53rd Primetime Emmy Awards

53rd Primetime Emmy Awards
53rd Primetime Emmy Awards
Date	November 4, 2001 ; (Ceremony); September 8, 2001 ; (Creative Arts Awards);
Location	Shubert Theatre, ; Los Angeles, California, U.S. (ceremony); Shrine Auditorium, ; Los Angeles, California, U.S. (Creative Arts Awards)
Presented by	Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
Hosted by	Ellen DeGeneres
Highlights
Most awards	The West Wing (4)
Most nominations	The Sopranos (14)
Outstanding Comedy Series	Sex and the City
Outstanding Drama Series	The West Wing
Outstanding Miniseries	Anne Frank: The Whole Story
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series	Late Show with David Letterman
Website	http://www.emmys.com/
Television/radio coverage
Network	CBS

The 53rd Primetime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday, November 4, 2001, seven weeks later than originally scheduled. The ceremony was rescheduled twice from its original date of September 16 at the Shrine Auditorium because of the September 11th attacks that occurred five days prior to the event. It was also removed from its rescheduled date of October 7 again at the same venue as a result of the start of the War in Afghanistan. The event was then relocated to the smaller Shubert Theater, which had previously hosted the 1973 and 1976 ceremonies, and would be demolished in 2002. The ceremony was hosted by Ellen DeGeneres and was broadcast on CBS.

Barbra Streisand sang "You'll Never Walk Alone" in a surprise appearance at the close, in honor of the victims of the attacks.^[1]

Sex and the City became the first premium channel show to win Outstanding Comedy Series; this was its only major award. The NBC cult hit Freaks and Geeks accomplished a rare feat: though it only ran for one season, it was nominated in two different years for writing. Frasier, now in its eighth season, earned its final Outstanding Comedy Series nomination after eight consecutive nominations including five consecutive wins (seasons 1–5).

The episode "Bowling" made Malcolm in the Middle just the second show, and first comedy, to have two different episodes win awards for directing and writing. The Defenders was the first show to do this in 1963 and 1965. (Specific episodes were not nominated in the comedy categories until the late 1960s). Game of Thrones would also achieve this in 2015 and 2016.

For his portrayal of John Cage in Ally McBeal, Peter MacNicol won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, the first in this category for Fox and the first in this category for any show outside the Big Three television networks.

In the drama field, The West Wing won Outstanding Drama Series for its second straight year and led all shows with four major awards on the night. The Sopranos led all shows with 14 major nominations and was second to The West Wing with three major wins.

Mike Nichols' win made him the ninth person to become an EGOT winner.

Winners and nominees

Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger (‡).^[2]^[3]^[a] For simplicity, producers who received nominations for program awards, as well as nominated writers for Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program, have been omitted.

Kenneth Branagh, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie winner

Peter MacNicol, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series winner

Doris Roberts, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series winner

Bradley Whitford, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series winner

Brian Cox, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie winner

Programs

Programs
Outstanding Comedy Series Sex and the City (HBO)‡ Everybody Loves Raymond (CBS) Frasier (NBC) Malcolm in the Middle (Fox) Will & Grace (NBC)	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) The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central) Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher (ABC) Saturday Night Live (NBC)	Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special Cirque du Soleil's Dralion (Bravo)‡ 73rd Annual Academy Awards (ABC) Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band (HBO) Ellen DeGeneres: The Beginning (HBO) Saturday Night Live's Presidential Bash 2000 (NBC)
Outstanding Made for Television Movie Wit (HBO)‡ 61* (HBO) Conspiracy (HBO) For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story (HBO) Neil Simon's Laughter on the 23rd Floor (Showtime)	Outstanding Miniseries Anne Frank (ABC)‡ Armistead Maupin's Further Tales of the City (Showtime) Horatio Hornblower (A&E) Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows (ABC) Nuremberg (TNT)

Acting

Lead performances

Lead performances
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series *Eric McCormack – Will & Grace* as Will Truman (NBC)*‡ Kelsey Grammer – Frasier* as Dr. Frasier Crane (NBC) John Lithgow – 3rd Rock from the Sun as Dick Solomon (NBC) Frankie Muniz – Malcolm in the Middle as Malcolm (Fox) Ray Romano – Everybody Loves Raymond as Raymond Barone (CBS)	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series *Patricia Heaton – Everybody Loves Raymond* as Debra Barone (CBS)*‡ Calista Flockhart – Ally McBeal* as Ally McBeal (Fox) Jane Kaczmarek – Malcolm in the Middle as Lois (Fox) 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)*‡ Andre Braugher – Gideon's Crossing* as Dr. Ben Gideon (ABC) Dennis Franz – NYPD Blue as Andy Sipowicz (ABC) Rob Lowe – The West Wing as Sam Seaborn (NBC) Martin Sheen – The West Wing as President Josiah Bartlet (NBC)	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series *Edie Falco – The Sopranos* as Carmela Soprano (HBO)*‡ Lorraine Bracco – The Sopranos* as Dr. Jennifer Melfi (HBO) Amy Brenneman – Judging Amy as Judge Amy Madison Gray (CBS) Marg Helgenberger – CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as Catherine Willows (CBS) Sela Ward – Once and Again as Lily Manning (ABC)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie *Kenneth Branagh – Conspiracy* as Reinhard Heydrich (HBO)*‡ Andy García – For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story* as Arturo Sandoval (HBO) Gregory Hines – Bojangles as Bill "Bojangles" Robinson (Showtime) Ben Kingsley – Anne Frank as Otto Frank (ABC) Barry Pepper – 61* as Roger Maris (HBO)	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie *Judy Davis – Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows* as Judy Garland (ABC)*‡ Judi Dench – The Last of the Blonde Bombshells* as Elizabeth (HBO) Hannah Taylor-Gordon – Anne Frank as Anne Frank (ABC) Holly Hunter – When Billie Beat Bobby as Billie Jean King (ABC) Emma Thompson – Wit as Vivian Bearing (HBO)
Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program *Barbra Streisand – Barbra Streisand: Timeless* (Fox)*‡ Wayne Brady – Whose Line Is It Anyway?* (ABC) Ellen DeGeneres – Ellen DeGeneres: The Beginning (HBO) Will Ferrell – Saturday Night Live: "Host: Alec Baldwin" (NBC) David Letterman – Late Show with David Letterman: "#1596" (CBS) Steve Martin – 73rd Annual Academy Awards (ABC)

Supporting performances

Supporting performances
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series *Peter MacNicol – Ally McBeal* as John Cage (Fox)*‡ Peter Boyle – Everybody Loves Raymond* as Frank Barone (CBS) Robert Downey Jr. – Ally McBeal as Larry Paul (Fox) Sean Hayes – Will & Grace as Jack McFarland (NBC) David Hyde Pierce – Frasier as Niles Crane (NBC)	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series *Doris Roberts – Everybody Loves Raymond* as Marie Barone (CBS)*‡ Jennifer Aniston – Friends* as Rachel Green (NBC) Kim Cattrall – Sex and the City as Samantha Jones (HBO) Lisa Kudrow – Friends as Phoebe Buffay (NBC) Megan Mullally – Will & Grace as Karen Walker (NBC)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series *Bradley Whitford – The West Wing* as Josh Lyman (NBC)*‡ Dominic Chianese – The Sopranos* as Corrado "Uncle Junior" Soprano (HBO) Michael Imperioli – The Sopranos as Christopher Moltisanti (HBO) Richard Schiff – The West Wing as Toby Ziegler (NBC) 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 Dr. Abigail Bartlet (NBC) Tyne Daly – Judging Amy as Maxine Gray (CBS) Maura Tierney – ER as Abby Lockhart (NBC) Aida Turturro – The Sopranos as Janice Soprano (HBO)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie *Brian Cox – Nuremberg* as Hermann Wilhelm Göring (TNT)*‡ Alan Alda – Club Land* as Willie Walters (Showtime) Colin Firth – Conspiracy as Stuckart (HBO) Victor Garber – Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows as Sid Luft (ABC) Ian Holm – The Last of the Blonde Bombshells as Patrick (HBO) Stanley Tucci – Conspiracy as Eichmann (HBO)	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie *Tammy Blanchard – Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows* as Young Judy Garland (ABC)*‡ Anne Bancroft – Haven* as Mama Gruber (CBS) Brenda Blethyn – Anne Frank as Auguste Van Pels (ABC) Holly Hunter – Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her as Rebecca (Showtime) Audra McDonald – Wit as Susie Monahan (HBO)

Directing

Directing
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Malcolm in the Middle: "Bowling" – Todd Holland (Fox)‡ Ed: "Pilot" – James Frawley (NBC) Malcolm in the Middle: "Flashback" – Jeff Melman (Fox) Sex and the City: "Easy Come, Easy Go" – Charles McDougall (HBO) Will & Grace: "Lows in the Mid-Eighties" – James Burrows (NBC)	Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series The West Wing: "In the Shadow of Two Gunmen, Parts I and II" – Thomas Schlamme (NBC)‡ ER: "The Visit" – Jonathan Kaplan (NBC) The Sopranos: "Amour Fou" – Tim Van Patten (HBO) The Sopranos: "Pine Barrens" – Steve Buscemi (HBO) The Sopranos: "University" – Allen Coulter (HBO) The West Wing: "Shibboleth" – Laura Innes (NBC)
Outstanding Directing for a Variety or Music Program Cirque du Soleil's Dralion – David Mallet (Bravo)‡ 73rd Annual Academy Awards – Louis J. Horvitz (ABC) Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band – Chris Hilson (HBO) Late Show with David Letterman: "#1527" – Jerry Foley (CBS) The Tony Awards – Paul Miller (CBS)	Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries or Movie Wit – Mike Nichols (HBO)‡ 61* – Billy Crystal (HBO) Anne Frank – Robert Dornhelm (ABC) Conspiracy – Frank Pierson (HBO) Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows – Robert Allan Ackerman (ABC)

Writing

Writing
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series Malcolm in the Middle: "Bowling" – Alex Reid (Fox)‡ Ed: "Pilot" – Rob Burnett and Jon Beckerman (NBC) Freaks and Geeks: "Discos and Dragons" – Paul Feig (NBC) Sex and the City: "Easy Come, Easy Go" – Michael Patrick King (HBO) Will & Grace: "Lows in the Mid-Eighties" – Jeff Greenstein (NBC)	Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series The Sopranos: "Employee of the Month" – Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess (HBO)‡ The Sopranos: "Amour Fou" – Frank Renzulli and David Chase (HBO) The Sopranos: "Pine Barrens" – Terence Winter and Tim Van Patten (HBO) The Sopranos: "Second Opinion" – Lawrence Konner (HBO) The West Wing: "In the Shadow of Two Gunmen, Parts I and II" – Aaron Sorkin (NBC)
Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central)‡ The Chris Rock Show (HBO) Late Night with Conan O'Brien (NBC) Late Show with David Letterman (CBS) Saturday Night Live (NBC)	Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries or Movie Conspiracy – Loring Mandel (HBO)‡ 61* – Hank Steinberg (HBO) Anne Frank – Kirk Ellis (ABC) Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows – Robert L. Freedman (ABC) Wit – Emma Thompson and Mike Nichols (HBO)

Most major nominations

Networks with multiple major nominations^{[note 1]}
Network	No. of Nominations
HBO	44
NBC	43
ABC	24
CBS	15
Fox	13

Programs with multiple major nominations
Program	Category	Network	No. of Nominations
The Sopranos	Drama	HBO	14
The West Wing	Drama	NBC	11
Will & Grace	Comedy	NBC	7
Anne Frank: The Whole Story	Miniseries	ABC	6
Conspiracy	Movie	HBO
Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows	Miniseries	ABC
Malcolm in the Middle	Comedy	Fox
Everybody Loves Raymond		CBS	5
Sex and the City		HBO
Wit	Movie
61*	Movie		4
Late Show with David Letterman	Variety	CBS	4
The 73rd Annual Academy Awards	Variety	ABC	3
Ally McBeal	Comedy	Fox
ER	Drama	NBC
Frasier	Comedy
Saturday Night Live	Variety
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band		HBO	2
The Chris Rock Show		HBO
Cirque du Soleil's Dralion		Bravo
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart		Comedy Central
Ed	Comedy	NBC
Ellen DeGeneres: The Beginning	Variety	HBO
For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story	Movie	HBO
Friends	Comedy	NBC
Judging Amy	Drama	CBS
The Last of the Blonde Bombshells	Movie	HBO
Nuremberg	Miniseries	TNT

Most major awards

Networks with multiple major awards^{[note 1]}
Network	No. of Awards
HBO	8
NBC	8
ABC	4
CBS	3
Fox	3
Bravo	2

Programs with multiple major awards
Program	Category	Network	No. of Awards
The West Wing	Drama	NBC	4
The Sopranos	Drama	HBO	3
Cirque du Soleil's Dralion	Variety	Bravo	2
Conspiracy	Movie	HBO
Everybody Loves Raymond	Comedy	CBS
Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows	Miniseries	ABC
Malcolm in the Middle	Comedy	Fox
Wit	Movie	HBO

Notes

^ a b "Major" constitutes the categories listed above: Program, Acting, Directing, and Writing. Does not include the technical categories.

Presenters

The awards were presented by the following people:^[4]

Presenter(s)	Role(s)
Dennis Franz	Presented the awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series and Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
Marg Helgenberger William Petersen	Presented the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Sally Field Michael Emerson	Presented the award for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Martin Short	Presented the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Kelsey Grammer	Presented the award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
Frankie Muniz	Presented the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Jean Smart	Presented the award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
Wayne Brady	Presented the award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program
Jessica Alba Jennifer Garner	Presented the award for Outstanding Directing for a Variety or Music Program
Debra Messing Eric McCormack	Presented the awards for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie
Amy Brenneman	Presented the award for Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or Special
Andy Garcia	Presented the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
Kevin James Leah Remini Jerry Stiller	Presented the award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special
Ray Romano Patricia Heaton	Presented the award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series
Jane Kaczmarek Bradley Whitford	Presented the award for Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries or Movie
Calista Flockhart	Presented the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie
Andre Braugher	Presented the award for Outstanding Miniseries
Lorraine Bracco Edie Falco	Presented the award for Outstanding Made for Television Movie
Martin Sheen	Presented the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
Kim Cattrall Kristin Davis	Presented the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Mary Tyler Moore	Presented the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Jimmy Smits	Presented the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Simon Baker	Presented the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Tim Conway	Presented the award for Outstanding Comedy Series
Angela Bassett	Presented the award for Outstanding Drama Series

In Memoriam

Notes

^ The outlets listed for each program are the U.S. broadcasters or streaming services identified in the nominations, which for some international productions are different from the broadcaster(s) that originally commissioned the program.

References

^ Streisand's stage fright spiked with thought of terror, By Edna Gundersen, USA TODAY, 12-12-2001
^ "The 53rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards List of Nomination Categories". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on February 13, 2002. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
^ "Primetime Emmy Winners 2001". Variety. November 5, 2001. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
^ "53rd Primetime Emmy Awards". DigitalHit. Retrieved April 11, 2023.

External links

Emmys.com list of 2001 Nominees & Winners
53rd Primetime Emmy Awards at IMDb

[MW_Note-5] "Major" constitutes the categories listed above: Program, Acting, Directing, and Writing. Does not include the technical categories.

[4] The outlets listed for each program are the U.S. broadcasters or streaming services identified in the nominations, which for some international productions are different from the broadcaster(s) that originally commissioned the program.

[1] Streisand's stage fright spiked with thought of terror, By Edna Gundersen, USA TODAY, 12-12-2001

[2] "The 53rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards List of Nomination Categories". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on February 13, 2002. Retrieved January 22, 2023.

[3] "Primetime Emmy Winners 2001". Variety. November 5, 2001. Retrieved January 22, 2023.

[6] "53rd Primetime Emmy Awards". DigitalHit. Retrieved April 11, 2023.