It was another huge night for NBC Universal at the 61st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards as the NBC network again won 16 combined Emmys, including five for "30 Rock," which was the most-honored series on any broadcast or cable network at this year's awards. "30 Rock" also claimed its third, back-to-back win as Outstanding Comedy Series giving NBC a win in that category for the past four years. NBC also tied HBO for the most wins of the evening with five.
The awards, presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences at the annual Emmyfest at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles, also proclaimed Tina Fey as the latest Emmy juggernaut to be recognized as she added two more Emmys to her trophy case for executive-producing "30 Rock" and for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Variety/Music/Comedy Series for her portrayal of then-Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on NBC's "Saturday Night Live." She won three Emmys last year for writing, producing and performing on "30 Rock" bringing her personal total to seven.
The combined companies of NBC Universal scored big with a total of 20 Emmys, including nods to Bravo ("Project Runway") Syfy ("Battlestar Galactica") and nbc.com ("The Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Experience").
Further, Universal Media Studios, which topped all other production companies with 55 nominations, made a strong showing with a total of 12 Emmys collected for "30 Rock," "House," "The Office," "Saturday Night Live" and "Heroes."
NBC, which won Outstanding Comedy Series in 12 of the last 17 years, began the night as the broadcast network to beat with the most Emmy nominations (67) and second among all broadcast services. The tally includes an all-time, TV Academy record of 22 nominations for "30 Rock," which now ups its career total wins to 49 nominations and 14 wins.
As the network continued its winning ways throughout the evening, other "30 Rock" wins went to eight-time Emmy nominee Alec Baldwin who repeated as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and Matt Hubbard for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series (NBC has dominated this category for the past four years).
"30 Rock," which tied "All in the Family" last year for the all-time single season record with seven Emmy wins, took home the gold last week in as it won Outstanding Casting in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Picture Editing for a Comedy Series at last week's Creative Arts Emmy Awards. "30 Rock"'s third win for Outstanding Comedy Series puts it on track to catch the all-time leader, NBC's "Frasier," which holds the record with five consecutive wins from 1995 to 1998. "30 Rock" also has the distinction of a nomination rarity by having all series regulars nominated in lead or supporting roles.
Other notable wins on Sunday night include Jeff Blitz for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series for his work on "The Office" and Rod Holcomb for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series on "ER." "ER" retires from its legendary run with the industry-leading, all-time record of 124 nominations for a drama series and 23 wins.
In earlier round action at the Creative Arts Awards, the spectacular Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony won three of its four Emmy nominations including Outstanding Special Class Program. Other Creative Arts winners include Justin Timberlake for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series as host of "Saturday Night Live." He previously won Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for previous work on "Saturday Night Live" in 2007. This win gives NBC a blockbuster record in the guest actor category with the network having claimed a guest actor win for the past 13 consecutive years.
Another Creative Arts Emmy winner was Ellen Burstyn, already an Oscar and Tony Award winner, who won her first Emmy for the compelling portrayal of a woman afflicted with bipolar disorder on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit." Other Creative Arts Emmy winners are included in the breakdown below.
Totals for all NBC Universal programs are:
NBC
"30 Rock" - 5
"Saturday Night Live" - 2
"The Office" - 1
"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" - 1
"Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony" - 3
"Chuck" - 1
"Heroes" - 1
"ER" - 1
"Stand Up to Cancer" - 1
A complete list of NBC Universal winners follows:
PRIMETIME AWARDS
OUTSTANDNG COMEDY SERIES
"30 Rock"
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Alex Baldwin as Jack Donaghy
"30 Rock"
OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
Matt Hubbard
"30 Rock" - "Reunion"
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
Jeff Blitz
"The Office" - "Stress Relief"
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
Rod Holcomb
"ER" - "And in the End"
CREATIVE ARTS AWARDS
OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES'
Tina Fey as Governor Sarah Palin
"Saturday Night Live"
OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Host: Justin Timberlake
"Saturday Night Live"
OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Ellen Burstyn as Bernadette Stabler
"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" - "Swing"
OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL DIRECTION, CAMERAWORK, VIDEO CONTROL FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE OR A SPECIAL
"Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony"
OUTSTANDING SPECIAL CLASS PROGRAMS
"Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony"
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A VARIETY, MUSIC OR COMEDY SPECIAL
Buck Gunts, Director
"Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony"
OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
"30 Rock"
OUTSTANDING PICTURE EDITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES (SINGLE OR MULTI-CAMERA)
"30 Rock" - "Apollo, Apollo"
OUTSTANDING SOUND EDITING FOR A SERIES
"Battlestar Galactica" - "Daybreak (Part 2)"
OUTSTANDING SOUND MIXING FOR A COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES (ONE HOUR)
"House" - "House Divided"
OUTSTANDING STUNT COORDINATION
"Chuck" - "Chuck Versus the First Date"
OUTSTANDING SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS FOR A SERIES
"Heroes" - "The Second Coming/The Butterfly Effect"
OUTSTANDING PICTURE EDITING FOR REALITY PROGRAMMING
"Project Runway" - "Finale" (Part 1)
OUTSTANDING CREATIVE ACHIEVEMENT IN INTERACTIVE MEDIA (NONFICTION)
"The Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Digital Experience"
OUTSTANDING SHORT FORM PICTURE EDITING
"Stand Up to Cancer"
