The 40th Primetime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday, August 28, 1988. The ceremony was broadcast on Fox from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California . The ceremony was pushed back from its newly established September date because of the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul , South Korea. Cable stations HBO and Showtime received their first major nominations at this ceremony.
Despite a season that consisted of only six episodes, newcomer series The Wonder Years Outstanding Comedy Series . After winning his fourth consecutive Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series , John Larroquette requested to have his name taken off of the ballot for future ceremonies. Frank's Place
In the drama field L.A. Law thirtysomething Outstanding Drama Series , L.A. Law only won one major award. The duo of Cagney & Lacey Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for the sixth consecutive year, this tied The Mary Tyler Moore Show ' s record for acting categories, which still stands, (it stood for all categories until The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series ). With the wins for Bea Arthur and Estelle Getty, The Golden Girls All in the Family Will & Grace 2003 , The Simpsons 2014 , and Schitt's Creek 2020 .
There was controversy during the nomination process regarding the PBS series Rumpole of the Bailey miniseries field, but soon after the Academy disqualified it and placed it in the drama series field. Its slot in the miniseries category was filled by The Bourne Identity [1]
Winners and nominees [ ] [2]
Programs [ ]
Outstanding Comedy Series
Outstanding Drama Series
thirtysomething Beauty and the Beast L.A. Law Rumpole of the Bailey PBS )St. Elsewhere
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program
Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special
Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration Late Night with David Letterman , Late Night with David Letterman (Episode: "6th Anniversary Special"), (NBC)The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour The Tracey Ullman Show Fox )
Inherit the Wind , The Ann Jillian Story , (NBC)The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank Foxfire The Taking of Flight 847: The Uli Derickson Story
Outstanding Miniseries
The Murder of Mary Phagan Baby M Billionaire Boys Club The Bourne Identity Lincoln
Acting [ ] Lead performances [ ]
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Michael J. Fox as Alex P. Keaton on Family Ties (Episode: "The Last of the Red Hot Psychologists"), (NBC)Dabney Coleman as Slap Maxwell on The Slap Maxwell Story Ted Danson as Sam Malone on Cheers , (NBC)Tim Reid as Frank Paris on Frank's Place (Episode: "The Bridge"), (CBS)John Ritter as Harry Hooperman on Hooperman
Bea Arthur as Dorothy Zbornak on The Golden Girls (Episode: "My Brother, My Father"), (NBC)Kirstie Alley as Rebecca Howe on Cheers (Episode: "Backseat Becky, Upfront"), (NBC)Blair Brown as Molly Dodd on The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd Rue McClanahan as Blanche Devereaux on The Golden Girls (Episode: "Strange Bedfellows"), (NBC)Betty White as Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls (Episode: "Bringing Up Baby"), (NBC)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Richard Kiley as Joe Gardner on A Year in the Life Corbin Bernsen as Arnie Becker on L.A. Law , (NBC)Ron Perlman as Vincent on Beauty and the Beast , (CBS)Michael Tucker as Stuart Markowitz on L.A. Law , (NBC)Edward Woodward as Robert McCall on The Equalizer
Tyne Daly as Mary Beth Lacey on Cagney & Lacey (Episode: "Friendly Fire"), (CBS)Susan Dey as Grace Van Owen on L.A. Law , (NBC)Jill Eikenberry as Ann Kelsey on L.A. Law , (NBC)Sharon Gless as Christine Cagney on Cagney & Lacey , (CBS)Angela Lansbury as Jessica Fletcher on Murder, She Wrote , (CBS)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Special
Jason Robards as Henry Drummond on Inherit the Wind , (NBC)Hume Cronyn as Hector Nations on Foxfire , (CBS)Danny Glover as Nelson Mandela on Mandela HBO )Stacy Keach as Ernest Hemingway on Hemingway (Episode: "Part I"), (Syndicated )Jack Lemmon as Gov. John Slaton on The Murder of Mary Phagan , (NBC)
Jessica Tandy as Annie Nations on Foxfire , (CBS)Ann Jillian as Herself on The Ann Jillian Story , (NBC)Mary Tyler Moore as Mary Todd Lincoln on Lincoln , (NBC)Mary Steenburgen as Miep Gies on The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank , (CBS)JoBeth Williams as Marybeth Whitehead on Baby M , (ABC)
Supporting performances [ ]
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
John Larroquette as Dan Fielding on Night Court (Episode: "No Hard Feelings"), (NBC)Kelsey Grammer as Dr. Frasier Crane on Cheers (Episode: "The Crane Mutiny"), (NBC)Woody Harrelson as Woody Boyd on Cheers (Episode: "The Big Kiss-Off"), (NBC)Peter Scolari as Michael Harris on Newhart George Wendt as Norm Peterson on Cheers (Episode: "Let Sleeping Drakes Lie"), (NBC)
Estelle Getty as Sophia Petrillo on The Golden Girls (Episode: "Old Friends"), (NBC)Julia Duffy as Stephanie Vanderkellen on Newhart (Episode: "Till Depth Do Us Part: Part 1"), (CBS)Jackée Harry as Sandra Clark on 227 Katherine Helmond as Mona Robinson on Who's the Boss? Rhea Perlman as Carla Tortelli on Cheers (Episode: "Slumber Party Massacred"), (NBC)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Larry Drake as Benny Stulwicz on L.A. Law (Episodes: "The Brothers Grimm" + "Full Marital Jacket"), (NBC)Ed Begley Jr. as Dr. Victor Ehrlich on St. Elsewhere , (NBC)Timothy Busfield as Elliot Weston on thirtysomething , (Episode: "Therapy"), (ABC)Alan Rachins as Douglas Brackman, Jr. on L.A. Law , (NBC)Jimmy Smits as Victor Sifuentes on L.A. Law , (NBC)
Patricia Wettig as Nancy Krieger Weston on thirtysomething (Episode: "Therapy"), (ABC)Bonnie Bartlett as Ellen Craig on St. Elsewhere (Episode: "Their Town"), (NBC)Polly Draper as Ellyn Warren on thirtysomething (Episode: "Nice Work If You Can Get It"), (ABC)Christina Pickles as Nurse Helen Rosenthal on St. Elsewhere (Episode: "Down and Out of Beacon Hill"), (NBC)Susan Ruttan as Roxanne Melman on L.A. Law (Episode: "Leaping Lizards"), (NBC)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Special
John Shea as Bill Stern on Baby M , (ABC)Dabney Coleman as Gary Skoloff on Baby M , (ABC)
Anthony Quinn as Socrates Onassis on Onassis: The Richest Man in the World Ron Silver as Ron Levin on Billionaire Boys Club , (NBC)Bruce Weitz as Rick Whitehead on Baby M , (ABC)
Jane Seymour as Maria Callas on Onassis: The Richest Man in the World , (ABC)Stockard Channing as Susan Reinert on Echoes in the Darkness Ruby Dee as Elizabeth Keckley on Lincoln , (NBC)Julie Harris as Alice on The Woman He Loved Lisa Jacobs as Anne Frank on The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank , (CBS)
Guest performances [ ]
Outstanding Guest Performer in a Comedy Series
Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series
Beah Richards as Mrs. Varden on Frank's Place (Episode: "The Bridge"), (CBS)Herb Edelman as Stan Zbornak on The Golden Girls (Episode: "The Audit"), (NBC)Geraldine Fitzgerald as Anna on The Golden Girls (Episode: "Mother's Day"), (NBC)Eileen Heckart as Angela Hickson on The Cosby Show Gilda Radner as Herself on It's Garry Shandling's Show Showtime )
Shirley Knight as Ruth Murdock on thirtysomething (Episode: "The Parents Are Coming"), (ABC)Imogene Coca as Clara DiPesto on Moonlighting Lainie Kazan as Frieda Fiscus on St. Elsewhere (Episode: "The Abby Singer Show"), (NBC)Gwen Verdon as Catherine Peterson on Magnum, P.I. Alfre Woodard as Dr. Roxanne Turner on St. Elsewhere (Episode: "The Abby Singer Show"), (NBC)
Directing [ ]
Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series
Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series
Gregory Hoblit , for Hooperman (Episode: "Pilot"), (ABC)James Burrows for Cheers (Episode: "Backseat Becky, Up Front"), (NBC)Terry Hughes for The Golden Girls (Episode: "Old Friends"), (NBC)Alan Rafkin for It's Garry Shandling's Show (Episode: "No Baby, No Show"), (Showtime)Jay Tarses , for The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd (Episode: "Here Comes That Cold Wind Off the River"), (NBC)
Mark Tinker for St. Elsewhere (Episode: "Weigh In, Way Out"), (NBC)Kim Friedman for L.A. Law (Episode: "Handroll Express"), (NBC)Gregory Hoblit for L.A. Law (Episode: "The Wizard of Odds"), (NBC)Rod Holcomb for China Beach Win Phelps for L.A. Law (Episode: "Full Marital Jacket"), (NBC)
Sam Weisman for L.A. Law (Episode: "Beauty and Obese"), (NBC)
Outstanding Directing in a Variety or Music Program
Outstanding Directing in a Miniseries or a Special
Patricia Birch , Humphrey Burton for Great Performances David Grossman for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (Episode: "20th Anniversary Reunion"), (CBS)Hal Gurnee for Late Night with David Letterman (Episode: "6th Anniversary Special"), (NBC)Walter C. Miller for Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration , (CBS)
Lamont Johnson for Lincoln , (NBC)Marvin J. Chomsky for Billionaire Boys Club , (NBC)John Erman for The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank , (CBS)Glenn Jordan for Echos in the Darkness , (CBS)Paul Wendkos for The Taking of Flight 847: The Uli Derickson Story , (NBC)
Writing [ ]
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series
Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series
Hugh Wilson for Frank's Place (Episode: "The Bridge"), (CBS)Carol Black , Neal Marlens for The Wonder Years (Episode: "Pilot"), (ABC)Linda Bloodworth-Thomason for Designing Women Killing All the Right People "), (CBS)Glen Charles , Les Charles for Cheers (Episode: "Home is the Sailor"), (NBC)Tom Gammill , Max Pross , Sam Simon for It's Garry Shandling's Show (Episode: "It's Garry Shandling's Show: Part 2"), (Showtime)Garry Shandling , Alan Zweibel for It's Garry Shandling's Show (Episode: "No Baby, No Show"), (Showtime)
Paul Haggis , Marshall Herskovitz for thirtysomething (Episode: "Business as Usual"), (ABC)Terry Louise Fisher , David E. Kelley for L.A. Law (Episode: "Full Marital Jacket"), (NBC)Terry Louise Fisher, David E. Kelley, Steven Bochco for L.A. Law (Episode: "Sidney, the Dead-Nosed Reindeer"), (NBC)
Ron Koslow for Beauty and the Beast (Episode: "Pilot"), (CBS)
Bruce Paltrow , Mark Tinker , Tom Fontana , John Tinker , Channing Gibson for St. Elsewhere (Episode: "The Last One"), (NBC)John Sacret Young for China Beach (Episode: "Pilot"), (ABC)
Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program
Outstanding Writing in a Miniseries or a Special
The World According to Me - Jackie Mason , (HBO)Late Night with David Letterman (Episode: "6th Anniversary Special"), (NBC)The Tracey Ullman Show (Episode: "Ginny Redux"), (Fox)The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (Episode: "20th Anniversary Reunion") (CBS)
William Hanley for The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank , (CBS)Susan Cooper for Foxfire , (CBS)Jeffrey Lane , Larry McMurtry for The Murder of Mary Phagan , (NBC)James Steven Sadwith for Baby M (Episode: "Part I"), (ABC)Gy Waldron for Billionaire Boys Club (Episode: "Part I"), (NBC)
Most major nominations [ ] By network [note 1] NBC – 69
CBS – 32
ABC – 24 By program L.A. Law (NBC) – 15Cheers (NBC) – 9The Golden Girls (NBC) / St. Elsewhere (NBC) – 8Baby M (ABC) / thirtysomething (ABC) – 6Most major awards [ ] By network [note 1] By program thirtysomething (ABC) – 4Frank's Place (CBS) / The Golden Girls (NBC) / Inherit the Wind (NBC) – 2Notes
^ a b "Major" constitutes the categories listed above: Program, Acting, Directing, and Writing. Does not include the technical categories.
References [ ] External links [ ]
