Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, September 11, 1995 TAG: 9509130078
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOHN HORN ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: PASADENA, CALIF. LENGTH: Medium
``ER'' won eight awards to equal marks set by ``Hill Street Blues,'' another NBC series, for most wins by a new series and most wins in one year (1981).
Showing no signs of sophomore slump, the farcical NBC comedy ``Frasier'' won five Emmys in all, including best comedy actor for Kelsey Grammer.
NBC won 28 Emmys, including trophies presented in a non-televised ceremony Saturday. CBS had 19, HBO won 15 and ABC took home just six Emmys.
The 47th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, capably co-hosted by Cybill Shepherd and Jason Alexander, was fast-paced, even managing to end five minutes short of its scheduled three hours. Despite stumbling with a food-fight bit and a gag with a catapulted dummy, the telecast was easygoing and dignified, with presenters and recipients on their best behavior.
The five wins Sunday by ``Frasier'' were the most for any show, but ``ER'' won five awards Saturday and three Sunday, including directing, drama writing and supporting dramatic actress.
Grammer, the radio psychiatrist who can handle everybody's problems except his own, took the best comedy actor award for the second straight year.
Candice Bergen repeated as lead actress in a comedy series for her depiction of a hard-driving journalist-mom in ``Murphy Brown.'' She won the same award in 1994, 1992, 1990 and 1989, becoming the winningest performer in a lead series role.
Mandy Patinkin, the brilliant and overzealous surgeon on CBS' ``Chicago Hope,'' was named best drama series actor. Ironically, Patinkin will not be a regular on the show this year, but will make several appearances.
Kathy Baker, who plays Dr. Jill Brock on the CBS series ``Picket Fences,'' won for best drama series actress.
``Frasier'' co-star David Hyde Pierce, who plays the show's wobbly psychiatrist, won best supporting actor in a comedy series. The show also won for comedy series directing and best writing in a comedy series.
``Does this mean that I'll never have to work again or that I'll never work again?'' quipped Pierce.
Christine Baranski, the sardonic divorcee on ``Cybill,'' led off the evening with the Emmy for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series.
Julianna Margulies, a troubled nurse on ``ER,'' won best supporting actress in a drama series. Ray Walston, the cantankerous Judge Henry Bone on ``Picket Fences,'' won the Emmy for supporting actor in a drama series.
``I have 30 seconds to tell you that I've been waiting 60 years to get up on this stage,'' Walston told the Pasadena Civic Auditorium audience.
NBC had a total of 96 Emmy nominations, including 23 for ``ER,'' followed by CBS with 91 and cable's Home Box Office with 50. ABC had 42 bids, while Fox Broadcasting Co. had 19.
``The Tonight Show With Jay Leno'' won its first Emmy, for best variety, music or comedy series. The show had been nominated seven times over the past three years.
``As my dad would say, `Fight the good fight,''' Leno said.
HBO's ``Barbra Streisand: The Concert'' won best individual performance in a variety or music program and best variety, music or comedy special. The star and co-producer noted it had been 30 years since her last Emmy.
This one, she said, was more significant because of ``so many doubts that I had over so many years of not performing. You know, would I, I mean could I do it? Would my voice be there? Would the people still pay to see me?''
The late Raul Julia took the Emmy for lead actor in a miniseries or special for portraying rain forest activist Chico Mendes in ``The Burning Season.''
``I hope that you will always keep him in your heart as I will always keep him in my heart,'' said his widow, Merel Poloway Julia.
Glenn Close won the miniseries actress award for ``Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story,'' which depicted the dismissal of a military officer for homosexuality.
``Our differences and our diversity have always been one of the God-given strengths of this country,'' Close said.
In a tie, Judy Davis of ``Serving in Silence'' and Shirley Knight in ``Indictment: The McMartin Trial'' shared the award for supporting actress in a miniseries. Donald Sutherland won supporting miniseries actor for ``Citizen X.'' ``Indictment'' also won best made-for-TV movie.
NBC won 16 awards in Saturday's preliminary ceremony, followed by CBS with 14. Other network totals included HBO's seven awards and PBS' four.
Acting trophies given Saturday for guest appearances on comedy and drama series went to Paul Winfield for CBS' ``Picket Fences,'' Shirley Knight for ABC's ``NYPD Blue'' and Carl Reiner and Cyndi Lauper for separate episodes of NBC's ``Mad About You.''
by CNB