‘L.A. Law’ Rests Its Case on 20 Emmy Nominations

The attorneys from “L.A. Law” won a glowing verdict from the television industry today as the first-year NBC drama collected 20 Emmy Award nominations, including eight for its actors--among them a real-life married couple and a mother and son.

A critically praised series about the intrigues in a large law firm, “L.A. Law” was nominated as best drama series of the 1986-87 series, along with NBC’s “St. Elsewhere,” ABC’s “Moonlighting,” CBS’ “Murder, She Wrote” and CBS’ “Cagney & Lacey,” which has won for the last two years.

Last year’s Emmy winner as best comedy, NBC’s “The Golden Girls,” was nominated again this year, along with NBC’s four Thursday-night comedies: “The Cosby Show,” “Family Ties,” “Cheers” and “Night Court.”

Awards Sept. 20

The winners of the awards for outstanding work in television’s prime-time and late-night arenas will be announced Sept. 20 in ceremonies at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, which for the first time will not be broadcast on ABC, CBS or NBC. The fledgling Fox Broadcasting network outbid them to win the rights from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

Among those nominated from the “L.A. Law” ensemble cast were the married couple of Jill Eikenberry, who plays Anne Kelsey, and Michael Tucker, who plays Stuart Markowitz. Corbin Bernsen, who portrays attorney Arnie Becker, also was nominated, as was his mother, Jeanne Cooper, who was a guest star in one episode as Becker’s mother.

Two Runners-Up

“The Golden Girls” and “Moonlighting” were runners-up for most Emmy nominations, with 14 each. “St. Elsewhere” collected 11 and “Cheers” received 10. The most-nominated specials were two NBC miniseries, “Nutcracker: Money, Madness and Murder,” with 9, and “The Two Mrs. Grenvilles,” with 8.

The latter two programs both were nominated as best miniseries, as were NBC’s “A Year in the Life,” ABC’s “Out on a Limb” and NBC’s “Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna.”

Nominated as best drama or comedy special were CBS’ “Escape from Sobibor,” NBC’s “LBJ: The Early Years,” CBS’ “Promise,” CBS’ “Pack of Lies” and NBC’s “Unnatural Causes.”