Season 60
Nominations for the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards (covering the period of June 1, 2007 to May 31, 2008) were announced on 17 July by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences from the Leonard H. Goldenson Theatre, North Hollywood, California.
On Sunday, September 21 the telecast awarding Primetime Emmys in 29 categories will be presented before a black-tie audience and televised by the ABC Television Network from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.
This year's Emmy telecast will be executive-produced by Ken Ehrlich and directed by Louis J. Horvitz. The Television Academy's Governors Ball will follow the telecast at the Los Angeles Convention Centre.
In an unprecedented move, all five nominees in the category for Outstanding Reality/Competition Host – Tom Bergeron (Dancing with the Stars), Heidi Klum (Project Runway), Howie Mandel (Deal or No Deal), Jeff Probst (Survivor) and Ryan Seacrest (American Idol) – have been named hosts of the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards.
The Outstanding Host Reality or Reality Competition Program is a new category that was added to this year's nomination ballot.
Of the 51 nominations for comedy and drama programs as well as lead and supporting performers, 21 were not included among last year’s nominees - a 40% change.
First-time nominees include Damages, Dexter and Mad Men in the drama series category. Damages and Mad Men are the first two basic cable series to be nominated in the drama series program category.
Newcomers in the drama and comedy series performer categories include Amy Poehler in Saturday Night Live, Anjelica Huston in Medium, Carrie Fisher in 30 Rock, Shelley Berman in Curb Your Enthusiasm, Kristin Chenoweth and Lee Pace in Pushing Daisies, Gabriel Byrne in In Treatment, John Hamm and John Slattery in Mad Men and eljko Ivanek in Damages.
Additional first-time nominees in other categories include Ralph Fiennes in Bernard and Doris, Paul Giamatti in John Adams, Catherine Keener in An American Crime, Howie Mandel for hosting Deal Or No Deal, and Kevin Spacey in Recount.
Winners
Outstanding Drama Series
Boston Legal (ABC)
Damages (FX)
Dexter (Showtime)
House (FOX)
Lost (ABC)
Mad Men (AMC)
Outstanding Comedy Series
30 Rock (NBC)
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
Entourage (HBO)
The Office (NBC)
Two and a Half Men (CBS)
Outstanding Miniseries
The Andromeda Strain (A&E)
Cranford (PBS)
John Adams (HBO)
Tin Man (Sci-Fi)
Outstanding Made for Television Movie
Bernard and Doris (HBO)
Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale (HBO)
The Memory Keeper's Daughter (Lifetime)
A Raisin in the Sun (ABC)
Recount (HBO)
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series
The Colbert Report (Comedy Central)
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central)
Late Show with David Letterman (CBS)
Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program
The Amazing Race
American Idol
Dancing With the Stars
Project Runway
Top Chef
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Gabriel Byrne for playing Dr. Paul Weston on In Treatment (HBO)
Bryan Cranston for playing Walt White on Breaking Bad (AMC)
Michael C. Hall for playing Dexter Morgan on Dexter (Showtime)
Jon Hamm for playing Don Draper on Mad Men (AMC)
Hugh Laurie for playing Dr. Gregory House on House (FOX)
James Spader for playing Alan Shore on Boston Legal (ABC)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Alec Baldwin for playing Jack Donaghy on 30 Rock (NBC)
Steve Carell for playing Michael Scott on The Office (NBC)
Lee Pace for playing Ned on Pushing Daisies (ABC)
Tony Shalhoub for playing Adrian Monk on Monk (USA)
Charlie Sheen for playing Charlie Harper on Two and a Half Men (CBS)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Glenn Close for playing Patricia "Patty" Hewes on Damages (FX)
Sally Field for playing Nora Walker on Brothers & Sisters (ABC)
Mariska Hargitay for playing Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC)
Holly Hunter for playing Grace Hanadarko on Saving Grace (TNT)
Kyra Sedgwick for playing Brenda Leigh Johnson on The Closer (TNT)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Christina Applegate for playing Samantha "Sam" Newly on Samantha Who? (ABC)
America Ferrera for playing Betty Suarez on Ugly Betty (ABC)
Tina Fey for playing Liz Lemon on 30 Rock (NBC)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus for playing Christine Campbell on The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS)
Mary-Louise Parker for playing Nancy Botwin on Weeds (Showtime)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie
Ralph Fiennes for playing Bernard Lafferty in Bernard and Doris (HBO)
Ricky Gervais for playing Andy Millman in Extras (HBO)
Paul Giamatti for playing John Adams in John Adams (HBO)
Kevin Spacey for playing Ron Klain in Recount (HBO)
Tom Wilkinson for playing James Baker in Recount (HBO)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
Judi Dench for playing Matty Jenkyns in Cranford (PBS)
Catherine Keener for playing Gertrude Baniszewski in An American Crime (Showtime)
Laura Linney for playing Abigail Adams in John Adams (HBO)
Phylicia Rashad for playing Lena Younger in A Raisin in the Sun (ABC)
Susan Sarandon for playing Doris Duke in Bernard and Doris (HBO)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Ted Danson for playing Arthur Frobisher on Damages (FX)
Michael Emerson for playing Ben Linus on Lost (ABC)
Zeljko Ivanek for playing Ray Fiske on Damages (FX)
William Shatner for playing Denny Crane on Boston Legal (ABC)
John Slattery for playing Roger Sterling on Mad Men (AMC)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Jon Cryer for playing Alan Harper on Two and a Half Men (CBS)
Kevin Dillon for playing Johnny "Drama" Chase on Entourage (HBO)
Neil Patrick Harris for playing Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother (CBS)
Jeremy Piven for playing Ari Gold on Entourage (HBO)
Rainn Wilson for playing Dwight Schrute on The Office (NBC)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Candice Bergen for playing Shirley Schmidt on Boston Legal (ABC)
Rachel Griffiths for playing Sarah Whedon on Brothers and Sisters (ABC)
Sandra Oh for playing Dr. Christina Yang on Grey's Anatomy (ABC)
Dianne Wiest for playing Gina on In Treatment (HBO)
Chandra Wilson for playing Dr. Miranda Bailey on Grey's Anatomy (ABC)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Kristin Chenoweth for playing Olive Snook on Pushing Daisies (ABC)
Amy Poehler for playing various characters on Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Jean Smart for playing Regina Newly on Samantha Who? (ABC)
Holland Taylor for playing Evelyn Harper on Two and a Half Men (CBS)
Vanessa L. Williams for playing Wilhelmina Slater on Ugly Betty (ABC)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie
Bob Balaban for playing Benjamin Ginsburg in Recount (HBO)
Stephen Dillane for playing Thomas Jefferson in John Adams (HBO)
Denis Leary for playing Michael Whouley in Recount (HBO)
David Morse for playing George Washington in John Adams (HBO)
Tom Wilkinson for playing Benjamin Franklin in John Adams (HBO)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
Eileen Atkins for playing Miss Deborah in Cranford (BBC)
Laura Dern for playing Katherine Harris in Recount (HBO)
Ashley Jensen for playing Maggie Jacobs in Extras (HBO)
Audra McDonald for playing Ruth Younger in A Raisin in the Sun (ABC)
Alfre Woodard for playing Edna Reilly in Pictures of Hollis Woods (CBS)
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special
Bill Maher: The Decider (HBO)
George Carlin: It's Bad For Ya! (HBO)
James Taylor: One Man Band (Great Performances) (PBS)
Kathy Griffin: Straight To Hell (Bravo)
Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project (HBO)
The Kennedy Center Honors (CBS)
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
Arlene Sanford for Boston Legal (episode: "The Mighty Rogues") (ABC)
Vince Gilligan for Breaking Bad (episode: "Pilot") (AMC)
Allen Coulter for Damages (episode: "Get Me A Lawyer" (Pilot)) (FX)
Greg Yaitanes for House (episode: "House's Head") (FOX)
Alan Taylor for Mad Men (episode: "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" (Pilot)) (AMC)
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
Dan Attias for Entourage (episode: "No Cannes Do") (HBO)
James Bobin for Flight of the Conchords (episode: "Sally Returns") (HBO)
Paul Feig for The Office (episode: "Goodbye, Toby") (NBC)
Paul Lieberstein for The Office (episode: "Money") (NBC)
Barry Sonnenfeld for Pushing Daisies (episode: "Pie-Lette") (ABC)
Michael Engler for 30 Rock (episode: "Rosemary's Baby") (NBC)
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Michael Angeli for Battlestar Galactica (episode: "Six of One") (SciFi)
Todd A. Kessler, Glenn Kessler and Daniel Zelman for Damages (episode: "Get Me A Lawyer" (Pilot)) (FX)
Matthew Weiner for Mad Men (episode: "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" (Pilot)) (AMC)
Matthew Weiner and Robin Veith for Mad Men (episode: "The Wheel") (AMC)
David Simon and Ed Burns for The Wire (episode: "–30–") (HBO)
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
James Bobin, Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie for Flight of the Conchords (episode: "Yoko") (HBO)
Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky for The Office (episode: "Dinner Party") (NBC)
Bryan Fuller for Pushing Daisies (episode: "Pie-lette") (ABC)
Jack Burditt for 30 Rock (episode: "Rosemary's Baby") (NBC)
Tina Fey for 30 Rock (episode: "Cooter") (NBC)
Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special
Bob Balaban - Bernard and Doris (HBO)
Ricky Gervais & Stephen Merchant - Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale (HBO)
Tom Hooper - John Adams (HBO)
Jay Roach - Recount (HBO)
Mikael Salomon - The Company (TNT)
Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special
Hugh Costello for Bernard and Doris (HBO)
Kirk Ellis for John Adams (episode: "Part 2: Independence") (HBO)
Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant for Extras (HBO)
Heidi Thomas for Cranford (BBC)
Danny Strong for Recount (HBO)
Outstanding Directing for a Variety or Music Program
Louis J. Horvitz for 80th Annual Academy Awards (ABC)
Lonny Price for Company (Great Performances) (PBS)
Don Roy King for Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Jim Hoskinson for The Colbert Report (Comedy Central)
Chuck O'Neil for The Daily Show With Jon Stewart (Comedy Central)
Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program
Late Night with Conan O'Brien (NBC)
Late Show with David Letterman (CBS)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)
The Colbert Report (Comedy Central)
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central)
Outstanding Host for a Reality Show or Reality Competition
Tom Bergeron - Dancing With the Stars (ABC)
Heidi Klum - Project Runway (Bravo)
Howie Mandel - Deal or No Deal (NBC)
Jeff Probst - Survivor (CBS)
Ryan Seacrest - American Idol (FOX)
About the Emmys
The Emmy Awards are administered by three sister organisations; the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, and the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
The Awards recognise excellence within various areas of the television industry, and are a symbol of peer recognition from over 12,000 members of the Academy, where each member casts a ballot for the category of competition in their field of expertise.
The Awards are divided into three categories - The Primetime Awards, The Daytime Awards and the L.A. Area Awards.
Only the Primetime Awards are screened in South Africa, which celebrate excellence in national prime-time programming, awarding top honours during the creative arts awards and the prime-time telecast.
The first Emmy Awards were presented on January 25, 1949 at the Hollywood Athletic Club. The name "Emmy" was a feminisation of "immy", a nickname used for the image orthicon tubes that were commonplace in early television cameras.
The Emmy Awards trophies are currently made by a private company with a manufacturing site at the maximum security El Dorado Correctional Facility, in El Dorado, Kansas.
The statuette of a winged woman holding an atom has since become the symbol of the TV Academy's goal of supporting and uplifting the art and science of television.
The wings represent the muse of art, and the atom represents the electron of science. It was created by television engineer Louis McManus, using his wife as a model.