41st Primetime Emmy Awards


The 41st Primetime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday, September 17, 1989. The ceremony was broadcast on Fox from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California. The ceremony saw the guest acting categories double, as they were now based on gender as well as genre. Two networks, Lifetime, and USA, received their first major nominations this year.
After being nominated and losing the previous four years Cheers regained the title of Outstanding Comedy Series. L.A. Law also won Outstanding Drama Series after losing the previous year. For the second straight year, L.A. Law received 15 major nominations, making it the first show ever to receive more than 14 major nominations multiple times. With nine main cast acting nominations, L.A. Law tied the record set by Hill Street Blues in 1982.

Winners and nominees

Programs

Outstanding Comedy SeriesOutstanding Drama Series

  • L.A. Law,
  • * Beauty and the Beast,
  • * China Beach,
  • * thirtysomething,
  • * Wiseguy,
    • Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy ProgramOutstanding Drama/Comedy Special
  • The Tracey Ullman Show,
  • * The Arsenio Hall Show,
  • * Late Night with David Letterman,
  • * Saturday Night Live,
  • * Tap Dance in America,
  • Day One,
  • Roe vs. Wade,
  • * David,
  • * ',
  • * My Name Is Bill W.,
    • Outstanding Miniseries
  • War and Remembrance, '
  • * I Know My First Name Is Steven,
  • * Lonesome Dove,
  • * A Perfect Spy,
  • * The Women of Brewster Place'',

    • Acting

    Lead performances

    Supporting performances

    Guest performances

    Directing

    Writing

    Most major nominations

    ;By network
    ;By program
    ;By network
    ;By program
    ;Notes