33rd Primetime Emmy Awards

Last updated
33rd Primetime Emmy Awards
Date
  • September 13, 1981
    (Ceremony)
  • September 12, 1981
    (Creative Arts Awards)
Location Pasadena Civic Auditorium, Pasadena, California
Presented by Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
Hosted by Shirley MacLaine
Edward Asner
Highlights
Most awards Hill Street Blues (6)
Most nominationsHill Street Blues (14)
Outstanding Comedy Series Taxi
Outstanding Drama Series Hill Street Blues
Outstanding Limited Series Shōgun
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program Lily: Sold Out
Television/radio coverage
Network CBS
  32nd  · Primetime Emmy Awards ·  34th  

The 33rd Primetime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday, September 13, 1981. The ceremony was broadcast on CBS. It was hosted by Shirley MacLaine and Edward Asner.

Contents

For the third consecutive year, the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series went to Taxi. The top show on the drama side was Hill Street Blues which, in its first season, tied the record for most major nominations (14) and wins (6) by a non-miniseries. NBC's ratings juggernaut Shōgun received eight major nominations, but only won one, for Outstanding Limited Series.

Winners and nominees

[1]

Programs

Programs

Acting

Lead performances

Acting

Supporting performances

Directing

Directing
  • Taxi (ABC): "Elaine's Strange Triangle" – James Burrows
    • Archie Bunker's Place (CBS): "Tough Love" – Linda Day
    • Barney Miller (ABC): "Liquidation" – Noam Pitlik
    • Happy Days (ABC): "Hello, Mrs. Arcola" – Jerry Paris
    • M*A*S*H (CBS): "The Life You Save" – Alan Alda
    • M*A*S*H (CBS): "No Laughing Matter" – Burt Metcalfe
    • WKRP in Cincinnati (CBS): "Venus Flytrap Explains the Atom" – Rod Daniel

Writing

Writing
  • The Muppet Show (Syndicated): "Carol Burnett"
    • AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Fred Astaire (CBS)
    • Lily: Sold Out (CBS)
    • Musical Comedy Tonight II (PBS)
    • The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (NBC): "18th Anniversary Show"

Most major nominations

Networks with multiple major nominations [note 1]
NetworkNumber of
Nominations
CBS52
ABC40
NBC32
Programs with multiple major nominations
ProgramCategoryNetworkNumber of
Nominations
Hill Street BluesDramaNBC14
Lou GrantCBS10
M*A*S*HComedy8
ShōgunMiniseriesNBC
TaxiComedyABC
MasadaMiniseries7
DallasDramaCBS5
Playing for TimeSpecial
Barney MillerComedyABC4
Soap
WKRP in CincinnatiCBS
The Shadow BoxSpecialABC3
The Women's Room
AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Fred AstaireVarietyCBS2
American DreamDramaABC
Archie Bunker's PlaceComedyCBS
Bitter HarvestSpecialNBC
The BunkerCBS
The JeffersonsComedy
Lily: Sold OutVariety
The Muppet ShowSyndicated
Musical Comedy Tonight IIPBS
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonNBC

Most major awards

Networks with multiple major awards [note 1]
NetworkNumber of
Awards
CBS10
NBC8
ABC6
Programs with multiple major awards
ProgramCategoryNetworkNumber of
Awards
Hill Street BluesDramaNBC6
TaxiComedyABC5
Playing for TimeSpecialCBS4
Notes
  1. 1 2 "Major" constitutes the categories listed above: Program, Acting, Directing, and Writing. Does not include the technical categories.

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