Stars arrive ahead of Emmys slugfest
Television stars were arriving for the Emmys on Sunday as "Grey's Anatomy" and "24" contended for top honors — and the snubbed "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives" sat on the sidelines.
Some blamed the TV academy's revamped nominations process for omitting a show like "Lost," which was last year's best drama series but only up for writing and directing at the 58th annual Emmy Awards. Others said prospective nominees flubbed it by not submitting their best work to judges.
The evening still promised a slugfest, with medical shows "Grey's Anatomy" and "House" up against the pressure-cooker drama "24," the mobsters of "The Sopranos" and old lion "The West Wing," which wrapped up its seven-season run this year.
The White House drama, which had piled up 25 Emmys over the years, was one award away from a drama series record. It was currently tied with "Hill Street Blues" and "L.A. Law" and was up for four trophies Sunday.
Another now-gone series, the canceled "Arrested Development," was among the best comedy series nominees, facing "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "The Office," "Scrubs," and "Two and a Half Men."
There was potential for bittersweet glory for still more departed shows, including "Will & Grace," which scored bids for stars
Debra Messing, Megan Mullally and Sean Hayes, and "Commander in Chief," with star Geena Davis a nominee.
Cloris Leachman, in the running for the TV movie "Mrs. Harris," was poised to break the Emmy record she set just last week as most-honored performer ever. Her total reached nine when she won a guest-actress award for "Malcolm in the Middle" at the Creative Arts Emmys.
Among those competing with Leachman for best supporting actress was
Ellen Burstyn, whose nomination, also for "Mrs. Harris," was a head scratcher — her cameo was clocked at 14 seconds.
Conan O'Brien ("Late Night") was set to host the downtown Shrine Auditorium ceremony on NBC. Awards were to be presented in 27 categories and tributes to Dick Clark of "American Bandstand" fame and the late producer Aaron Spelling ("Charlie's Angels," "Melrose Place") were planned.
Network Emmy tallies going in to Sunday night's ceremony included HBO with 17; ABC with 10; NBC with eight, and CBS, Fox and PBS with seven each. All were presented at last week's Creative Arts ceremony.
Besides Leachman, other guest actors in drama and comedy series honored at the Creative Arts awards were Leslie Jordan for "Will & Grace," Patricia Clarkson for "Six Feet Under" and Christian Clemenson for "Boston Legal."
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