‘ER’ Gets Drama Emmy to Cap Night for NBC

Television’s most popular program, “ER,” raced off with the award for best drama series at the 48th annual Nighttime Emmy Awards Sunday, capping an impressive night for NBC.

The top-rated network claimed Emmys in a number of prestigious categories, including best comedy series for “Frasier,” best miniseries for “Gulliver’s Travels” and lead actress and actor awards for comedy series stars Helen Hunt and John Lithgow in “Mad About You” and “3rd Rock From the Sun,” respectively.

After twice being the industry’s most-nominated program as well as TV’s highest-rated show, the Emmy gave “ER” essentially the only honor that had thus far eluded it. The medical drama garnered eight Emmys its first season--equaling the single-year record previously held by “Hill Street Blues”--but was denied the top prize by ABC’s “NYPD Blue.” In accepting the show’s only Emmy among 17 nominations this year, “ER” producer John Wells lauded the other nominees, calling “NYPD Blue” “my favorite show.”

The recipient of four Emmys this year, “Frasier” has now been recognized in the comedy category three consecutive years since its premiere. Only three programs in history--”All in the Family,” “Cheers” and “The Dick Van Dyke Show”--have won that award four times.

NBC’s strong showing, with a network-leading total of 20 Emmys, was all that prevented cable television from being the night’s top story. As it was, the medium amassed 26 Emmys, its biggest haul ever, combining Sunday’s results with non-televised ceremonies in technical categories Saturday evening. Cable’s previous high was 22 awards two years ago.

HBO accounted for 14 of those trophies, surpassing both ABC and CBS, which received 12 and 11 Emmys, respectively. The pay service fell one short of its total a year ago and its high of 17 in 1993.

HBO was given the Emmy for best movie, “Truman,” marking the fourth consecutive year the pay channel has been honored in that category. Other key awards included best variety series to “Dennis Miller Live” in a field that included high-profile network programs “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” and “Late Show With David Letterman.”

Emmy recognition has become a successful marketing tool for HBO, which generally spends at least twice as much on its original movies as broadcast networks do. Network officials also maintain the premium channel campaigns more aggressively for awards.

NBC did steal some of cable’s thunder by winning with its lavish production of “Gulliver’s Travels,” in a miniseries category where it competed with four cable productions.

“Gulliver” and Fox’s “The X-Files” tied as the most-honored programs, with the latter accounting for all five of its network’s Emmy wins (compared to just one last year). Four of those honors were handed out Saturday, mostly in technical areas, with an on-air award for writing.

Few clear themes emerged from this year’s ceremony, as the wealth was spread among numerous programs. Individual winners offered an eclectic mix of old and new.

In the night’s most anticipated win, Dennis Franz was voted best actor in a drama for his portrayal of “NYPD Blue” Detective Andy Sipowicz--Franz’s second Emmy during the show’s three-year run. Franz’s thank-you list included co-star Jimmy Smits, one of the category’s other nominees.

By contrast, lead drama actress winner Kathy Baker’s third Emmy in four years for CBS’ canceled drama “Picket Fences” (a two-time best series Emmy recipient) represented something of an upset, with most pundits giving the edge to “Chicago Hope’s” Christine Lahti. “This wasn’t supposed to happen again,” Baker said emotionally in accepting the award.

Baker’s latest Emmy means “Murder, She Wrote” star Angela Lansbury remains winless after 12 nominations for that show, which just concluded its final season as well. The recipient of 16 nominations during her career without winning, Lansbury’s run of futility matches Susan Lucci’s track record in the daytime awards for ABC’s “All My Children.”

“Mad About You’s” Hunt was presented her first Emmy as lead actress in a comedy series after failing three times previously for the NBC sitcom.

In opening her acceptance speech, Hunt paid homage to five-time victor Candice Bergen of “Murphy Brown,” who opted not to enter herself in this year’s awards to allow others a chance. “I’d like to thank Candice Bergen for her generosity of spirit,” she said.

All the nominees for outstanding drama and comedy series were the same as a year ago, demonstrating a shortage of critically acclaimed new programs last season.

The only major award for a new program went to Lithgow for “3rd Rock From the Sun.” “Frasier’s” Kelsey Grammer won the category the past two years.

ABC’s “Murder One” also took two honors in technical categories, for art direction and theme music.

Despite the shortage of new faces, there were a number of first-time winners.

That list included Rip Torn as supporting actor in a comedy series for “The Larry Sanders Show,” after six nominations (including another this year as a guest star on “Chicago Hope”); and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, after five supporting nominations for NBC’s “Seinfeld.”

Similarly, Helen Mirren received her first Emmy as lead actress in a movie or miniseries for PBS’ “Prime Suspect,” as did first-time nominee Alan Rickman for HBO’s movie “Rasputin” and “X-Files” guest star Peter Boyle. Crooner Tony Bennett was also honored with his first Emmy for an Arts & Entertainment network concert special.

Still, a number of veteran stars added to the Emmys on their mantles as well. Tyne Daly, for example, was awarded her fifth Emmy for the canceled CBS series “Christy.” “The Carol Burnett Show” co-star Tim Conway also won a fifth Emmy and Betty White took her fourth as guest stars in “Coach” and “The John Larroquette Show,” respectively. Both have been nominated a dozen times.

Ray Walston, a sentimental favorite when he received his first Emmy last year at age 76, also repeated as supporting actor in a drama for “Picket Fences.”

Such wins proved appropriate to the evening’s theme, as the telecast marked the 50th anniversary of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the organization which presents the Emmys.

The broadcast was rife with nostalgia, offering clips from television’s past and reuniting stars of classic programs throughout the evening. Carroll O’Connor and Jean Stapleton of “All in the Family” presented the night’s first award to a standing ovation, with the crowd rising later for Milton Berle and also for Los Angeles Dodger Brett Butler, who was in the Pasadena Civic Auditorium audience.

The evening also stood in stark contrast to 1992, the last presidential election year, in which the Emmys turned into a referendum on then-Vice President Dan Quayle’s assault on “Murphy Brown” and television’s “family values.”

Sunday’s telecast proved virtually devoid of controversy or even political humor. Host Paul Reiser made one half-hearted joke mentioning First Lady Hillary Clinton’s book “It Takes a Village,” while presenter Garry Shandling delivered a quip about the President Clinton’s campaign sex scandal involving Dick Morris.

The academy did answer its critics in part by unveiling its own President’s Award, a new honor designed to recognize a program exploring social and educational issues that “encourages and promotes . . . changes that help society.” The award went to the American Movie Classics series, “Blacklist: Hollywood on Trial.”

During his brief remarks, academy president Richard Frank also maintained “this is the Golden Age” of television and that the medium “at its best does more than entertain.”

Awards were presented in 49 mostly technical categories on Saturday. Although ABC televised this year’s Emmys, the network claimed only one Emmy during the prime-time telecast (Franz’s win for “NYPD Blue”). ABC garnered 11 Emmys on Saturday, nearly twice its total from a year ago when it won only six awards--a record low for one of the major networks.

NBC’s total number of Emmys fell from 28 last year, the most awarded a single network since cable programs became eligible for Emmy recognition in 1987.

Some of television’s most popular programs also received scant recognition during the televised ceremony, though NBC’s “Friends” did claim its first and only Emmy thus far, winning for directing a comedy series.

“A Pinky and the Brain Christmas Special” was honored Saturday as best animated program--the first nighttime Emmy won by the fledgling WB Network, in a category Fox’s “The Simpsons” has dominated, winning three times previously, including last year.

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Big Winners

DRAMA

SERIES “ER” NBC

LEAD ACTOR, Dennis Franz “NYPD Blue” ABC

LEAD ACTRESS, Kathy Baker “Picket Fences” CBS

****

COMEDY

SERIES “Frasier” NBC

LEAD ACTOR, John Lithgow “3rd Rock From the Sun” NBC

LEAD ACTRESS, Helen Hunt “Mad About You” NBC