Prime Time’s ‘Millionaire’ Earns Daytime Emmy Nod

Although it has become the backbone of ABC’s prime-time schedule, the game show hit “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” stands to be rewarded with a daytime Emmy, with Regis Philbin also up for best game show host.

“Millionaire” thus adds a confusing wrinkle to this year’s nominations for the 27th annual Daytime Emmy Awards, which were announced Wednesday. The awards show will be broadcast on ABC from 9-11 p.m. on May 19.

Among the broadcast networks, ABC garnered the most nominations (59), while Showtime was again tops among cable networks with 21. CBS’ daytime soap opera “The Young and the Restless” received the most nominations of any show, 28.

The success of “Millionaire” is drawing more attention to a rule by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, which governs the prime-time Emmys, that precludes game shows from being nominated for a prime-time statuette. Instead, such shows are slid into consideration for daytime awards, which are overseen by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

But with “Millionaire” the highest-rated show in prime time, and the broadcast networks having rolled out their own competition, the rule is likely to touch off discussion about whether a prime-time hit like “Millionaire” deserves industry recognition alongside sitcoms and dramas. Fox’s “Greed,” meanwhile, failed to earn a daytime nomination, and NBC’s “Twenty-One” and CBS’ “Winning Lines” missed the deadline to be considered for an award.

“Millionaire” is competing with three perennial game show nominees, the syndicated “Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune” and CBS’ “The Price Is Right.” The syndicated “Hollywood Squares” and Comedy Central’s “Win Ben Stein’s Money” round out the nominees in that category.

“The Young and the Restless” and three ABC soaps--”All My Children,” “One Life to Live” and “General Hospital”--are up for top show honors. Susan Lucci, who after 19 nominations finally won in the best actress category last year, was not nominated this year.

Among talk shows, ABC’s “The View” edged out the syndicated “Rosie O’Donnell Show” for most nominations, with 12; “The View’s” five co-hosts (Barbara Walters, Meredith Vieira, Joy Behar, Star Jones and Lisa Ling) are competing for top talk-show host honors with O’Donnell, Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford (ABC’s “Live With Regis & Kathie Lee”), Donny and Marie Osmond (the syndicated “Donny & Marie”) and Martin Short of the syndicated “The Martin Short Show,” which is also nominated for best talk show despite being headed for cancellation.

Among PBS nominations, 13 went to “Sesame Street” and seven to “Bill Nye the Science Guy.”

Some of the other major nominations:

* Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Finola Hughes, “All My Children,” ABC; Susan Flannery, “The Bold & the Beautiful,” CBS; Hillary B. Smith, “One Life to Live,” ABC; Jeanne Cooper, “The Young and the Restless,” CBS; Jess Walton, “The Young and the Restless,” CBS.

* Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: David Canary, “All My Children,” ABC; Anthony Geary, “General Hospital,” ABC; Robert S. Woods, “One Life to Live,” ABC; Peter Bergman, “The Young and the Restless,” CBS; Eric Braeden, “The Young and the Restless,” CBS.

* Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Patrika Darbo, “Days of Our Lives,” NBC; Nancy Lee Grahn, “General Hospital,” ABC; Sarah Brown, “General Hospital,” ABC; Sharon Case, “The Young and the Restless,” CBS; Tonya Lee Williams, “The Young and the Restless,” CBS.

* Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Steve Burton, “General Hospital,” ABC; Timothy Gibbs, “One Life to Live,” ABC; Christian LeBlanc, “The Young and the Restless,” CBS; Kristoff St. John, “The Young and the Restless,” CBS; Shemar Moore, “The Young and the Restless,” CBS.