'Will & Grace,' West Wing,' 'Tuesdays with Morrie' shine on Emmy night

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(CNN) -- "Will & Grace" co-stars Megan Mullally and Sean Hayes picked up the first two Emmys Sunday night. It was the first nomination for both characters on the NBC series, which received 11 nominations.

Mullally, who plays the martini-loving Karen Walker, beat "Friends" (NBC) co-stars Lisa Kudrow and Jennifer Anniston; Doris Roberts, of "Everybody Loves Raymond" (CBS); and Kim Catrall, of "Sex and the City" (HBO), for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series.

"Thank you to the strong women in my category, who I've stolen from frequently, and will continue to do so in the future," Mullally said.

Hayes, who's taking home the Emmy for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy, plays Will's best friend, the flamboyant Jack McFarland. He triumphed over "Everybody Loves Raymond" stars Peter Boyle and Brad Garrett; Peter MacNicol, of "Ally McBeal" (Fox); and David Hyde Pierce of "Frasier."

WINNERS Outstanding drama series: "The West Wing" (NBC) Outstanding comedy series: "Will & Grace" (NBC) Outstanding actor in a drama series: James Gandolfini, "The Sopranos" (HBO) Outstanding actress in a drama series: Sela Ward, "Once and Again" (ABC) Outstanding actor in a comedy series: Michael J. Fox, "Spin City" (ABC) Outstanding actress in a comedy series: Patricia Heaton, "Everybody Loves Raymond" (CBS) Outstanding made-for-television movie: "Oprah Winfrey Presents: Tuesdays with Morrie" (ABC) Outstanding lead actor in a miniseries or movie: Jack Lemmon, "Oprah Winfrey Presents: Tuesdays with Morrie" (ABC) Outstanding lead actor in a miniseries or movie: Jack Lemmon, "Oprah Winfrey Presents: Tuesdays with Morrie" (ABC) Outstanding miniseries: "The Corner" (HBO) Outstanding lead actress in a miniseries or movie: Halle Berry, "Introducing Dorothy Dandridge" (HBO) Expanded list

Allison Janney, who plays the White House press secretary CJ Cregg on "The West Wing" (NBC), won outstanding supporting actress in a drama. In her acceptance speech, Janney paid tribute to fellow nominee Nancy Marchand, who played Livia Soprano on the HBO series. The 71-year-old actress died in July of emphysema and lung cancer.

Janney's other contenders included fellow "West Wing" star Stockard Channing; Holland Taylor, of ABC's "The Practice"; and Tyne Daly, of the freshman CBS series "Judging Amy."

Fellow "West Winger" Richard Schiff won outstanding supporting actor in a drama for his role as communications director Toby Ziegler. His co-star John Spencer also was nominated, as were Steve Harris and Michael Badalucco, of "The Practice," and Dominic Chianese, of "The Sopranos."

Oprah Winfrey's miniseries based on the bestseller "Tuesdays with Morrie" snagged three Emmys Sunday, including outstanding made-for-television movie, outstanding lead actor in a miniseries or movie (Jack Lemmon), and outstanding supporting actor in a miniseries or movie (Hank Azaria).

Lemmon, 75, received a standing ovation, as he rose to accept his sixth Emmy, for his portrayal of former Brandeis University professor Morrie Schwartz. Azaria played the part of author Mitch Albom in the ABC movie.

Lemon beat Beau Bridges, "P.T. Barnum" (A&E); Brian Dennehy, "Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman" (Showtime); William H. Macy, "A Slight Case of Murder" (TNT); and Liev Schreiber, "RKO 281" (HBO).

Halle Berry won her first Emmy for "Introducing Dorothy Dandridge" -- outstanding lead actress in a miniseries or movie. Those sharing the nomination include Holly Hunter, who appeared in "Harlan County War" (Showtime); Gena Rowlands, who appeared in "The Color of Love: Jacey's Story" (CBS); as well as Sally Field and Judy Davis, who both starred in "A Cooler Climate" (Showtime).

"The Corner" (HBO), a six-part miniseries about a Baltimore family dealing with drug abuse, won outstanding miniseries or movie, fending off "Arabian Nights" (ABC); "The Beach Boys: An American Family" (ABC); and "Jesus" (CBS); and "P.T. Barnum" (A&E).

Outstanding supporting actress in a miniseries or movie went to Vanessa Redgrave for "If Theses Walls Could Talk 2" (HBO). She's working in London and was not there to accept the award.

Fellow nominees included Kathy Bates, "Annie" (ABC); Elizabeth Franz, "Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman" (Showtime); Melanie Griffith, "RKO 281" (HBO); and Maggie Smith, "David Copperfield" (PBS).

David Letterman proved to be the late-night standup standout, earning an Emmy for outstanding variety, music or comedy series. Letterman missed five weeks behind the desk on the CBS show, recovering from quadruple bypass surgery earlier this year.

Letterman beat Jay Leno who hosts NBC's "The Tonight Show"; Bill Maher, the acerbic host of ABC's "Politically Incorrect"; and HBO's Dennis Miller and Chris Rock.

Lorne Michaels was on hand to accept the Emmy for outstanding variety, music or comedy special, for "Saturday Night Live: The 25th Anniversary Special" (NBC). "SNL" topped the "72nd Academy Awards" (ABC); "Chris Rock: Bigger and Blacker" (HBO); "Cirque du Soleil" (Bravo); and "Eddie Izzard Dress to Kill" (HBO).

Transvestite Eddie Izzard also earned two Emmys for his HBO special, one for writing and another for individual performance in a variety, music or comedy special.

Garry Shandling is hosting of the 52nd annual Emmy Awards at Shrine auditorium in Los Angeles. The comedian-actor has been drawing laughs with his brand of self-deprecating humor.

The ceremony started with a spoof of the "Survivor" reality series, with late-night faces Arsenio Hall, Andy Richter, Craig Kilborn and Sherry Oteri taking barbs at Shandling at a mock tribal council. Three "Survivor" contestants were in the audience: Richard, Rudy and Gervase.

Peri Gilpin of 'Frasier' wears a gold ribbon to show solidarity with commercial actors who are on strike against the advertising industry

"I don't like this reality television, I have to be honest," Shandling said. "I think real people should not be on television. It's for special people like us, people who have trained and studied to appear to be real."

Many people watch the Emmys to see what the stars are wearing. And the big fashion statement at the ceremony is also a political one.

Many of the actors are sporting gold ribbons to show solidarity with commercial actors who are on strike against the advertising industry. Members of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio artists began the walkout in May.

The hot contest of the night is for outstanding drama, with "The West Wing" and "The Sopranos" being the favorites. Both shows have garnered the most nominations -- 18 each.

Other contenders for outstanding drama include last year's winner, "The Practice," which got ten nominations; "ER" (NBC), with nine nominations; and "Law & Order" (NBC), with six nods.

Emmy watchers could expect some surprises, as organizers changed the voting system this year.

In the past, 1,000 of the 10,000 academy members gathered in a Los Angeles hotel over a weekend in August to make the final Emmy choices. Designated members sat together in a room and viewed videotapes of the five nominees in each category.

To encourage greater participation, the academy mailed screening tapes this year to all members, who could view them at home over a 10-day period and submit their ballots by mail. But some tapes never made it to their destinations or arrived late. The videos for "Everybody Loves Raymond" were stolen, for example.

Emmy organizers predict that a bigger judging pool will bring a younger, more liberal viewpoint to the event.

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Academy of Television Arts and Sciences

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