"Ally McBeal"

Web posted on:
Friday, September 10, 1999 5:08:44 PM EST

From Dennis Michael
CNN Entertainment News Correspondent

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- Preparations for the 51st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards are in full swing. Actresses are rushing to get dresses and manicures -- "Ally McBeal" nominee Jane Krakowski says she still doesn't have her dress, while Leelee Sobieski ("Joan of Arc") says she plans to get the first manicure of her life for the awards.

Actors are selecting their tuxedos and trying to appear nonchalant about it.

As the pundits sharpen their pencils and predict the likely winners, all the nominees may be looking for good-luck charms -- "Ally McBeal" lead actress Calista Flockhart is open to ideas, she says, claiming not to have one yet. "Do you have any suggestions?" she asked one reporter.

Of course, if the nominations for this year's Emmys are any indication, Flockhart has had a fair amount of luck already. Her show is up for awards in 13 categories, including outstanding lead actress in a comedy (Flockhart); and best comedy.

Who was nominated? Here's the list About the Emmys: From ancient history to modern day What do you know? Take the quiz. Which shows should win? Which were left out? Tell us here!

It's been a good year for her show's creator, too: David E. Kelley has enjoyed Emmy nods not only for "Ally McBeal" but for his legal drama, "The Practice," which has drawn 13 nominations.

"The Sopranos," HBO's mobster drama, is the other force to be reckoned with at the Emmys on Sunday. Its 16 nominations are the most for any one show. Among them is a nomination for outstanding drama series -- the first such nod for a show not on a traditional network.

The outstanding drama competition: "Law & Order," "ER," "NYPD Blue," and "The Practice."

"I didn't know that the show would be received the way that it has been," says the show's Edie Falco. "I couldn't be more thrilled about it. But it's been a surprise."

Sopranos

Falco is up for lead actress in a drama, as is her co-star Lorraine Bracco. Gillian Anderson is up again for "The X-Files," Christine Lahti for "Chicago Hope" and Julianna Margulies for "ER."

James Gandolfini of "The Sopranos" leads the list of nominated actors in a drama series, competing with Dennis Franz and Jimmy Smits from "NYPD Blue," Dylan McDermott in "The Practice," and Sam Waterston in "Law & Order."

On the comedy side, "Everybody Loves Raymond" star Ray Romano competes for lead actor in a comedy series with some of the usual contenders: "3rd Rock From the Sun" actor John Lithgow; Michael J. Fox of "Spin City"; "Frasier" star Kelsey Grammer; and Paul Reiser for his just-ended show, "Mad About You."

Reiser has had five nominations for an Emmy for the show, but has never won. Meanwhile, Grammer's had five nominations during his stint on the "Cheers" spinoff "Frasier," winning three times.

For lead actress in a comedy, the field is also familiar: Helen Hunt for "Mad About You"; Flockhart for "Ally McBeal"; Jenna Elfman (who also happens to be hosting this year's awards) for "Dharma & Greg"; "Everybody Loves Raymond" co-star Patricia Heaton; and a newcomer, Sarah Jessica Parker from HBO's "Sex and the City."

Parker says that for her, "The excitement is just about being there and feeling really grateful that the people in Los Angeles got it," that they understood the point of her show. "Those people that nominate shows, they got it!"

In fact, the nominating body "got it" enough to pit the show against veterans like "Ally McBeal," "Friends," "Frasier" and "Everybody Loves Raymond" for outstanding comedy series.