Writers Guild Picks TV, Radio Nominees

Gone but not forgotten: the canceled “thirtysomething” and “China Beach” grabbed four of the six nominations for best writing in an episodic drama Monday as the Writers Guild of America unveiled the TV and radio finalists for its 44th annual awards.

The awards, covering the period Sept. 1, 1990 to Aug. 31, 1991, will be announced during ceremonies March 22.

The nominees:

* Episodic drama: Paris Qualles, “China Beach: Escape,” ABC (story by John Sacret Young, John Wells, Carol Flint, Lydia Woodward); John Wells, “China Beach: Hello-Goodbye,” ABC (story by Wells, John Sacret Young, Lydia Woodward, Carol Flint); Liberty Godshall, “thirtysomething: Guns and Roses,” ABC; Racelle Rosett, “thirtysomething: Photo Opportunity,” ABC; Donald P. Bellisario, “Quantum Leap: The Leap Home,” NBC; Dick Wolf, “Law & Order: Pilot,” NBC.

* Episodic comedy: Ken Levine, David Isaacs, “Cheers: Rat Girl,” NBC; John Peaslee, Judd Pillot, “Coach: Christmas Brains,” ABC; Jay Tarses, “The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd: A Little Touch of Harry in the Night,” Lifetime; Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, “Evening Shade: A Day in the Life of Wood Newton,” CBS; Marc Sotkin, “The Golden Girls: Ebbtide’s Revenge,” NBC.

* Original long form: Marshall Herskovitz, “Extreme Close-Up,” NBC (story by Herskovitz and Edward Zwick); Tom Topor, “Judgment,” HBO; George Stevens Jr., “Separate but Equal (Part 2),” ABC; Andy Wolk, “Criminal Justice,” HBO.

* Adapted long form: Jane-Howard Hammerstein, “Long Road Home,” NBC; Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman, “The Love She Sought,” NBC; Linda Bergman, Martin Tahse, “Matters of the Heart,” USA.

* Daytime serials: Anne M. Schoettle, Richard J. Allen, Gene Palumbo, Leah Laiman, Dena Highley, Marcia E. Greenlaw, Roberto Lollederman, Beth Milstein, Sheri Anderson, Michelle Poteet Lisanti, Mike Cohen, Maura Penders, Mary Le Donne, Penina Spiegel, Marlene Clark, Dwight D. Smith, “Days of Our Lives,” NBC; Nancy Cuiee, Stephen Demorest, James E. Reilly, Nancy Williams, Michael Conforti, Bill Elverman, N. Gail Lawrence, Pete T. Rich, Melissa Salmons, “The Guiding Light,” CBS; Lorraine Broderick, Agnes Nixon, Wisner Washam, Megan McTavish, Hal Corley, Mary K. Wells, Susan Kirshenbaum, Karen Lewis, Elizabeth Smith, Kathleen Klein, Gillian Spencer, Michelle Patrick, “All My Children,” ABC; Bridget Dobson, Jerry Dobson, Samuel D. Ratcliffe, Maralyn Thoma, Linda Hamner, Josh Griffith, Gary Tomlin, Courtney Simon, Bob Guza Jr., Richard Culliton, Lynda Myles, Michele Val Jean, Tina Bradbury, Chris Dunn, Mary Dobson-Collier, Frank Salisbury, Patrick Mulcahey, “Santa Barbara,” NBC.

* Variety, musical, award, tribute, special event: Hal Kanter, Buz Kohan, Billy Crystal, David Steinberg, Bruce Vilanch, Robert Wuhl, “63rd Annual Academy Awards,” ABC; Jerry Juhl, Sara Lukinson, Bill Prady, “The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson,” CBS.

* Children’s script: Michael Winship, “3-2-1 Contact Extra: Down the Drain,” PBS; Gordon Rayfield, “It’s Only Rock and Roll,” ABC; Paul W. Cooper, “CBS Schoolbreak Special: Abby My Love,” CBS; Joanna Lee, Annie Caroline Schuler, “The Fourth Man,” CBS; Betty G. Birney, “But He Loves Me,” CBS.

* Documentary, current events: Joseph Angier, Carl Byker, “Power in the Pacific: Power Without Purpose,” PBS; Irv Drasnin, “Nova: The Chip vs. the Chessmaster,” PBS; Vivian Ducat, “Waste Not Want Not,” PBS; Bill Moyers, Howard Weinberg, “Sports for Sale With Bill Moyers,” PBS.

* Documentary, other than current events: Barbara Jampel, “Cats: Caressing the Tiger,” PBS; Geoffrey Ward, “The American Experience: Lindbergh,” PBS; Geoffrey Ward, David Espar, Elizabeth Deane, Marilyn Mellowes, “The American Experience: Nixon,” PBS.

* Television spot-news script: Donna Williams, Jim Driscoll, Noah Gurock, Adrian Meppen, Paul Rosenberg, Andrew Paparella, Tom Busch, Chris Long, Don Ennis, Leslie Braxton, Ann Lambrecht, Allen Levine, Joyce Hanley, Dick Brennan, “Channel 9 News at 10 (Noon),” WWOR; Jerry Cipriano, Maureen Clark, Paul Fischer, Paul Enger, Hugh Heckman, “CBS Evening News: Soviet Coup,” CBS; Hugh Heckman, Jerry Cipriano, Paul Fischer, Maureen Clark, “48 Hours: The Coup Collapses,” CBS.

* Radio spot news: Les Blatt, “Peter Jennings Journal,” ABC; Gil Longin, “World News This Week,” ABC; Thomas Phillips, “Dan Rather Reporting: Kuwait Oil Fires,” CBS.

* Radio documentary: Evalyn Lee, “Just Down the Road,” CBS; Carol Pauli, “Remembering the Dream,” CBS; Jill Landes, Evalyn Lee, Pam Rauscher, “Love Stories,” CBS.

* Radio drama/comedy: Thomas M. Carr, “Morning Show Prep,” ABC; Sarit Catz, Gloria Ketterer, “Morning Show Prep,” ABC.