Dewhurst Wins Emmy for ‘Murphy’

Two days after she died, Colleen Dewhurst won an Emmy on Saturday as outstanding guest actress in a comedy series, for an appearance on “Murphy Brown.”

It was the fourth Emmy for the stage and screen star, who died Thursday of cancer at 65, and was her second in as many years for her recurring role as Murphy Brown’s mother in the CBS series.

Actress Carol Kane, who announced Dewhurst’s award--the last category of the evening in Saturday’s non-televised portion of the 43rd annual Emmy Awards--expressed “admiration and gratitude for her tremendous gift and her performances throughout her life.”

Dewhurst’s name was invoked by other presenters and winners throughout the evening. She also had been nominated for best guest actress in a drama series, for the Disney Channel’s “Avonlea,” but lost to Peggy McCay, who won for an episode of CBS’ “The Trials of Rosie O’Neill.”

Other winning guest performers included local radio personality Jay Thomas for his “Murphy Brown” role as an obnoxious tabloid-TV reporter, and David Opatoshu for the ABC drama “Gabriel’s Fire.”

Other Emmys went Saturday to PBS’ “The Civil War” as best informational series and to Fox’s “The Simpsons” as best animated program.