# 52nd Primetime Emmy Awards

The 52nd Primetime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday, September 10, 2000. The ceremony was hosted by Garry Shandling and was broadcast on ABC. Networks Bravo and The WB received their first major nominations; this remains the only year in which a series from the latter or its descendants (The CW and UPN) received a major nomination. The nominations were announced on July 20, 2000.
For its second season, Will & Grace led all comedy series with three major wins, including Outstanding Comedy Series; Ally McBeal became the first defending champion, that wasn't canceled or ended, that failed to be nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series since Get Smart in 1970.
The drama field was dominated by first year series The West Wing. In addition to winning Outstanding Drama Series, the series won five major awards total, leading all series. Overall, when adding The West Wing's technical categories, it won nine awards in a single year, a record that stood until Game of Thrones received twelve awards for its fifth season in 2015. In addition, James Gandolfini became the first actor from an HBO series to win Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for The Sopranos; Gandolfini would win twice more over the next three years.

## Winners and nominees

Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger (‡). For simplicity, producers who received nominations for program awards have been omitted.

### Programs

Programs :
| Outstanding Comedy Series Will & Grace (NBC)‡ Everybody Loves Raymond (CBS) Frasier (NBC) Friends (NBC) Sex and the City (HBO) | Outstanding Drama Series The West Wing (NBC)‡ ER (NBC) Law & Order (NBC) The Practice (ABC) The Sopranos (HBO) |
| Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series Late Show with David Letterman (CBS)‡ The Chris Rock Show (HBO) Dennis Miller Live (HBO) Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher (ABC) The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC) | Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Special Saturday Night Live: The 25th Anniversary Special (NBC)‡ 72nd Annual Academy Awards (ABC) Chris Rock: Bigger & Blacker (HBO) Cirque du Soleil – Quidam (Bravo) Eddie Izzard: Dress to Kill (HBO) |
| Outstanding Made for Television Movie Oprah Winfrey Presents: Tuesdays with Morrie (ABC)‡ Annie (ABC) If These Walls Could Talk 2 (HBO) Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (HBO) RKO 281 (HBO) | Outstanding Miniseries The Corner (HBO)‡ Arabian Nights (ABC) The Beach Boys: An American Family (ABC) Jesus (CBS) P. T. Barnum (A&E) |

### Acting
#### Lead performances

Lead performances :
| Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Michael J. Fox – Spin City as Michael Flaherty (ABC)‡ Kelsey Grammer – Frasier as Dr. Frasier Crane (NBC) John Lithgow – 3rd Rock from the Sun as Dick Solomon (NBC) Eric McCormack – Will & Grace as Will Truman (NBC) Ray Romano – Everybody Loves Raymond as Ray Barone (CBS) “Bad Moon Rising” | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Patricia Heaton – Everybody Loves Raymond as Debra Barone (CBS)‡ “Bad Moon Rising” Jenna Elfman – Dharma & Greg as Dharma Montgomery (ABC) Jane Kaczmarek – Malcolm in the Middle as Lois (Fox) “Red Dress” Debra Messing – Will & Grace as Grace Adler (NBC) Sarah Jessica Parker – Sex and the City as Carrie Bradshaw (HBO) |
| Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series James Gandolfini – The Sopranos as Tony Soprano (HBO)‡ Dennis Franz – NYPD Blue as Detective Andy Sipowicz (ABC) Jerry Orbach – Law & Order as Detective Lennie Briscoe (NBC) Martin Sheen – The West Wing as President Josiah Bartlet (NBC) Sam Waterston – Law & Order as Asst. DA Jack McCoy (NBC) | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Sela Ward – Once and Again as Lily Manning (ABC)‡ Lorraine Bracco – The Sopranos as Dr. Jennifer Melfi (HBO) Amy Brenneman – Judging Amy as Judge Amy Gray (CBS) Edie Falco – The Sopranos as Carmela Soprano (HBO) Julianna Margulies – ER as Head Nurse Carol Hathaway (NBC) |
| Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie Jack Lemmon – Oprah Winfrey Presents: Tuesdays with Morrie as Morrie Schwartz (ABC)‡ Beau Bridges – P. T. Barnum as P. T. Barnum (A&E) Brian Dennehy – Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman as Willy Loman (Showtime) William H. Macy – A Slight Case of Murder as Terry Thorpe (TNT) Liev Schreiber – RKO 281 as Orson Welles (HBO) | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie Halle Berry – Introducing Dorothy Dandridge as Dorothy Dandridge (HBO)‡ Judy Davis – A Cooler Climate as Paula Tanner (Showtime) Sally Field – A Cooler Climate as Iris Prue (Showtime) Holly Hunter – Harlan County War as Ruby Kincaid (Showtime) Gena Rowlands – The Color of Love: Jacey's Story as Georgia Porter (CBS) |
| Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program Eddie Izzard – Eddie Izzard: Dress to Kill (HBO)‡ Cher – Cher: Live in Concert – From the MGM Grand in Las Vegas (HBO) Billy Crystal – 72nd Annual Academy Awards (ABC) Chris Rock – Chris Rock: Bigger & Blacker (HBO) Molly Shannon – Saturday Night Live (NBC) ||

#### Supporting performances

Supporting performances :
| Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Sean Hayes – Will & Grace as Jack McFarland (NBC)‡ Peter Boyle – Everybody Loves Raymond as Frank Barone (CBS) (Episodes: “Prodigal Son” and “Debra Makes Something Good”) Brad Garrett – Everybody Loves Raymond as Robert Barone (CBS) (“Someone’s Cranky” and “Confronting the Attacker”) Peter MacNicol – Ally McBeal as John Cage (Fox) David Hyde Pierce – Frasier as Dr. Niles Crane (NBC) | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Megan Mullally – Will & Grace as Karen Walker (NBC)‡ Jennifer Aniston – Friends as Rachel Green (NBC) Kim Cattrall – Sex and the City as Samantha Jones (HBO) Lisa Kudrow – Friends as Phoebe Buffay (NBC) Doris Roberts – Everybody Loves Raymond as Marie Barone (CBS) (Episodes: “Sex Talk” and “Robert’s Divorce”) |
| Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Richard Schiff – The West Wing as Toby Ziegler (NBC)‡ Michael Badalucco – The Practice as Jimmy Berluti (ABC) Dominic Chianese – The Sopranos as Corrado "Uncle Junior" Soprano (HBO) Steve Harris – The Practice as Eugene Young (ABC) John Spencer – The West Wing as Leo McGarry (NBC) | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Allison Janney – The West Wing as C. J. Cregg (NBC)‡ Stockard Channing – The West Wing as Abigail Bartlet, M.D. (NBC) Tyne Daly – Judging Amy as Maxine Gray (CBS) Nancy Marchand – The Sopranos as Livia Soprano (HBO) Holland Taylor – The Practice as Judge Roberta Kittleson (ABC) |
| Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie Hank Azaria – Oprah Winfrey Presents: Tuesdays with Morrie as Mitch Albom (ABC)‡ Klaus Maria Brandauer – Introducing Dorothy Dandridge as Otto Preminger (HBO) James Cromwell – RKO 281 as William Randolph Hearst (HBO) Danny Glover – Freedom Song as Will Walker (TNT) John Malkovich – RKO 281 as Herman Mankiewicz (HBO) | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie Vanessa Redgrave – If These Walls Could Talk 2 as Edith Tree (HBO)‡ Kathy Bates – Annie as Miss Hannigan (ABC) Elizabeth Franz – Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman as Linda Loman (Showtime) Melanie Griffith – RKO 281 as Marion Davies (HBO) Maggie Smith – David Copperfield (ExxonMobil Masterpiece Theatre) as Betsey Trotwood (PBS) |

### Directing

Directing :
| Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Malcolm in the Middle: "Pilot" – Todd Holland (Fox)‡ Ally McBeal: "Ally McBeal: The Musical, Almost" – Bill D'Elia (Fox) Everybody Loves Raymond: "The Christmas Picture" – Will Mackenzie (CBS) Friends: "The One That Could Have Been, Parts 1 & 2" – Michael Lembeck (NBC) Sports Night: "Quo Vadimus" – Thomas Schlamme (ABC) Will & Grace: "Homo for the Holidays" – James Burrows (NBC) | Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series The West Wing: "Pilot" – Thomas Schlamme (NBC)‡ ER: "All in the Family" – Jonathan Kaplan (NBC) ER: "Such Sweet Sorrow" – John Wells (NBC) The Sopranos: "Funhouse" – John Patterson (HBO) The Sopranos: "The Knight in White Satin Armor" – Allen Coulter (HBO) |
| Outstanding Directing for a Variety or Music Program 72nd Annual Academy Awards – Louis J. Horvitz (ABC)‡ Chris Rock: Bigger & Blacker – Keith Truesdell (HBO) The Gershwins' "Crazy for You" (Great Performances) – Matthew Diamond (PBS) Late Show with David Letterman: "Show #1294" – Jerry Foley (CBS) Saturday Night Live: The 25th Anniversary Special – Beth McCarthy-Miller (NBC) The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: "Show #1770" – Ellen Brown (NBC) | Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries or Movie The Corner – Charles S. Dutton (HBO)‡ Introducing Dorothy Dandridge – Martha Coolidge (HBO) Annie – Rob Marshall (ABC) Fail Safe – Martin A. Pasetta Jr. and Stephen Frears (CBS) RKO 281 – Benjamin Ross (HBO) |

### Writing

Writing :
| Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series Malcolm in the Middle: "Pilot" – Linwood Boomer (Fox)‡ Everybody Loves Raymond: "Bad Moon Rising" – Ray Romano and Philip Rosenthal (CBS) Frasier: "Something Borrowed, Someone Blue" – Christopher Lloyd and Joe Keenan (NBC) Freaks and Geeks: "Pilot" – Paul Feig (NBC) Sex and the City: "Evolution" – Cindy Chupack (HBO) Sex and the City: "Ex and the City" – Michael Patrick King (HBO) | Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series The West Wing: "In Excelsis Deo" – Aaron Sorkin and Rick Cleveland (NBC)‡ Buffy the Vampire Slayer: "Hush" – Joss Whedon (The WB) The Sopranos: "Funhouse" – David Chase and Todd A. Kessler (HBO) The Sopranos: "The Knight in White Satin Armor" – Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess (HBO) The West Wing: "Pilot" – Aaron Sorkin (NBC) |
| Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program Eddie Izzard: Dress to Kill – Eddie Izzard (HBO)‡ Chris Rock: Bigger & Blacker – Chris Rock (HBO) The Chris Rock Show – Tom Agna, Vernon Chatman, Louis C.K., Lance Crouther, Nick Di Paolo, Ali LeRoi, Steve O'Donnell, Chris Rock, Chuck Sklar, Jeff Stilson, Halsted Sullivan, Wanda Sykes, and Mike Upchurch (HBO) Late Night with Conan O'Brien – Jonathan Groff, Chris Albers, Ellie Barancik, Andy Blitz, Louis C.K., Janine Ditullio, Jon Glaser, Michael Gordon, Roy Jenkins, Brian Kiley, Brian McCann, Conan O'Brien, Andy Richter, Robert Smigel, Brian Stack, and Mike Sweeney (NBC) Late Show with David Letterman – Rodney Rothman, Gabe Abelson, Michael Barrie, Carter L. Bays, Jon Beckerman, Rob Burnett, Chris Harris, David Letterman, Gerard Mulligan, Jim Mulholland, Tom Ruprecht, Bill Scheft, Beth Sherman, Eric Stangel, Justin Stangel, Craig Thomas, Joe Toplyn, and Steve Young (CBS) | Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries or Movie The Corner – David Simon and David Mills (HBO)‡ Cheaters – John Stockwell (HBO) Homicide: The Movie – Eric Overmyer, James Yoshimura, and Tom Fontana (NBC) If These Walls Could Talk 2: "1961" – Jane Anderson (HBO) RKO 281 – John Logan (HBO) |

## Most major nominations

Networks with multiple major nominations :
| Network | No. of Nominations |
| NBC | 47 |
| HBO | 41 |
| ABC | 26 |
| CBS | 18 |
Programs with multiple major nominations :
| Program | Category | Network | No. of Nominations |
| The Sopranos | Drama | HBO | 10 |
| The West Wing | Drama | NBC | 9 |
| Everybody Loves Raymond | Comedy | CBS | 8 |
| RKO 281 | Movie | HBO | 7 |
| Will & Grace | Comedy | NBC | 6 |
| Sex and the City | Comedy | HBO | 5 |
| Chris Rock: Bigger & Blacker | Variety | HBO | 4 |
| ER | Drama | NBC | 4 |
| Frasier | Comedy | NBC | 4 |
| Friends | Comedy | NBC | 4 |
| Introducing Dorothy Dandridge | Movie | HBO | 4 |
| The Practice | Drama | ABC | 4 |
| 72nd Annual Academy Awards | Variety | ABC | 3 |
| Annie | Movie | ABC | 3 |
| The Corner | Miniseries | HBO | 3 |
| Eddie Izzard: Dress to Kill | Variety | HBO | 3 |
| If These Walls Could Talk 2 | Movie | HBO | 3 |
| Late Show with David Letterman | Variety | CBS | 3 |
| Law & Order | Drama | NBC | 3 |
| Malcolm in the Middle | Comedy | Fox | 3 |
| Tuesdays with Morrie | Movie | ABC | 3 |
| Ally McBeal | Comedy | Fox | 2 |
| The Chris Rock Show | Variety | HBO | 2 |
| A Cooler Climate | Movie | Showtime | 2 |
| Death of a Salesman | Movie | Showtime | 2 |
| Judging Amy | Drama | CBS | 2 |
| P. T. Barnum | Miniseries | A&E | 2 |
| Saturday Night Live: The 25th Anniversary Special | Variety | NBC | 2 |
| The Tonight Show with Jay Leno | Variety | NBC | 2 |

## Most major awards

Networks with multiple major awards :
| Network | No. of Awards |
| NBC | 9 |
| HBO | 8 |
| ABC | 6 |
| CBS | 2 |
| Fox | 2 |
Programs with multiple major awards :
| Program | Category | Network | No. of Awards |
| The West Wing | Drama | NBC | 5 |
| The Corner | Miniseries | HBO | 3 |
| Tuesdays with Morrie | Movie | ABC | 3 |
| Will & Grace | Comedy | NBC | 3 |
| Eddie Izzard: Dress to Kill | Variety | HBO | 2 |
| Malcolm in the Middle | Comedy | Fox | 2 |

### Notes

* 1 2 "Major" constitutes the categories listed above: Program, Acting, Directing, and Writing. Does not include the technical categories.

## In Memoriam

* Loretta Young
* Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
* Madeline Kahn
* John Gielgud
* George C. Scott
* Larry Linville
* Meredith MacRae
* Gene Rayburn
* Durward Kirby
* Shirley Hemphill
* Hoyt Axton
* Nancy Marchand
* Leonard Goldenson
* Clayton Moore
* Doug Henning
* Craig Stevens
* Mary Jane Croft
* Mabel King
* Charles M. Schulz
* Alec Guinness
* Walter Matthau