HBO’s 25 Wins Dominate ACE Awards : Cable television: Nearest competitors A&E; and Showtime win eight apiece. ‘Crystal,’ ‘Shandling,’ ‘Heat Wave’ take home four each.

Paced by a Billy Crystal train trip through the Soviet Union and the spooky series “Tales From the Crypt,” HBO again dominated the ACE Awards for cable excellence Sunday in a nationally televised ceremony from the Wiltern Theatre.

The nation’s oldest and largest pay-cable network grabbed 25 ACEs, cable’s version of the Emmys, but that total was down six from HBO’s showing last year as the National Academy of Cable Programming spread this year’s 84 honors among 17 different channels.

Named best comedy special, “Billy Crystal: Midnight Train to Moscow” tied with Showtime’s “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show” and TNT’s “Heat Wave” to lead individual programs with four ACEs each. “Shandling” was singled out as best comedy series for the second consecutive year and also earned acting awards for Shandling and Jessica Harper. The wacky comedy series, which ceased production last spring, boosted Showtime into a tie with A&E; for second place among cable networks with eight total awards. ESPN captured seven, the Disney Channel and TNT each earned six, while CNN, Discovery and Lifetime all took home four.

“Heat Wave,” TNT’s movie dramatization of the Watts Riots, was named best movie of the year and grabbed acting honors for James Earl Jones and Cicely Tyson. HBO’s “Tales From the Crypt,” the best dramatic series, captured three trophies.

James Earl Jones won a second ACE as best actor in a dramatic series for his work in “American Playwrights Theater” on A&E.; Blair Brown was named best actress in a dramatic series for “The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd.” And Hume Cronyn collected the ACE for best actor in a cable movie.

Other performing kudos went to Colleen Dewhurst in the Disney Channel’s “Lantern Hill,” Tim Allen in Showtime’s “Montreal International Comedy Festival” and Yo-Yo Ma for his cello performances on A&E.; John Hart of Discovery’s “World Monitor” was named best newscaster, and Chris Berman of ESPN was named top sports host.

ESPN also won awards for “SportsCenter” as best sports news series, “Sports Look” as best sports information show and the network’s coverage of the NFL. HBO’s coverage of Buster Douglas’ upset of Mike Tyson also drew an ACE.

CNN was singled out for its coverage of the savings and loan crisis and the revolutionary events in Eastern Europe. A&E;’s “Frontiers” won best documentary series, while Bravo’s “The South Bank Show” snagged best cultural or performing arts program. Theodor Geisel, a.k.a. Dr. Seuss, won the award for best writing in a children’s program for “The Butter Battle Book by Dr. Seuss” on TNT.

Tom Freston, chairman of the MTV Networks, was honored with the governor’s award for his contributions to the cable industry. And it was a sunny day for the Weather Channel, which was presented with the Golden ACE Award for its coverage of Hurricane Hugo.

The winners included:

Comedy Special: “Billy Crystal: Midnight Train to Moscow,” HBO.

Comedy Series: “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show,” Showtime.

Dramatic Series: “Tales From the Crypt,” HBO.

Movie or Miniseries: “Heat Wave,” TNT.

Dramatic or Theatrical Special: “Women & Men: Stories of Seduction,” HBO.

Actor Dramatic Series: James Earl Jones, “American Playwrights Theater,” A&E.;

Actress Dramatic Series: Blair Brown, “The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd,” Lifetime.

Actor Comedy: Garry Shandling, “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show,” Showtime.

Actress Comedy: Jessica Harper, “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show,” Showtime.

Actor Movie or Miniseries: Hume Cronyn, “Age-Old Friends,” HBO.

Actress Movie or Miniseries: Cicely Tyson, “Heat Wave,” TNT.

Supporting Actor Movie or Miniseries: James Earl Jones, “Heat Wave,” TNT.

Supporting Actress Movie or Miniseries: Colleen Dewhurst, “Lantern Hill,” The Disney Channel.

Performance Comedy Special: Tim Allen, “Montreal Comedy Festival,” Showtime.

News Program: “S&L;’s: The Full Story,” CNN.

Business News: “For Sale: America,” CNN.

International News: “Red Flag Over Tibet,” Discovery.

Extended News Coverage: “The Revolution in Eastern Europe,” CNN.

Documentary Series: “Frontiers,” A&E.;

Documentary Special: “Yours to Keep,” HBO.

Public Affairs: “The Los Altos Story,” FNN.

Sports Events Coverage: “ESPN Sunday Night NFL,” ESPN.

Sports Events Coverage Special: Mike Tyson vs. James Douglas,” HBO.

Sports Information Special: “History of the NBA,” HBO.

Sports Information Series: “Sports Look,” ESPN.

Sports News Series: “SportsCenter,” ESPN.

Talk Show: “Larry King Live,” CNN.

Magazine Show: “Youthquake,” USA.

Game Show: “Turn It Up!” MTV.

Educational Special: “The Test of Time: From HIV to AIDS,” Lifetime.

Educational Series: “Assignment Discovery,” Discovery.

Performance Music Program: Yo-Yo Ma, “Yo-Yo Ma: A Month at Tanglewood,” A&E.;

Music Series: “VH-1 to One,” VH-1.

Music Special: “Still Rocking After All These Years,” VH-1.

Variety Program: “Robert Townsend & His Partners in Crime Part IV,” HBO.

Cultural Program: “The South Bank Show,” Bravo.

Recreation Program: “Kevin Seal Sporting Fool,” MTV.

Stand-Up Comedy Special: “George Carlin--Doin’ It Again,” HBO.

Children’s Program--7 and older: “Mother Goose Rock ‘n’ Rhyme,” Disney.

Children’s Program--6 and younger: “Jim Henson’s Mother Goose Stories,” Disney.

Sports Host: Chris Berman, ESPN.

Sports Play-by-Play Announcer: Jon Miller, “Major League Baseball,” ESPN.

Sports Commentator: Joe Morgan, “Major League Baseball,” ESPN.

Program Interviewer: Dick Cavett, “The Dick Cavett Show,” CNBC.

Newscaster: John Hart, “World Monitor,” Discovery.

Informational Host: Jane Wallace, “The Jane Wallace Show,” Lifetime.

Entertainment Host: Dennis Miller, “The 13th Annual Young Comedians Show,” HBO.