Jeff Bridges remembers 'The Dude' while accepting Cecil B DeMille Award

Veteran actor Jeff Bridges invoked his most iconic role "The Dude" as he accepted this year's Cecil B DeMille Award for career achievement at the Golden Globes.

Bridges was presented with the honour by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which was bestowed upon presenter-actor Oprah Winfrey last year.

The 69-year-old actor gave a rambling and emotional speech in which he expressed gratitude to the directors who have influenced his career, author Buckminster Fuller and his family, including wife Susan Geston, brother Beau and sister Cindy.

He gave a nod to his career-defining role of a Los Angeles slacker and avid bowler in "The Big Lebowski", 1998 crime comedy directed by Joel and Ethan Coen.

"If I'm lucky I'll be associated with the Dude of rest of my life. I feel so honoured to be apart of that film," he said.

He also thanked Peter Bogdanovich who "kicked the whole party off" with "The Last Picture Show", and the Coen brothers, whom he called the "true masters".

In his address, Bridges likened his life and career to that of a trim tab -- a small feature on boats and airplanes that assists in controlling the direction of the vessel.

"I like to think of myself as trim tab, and all of us trim tabs," he said.

"We may not seem like we're up to the task, but we are. We're alive! We can make a difference. We can turn this ship in the way we want to go, toward love, toward creating a healthy planet for all of us," he added.

Bridges' "Hell and High Water" co-star Chris Pine presented the award to him at the ceremony.