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Screen Source presents: Primetime Awards Ceremony Creative Arts Awards Ceremony It's The West Wing Again (and Again) The NBC White House drama "The West Wing" dominated an Emmy Awards show twice-postponed by terrorism and war. The intimate and well guarded Shubert Theatre ceremony, broadcast on CBS, featured a surprise finale by Barbra Streisand singing "You'll Never Walk Alone;" and HBO scored a surprise of its own, breaking through with its New York comedy "Sex and the City" to become the first cable company to win an outstanding series category. James Gandolfini won an Emmy for his lead role in "The Sopranos," and his fictional wife Edie Falco took the award for outstanding lead actress. But "The West Wing," with four Emmys at the Creative Arts Awards on September 8 and four on November 4, repeated as best drama series. "We went back to work pretty quickly," said Tommy Schlamme, "West Wing's" executive producer. "We sort of shuffled for a while, but we're back to normal," said Schlamme, whose crew put together a special episode addressing terrorism shortly after the Septemer 11 attacks. Like many others before and behind the scenes, he told reporters he was "not nervous at all" about appearing at the show. "Honestly I felt like there was more security here than when I dropped my children off at school." It's been a challenge, said TV Academy Chairman Bryce Zabel. "We've all traveled a long journey. There's a sense of unity -- and a sense of defiance." Originally scheduled September 11 and again October 8 with the beginning of hostilities in Afghanistan, the Emmys have never been postponed once, let alone twice. The Oscars were set back two days in 1968 because of Martin Luther King's assassination and delayed for a day in 1981 after the assassination attempt on President Reagan. "I think that we have come to different kind of conscsiousness ... to treat each other more respectfully, to feel the power of love. The power of love is stronger than death," Streisand, a multiple Emmy winner herself, said afterward. "This is just my little way of doing something ... the song was for all the people to had to go on ... the song had a purpose." The academy considered calling off the show, Zabel said. "We all are Americans, we all have families, we all care about our country." But he cited the show's stiff competition for ratings. The November 4 show was scheduled for broadcast in 96 countries outside the United States, with an estimated global audience of 645 million. But it faced stiff competition at home.The postponements put the Emmys up against Game Seven of the World Series. In addition, networks and cable outlets fielded their best shows during sweeps week. "That's great for viewing options," Zabel said. "That proves to me that excellence in television is something that deserves to be honored because there's so much of it out there." Everyone from stars to producers to reporters kept an ear or an eye on Game Seven of the World Series, which ended with an Arizona Diamondback victory at about the same time as the Emmy show. So how did the stars feel about Emmys version three? "I think it's important for us to be here, because they can't take
away our creativity, or joy," deadpanned host Ellen DeGeneres. "Only
network executives can do that." Here is a breakdown of awards by company: The following had one Emmy each: Cast and Presenters
Ellen DeGeneres heads a Emmy Show cast of stars ranging from Walter Cronkite to Jessica Alba. As showtime approached, these celebrities were scheduled to appear as presenters, entertainers or commentators: Jessica Alba, Angela Bassett, Wayne Brady, Andre Braugher, Amy Brenneman, Kim Cattrall, Walter Cronkite, Kristin Davis, Michael Emerson, Sally Field, Calista Flockhart, Dennis Franz, Andy Garcia, Jennifer Garner, Lauren Graham, Kelsey Grammer, Rachel Griffiths, Patricia Heaton, Marg Helgenberger, Kevin James, Jane Kaczmarek, Melina Kanakaredes, Ben Kingsley, Peter Krause, Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Michael Michele, Mary Tyler Moore, Frankie Muniz, Williiam Petersen, Rob Reiner, Leah Remini, Ray Romano, Martin Sheen, Martin Short as "Jiminy Glick," Jean Smart, Jerry Stiller, Goran Visnjic and Bradley Whitford. |
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Emmy Award Nominations Breakdown By Network And Program "The Sopranos" leads the pack with 22 nominations.
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