EMMY AWARDS - JOHN ADAMS AND MAD MEN LEAD WAY FOR TV EMMYS

JOHN ADAMS AND MAD MEN LEAD WAY FOR TV EMMYS

Drama series Mad Men has achieved 16 nominations for the television Emmy awards while historical drama John Adams has been nominated 23 times.

Legal series Damages, starring Glenn Close, and Mad Men have made Emmy history by becoming the first programmes shown on US basic cable to be nominated for a best drama prize.

Close is nominated for the best actress in a drama series award and is up against Sally Field, Holly Hunter and Kyra Sedgwick.

Jon Hamm, the leading actor in Mad Men - which screened on BBC4 in the UK - is up for the best actor in a drama series prize, with other nominees including Dexter star Michael C Hall and House's Hugh Laurie.

HBO miniseries John Adams - about the US president - is nominated 23 times, with acting nods for its leading man Paul Giamatti and supporting actors Tom Wilkinson, Stephen Dillane and David Morse.

This year's Emmys are held on September 21st.

Highlights from the nominations for the Primetime Emmy awards include:Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series

Monk • USA - Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk
The Office • NBC - Steve Carell as Michael Scott
Pushing Daisies • ABC - Lee Pace as Ned
30 Rock • NBC - Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy
Two And A Half Men • CBS - Charlie Sheen as Charlie Harper

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series

Boston Legal • ABC - James Spader as Alan Shore
Breaking Bad • AMC - Bryan Cranston as Walt White
Dexter • Showtime - Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan
House • FOX - Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House
In Treatment • HBO - Gabriel Byrne as Paul
Mad Men • AMC - Jon Hamm as Don Draper

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie

Bernard And Doris • HBO - Ralph Fiennes as Bernard Lafferty
Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale • HBO - Ricky Gervais as Andy Millman
John Adams • HBO - Paul Giamatti as John Adams
Recount • HBO - Kevin Spacey as Ron Klain
Recount • HBO - Tom Wilkinson as James Baker

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series

The New Adventures Of Old Christine • CBS - Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Christine Campbell
Samantha Who? • ABC - Christina Applegate as Samantha Newly
30 Rock • NBC - Tina Fey as Liz Lemon
Ugly Betty • ABC - America Ferrera as Betty Suarez
Weeds • Showtime - Mary-Louise Parker as Nancy Botwin

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series

Brothers & Sisters • ABC - Sally Field as Nora Holden-Walker
The Closer • TNT - Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson
Damages • FX Networks - Glenn Close as Patty Hewes
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson
Saving Grace • TNT - Holly Hunter as Grace Hanadarko

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie

An American Crime • Showtime - Catherine Keener as Gertrude Baniszewski
Bernard And Doris • HBO - Susan Sarandon as Doris Duke
Cranford (Masterpiece Theatre) • PBS - Dame Judi Dench as Miss Matty Jenkyns
John Adams • HBO - Laura Linney as Abigail Adams
A Raisin In The Sun • ABC - Phylicia Rashad as Lena Younger

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series

Entourage • HBO - Jeremy Piven as Ari Gold
Entourage • HBO - Kevin Dillon as Johnny Drama
How I Met Your Mother - Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson
The Office • NBC - Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute
Two And A Half Men • CBS - Jon Cryer as Alan Harper

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
Boston Legal • ABC - William Shatner as Denny Crane
Damages • FX Networks- Ted Danson as Arthur Frobisher
Damages • FX Networks - Zeljko Ivanek as Ray Fisk e
Lost • ABC - Michael Emerson as Ben
Mad Men • AMC - John Slattery as Roger Sterling

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie

John Adams • HBO - David Morse as George Washington
John Adams • HBO - Stephen Dillane as Thomas Jefferson
John Adams • - Tom Wilkinson as Benjamin Franklin
Recount • HBO - Denis Leary as Michael Whouley
Recount • HBO - Bob Balaban as Ben Ginsberg

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series

Pushing Daisies • ABC - Kristin Chenoweth as Olive Snook
Samantha Who? • ABC - Jean Smart as Regina Newly
Saturday Night Live • NBC - Amy Poehler as Performer
Two And A Half Men • CBS - Holland Taylor as Evelyn Harper
Ugly Betty • ABC - Vanessa Williams as Wilhelmina Slater

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series

Boston Legal • ABC - Candice Bergen as Shirley Schmidt
Brothers & Sisters • ABC - Rachel Griffiths as Sarah Walker-Whedon
Grey's Anatomy • ABC - Chandra Wilson as Dr. Miranda Bailey
Grey's Anatomy • ABC - Sandra Oh as Cristina Yang
In Treatment • HBO - Dianne Wiest as Dr. Gina Toll

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie

Cranford (Masterpiece Theatre) • PBS - Eileen Atkins as Miss Deborah Jenkyns
Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale • HBO - Ashley Jensen as Maggie Jacobs
Pictures Of Hollis Woods (Hallmark Hall Of Fame Presentation) • CBS- Alfre Woodard as Edna Reilly
A Raisin In The Sun • ABC - Audra McDonald as Ruth Younger
Recount • HBO - Laura Dern as Katherine Harris

Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series

Curb Your Enthusiasm • HBO - Shelley Berman as Nat David
30 Rock • NBC - Rip Torn as Don Geiss
30 Rock • NBC - Will Arnett as Devin Banks
30 Rock • NBC - Steve Buscemi as Len
30 Rock • NBC - Tim Conway as Bucky Bright

Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series

ER • NBC - Stanley Tucci as Dr. Kevin Moretti
In Treatment • HBO HBO Entertainment - Glynn Turman as Alex Sr.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit • NBC - Robin Williams as Merritt Rook
Mad Men • AMC - Robert Morse as Bertram Cooper
Nip/Tuck • FX Networks - Oliver Platt as Freddie Prune
Rescue Me • FX Networks - Charles Durning as John Gavin, Sr.

Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series

Desperate Housewives • ABC - Polly Bergen as Stella Wingfield
Desperate Housewives • ABC - Kathryn Joosten as Karen McCluskey
Monk • USA - Sarah Silverman as Marci Maven
30 Rock • NBC - Carrie Fisher as Rosemary Howard
30 Rock • NBC - Edie Falco as Celeste 'C.C.' Cunningham
30 Rock • NBC - Elaine Stritch as Colleen Donaghy

Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series

Big Love • HBO - Ellen Burstyn as Nancy Dutton
Grey's Anatomy • ABC • ABC Studios - Diahann Carroll as Jane Burke
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit • NBC - Cynthia Nixon as Janis Donovan
Medium • NBC - Anjelica Huston as Cynthia Keener
Nip/Tuck • FX Networks - Sharon Gless as Colleen Rose

Outstanding Comedy Series

Curb Your Enthusiasm • HBO
Entourage • HBO
The Office • NBC
30 Rock • NBC
Two And A Half Men • CBS

Outstanding Drama Series

Boston Legal • ABC
Damages • FX Networks
Dexter • Showtime
House • FOX
Lost • ABC
Mad Men • AMC

Outstanding Miniseries

The Andromeda Strain • A&E
Cranford (Masterpiece Theatre) • PBS
John Adams • HBO
Tin Man • Sci Fi Channel

Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series

Flight Of The Conchords • Yoko • HBO
The Office • Dinner Party • NBC
Pushing Daisies • Pie-Lette • ABC
30 Rock • Rosemary's Baby • NBC
30 Rock • Cooter • NBC

Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series

Battlestar Galactica • Six Of One • Sci Fi Channel
Damages • Pilot • FX Networks
Mad Men • Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (Pilot) • AMC
Mad Men • The Wheel • AMC
The Wire • 30 • HBO

Outstanding Writing For A Variety, Music Or Comedy Program

The Colbert Report • Comedy Central
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart • Comedy Central
Late Night With Conan O'Brien • NBC
Late Show With David Letterman • CBS
Saturday Night Live • NBC

Outstanding Writing For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Dramatic Special

Bernard And Doris • HBO
Cranford (Masterpiece Theatre) • PBS
Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale • HBO
John Adams • Independence • HBO
Recount • HBO