Jane Leeves and Anthony Edwards announce the 1998 Emmy nominees Windows Media: 28k or 56k Real: 28k or 56k

Web posted on: Thursday, July 23, 1998 8:58:22 AM EDT

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- NBC led the way with 86 nominations from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for the 50th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.

The nominations were announced this morning from Los Angeles.

Among the nods for the best comedy series were "Seinfeld," which had one of the highest rated finales in television history when it went off the air in May. Other nominees for best comedy series: "Ally McBeal," "Frasier," "The Larry Sanders Show," and "3rd Rock From the Sun." "Frasier" is going for a record five wins in a row.

In the best actress in a comedy series category, Ellen DeGeneres of "Ellen," Jenna Elfman of "Dharma and Greg," Calista Flockhart of "Ally McBeal," Helen Hunt of "Mad About You," Kirstie Alley of "Veronica's Closet," and Patricia Richardson of "Home Improvement" were honored.

And in the best actor in a comedy series category, Kelsey Grammer, "Frasier," John Lithgow of "3rd Rock From the Sun," Paul Reiser of "Mad About You," Michael J. Fox from "Spin City," and Garry Shandling from "The Larry Sanders Show" were tapped.

While "The X-Files" and "E.R." tied for the most nominations to a dramatic series with 16 each, the miniseries "From the Earth to the Moon," HBO's sweeping chronicle of America's space program, received a leading 17 nominations today for the 50th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.

The cable drama, which was produced by actor Tom Hanks, had been the focus of a protest by broadcast networks who felt the 12-part program was too lengthy to be considered as a miniseries.

The four-hour 50th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony will be held on September 13, airing live on NBC.

In the past, prominent faces like CBS "Public Eye" anchor Bryant Gumbel and "Mad About You" star Paul Reiser have hosted the Emmy awards ceremony. But this year, producer Don Mischer announced earlier this week, the 50th anniversary Emmy Awards will not be hosted by just one person. Instead, veteran actors and fresh faces are to take turns playing host during the awards, Mischer said.

"We want it to feel like the entire television industry has come together for this night," Mischer told the Television Critics Association on Monday.

In another shift from tradition, the Emmy awards ceremony is moving to the Shrine Auditorium after years in the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.

The Shrine can accommodate a bigger audience and offers a larger stage. For the first time, a limited number of seats will be available to the public, although details on ticket distribution have yet to be announced.