Stars with theatrical pedigress dominated the winners at the 60th annual Emmy Awards on September 21. Jeremy Piven, who begins previews on October 3 for the Broadway revival of David Mamet's Speed-the-Plow, was honored for his performance in Entourage, and joked about his insecurity regarding stage acting in his acceptance speech. Dianne Wiest, currently in previews for the Broadway revival of Arthur Miller's All My Sons, won for In Treatment but was unable to make the trip west to pick up her statuette.
Glenn Close won a lead actress award for Damages, and Laura Linney seen on Broadway last season in Les Liaisons Dangereuses won for John Adams, one of the record 13 Emmys picked up by the miniseries. Linney's co-star, theater vet Paul Giamatti, picked up a leading actor Emmy, and so did 30 Rock star Alec Baldwin who recently extolled the pleasures of stage acting in The New Yorker.
Theater regular Zeljko Ivanek whose name was mispronounced by one of the Desperate Housewives presenters seemed shocked to win a featured actor Emmy for his work in Damages. Dame Eileen Atkins was honored for Cranford, but did not attend the ceremony. Cynthia Nixon, who had been announced last week as winner of a guest actress Emmy for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, served as a presenter.
The outstanding comedy series Emmy went to 30 Rock whose stars include Baldwin and Jane Krakowski, and the drama series award went to Mad Men with another Speed-the-Plow star, Elisabeth Moss, plus John Slattery and Bryan Batt representing stage folks on the podium.
