NBC’s ‘ER’ and ‘Seinfeld’ Top People’s Choice Awards

NBC won both the drama and comedy series categories at Sunday night’s 23rd annual People’s Choice Awards, with the crystal trophies going to ratings champs “ER” and “Seinfeld,” respectively.

But it was CBS that picked up the favorite new comedy award--for “Cosby,” whose star, Bill Cosby, tied with Michael J. Fox of ABC’s “Spin City” for favorite male in a new television series.

NBC’s “Suddenly Susan” star Brooke Shields was voted best female in a new series while Fox’s “Millennium” won for favorite new drama series. And talk show host Oprah Winfrey and Tim Allen, star of ABC’s “Home Improvement,” were chosen as the favorite all-around television performers.

NBC’s “Days of Our Lives” was the favorite daytime drama series.

In the movie categories, “Independence Day” was voted best dramatic film, while “The Nutty Professor” was named favorite comedy.

Mel Gibson, meanwhile, was voted overall favorite movie actor, while comparable female honors went to Sandra Bullock. The awards covered only those movies released from January through October, so newer fare, such as “Jerry Maguire” and “The People vs. Larry Flynt,” were ineligible.

And proving that America’s love affair with country music is not over, Garth Brooks and Reba McEntire took the honors for favorite male and female musical performers, respectively.

The awards, held at Santa Monica Airport’s Barker Hanger and televised on CBS, also included a special tribute to Rob Reiner for his 30 years of career achievements in motion pictures and television.

The People’s Choice Awards, which were hosted this year by CBS stars Roma Downey (“Touched by an Angel”) and Don Johnson (“Nash Bridges”), are voted on by a representative sampling of more than 211 million Americans, surveyed by the Gallup Organization.