HBO Continues Domination of the CableACE Awards

HBO continued its long-standing domination of the CableACE Awards over the weekend, garnering more than a third of cable TV’s programming honors presented at the 18th annual event.

The pay service’s parade included a fifth consecutive comedy series win for “The Larry Sanders Show” and three awards for the Emmy-winning movie “Truman.” The stars of those programs, Garry Shandling and Gary Sinise, respectively, also claimed prizes during the weekend ceremony, part of which was televised Saturday by TNT.

HBO--having spearheaded cable’s growing presence in the Emmy Awards, which include both broadcast and cable fare--walked away with the CableACE in 28 of 81 categories, one more than last year.

In fact, HBO’s award total equaled that of the next six networks combined. ESPN and Arts & Entertainment emerged as runners-up with six trophies apiece, while CNN, Lifetime, Showtime and TNT each collected four honors.

“Larry Sanders” again topped all programs with four awards, and Shandling’s personal thank-you list for his trio of wins as producer, writer and star eventually included the psychiatric team at Cedars Sinai Medical Center. Director Todd Holland was also awarded his fourth straight CableACE for the show.

The usual suspects turned up in other categories as well, with Showtime’s “The Outer Limits” and Comedy Central’s “Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher” repeating as winners in their respective drama series and talk show fields. The latter will relocate to ABC in January, assuming a post-”Nightline” berth.

Another HBO program, “Tracey Takes On . . . ,” also received three awards, including best variety series and comedy actress honors for star Tracey Ullman. “It’s like working for the BBC, but with money!” Ullman enthused about the premium channel.

Honors for actress in a movie or miniseries went to Sela Ward for a biographical role in the Lifetime movie “Almost Golden: The Jessica Savitch Story.”

Cable programs that were seen between Aug. 1, 1995, and June 30, 1996, were eligible for consideration. The televised event was held at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles and hosted by Drew Carey.

Special awards not included in the overall count were given to Nickelodeon for its children’s programming, the special “Lifetime Applauds: The Fight Against Breast Cancer,” and Discovery Networks Chairman John S. Hendricks, who was presented his honor by Walter Cronkite.

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Among the winners:

* Comedy series: “The Larry Sanders Show,” HBO.

* Dramatic series: “The Outer Limits,” Showtime.

* Variety special or series: “Tracey Takes On . . . ,” HBO.

* Movie or miniseries: “Truman,” HBO.

* Talk show series: “Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher,” Comedy Central.

* Children’s series--7 and older: “The Composers’ Specials,” HBO.

* Children’s special--7 and older: “Nickelodeon Sports Theater With Shaquille O’Neal (4 Points),” Nickelodeon.

* Children’s special or series--6 and younger: “The World of Peter Rabbit & Friends: Tale of Flopsy Bunnies & Mrs. Tittlemouse,” The Family Channel.

* Animated programming special or series: “Duckman,” USA.

* Educational or instructional special or series: “Blacklist: Hollywood on Trial,” American Movie Classics.

* Children’s educational or informational special or series: “Nick News,” Nickelodeon.

* Documentary series: “The Revolutionary War,” The Learning Channel.

* Documentary special: “Survivors of the Holocaust,” TBS.

* Music special or series: “South Bank Show: Wynton Marsalis,” Bravo.

* Sports news series: “Sports Tonight,” CNN.

* Sports events coverage series: “ESPN Sunday Night NFL,” ESPN.

* Sports information series: “Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel,” HBO.

* News special or series: “Investigative Reports: Seized by Law,” A&E.;

* Public affairs special or series: “Investigative Reports: Wife Beaters,” A&E.;

* Dramatic or theatrical special: “America’s Dream: ‘Long Black Song,’ ” HBO.

* Performing arts special or series: “B.B. King: The Blues Summit,” A&E.;

* Recreation and leisure special or series: “Lonely Planet: Central Asia,” The Travel Channel.

* Actor in a comedy series: Garry Shandling, “The Larry Sanders Show,” HBO.

* Actress in a comedy series: Tracey Ullman, “Tracey Takes On . . . ,” HBO.

* Actor in a movie or miniseries: Gary Sinise, “Truman,” HBO.

* Actress in a movie or miniseries: Sela Ward, “Almost Golden: The Jessica Savitch Story,” Lifetime.

* Actor in a dramatic special or series: Danny Glover, “America’s Dream: ‘Long Black Song,’ ” HBO.

* Actress in a dramatic special or series: Donna Murphy, “Someone Had to Be Benny,” HBO.

* Performance in a music special or series: Tony Bennett, “Tony Bennett Live by Request: A Valentine’s Special,” A&E.;

* Performance in a comedy special: Julia Sweeney, “Lifetime Applauds: The Fight Against Cancer,” Lifetime.

* Newscaster: Bernard Shaw, Judy Woodruff, “Inside Politics,” CNN.

* Program interviewer: Roy Firestone, “Up Close Prime Time,” ESPN.

* Entertainment host: Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, Robin Williams, “Comic Relief VII,” HBO.

* Sports host: Chris Berman, ESPN.

* Sports commentator/analyst: Tom Jackson, “NFL GameDay,” ESPN.

* Informational or documentary host: David Attenborough, “The Private Life of Plants,” TBS.