HBO Dominates the 10th ACE Awards With 35 Wins

Led by a trio of real-life dramas, HBO scored a big victory at the 10th annual ACE Awards for cable excellence Sunday in a nationally televised ceremony from the Wiltern Theatre.

The nation’s oldest and largest pay-cable network took home 35 awards as “Vietnam War Story,” an anthology of short stories about the war, “Tidy Endings,” a play about AIDS, and “Mandela,” a movie based on the life of South African black activist Nelson Mandela, each captured a handful of trophies.

The Arts & Entertainment network took second in the race for ACE honors with eight, CNN won five, while BRAVO, the Discovery Channel, ESPN and Showtime each picked up four.

Lucy Webb of “Not Necessarily the News” picked up her fourth consecutive ACE as best actress in a comedy series, and Pamela Reed, honored for her performance as the never-say-die campaign manager in HBO’s “Tanner ‘88,” won the only award presented to that acclaimed Robert Altman-directed satire of the American political process.

Others who picked up kudos for their cable performances this last year are Alfre Woodard, Danny Glover, Wesley Snipes, Stockard Channing, Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, Billy Joel, Bernard Shaw, Garrison Keillor, Peter Ustinov, Roy Firestone and Chick Hearn.

The winners included:

Dramatic Series: “Vietnam War Story,” HBO. Comedy Series: “Blackadder the Third,” A&E.; Movie or Miniseries: “The Race for the Double Helix,” A&E.; Comedy Special: “On Location: Dennis Miller: Mr. Miller Goes to Washington,” HBO. Dramatic or Theatrical Special: “HBO Showcase: Tidy Endings,” HBO. Music Special: “HBO World Stage: Billy Joel From Leningrad, U.S.S.R.,” HBO. Documentary Special: “Dear America: Letters Home From Vietnam,” HBO. Variety Special: “The Ninth Annual Ace Awards,” HBO. Actor in Dramatic Series: Wesley Snipes, “Vietnam War Story,” HBO. Actress in Dramatic Series: Pamela Reed, “Tanner ‘88,” HBO. Director Dramatic Series: Rick King, “Vietnam War Story,” HBO. Writing Dramatic Series: Cindy Lou Johnson, Patrick S. Duncan, “Vietnam War Story,” HBO. Actress in Comedy Series: Lucy Webb, “Not Necessarily the News,” HBO. Actor in Comedy Series: Billy Crystal, “HBO Comedy Hour Live: An All-Star Toast to the Improv,” HBO. Director Comedy Series: Brian Levant, “The New Leave It to Beaver,” TBS. Writing Comedy Series: Antony Jay, Jonathan Lynn, “Yes, Prime Minister,” A&E.; Actress in Movie or Miniseries: Alfre Woodard, “Mandela,” HBO. Supporting Actress in Movie or Miniseries: Juliet Stevenson, “The Race for the Double Helix,” A&E.; Actor in Movie or Miniseries: Danny Glover, “Mandela,” HBO. Supporting Actor in Movie or Miniseries: Rip Torn, “Laguna Heat,” HBO. Writing of Movie or Miniseries: Michael Palin, “East of Ipswich,” A&E.; Director of Movie or Miniseries: Philip Saville, “Mandela,” HBO. Actress in a Dramatic Special: Stockard Channing, “HBO Showcase: Tidy Endings,” HBO. Actor in a Dramatic Special: Daniel Massey, “HBO Showcase: Intimate Contact,” HBO. Performance in Comedy Special: Robin Williams, “Comic Relief ‘87,” HBO. Writing Comedy Special: Jackie Mason, “On Location: Jackie Mason on Broadway,” HBO. Director Comedy Special: “Dwight Hemion, “On Location: Jackie Mason on Broadway,” HBO. Writing Dramatic Special: Harvey Fierstein, “HBO Showcase: Tidy Endings,” HBO. Director Dramatic Special: Gavin Miller, “HBO Showcase: Tidy Endings,” HBO. Performance in a Musical Special: Billy Joel, “HBO World Stage: Billy Joel from Leningrad, U.S.S.R.,” HBO. Directing Music Special: Keith MacMillan, “The Second Annual Prince’s Trust All Star Rock Concert,” HBO. News Anchor: Bernard Shaw, CNN. Entertainment Host: Garrison Keillor, “A Prairie Home Companion: 2nd Annual Farewell Performance,” Disney Channel. Sports Host: Roy Firestone, “Sports Look,” ESPN. Sports Information Series: “Sports Look,” ESPN. Sports Information Special: “Boxing’s Greatest Knockouts,” HBO. Sports Events Coverage Special: “World Championship Boxing: Mike Tyson vs. Larry Holmes,” HBO. Sports Play-by-Play Announcer: Chick Hearn, “Los Angeles Lakers Basketball,” Prime Ticket. Director Live Sporting Event: Marc Payton, “National Football League,” ESPN. Sports Events Coverage: “SpeedWorld ‘88,” ESPN. Children’s Entertainment Series or Special, 9 and older: “Shelley Duvall’s Tall Tales & Legends: My Darlin’ Clementine,” Showtime. Children’s Educational Special or Series: “Rated K: For Kids by Kids,” Nickelodeon. Children’s Entertainment Series of Special, 8 and younger: “The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh,” Disney Channel. Talk Show: “The All New Dr. Ruth Show,” Lifetime. Magazine Show: “BRAVO Profile: The South Bank Show,” BRAVO. Program Interviewer: Larry King, “Larry King Live,” CNN. Documentary Series: “America Undercover,” HBO. Educational or Instructional Series: “Wildlife Chronicles,” The Discovery Channel. Educational or Instructional Special: “AIDS: Everything You and Your Family Need to Know . . . but Were Afraid to Ask,” HBO. Informational or Documentary Host: Peter Ustinov, “Peter Ustinov in China,” The Discovery Channel. Recreation and Leisure Special or Series: “Living Dangerously: Paucartambo: Adventure Down the Inca River,” A&E.; Cultural or Performing Arts Special or Series: “Ballerina,” A&E.; Music Series: “Cinemax Sessions,” Cinemax.