcast Critics' best actress award Monday night for ``Walk the Line,'' was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild award last week and will compete for a Golden Globe on Monday.

But Witherspoon made clear that a trophy from the public had a special place in her heart. ``This is such an amazing award to get,'' she said onstage. ``It's people who just go and see movies and that's who I make movies for.''

Matthew McConaughey, voted favorite male action star over Brad Pitt and The Rock, seemed especially excited to win for ``Sahara''-especially after making an 18,000-mile cross-country road trip in his RV to promote the film, stopping in cities large and small.

``Everybody knows that winning isn't easy and you should enjoy the win,'' he said backstage. ``It feels good. I worked hard on 'Sahara' for three years.''

Sandra Bullock was voted favorite female movie star in a category dominated by Julia Roberts for more than a decade.

``I think you picked the wrong person but I'll take it,'' Bullock joked while accepting her trophy. ``I'm blown away because when I see my picture in The (National) Enquirer, it doesn't look like a movie star.''

In television categories, Ellen DeGeneres won two trophies for the second year in a row for favorite talk show host and for favorite funny female star. Ray Romano won his fourth trophy for favorite male television star and said that since ending ``Everybody Loves Raymond'' after nine seasons last spring, he has realized how much he misses performing in front of an audience each week. ``It's like we broke up,'' he cracked. ``I know you are seeing other shows. I want you all to get fat and stay home!''

The show also took home the award for favorite TV comedy series, which resulted in a reunion of the show's cast onstage. ``It was really the greatest time of our life,'' co-star Brad Garrett said in a rare moment of seriousness.

``CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,'' television's top-rated show, was voted favorite drama for the fourth year and co-star George Eads discussed the show's ongoing popularity backstage.

``This is the show that kind of started it all,'' said Eads, alluding to ``CSI'' spinoffs and other similar shows that have cropped up in recent years. ``We've had a cult following from the beginning and the fans have stayed with us over the years.''

Fox's ``Prison Break'' took home favorite new drama series honors in voting that took place during a telecast that was live on the East Coast.

``Tonight was really significant for us,'' series star Wentworth Miller said backstage. ``The show was a strange, out-there, preposterous idea to begin with that a lot of people didn't think would work.''

Among the winners in the music categories were Kelly Clarkson (favorite female performer) and Jessica Simpson, who performed ``These Boots Are Made for Walking'' at the start of the show and later collected a trophy for favorite song from a movie.

``This is so cool!'' Simpson said from the stage. ``I know it's because of all the fans who are my No. 1 supporters.''

It was one of Simpson's most high-profile appearances since her split from husband Nick Lachey, which comedian George Lopez joked about during his award presentation to a mixed reaction from the audience. Lopez then joked that he would probably be working birthday parties by next weekend.

The People's Choice Awards is one of the more relaxed ceremonies on a crowded awards show calendar. Next Monday will see the Golden Globe Awards, while the Academy Award nominations will come out at the end of the month.

Nominees were compiled with the help of the market research company Knowledge Networks, which came up with candidates based on television ratings, box-office grosses and album sales. The top three vote-getters in each category became the final nominees with fans then casting their votes for the winners via the Internet. The awards, held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, were hosted by talk show host Craig Ferguson.

Greg Hernandez, [phone]

greg.hernandez(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) George Lucas thanks the fans for his People's Choice Award for ``Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith.''

(2) William Petersen and the cast of ``CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' won favorite television drama honors.

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer

(3) Jessica Simpson opens the People's Choice Awards on Tuesday at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Simpson performed ``These Boots Are Made for Walking'' at the start of the show and later collected a tropy for favorite song from a movie.