January 25
EMMY DAY
The first Emmys, the awards presented each year in recognition of excellence in television performance and production, were presented at the Hollywood Athletic Club on this day in 1949.
The event was the 1st Annual Los Angeles Emmy Awards (for programming which appeared in 1948) and was presented by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. The Academy was also an infant, having formed just three years earlier.
Mike Sotkey’s Pantomime Quiz Time was selected as the year’s top television show. The local L.A. panel show which began in 1947, featured Howard Morris, Stubby Kaye, Rocky Graziano, Hans Conried, Milt Kamen and the orchestra of Frank DeVol and aired on KTLA-TV.
Shirley Dinsdale and her puppet, Judy Splinters, took honors as Most Outstanding Television Personality.
The Necklace, a film shown on Your Show Time on NBC, took the Best Film Made for Television Award.
The Emmy Awards ceremonies are still going strong. Although the statuettes are no longer awarded in January (in fact, they have been awarded in February, March, May, June, August and September, over the years) they are now divided into two ceremonies. The Academy administers the prime-time awards which are presented in the fall; while the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences presents the daytime program awards in the spring.
The Emmy Awards ceremonies are still going strong. Although the statuettes are no longer awarded in January (in fact, they have been awarded in February, March, May, June, August and September, over the years) they are now divided into two ceremonies. The Academy administers the prime-time awards which are presented in the fall; while the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences presents the daytime program awards in the spring.
Some of the magic Emmy numbers are as follows:
Most won by an individual (Dwight Hemion: 18)
Most Emmys won by a male performer (Carl Reiner: 9)
Most Emmys won by a female performer (Dinah Shore: 8; Mary Tyler Moore, Tracey Ullman: 7)
Most won by a series (Frasier: 30)
Most won by a miniseries (Roots: 9)
Most Emmys for a dramatic series (Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law: 4) and for a comedy series (Frasier: 5)The envelope please...
Those Were the Days, the Today in History service from 440 International
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