The 41st Primetime Emmy Awards were held on September 17, 1989. The ceremony was broadcast on Fox, from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, Pasadena, California. The ceremony saw the guest acting categories double, as they were now based on gender as well as genre. Two networks, Lifetime, and USA, received their first major nominations this year.
After being nominated and losing the previous four years Cheers regained the title of Outstanding Comedy Series. L.A. Law also won Outstanding Drama Series after losing the previous year. For the second straight year, L.A. Law received 15 major nominations, making it the first show ever to receive more than 14 major nominations multiple times. With nine main cast acting nominations, L.A. Law tied the record set by Hill Street Blues in 1982.
Winners and Nominees
[1]
Programs
Acting
Lead performances
Supporting performances
| Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series |
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series |
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| Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series |
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series |
- Larry Drake as Benny Stulwicz on L.A. Law, (Episode: "America the Beautiful"), (NBC)
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- Melanie Mayron as Melissa Steadman on thirtysomething, (Episode: "Trust Me"), (ABC)
- Michele Greene as Abby Perkins on L.A. Law, (Episode: "America The Beautiful"), (NBC)
- Lois Nettleton as Joanne St. John on In the Heat of the Night, (Episode: "Stranger In Town"), (NBC)
- Amanda Plummer as Alice Hackett on L.A. Law, (Episode: "Urine Trouble Now"), (NBC)
- Susan Ruttan as Roxanne Melman on L.A. Law, (Episode: "Romancing The Drone"), (NBC)
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| Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special |
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Special |
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Guest performances
| Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series |
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series |
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| Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series |
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series |
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- Kay Lenz as Tina Cassidy on Midnight Caller, (Episode: "After It Happened..."), (NBC)
- Shirley Knight as Mrs. Robert McCall on The Equalizer, (Episode: "Time Present, Time Past"), (CBS)
- Jean Simmons as Eudora McVeigh on Murder, She Wrote, (Episode: "Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Part 1"), (CBS)
- Maureen Stapleton as Auntie Sue on B.L. Stryker, (Episode: "Auntie Sue"), (ABC)
- Chloe Webb as Laurette Barber on China Beach, (Episode: "Chao Ong"), (ABC)
- Teresa Wright as Nina Rothman on Dolphin Cove, (Episode: "The Elders"), (CBS)
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Directing
| Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series |
Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series |
- Peter Baldwin, for The Wonder Years, (Episode: "Our Miss White"), (ABC)
- James Burrows for Cheers, (Episode: "The Visiting Lecher"), (NBC)
- Michael Dinner for The Wonder Years, (Episode: "How I'm Spending My Summer Vacation"), (ABC)
- Terry Hughes, for The Golden Girls, (Episode: "Brother Can You Spare That Jacket"), (NBC)
- Barnet Kellman for Murphy Brown, (Episode: "Pilot"), (CBS)
- Steve Miner for The Wonder Years, (Episode: "Birthday Boy"), (ABC)
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- Robert Altman for Tanner '88, (Episode: "The Boiler Room"), (HBO)
- Thomas Carter for Midnight Caller, (Episode: "Pilot"), (NBC)
- Eric Laneuville for L.A. Law, (Episode: "I'm In The Nude For Love"), (NBC)
- John Pasquin for L.A. Law, (Episode: "To Live And Diet In L.A."), (NBC)
- Scott Winant for thirtysomething, (Episode: "We'll Meet Again"), (ABC)
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| Outstanding Directing in a Variety or Music Program |
Outstanding Directing in a Miniseries or a Special |
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- Simon Wincer for Lonesome Dove, (Episode: "Part IV"), (CBS)
- Dan Curtis for War and Remembrance, (Episode: "Part XII"), (ABC)
- Larry Elikann for I Know My First Name Is Steven, (NBC)
- Gregory Hoblit for Roe vs. Wade, (NBC)
- Daniel Petrie for My Name is Bill W., (ABC)
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Writing
| Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series |
Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series |
- Diane English for Murphy Brown, (Episode: "Pilot"), (CBS)
- Matthew Carlson for The Wonder Years, (Episode: "Pottery Will Get You Nowhere"), (ABC)
- Todd W. Langen for The Wonder Years, (Episode: "Coda"), (ABC)
- David M. Stern for The Wonder Years, (Episode: "Loosiers"), (ABC)
- Michael J. Weithorn for The Wonder Years, (Episode: "Our Miss White"), (ABC)
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- Joseph Dougherty for thirtysomething, (Episode: "First Day/Last Day"), (ABC)
- Steven Bochco, David E. Kelley, William M. Finkelstein, Michele Gallery for L.A. Law, (Episode: "His Suit Is Hirsute"), (NBC)
- David E. Kelley for L.A. Law, (Episode: "I'm In The Nude For Love"), (NBC)
- David E. Kelley, William M. Finkelstein, Michele Gallery, Judith Parker for L.A. Law, (Episode: "Urine Trouble Now"), (NBC)
- Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz for thirtysomething, (Episode: "The Mike Van Dyke Show"), (ABC)
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| Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program |
Outstanding Writing in a Miniseries or a Special |
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Most major nominations
- By network [note 1]
- NBC – 57
- ABC – 40
- CBS – 35
- By program
- L.A. Law (NBC) – 15
- The Wonder Years (ABC) – 11
- Lonesome Dove (CBS) – 9
- The Golden Girls (NBC) / Murphy Brown (CBS) / thirtysomething (ABC) – 7
- Cheers (NBC) – 6
Most major awards
- By network [note 1]
- By program
- Cheers (NBC) / Murphy Brown (CBS) – 3
- L.A. Law (NBC) / Midnight Caller (NBC) / Roe vs. Wade (NBC) / thirtysomething (ABC) – 2
- Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Major" constitutes the categories listed above: Program, Acting, Directing, and Writing. Does not include the technical categories.
References
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External links
