61ST ANNUAL PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS
EMMY AWARDS
Similar to the Oscar awards for movie, Grammy Awards for music and Tony Awards for stage, Emmy awards are given in the honor of achievements in the television. These awards are given in various sectors of television like entertainment programming, news and documentary shows and sports programming. The first Emmy Awards were presented on 25th January 1949 at the Hollywood Athletic Club and Shirley Dinsdale gained first Emmy award for the ‘Most Outstanding Television Personality’. Emmy awards are presented by the ‘Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’, ‘National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ and ‘International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ in various ceremonies which are held annually throughout the year and these awards are classified into “Primetime Emmy Awards” and “Daytime Emmy Awards”. “Primetime Emmy Awards” are given in the honor of perfection in American primetime television programming and “Daytime Emmy Awards” are given in the honor of excellence in American daytime television programming. “Primetime Emmy Awards” are generally given mid-September and “Daytime Emmy Awards” are generally held in June. “Creative Arts Emmy award” ceremony held a few days earlier to the Primetime and Daytime Emmy award ceremony. In this ceremony, the awards are given to the behind-the-scenes persons such as art directors, costume designers, cinematographers, casting directors, and sound editors. The name “Emmy” was a feminization of “immy”, a nickname used for the image orthicon tubes that were common in early television cameras. The statuette of a winged woman holding an atom was the symbol of Emmy award. The wings represent the dream of art and the atom represents the electron of science.
61ST ANNUAL PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS
The “61st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards” ceremony was held on 20th September 20,2009 at “Nokia Theatre” in Los Angeles, California. Neil Patrick Harris was the host of ‘Primetime event’ and Kathy Griffin was the host of ‘Creative Arts Emmys’ for primetime event. These ceremonies were broadcasted on CBS network and E! network. The “30 Rock” and “Mad Men” gained its second consecutive Emmy award for ‘Outstanding comedy’ and ‘Outstanding drama’ series. “The Amazing Race” gained its seventh Emmy award for ‘Outstanding Reality-Competition Program’. Bryan Cranston and Glenn Close were repeated their previous win for ‘Outstanding Lead Actor’ and ‘Actress’ in a Drama. Biggest upset in this ceremony was Toni Collette, who portrayed the role of Tara Gregson in the comedy series “United States of Tara” gained Emmy award in the ‘Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy category’ by beating Tina Fey. The important award winners are given below,
61ST ANNUAL PRIMETIME EMMY AWARD WINNERS
DRAMA
Outstanding Drama Series - Mad Men (AMC)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series - Glenn Glose as Patty Hewes in Damages (FX)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series - Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad (AMC)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama - Cherry Jones, 24 (Fox)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama - Michael Emerson, Lost (Fox)
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series - Kater Gordon and Matthew Weiner, “Meditations in an Emergency,” Mad Men (AMC)
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series - Rod Holcomb, “And in the End,” ER (NBC)
COMEDY
Outstanding Comedy Series - 30 Rock (NBC)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series - Toni Collette as Tara Gregson in United States of Tara (Showtime)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series - Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock (NBC)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - Kristin Chenoweth as Olive Snook in Pushing Daisies (ABC)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series - Jon Cryer as Alan Harper in Two And A Half Men (CBS)
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series - Matt Hubbard, “Reunion,” 30 Rock (NBC)
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series - Jeffery Blitz, “Stress Relief,” The Office (NBC)
VARIETY, MUSIC OR COMEDY SERIES
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central)
Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central)
Outstanding Directing for Variety, Music or Comedy Series - Bruce Gowers, American Idol (Fox)
MINISERIES AND MADE FOR TV MOVIE
Outstanding Miniseries - Little Dorrit (PBS)
Outstanding Made for TV Movie - Grey Gardens (HBO)
Oustanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie - Jessica Lange, Grey Gardens (HBO)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries of Movie - Brendan Gleeson, Into the Storm (HBO)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries of Movie - Shohreh Aghdashloo as Sajida in House of Saddam (HBO)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries of Movie - Ken Howard as Phelan Beale in Grey Gardens (HBO)
Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special - Andrew Davies, Little Dorrit (PBS)
Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special - Dearbhla Walsh, Little Dorrit (PBS)
REALITY TV
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program - The Amazing Race (CBS)
Outstanding Host For A Reality or a Reality-Competition Program - Jeff Probst, Survivor (CBS)