1969 American television programming awards
The 21st Emmy Awards —also known since 1974 as the 21st Primetime Emmy Awards —were handed out on June 8, 1969. The ceremony was co-hosted by Bill Cosby and Merv Griffin .
The top shows of the night were Get Smart , which won Outstanding Comedy Series for the second consecutive year, and Outstanding Dramatic Series winner NET Playhouse . NET Playhouse , from the PBS predecessor National Educational Television Network , became the first show outside the Big Three television networks to win a top series award.
Due to several categories being combined for the ceremony, no show received more than two major wins. The most drastic rule change was that all shows that had aired more than two seasons were ineligible. The cause of this change was due to the rise in repeat winners in recent years. There was no winner in the category of Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role , because the judges felt that none of the nominees were worthy of an award.[ 1]
Winners and nominees
Winners are listed in bold and series' networks are in parentheses.[ 2]
Programs
Programs
The Bill Cosby Special (CBS)
Barbra Streisand: A Happening in Central Park (CBS)
Duke Ellington Concert of Sacred Music (NET)
Francis Albert Sinatra Does His Thing (CBS)
The Rite of Spring (NET)
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (NBC): "February 3, 1969"
Vladimir Horowitz: A Television Concert at Carnegie Hall (CBS)
Outstanding Achievement in Daytime Programming - Programs
Outstanding Achievement in Sports Programming - Programs
Acting
Acting
Don Adams as Maxwell Smart in Get Smart (NBC)
Hope Lange as Carolyn Muir in The Ghost & Mrs. Muir (NBC)
Carl Betz as Clinton Judd in Judd, for the Defense (ABC)
Barbara Bain as Cinnamon Carter in Mission: Impossible (CBS)
Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Paul Scofield as Sir Emlyn Bowen, Q. C. in Male of the Species (NBC)
Ossie Davis as Charles Carter in Hallmark Hall of Fame (NBC): "Teacher, Teacher"
David McCallum as Hamilton Cade in Hallmark Hall of Fame (NBC): "Teacher, Teacher"
Bill Travers as Crichton in Hallmark Hall of Fame (NBC): "The Admirable Crichton"
Outstanding Single Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Ned Glass as Sol Cooper in Julia (NBC): "A Little Chicken Soup Never Hurt Anybody"
Hal Holbrook as Chancellor Graham in The Bold Ones: The Lawyers (NBC): "The Whole World Is Watching"
Billy Schulman as Freddie Putnam in Hallmark Hall of Fame (NBC): "Teacher, Teacher"
Outstanding Single Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Directing
Directing
The Dean Martin Show (NBC): "October 17, 1968" – Greg Garrison
The Bill Cosby Special (NBC) – Bill Hobin
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (NBC): "February 3, 1969" – Gordon Wiles
Writing
Writing
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (CBS): "David Frye and Liberace"
The Carol Burnett Show (CBS): "Nanette Fabray, Mel Tormé and Don Rickles"
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (NBC): "Don Rickles"
CBS Playhouse (CBS): "The People Next Door" – J.P. Miller
CBS Playhouse (CBS): "The Experiment" – Ellen M. Violett
Hallmark Hall of Fame (NBC): "Teacher, Teacher" – Allan Sloane
Most major nominations
Networks with multiple major nominations[ note 1]
Network
Number of Nominations
NBC
36
CBS
22
ABC
14
Programs with multiple major nominations
Program
Category
Network
Number of Nominations
Mission: Impossible
Drama
CBS
6
Teacher, Teacher
Special
NBC
Julia
Comedy
4
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Variety
19th Summer Olympics
Sports
ABC
3
Bewitched
Comedy
Get Smart
NBC
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
Ironside
Drama
Judd, for the Defense
ABC
The Name of the Game
NBC
The People Next Door
Special
CBS
The Admirable Crichton
NBC
2
The Bill Cosby Special
Variety
The Carol Burnett Show
CBS
The Dean Martin Show
NBC
Family Affair
Comedy
CBS
Male of the Species
Special
NBC
NET Playhouse
Drama
NET
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
Variety
CBS
Most major awards
Networks with multiple major awards[ note 1]
Network
Number of Awards
NBC
10
CBS
5
ABC
4
Programs with multiple major awards
Program
Category
Network
Number of Awards
19th Summer Olympics
Sports
ABC
2
Get Smart
Comedy
NBC
Male of the Species
Special
The People Next Door
CBS
Notes
^ a b "Major" constitutes the categories listed above: Program, Acting, Directing, and Writing. Does not include the technical categories.
References
External links