61st Primetime Emmy Awards

61st Primetime Emmy Awards
File:The 61st Primetime Emmy Awards Poster.jpg Promotional poster
Date	September 20, 2009 (Ceremony) September 12, 2009 (Creative Arts Awards)
Location	Nokia Theatre, Los Angeles, California
Country
Presented by	Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
Hosts	Neil Patrick Harris (Primetime) Kathy Griffin (Creative Arts)
Most awards	30 Rock Grey Gardens Little Dorrit (3)
Most nominations	30 Rock (18)
Official website	<strong%20class= "error"><span%20class="scribunto-error"%20id="mw-scribunto-error-1">Lua%20error%20in%20Module:Wikidata%20at%20line%20446:%20attempt%20to%20index%20field%20'wikibase'%20(a%20nil%20value). http://<strong%20class="error"><span%20class="scribunto-error"%20id="mw-scribunto-error-1">Lua%20error%20in%20Module:Wikidata%20at%20line%20446:%20attempt%20to%20index%20field%20'wikibase'%20(a%20nil%20value).
Television/Radio coverage
Network	CBS (Primetime) E! (Creative Arts)
Producer	Don Mischer

The 61st Primetime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday, September 20, 2009. CBS broadcast the Primetime event and E! broadcast the Creative Arts event; both took place at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California. The nominations were announced on July 16, 2009.

On July 13, 2009, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced that Neil Patrick Harris would host the Primetime ceremony (even going so far as to play Dr. Horrible at one point). The Creative Arts Emmy Awards for prime time were hosted by Kathy Griffin on September 12.

After the previous year's lackluster performance in ratings, the Primetime Emmy Awards were hoping to achieve success by selecting Harris as sole host, as opposed to a group of hosts as in the previous year. The 61st Primetime Emmy Awards earned a 4.2 rating in the 18–49 demo and drew 13.3 million, 1.1 million more than the previous year's all-time low.

30 Rock became the sixth show to win Outstanding Comedy Series three consecutive years, winning three major awards on that night. 30 Rock made history when it smashed the record for most major nominations by a comedy series with 18. The Cosby Show had held the record of 13 since 1986, while 30 Rock had tied this the previous year. The 18 major nominations became the third biggest record of all time, behind Roots' record number of 21 in 1977 and NYPD Blue's mark of 19 in 1994. These records still stand.

The drama field also crowned the defending champion, AMC's Mad Men. It won two major awards on that night. After airing for fifteen seasons, ER went out a winner as its series finale won for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series. This was the first major win for ER since 2001.

Cherry Jones became the first from a Fox network show to win the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama series but also the second female ever from Fox to win a Major Acting award since Gillian Anderson in 1997.

History was also made by The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Amazing Race. Both programs won their series categories for the seventh straight year, this broke the record for most consecutive victories in a major category of six that was held by The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Cagney & Lacey. The Amazing Race would lose the following year. However, in 2013, The Daily Show's streak was finally snapped by The Colbert Report, after a record of ten consecutive wins.

Winners and nominees

Winners are listed first and highlighted in bold:

File:Alec Baldwin by Gage Skidmore.jpg

Alec Baldwin, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series winner

Toni Collette, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series winner

Bryan Cranston, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series winner

Glenn Close, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series winner

File:Brendan Gleeson at the Moet BIFA 2014.jpg

Brendan Gleeson, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie winner

Jessica Lange, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie winner

File:JonCryerHWOFSept2011 (cropped).jpg

Jon Cryer, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series winner

Kristin Chenoweth, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series winner

Michael Emerson, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series winner

Cherry Jones, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series winner

Ken Howard, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie winner

Shohreh Aghdashloo, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie winner

Jeff Probst, Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program winner

Programs

Outstanding Comedy Series	Outstanding Drama Series
30 Rock (NBC) Entourage (HBO) Family Guy (Fox) Flight of the Conchords (HBO) How I Met Your Mother (CBS) The Office (NBC) Weeds (Showtime)	Mad Men (AMC) Big Love (HBO) Breaking Bad (AMC) Damages (FX) Dexter (Showtime) House (Fox) Lost (ABC)
Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series	Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Special
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central) The Colbert Report (Comedy Central) Late Show with David Letterman (CBS) Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO) Saturday Night Live (NBC)	The Kennedy Center Honors (CBS) Chris Rock: Kill the Messenger (HBO) Kathy Griffin: She'll Cut a Bitch (Bravo) Ricky Gervais: Out of England—The Stand-Up Special (HBO) You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W Bush (HBO)
Outstanding Made for Television Movie	Outstanding Miniseries
Grey Gardens (HBO) Coco Chanel (Lifetime) Into the Storm (HBO) Prayers for Bobby (Lifetime) Taking Chance (HBO)	Little Dorrit (PBS) Generation Kill (HBO)
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program
The Amazing Race (CBS) American Idol (Fox) Dancing with the Stars (ABC) Project Runway (Bravo) Top Chef (Bravo)

Acting

Lead performances

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy on 30 Rock (Episode: "Generalissimo") (NBC) Steve Carell as Michael Scott on The Office (Episode: "Broke") (NBC) Jemaine Clement as Jemaine on Flight of the Conchords (Episode: "Unnatural Love") (HBO) Jim Parsons as Dr. Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory (Episode: "The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis") (CBS) Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk on Monk (Episode: "Mr. Monk and the Miracle") (USA) Charlie Sheen as Charlie Harper on Two and a Half Men (Episode: "The 'Ocu' or the 'Pado'?") (CBS)	Toni Collette as Tara Gregson on United States of Tara (Episode: "Pilot") (Showtime) Christina Applegate as Samantha Newly on Samantha Who? (Episode: "The Pill") (ABC) Tina Fey as Liz Lemon on 30 Rock (Episode: "Reunion") (NBC) Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Christine Campbell on The New Adventures of Old Christine (Episode: "Everyone Says I Love You Except Ritchie") (CBS) Mary-Louise Parker as Nancy Botwin on Weeds (Episode: "Lady's a Charm") (Showtime) Sarah Silverman as Herself on The Sarah Silverman Program (Episode: "There's No Place Like Homeless") (Comedy Central)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Bryan Cranston as Walter White on Breaking Bad (Episode: "Phoenix") (AMC) Simon Baker as Patrick Jane on The Mentalist (Episode: "Pilot") (CBS) Gabriel Byrne as Dr. Paul Weston on In Treatment (Episode: "Week 4: Gina") (HBO) Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan on Dexter (Episode: "The Lion Sleeps Tonight") (Showtime) Jon Hamm as Don Draper on Mad Men (Episode: "The Mountain King") (AMC) Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House on House (Episode: "Under My Skin") (Fox)	Glenn Close as Patty Hewes on Damages (Episode: "Trust Me") (FX) Sally Field as Nora Walker on Brothers & Sisters (Episode: "A Father Dreams") (ABC) Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Episode: "PTSD") (NBC) Holly Hunter as Grace Hanadarko on Saving Grace (Episode: "Have a Seat, Earl") (TNT) Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson on Mad Men (Episode: "Meditations in an Emergency") (AMC) Kyra Sedgwick as Brenda Leigh Johnson on The Closer (Episode: "Cherry Bomb") (TNT)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
Brendan Gleeson as Sir Winston Churchill on Into the Storm (HBO) Kevin Bacon as Lt. Colonel Michael Strobl on Taking Chance (HBO) Kenneth Branagh as Kurt Wallander on Wallander: One Step Behind (PBS) Kevin Kline as Cyrano de Bergerac on Cyrano de Bergerac (PBS) Ian McKellen as King Lear on King Lear (PBS) Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer on 24: Redemption (Fox)	Jessica Lange as Edith "Big Edie" Beale on Grey Gardens (HBO) Drew Barrymore as Edith "Little Edie" Beale on Grey Gardens (HBO) Shirley MacLaine as Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel on Coco Chanel (Lifetime) Sigourney Weaver as Mary Griffith on Prayers for Bobby (Lifetime) Chandra Wilson as Yvonne Caldwell on Accidental Friendship (Hallmark Channel)

Supporting performances

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Jon Cryer as Dr. Alan Harper on Two and a Half Men (Episode: "Sir Lancelot's Litter Box") (CBS) Kevin Dillon as Johnny "Drama" Chase on Entourage (Episode: "Tree Trippers") (HBO) Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother (Episode: "Benefits") (CBS) Jack McBrayer as Kenneth Parcell on 30 Rock (Episode: "The Bubble") (NBC) Tracy Morgan as Tracy Jordan on 30 Rock (Episode: "The Funcooker") (NBC) Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute on The Office (Episode: "Heavy Competition") (NBC)	Kristin Chenoweth as Olive Snook on Pushing Daisies (Episode: "Bad Habits") (ABC) Jane Krakowski as Jenna Maroney on 30 Rock (Episode: "The Ones") (NBC) Elizabeth Perkins as Celia Hodes on Weeds (Episode: "No Man Is Pudding") (Showtime) Amy Poehler as Various Characters on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Josh Brolin") (NBC) Kristen Wiig as Various Characters on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Neil Patrick Harris") (NBC) Vanessa Williams as Wilhelmina Slater on Ugly Betty (Episode: "The Fall Issue") (ABC)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Michael Emerson as Ben Linus on Lost (Episode: "Dead Is Dead") (ABC) Christian Clemenson as Jerry Espenson on Boston Legal (Episode: "Roe") (ABC) William Hurt as Daniel Purcell on Damages (Episode: "Hey! Mr. Pibb!") (FX) Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman on Breaking Bad (Episode: "Peekaboo") (AMC) William Shatner as Denny Crane on Boston Legal (Episodes: "Made in China" + "Last Call") (ABC) John Slattery as Roger Sterling, Jr. on Mad Men (Episode: "Six Month Leave") (AMC)	Cherry Jones as President Allison Taylor on 24 (Episode: "Day 7: 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.") (Fox) Rose Byrne as Ellen Parsons on Damages (Episode: "Trust Me") (FX) Hope Davis as Mia Nesky on In Treatment (Episode: "Week 6: Mia") (HBO) Sandra Oh as Dr. Cristina Yang on Grey's Anatomy (Episode: "Elevator Love Letter") (ABC) Dianne Wiest as Dr. Gina Toll on In Treatment (Episode: "Week 6: Gina") (HBO) Chandra Wilson as Dr. Miranda Bailey on Grey's Anatomy (Episode: "Stairway to Heaven") (ABC)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
Ken Howard as Phelan Beale on Grey Gardens (HBO) Len Cariou as Franklin D. Roosevelt on Into the Storm (HBO) Tom Courtenay as William Dorrit on Little Dorrit (PBS) Bob Newhart as Judson on The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice (TNT) Andy Serkis as Rigaud / Blandois on Little Dorrit (PBS)	Shohreh Aghdashloo as Sajida Talfah on House of Saddam (HBO) Marcia Gay Harden as Janina Krzyżanowska on The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler (CBS) Janet McTeer as Clementine Churchill on Into the Storm (HBO) Jeanne Tripplehorn as Jacqueline "Jackie" Onassis on Grey Gardens (HBO) Cicely Tyson as Pearl on Relative Stranger (Hallmark Channel)

Guest performances

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series	Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Justin Timberlake as Various Characters on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Justin Timberlake") (NBC) Alan Alda as Milton Greene on 30 Rock (Episode: "Mamma Mia") (NBC) Beau Bridges as Eli Scruggs on Desperate Housewives (Episode: "The Best Thing That Ever Could Have Happened") (ABC) Jon Hamm as Dr. Drew Baird on 30 Rock (Episode: "The Bubble") (NBC) Steve Martin as Gavin Volure on 30 Rock (Episode: "Gavin Volure") (NBC)	Tina Fey as Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Presidential Bash 2008") (NBC) Jennifer Aniston as Claire Harper on 30 Rock (Episode: "The One with the Cast of Night Court") (NBC) Christine Baranski as Dr. Beverly Hofstadter on The Big Bang Theory (Episode: "The Maternal Capacitance") (CBS) Gena Rowlands as Marge Johnson on Monk (Episode: "Mr. Monk and the Lady Next Door") (USA) Elaine Stritch as Colleen Donaghy on 30 Rock (Episode: "Christmas Special") (NBC) Betty White as Mrs. Weezmer on My Name Is Earl (Episode: "Witch Lady") (NBC)
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series	Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Michael J. Fox as Dwight on Rescue Me (Episode: "Sheila") (FX) Edward Asner as Abraham Klein on CSI: NY (Episode: "Yahrzeit") (CBS) Ernest Borgnine as Paul Manning on ER (Episode: "And in the End...") (NBC) Ted Danson as Arthur Forbisher on Damages (Episode: "They Had to Tweeze That Out of My Kidney") (FX) Jimmy Smits as Miguel Prado on Dexter (Episode: "Go Your Own Way") (Showtime)	Ellen Burstyn as Bernardette Stabler on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Episode: "Swing") (NBC) Brenda Blethyn as Linnie Malcolm / Caroline Cantwell on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Episode: "Persona") (NBC) Carol Burnett as Bridget "Birdie" Sulloway on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Episode: "Ballerina") (NBC) Sharon Lawrence as Robbie Stevens on Grey's Anatomy (Episode: "No Good at Saying Sorry (One More Chance)") (ABC) C. C. H. Pounder as Andrea Curtin on The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (Episode: "The Boy with the African Heart") (HBO)

Hosting

Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program
Jeff Probst for Survivor (CBS) Tom Bergeron for Dancing with the Stars (ABC) Phil Keoghan for The Amazing Race (CBS) Heidi Klum for Project Runway (Bravo) Padma Lakshmi and Tom Colicchio for Top Chef (Bravo) Ryan Seacrest for American Idol (Fox)

Directing

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series	Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
Jeffrey Blitz for The Office (Episode: "Stress Relief") (NBC) James Bobin for Flight of the Conchords (Episode: "The Tough Brets") (HBO) Julian Farino for Entourage (Episode: "Tree Trippers") (HBO) Todd Holland for 30 Rock (Episode: "Generalissimo") (NBC) Beth McCarthy-Miller for 30 Rock (Episode: "Reunion") (NBC) Millicent Shelton for 30 Rock (Episode "Apollo, Apollo") (NBC)	Rod Holcomb for ER (Episode: "And in the End...") (NBC) Phil Abraham for Mad Men (Episode "The Jet Set") (AMC) Bill D'Elia for Boston Legal (Episodes: "Made in China" + "Last Call") (ABC) Todd A. Kessler for Damages (Episode: "Trust Me") (FX) Michael Rymer for Battlestar Galactica (Episode: "Daybreak", Part 2) (Sci Fi)
Outstanding Directing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series	Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Dramatic Special
Bruce Gowers for American Idol (Fox) Jerry Foley for Late Show with David Letterman (CBS) Hal Grant for Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO) Jim Hoskinson for The Colbert Report (Comedy Central) Don Roy King for Saturday Night Live (NBC) Chuck O'Neil for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central)	Dearbhla Walsh for Little Dorrit (PBS) Ross Katz for Taking Chance (HBO) Philip Martin for Wallander: One Step Behind (PBS) Thaddeus O'Sullivan for Into the Storm (HBO) Michael Sucsy for Grey Gardens (HBO) Susanna White for Generation Kill (Episode: "Bomb in the Garden") (HBO)

Writing

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series	Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Matt Hubbard for 30 Rock (Episode: "Reunion") (NBC) James Bobin, Jemaine Clement, and Bret McKenzie for Flight of the Conchords (Episode: "Prime Minister") (HBO) Jack Burditt and Robert Carlock for 30 Rock (Episode: "Kidney Now!") (NBC) Robert Carlock for 30 Rock (Episode: "Apollo, Apollo") (NBC) Ron Weiner for 30 Rock (Episode "Mamma Mia") (NBC)	Kater Gordon and Matthew Weiner for Mad Men (Episode: "Meditations in an Emergency") (AMC) Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof for Lost (Episode: "The Incident") (ABC) Andre Jacquemetton, Maria Jacquemetton, and Matthew Weiner for Mad Men (Episode: "Six Month Leave") (AMC) Robin Veith and Matthew Weiner for Mad Men (Episode: "A Night to Remember") (AMC) Matthew Weiner for Mad Men (Episode: "The Jet Set") (AMC)
Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music, or Comedy Series	Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Dramatic Special
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central) The Colbert Report (Comedy Central) Late Night with Conan O'Brien (NBC) Late Show with David Letterman (CBS) Saturday Night Live (NBC)	Andrew Davies for Little Dorrit (PBS) Ross Katz and Michael Strobl for Taking Chance (HBO) Patricia Rozema and Michael Sucsy for Grey Gardens (HBO) David Simon and Ed Burns for Generation Kill (Episode: "Bomb in the Garden") (HBO) Hugh Whitemore for Into the Storm (HBO)

Most major nominations

By network

• HBO – 38
• NBC – 25
• CBS – 17
• ABC – 16
• AMC - 12

By program

• 30 Rock (NBC) – 18
• Mad Men (AMC) – 9
• Damages (FX) / Grey Gardens (HBO) / Saturday Night Live (NBC) – 7
• Into the Storm (HBO) – 6

Most major awards

By network

• NBC – 8
• HBO – 5
• CBS – 4
• AMC / PBS – 3
• ABC / Comedy Central / Fox / FX – 2

By program

• 30 Rock (NBC) / Grey Gardens (HBO) / Little Dorrit (PBS) – 3
• The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central) / Mad Men (AMC) / Saturday Night Live (NBC) – 2

Notes

Presenters

The awards were presented by the following:

Name(s)	Role
Tina Fey Jon Hamm	Presenters of the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Alyson Hannigan Josh Radnor Jason Segel Cobie Smulders	Presenters of the award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
Julia Louis-Dreyfus Amy Poehler	Presenters of the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Justin Timberlake	Presenter of the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Blake Lively Leighton Meester	Introducers of Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series winner Justin Timberlake and Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series winner Tina Fey and presenters of the award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
Rob Lowe	Presenter of the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Jon Cryer Hayden Panettiere	Presenters of the award for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program
Tracy Morgan	Presenter of the award for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program
Kevin Bacon Kyra Sedgwick	Presenters of the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie
Kate Walsh Chandra Wilson	Presenters of the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie
Patricia Arquette Jennifer Love Hewitt	Presenters of the awards for Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Dramatic Special and Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Dramatic Special
Alec Baldwin	Presenter of the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
Kiefer Sutherland Anna Torv	Presenters of the awards for Outstanding Television Movie and Outstanding Miniseries
Kaley Cuoco Johnny Galecki Jim Parsons	Presenters of the awards for Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series and Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
Jimmy Fallon	Presenter of the award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics
Ricky Gervais	Presenter of the award for Outstanding Variety Series
LL Cool J Chris O'Donnell	Presenters of the awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
David Boreanaz Stephen Moyer	Introducers of Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series winner Michael J. Fox and Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series winner Ellen Burstyn
Ellen Burstyn Michael J. Fox	Presenters of the award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Simon Baker	Presenter of the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Dana Delany	Presenter of the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Bob Newhart	Presenter of the award for Outstanding Comedy Series
Sigourney Weaver	Presenter of the award for Outstanding Drama Series

In Memoriam

The singer Sarah McLachlan performed the song "I Will Remember You" during the tribute:

• Edie Adams
• Gale Storm
• Van Johnson
• Eartha Kitt
• Neal Hefti
• Patrick McGoohan
• Morton Lachman
• Karl Malden
• James Whitmore
• Sam Cohn
• Henry Gibson
• Bill Melendez
• Pat Hingle
• Paul Benedict
• Bernie Hamilton
• Dom DeLuise
• Dominick Dunne
• Robert Prosky
• Fred Travalena
• Irving R. Levine
• Ron Silver
• Natasha Richardson
• David Carradine
• Nora O'Brien
• Michael Crichton
• Beatrice Arthur
• Ricardo Montalbán
• Ed McMahon
• Army Archerd
• Larry Gelbart
• Paul Newman
• Pierre Cossette
• Michael Jackson
• Patrick Swayze
• Don Hewitt
• Farrah Fawcett
• Walter Cronkite

External links

• Emmys.com list of 2009 Nominees & Winners
• Academy of Television Arts and Sciences website
• 61st Primetime Emmy Awards at IMDb