Syracuse Herald Journal
September 12, 1994
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) – “Frasier” faces No. 1-rated “Home Improvement” this fall with power to match Tim Allen’s tool Ixw : The freshman sitcom captured five Emmys, including best comedy series.
“NYPD Blue,” the expected big winner at Sunday’s 46th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, managed only six awards after a record 26 nominations,
and only one was major: Dennis Franz won for best dramatic actor.
“Picket Fences,” the CBS drama that explores ethical and moral issues in a small Midwestern town, captured the best drama award for a second consecutive year.
Besides stealing the drama trophy many expected ABC’s “NYPD Blue” to win, “Picket Fences” also had a much better batting average: it won a total five awards with just 10 nominations.
Kelsey Grammer, who plays neurotic psychiatrist Frasier Crane in NBC’s “Cheers” spinoff “Frasier,” was named best actor in a comedy.
Candice Bergen, the feisty TV reporter on CBS’ “Murphy Brown,” won for best comedy actress.
Grammer, who nearly hit bottom several years ago fighting a cocaine dependency, extended thanks yesterday to all who have been part of his life.
“I want to say how much I love you all, the good ones and the bad ones. You are all part of the deal,” he said.
“Most important, Moose, this is for you,” Grammer added jokingly, a reference to his canine “Frasier” costar who plays Eddie the dog.
“Home Improvement” got just one Emmy, a technical award given Saturday. Allen’s name wasn’t submitted in time for the nominations.
“I almost didn’t make it,” Allen joked after bounding, breathless onto the stage as a presenter. “My staff forgot to tell me what night it was.”
Allen and Grammer will face off at 8 p.m. CDT Tuesdays this fall.
NBC had boldly moved “Frasier” into the time slot opposite ABC’s “Roseanne,” but ABC countered by swapping top-rated “Home Improvement” with “Roseanne.”
The best dramatic actress award went to Sela Ward of NBC’s “Sisters” for her role as free spirited artist Teddy Reed.
The big loser in the category was Angela Lansbury of “Murder, She Wrote,” whose 14 nominations have yet to yield a win. Her shutout ties the record held by Susan Lucci, who has played Erica Kane on “All My Children” for 23 years with nary an Emmy.
Co-host Ellen DeGeneres suggested Lansbury and Lucci were going to “steal a convertible and do some kind of ‘Thelma & Louise’ thing. I don’t blame them.”
Kirstie Alley won as lead actress in a miniseries or special for the CBS TV movie “David’s Mother,” about an autistic child. The show also won Emmys for writing and supporting actor, Michael Goodwin.
The breezy ceremony turned briefly somber as John Lithgow paid tribute to veteran actress Jessica Tandy, who died Sunday morning at age 85. She was a nominee this year in the category won by Alley.
“Your friends in television say goodbye to you tonight,” said Lithgow before a moment of silence and slow fade to black. “We will all miss you very, very much.”
Tandy’s husband Hume Cronyn, who costarred with her in CBS’ “Hallmark Hall of Fame: To Dance with the White Dog,” won for lead actor in a miniseries or special.
“Late Show with David Letterman” was a winner in its first year on CBS.
“I don’t need to tell you folks: There’s been a huge mistake!” said the former NBC late-night host. Letterman also thanked “anybody drawing breath right now.”
Laurie Metcalf, who plays the sister Jackie on ABC’s “Roseanne,” and Michael Richards of NBC’s “Seinfeld” won for supporting acting in comedy series; both had won last year. “I’m getting spoiled,” said Richards, who plays Jerry Seinfeld’s wacky neighbor Kramer.
James Burrows, a veteran of “Cheers,” won for comic directing for the pilot of “Frasier.” The “Frasier” episode “The Good Son” won for best comedy series writing.
Bette Midler brought up the curtain on the three-hour show with a tune from the musical “Gypsy,” which she starred in for CBS this year.
The ceremony was cohosted by Patricia Richardson of “Home Improvement” and DeGeneres of “Ellen,” who roamed the auditorium in search of laughs.
She told “NYPD Blue” star David Caruso “nice butt,” a reference to his nude scenes on the series he’s leaving. He was nominated but lost out to costar Franz.
Tracey Ullman was honored for best individual performance in a variety or music program for HBO’s “Tracey Ullman – Takes on New York.”
