HOLLYWOOD, Aug. 28, 2000 — In case you missed it, and you probably did, the creative arts Primetime Emmy awards, honoring the best in behind-the-scenes technical work on TV, were handed out in a ceremony in Pasadena, Calif., on Saturday.
And Bruce Willis — a movie star, may we stress – was the biggest winner, and the biggest news.
The “Armageddon” action dude took his second career Emmy, for his charity guest stint on the NBC sitcom “Friends,” where he played the father of David Schwimmer‘s galpal.
For those who might be wondering why there’re still no mentions of big tube stars like, oh, “The West Wing’s” Martin Sheen or “Frasier’s” Kelsey Grammer –- well, that’s simple: it’s because the creative arts Primetime Emmy Awards is not the Primetime Emmy Awards.
Separate from the regular Emmy Awards, the creative arts portion celebrates mainly the “behind-the-scenes” workings of TV shows, like best makeup, best art direction, and outstanding guest actor.
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama went to James Whitmore for “The Practice”; Beah Richards won Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama, also for “The Practice,” and Jean Smart won Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy for “Frasier.”
Besides Willis’ win, NBC came through as the top winner with a field best 14 nods, with its “The West Wing” nabbing four awards including Outstanding Casting For A Drama Series and Outstanding Costumes For A Series.
HBO, trailing the peacock network, got 12 statuettes overall, including four for “Introducing Dorothy Dandridge” and three for “RKO 281.”
Folks like Tom Selleck (outstanding guest actor nominee for “Friends”), Debbie Reynolds (outstanding guest actress nominee for “Will & Grace), Tracy Pollan (outstanding guest actress nominee for “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”) and husband Michael J. Fox, and Cheri Oteri (outstanding guest actress nominee for “Just Shoot Me”) were also present at the ceremony.
As to that other Emmy Awards show – the one with the stars — it will happen Sept. 10 at the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium.
