HBO Leads With 16 Emmy Nods

HBO had the two top shows with the most Primetime Emmy Nominations Thursday morning, The Early Show co-anchor Julie Chen reported as the show carried the nominations live.

The premium cable channel once again dominated the made-for-TV movie category with two of its films, "Warm Springs" and "The Life and Death of Peter Sellers." They received 16 nominations each.

HBO was the leading network with 93 nominations, even though it lacked the firepower of its hit mob series "The Sopranos," which took a break last season. CBS was second with 59 nominations, followed by NBC with 54, ABC with 51 and Fox with 49.

There were Emmy riches for both departing series and newcomers.

"Desperate Housewives," a dark satire about suburbia that became an instant television hit in its debut season, and an old favorite, "Will & Grace," got 15 nominations each.

"Everybody Loves Raymond," which wrapped up in May after nine seasons, received 13 nominations including best comedy. "Lost," a freshman drama about air crash survivors stranded on a mysterious island, got 12.

The Emmy recognition of "Desperate Housewives" and "Lost" was icing on the cake for ABC, which was pulled out of a ratings slump by the two new series.

Television's most-watched show, the talent contest "American Idol," was recognized with a nomination in the reality competition category. Other nominees were "The Amazing Race," "Survivor," "Project Runway" and Donald Trump's "The Apprentice."

Joining "Desperate Housewives," "Will & Grace" and "Everybody Loves Raymond" in the best comedy series category were last year's winner, "Arrested Development," and "Scrubs."

Besides "Lost," the other best-drama series contenders were "Deadwood," "Six Feet Under," "24" and the veteran White House drama "The West Wing."

Three stars of "Desperate Housewives" were honored in the category of best lead actress in a comedy series: Marcia Cross, Teri Hatcher and Felicity Huffman. Left out were co-stars Eva Longoria and Nicollette Sheridan. Other nominees in the category were Patricia Heaton of "Everybody Loves Raymond" and Jane Kaczmarek of "Malcolm in the Middle."

James Spader, last year's winner of the lead actor in a drama series award, was nominated again for "Boston Legal." Other nominees: Hank Azaria for "Huff," Hugh Laurie for "House," Ian McShane for "Deadwood" and Kiefer Sutherland for "24."

Among those in the category for best lead actor in a comedy series were two Emmy newcomers, Jason Bateman of "Arrested Development" and Zach Braff of "Scrubs. Also nominated: Eric McCormack of "Will & Grace," Ray Romano of "Everybody Loves Raymond" and Tony Shalhoub of "Monk."

Film star Glenn Close, who joined "The Shield" last season, received a bid as best lead actress in a drama series. Other nominees were: Frances Conroy of "Six Feet Under," Jennifer Garner of "Alias," Mariska Hargitay of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and first-time Emmy nominee Patricia Arquette of "Medium."

In addition to "The Life and Death of Peter Sellers," which dramatized the life of the great comic film star, and "Warm Springs," which recounted Franklin D. Roosevelt's struggle with polio before he became president, other nominees in the TV movie category were: "Lackawanna Blues," "The Office Special" and "The Wool Cap."

Elvis Presley scored again in the outstanding miniseries category as "Elvis" garnered six nominations including one for its star, Jonathan Rhys Meyers. The lead nominee, with 10 bids was "Empire Falls," and other contenders included: "The 4400" and "The Lost Prince."

Other nominees for lead actor in a miniseries or a movie were Kenneth Branagh for "Warm Springs," Ed Harris for "Empire Falls," Geoffrey Rush for "The Life and Death of Peter Sellers" and William H. Macy for "The Wool Cap" (who can hold a joint celebration with his wife, "Desperate Housewives" star Huffman).

Actress nominees in the miniseries-movie category were Halle Berry for "Their Eyes Were Watching God," Blythe Danner for "Back When We Were Grownups," S. Epatha Merkerson for "Lackawanna Blues," Cynthia Nixon, the former "Sex and the City" star, for "Warm Springs," and Debra Winger for "Dawn Anna."

From the Leonard H. Goldenson Theater, Michael Imperioli of "The Sopranos" and "Law & Order" and Jami Gertz of "Still Standing" announced the 57th annual nominations with Dick Askin, chairman of the Academy Of Television Arts & Sciences.

Winners will be announced Sept. 18 at a red -carpet ceremony at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. It will be broadcast on CBS.

Twenty-seven awards will be presented. Other honors, including those for technical achievement and guest actors and actresses in a series, will be given at a special ceremony a week before the award show.