HBO’s “Carnivale” may have been shut out of the major acting and series categories in this year’s Emmy race, but it led the pack Sunday at the Creative Arts portion of the 56th annual Primetime Emmy Awards.
The Dust Bowl-era drama about carnival workers picked up five trophies, including wins for single-camera series cinematography for Jeffrey Jur and nods in the categories of art direction for single-camera series, hairstyling for a series and costumes for a series during the ceremony, held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
HBO, which raked in a record 124 Emmy nominations this year, was far and away the leader among the networks with 16 wins, followed by Fox and PBS with seven each, ABC and NBC with five each and A&E Network with four. The main Emmy ceremony, when the winners in 27 categories will be announced, will take place next Sunday at the Shrine.
HBO’s other big winners included its epic miniseries “Angels in America,” which led the nominees’ list this year with 21 bids. “Angels” banked four wins, including casting, art direction and makeup honors in longform categories. Fox’s “24” and NBC’s “Frasier” also went home with four trophies apiece.
ABC’s now-departed legal drama “The Practice” earned both awards in the categories of guest actor and actress in a drama series. Sharon Stone picked up her first Emmy for her star turn as a God-obsessed lawyer. Stone had nothing but superlatives for her experience working with “Practice” creator/executive producer David E. Kelley and his team on the ABC legal drama.
“He let me express that God really does talk to me,” Stone said.
William Shatner, the veteran TV trouper who is a co-star of the “Practice” spinoff, “Boston Legal,” which bows on ABC this month, quipped, “It’s about time” when accepting his award.
John Turturro was recognized for comedy series guest star for his role on USA Network’s “Monk.” On the comedy side, Laura Linney won the guest actress category for her arc on NBC’s “Frasier.”
Basic cable’s Bravo scored a win for reality program with “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.”
“None of us have ever been so happy to take home a lady,” “Queer Eye” co-star Carson Kressley quipped backstage.
PBS’ “American Masters” was recognized in the nonfiction series category.
HBO’s “Elaine Stritch: At Liberty” music special won the gold for best variety, music or comedy special, beating such competitors as ABC’s 76th Annual Academy Awards telecast and A&E Network’s “Paul McCartney in Red Square” concert special. HBO also landed the best children’s program for its “Happy to Be Nappy and Other Stories of Me.”
Fox shows were the picks in the series casting categories: “Arrested Development” won in the comedy field, and “24” was selected in drama.
In addition to the series cinematography nod for “Carnivale,” HBO’s “Something the Lord Made” was recognized in for longform cinematography, topping its higher-profile competition, which included HBO’s “Angels in America.” The multicamera cinematography nod went to Bruce Finn for ABC’s “8 Simple Rules.”