PBS SHINES IN FIRST ROUND OF EMMYS

The Public Broadcasting Service, usually out-promoted and always outspent by its commercial competitors, nevertheless got its moment to shine in the first phase of the 37th annual Emmy Awards honoring outstanding nighttime TV programs.

In the first round of awards handed out Saturday night, the noncommercial network captured three of the four best program Emmys and 10 others, covering writing, directing, performing and choreography.

PBS’ “The Living Planet: A Portrait of the Earth” was named best informational series, “Tosca” won as best classical program in the performing arts and “Displaced Person,” part of the “American Playhouse” series, was honored as best children’s program.

The other best program Emmy, for best informational special, also went to a non-network show, the syndicated “Cousteau: Mississippi.”

Most of the 43 Emmys awarded by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in the nontelevised ceremonies Saturday night at the Beverly Hilton were for the technical aspects of TV production. Another 30, covering acting, writing, directing and best series, will be presented Sept. 22 in ceremonies that ABC will televise nationally.

Although PBS captured the major awards in the first round of the Emmys, NBC tied it for the most statuettes by collecting 13--including three each for “Miami Vice,” its color-coordinated cop show, and “Wallenberg: A Hero’s Story,” its TV movie about Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat who saved thousands of Jews from the Nazis during World War II.

“Miami Vice,” which garnered 15 nominations in its first season on the air--the most of any show this year--won for cinematography, art direction and sound editing. “Wallenberg,” which collected nine nominations, got Emmys for film editing, sound editing and costuming.

Also winning three Emmys was PBS’ “Dance in America: Baryshnikov by Tharp with the American Ballet Theatre,” for directing, choreography and lighting direction. Two of those went to Twyla Tharp, one as choreographer and one as co-director with Don Mischer.

Another PBS series, “Heritage: Civilization and the Jews,” collected two Emmys for writing, and tenor Luciano Pavarotti won one for his performance as the Duke of Mantua in “Rigoletto,” part of PBS’ “Great Performances” series.

The only other multiple winner in the first round was CBS’ “Cagney & Lacey,” which won Emmys for film editing and sound mixing.

CBS wound up with seven Emmys for the evening, ABC collected six and syndicated programs won four.

The awards were presented at a black-tie dinner at the Beverly Hilton, with actor Ted Shackelford and Academy president Diana Muldaur as hosts. The winners will be noted during the national telecast.

The first batch of Emmy winners is not necessarily an indicator of who will win in the second installment, because the TV Academy uses a peer-group judging process that prevents block voting. In other words, actors vote on actors, film editors on film editors, writers on writers and so on.

Here is the list of winners from Saturday’s ceremonies.

Informational Series: “The Living Planet: A Portrait of the Earth,” PBS.

Informational Special: “Cousteau: Mississippi,” synd.

Children’s Program: “American Playhouse: Displaced Person,” PBS.

Classical Program in the Performing Arts: “Live from the Met: Tosca,” PBS.

Performing, Classical Music/Dance Programming: Luciano Pavarotti, “Great Performances: Rigoletto,” PBS.

Writing, Informational Programming: Howard Enders, John G. Fox, Michael Joseloff, Marc Siegel, for “The Crucible of Europe” episode of “Heritage: Civilization and the Jews,” PBS; and Brian Winston, for “Out of the Ashes” episode of “Heritage: Civilization and the Jews,” PBS.

Directing, Classical Music/Dance Programming: Don Mischer, Twyla Tharp, “Dance in America: Baryshnikov by Tharp With the American Ballet Theatre,” PBS; and Franco Zeffirelli, “Great Performances: I Pagliacci,” PBS.

Choreography: Twyla Tharp, “Dance in America: Baryshnikov by Tharp With the American Ballet Theatre,” PBS.

Cinematography, Series: Robert E. Collins, “Miami Vice,” NBC.

Cinematography, Limited Series or Special: Philip Lathrop, “Malice in Wonderland,” CBS.

Art Direction, Series: Jeffrey Howard, Robert Lacey Jr., “Miami Vice,” NBC.

Art Direction, Limited Series or Special: Jan Scott, Charles C. Bennett, David Davis, Robert Lee Drumheller, Jacques Bradette, “Evergreen,” NBC.

Art Direction, Variety or Music Program: Rene Lagler, Jeremy Railton, “The 57th Annual Academy Awards,” ABC.

Music Direction: Ian Fraser, Bill Byers, Angela Morley, “Christmas in Washington,” NBC.

Music Composition, Limited Series or Special: Allyn Ferguson, “Camille,” CBS.

Music and Lyrics: James Di Pasquale, Douglas Brayfield, for “Lullaby” in “Love Lives On,” ABC.

Film Editing, Series: Jim Gross, “Cagney & Lacey,” CBS.

Film Editing, Limited Series or Special: Paul F. La Mastra, “Wallenberg: A Hero’s Story,” NBC.

Video Tape Editing, Series: Jim McElroy, “Fame,” synd.

Video Tape Editing, Limited Series or Special: Jimmy B. Frazier, “Great Performances: Sweeney Todd,” PBS.

Film Sound Mixing, Series: Maury Harris, John B. Asman, William Nicholson, Ken S. Polk, “Cagney & Lacey,” CBS.

Film Sound Mixing, Limited Series or Special: Clark David King, David J. Hudson, Mel Metcalfe, Terry Porter, “Space,” CBS.

Film Sound Editing, Series: Chuck Moran, Bruce Bell, Victor B. Lackey, Ian MacGregor-Scott, Carl Mahakian, John Oettinger, Bernie Pincus, Warren Smith, Bruce Stambler, Mike Wilhoit, Kyle Wright, Paul Wittenberg, Jerry Sanford Cohen, “Miami Vice,” NBC.

Film Sound Editing, Limited Series or Special: Jeff Clark, Paul Carden, Nick Eliopoulos, Jim Koford, Don Malouf, Dick Raderman, Greg Stacy, Dan Thomas, James Troutman, Mike Virnig, Tally Paulos, John Lasalandra, “Wallenberg: A Hero’s Story,” NBC.

Live and Tape Sound Mixing and Sound Effects, Series: Douglas Gray, Michael Ballin, Thomas Huth, Sam Black, “Cheers,” NBC.

Live and Tape Sound Mixing and Sound Effects, Limited Series or Special: Robert Liftin, Edward J. Greene, Russ Terrana, Carroll Pratt, “Motown Returns to the Apollo,” NBC.

Lighting Direction (Electronic), Series: George Spiro Dibie, Donald A. Morgan, “Mr. Belvedere,” ABC.

Lighting Direction (Electronic), Limited Series or Special: Bill Klages, Arnie Smith, “Dance in America: Baryshnikov by Tharp With the American Ballet Theatre,” PBS.

Costume Design, Limited Series or Special: Barbara Lane, “Ellis Island,” CBS.

Costuming: Tommy Welsh, Bob E. Horn, Marko Cerovec, “Wallenberg: A Hero’s Story,” NBC.

Makeup: Michael G. Westmore, Bob Norin, Janice Brown, Sandy Cooper, “The Three Wishes of Billy Grier,” ABC.

Hairstyling: Robert L. Stevenson, “The Jesse Owens Story,” synd.

Graphics and Title Design: John Tribe, “Partners in Crime,” PBS; Alex Weil, Charles Levi, “Saturday Night Live,” NBC; Rocky Morton, Annabel Jankel, Dick Ebersol, “Friday Night Videos,” NBC.

Technical Direction/Electronic Camerawork/Video Control, Series: Herm Falk, Randall Baer, Steven Jones, Bill McCloud, Donna Quante, Victor Bagdadi, “Benson,” ABC.

Technical Direction/Electronic Camerawork/Video Control, Limited Series or Special: Louis Fusari, Les Atkinson, Jim Herring, Mike Higuera, Roy Holm, Dave Levisohn, Dana Martin, Mike Stramisky, Jerry Smith, “The Magic of David Copperfield VII,” CBS.

Engineering Development: Ron and Richard Grant for the development of the Auricle Time Processor, a computer software program for music editors.

Special Visual Effects: Albert Whitlock, Syd Dutton, Mark Whitlock, Bill Taylor, Dennis Glouner, Lynn Ledgerwood, “A.D.,” NBC; John Allison, “The Brain,” PBS; Michael Pangrazio, Dennis Muren, Phil Tippett, Jon Berg, Harley Jessup, John Ellis, Chris Evans, “The Ewok Adventure,” ABC; Bill Mesa, Mike Hanan, Tim Donahue, Gene Rizzardi, “The Hugga Bunch,” synd.