The 46th Primetime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday, September 11, 1994. The ceremony was hosted by Patricia Richardson and Ellen DeGeneres. It was broadcast on ABC. Comedy Central received its first major nomination at this ceremony.

For its first season, the Cheers spin-off Frasier won Outstanding Comedy Series and four total major awards. For the second straight year Picket Fences won Outstanding Drama Series, it too won four major awards, but the more impressive drama series was newcomer NYPD Blue, which took home three major awards.

NYPD Blue came into the ceremony with 17 major nominations. This broke Hill Street Blues record for most nominations by a drama or comedy series of 16 set in 1982, and put it in second place all time behind Roots which gained 21 major nominations in 1977. NYPD Blue set another milestone when it received every nomination for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series, this marked only the ninth time that a show had received every nomination in a category. This feat has not been accomplished since.

The television film And the Band Played On also made Emmy history. It set a new record when it received nine major nominations, the most ever for a television movie. The record was maintained for twenty years, until The Normal Heart received nine major nominations in 2014. Both films won the top prize, but each lost all six of their acting nominations, directing, and writing to other projects.

Winners and nominees

[http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/1994 Emmys.com list of 1994 Nominees & Winners]

=Programs=

class="wikitable" width="100%"

style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Award category|#EEDD82|Outstanding Comedy Series}}

| style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Award category|#EEDD82|Outstanding Drama Series}}

Picket Fences (CBS)
Law & Order (NBC)
Northern Exposure (CBS)
NYPD Blue (ABC)
Star Trek: The Next Generation (Syndicated)

style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Award category|#EEDD82|Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series}}

Late Show with David Letterman (CBS)

Dennis Miller Live (HBO)

MTV Unplugged (MTV) (Episode: "10,000 Maniacs")

Saturday Night Live (NBC)

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC)

| style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Award category|#EEDD82|Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Special}}

The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts (CBS)
The 47th Annual Tony Awards (CBS)
The 66th Annual Academy Awards (ABC)
Comic Relief VI (HBO)
Tracey Ullman Takes on New York (HBO)

style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Award category|#EEDD82|Outstanding Made for Television Movie}}

And the Band Played On (HBO)

Breathing Lessons (CBS)

Gypsy (CBS)

A Place for Annie (ABC)

To Dance with the White Dog (CBS)

| style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Award category|#EEDD82|Outstanding Miniseries}}

Prime Suspect III (PBS)
Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All (CBS)
The Stand (ABC)
Tales of the City (PBS)
World War II: When Lions Roared (NBC)

=Acting=

==Lead performances==

class="wikitable" width="100%"

style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Award category|#EEDD82|Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series}}

Kelsey Grammer as Dr. Frasier Crane in Frasier (NBC) (Episode: "The Good Son")
John Goodman as Dan Conner in Roseanne (ABC) (Episode: "Guilt By Imagination")
John Larroquette as John Hemingway in The John Larroquette Show (NBC) (Episode: "Pilot")
Paul Reiser as Paul Buchman in Mad About You (NBC) (Episode: "Virtual Reality")
Jerry Seinfeld as Jerry Seinfeld in Seinfeld (NBC) (Episode: "The Puffy Shirt")

| style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Award category|#EEDD82|Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series}}

Candice Bergen as Murphy Brown on Murphy Brown (CBS) (Episode: "It's Just Like Riding a Bike")
Roseanne Barr as Roseanne Conner in Roseanne (ABC) (Episode: "The Driver's Seat")
Helen Hunt as Jamie Buchman in Mad About You (NBC) (Episode: "Cold Feet")
Annie Potts as Dana Palladino in Love & War (CBS) (Episode: "I've Got a Crush on You")
Patricia Richardson as Jill Taylor in Home Improvement (ABC) (Episode: "The Colonel")

style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Award category|#EEDD82|Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series}}

Dennis Franz as Andy Sipowicz in NYPD Blue (ABC) (Episode: "NYPD Lou")

David Caruso as John Kelly in NYPD Blue (ABC) (Episode: "Pilot")

Peter Falk as Lt. Columbo in Columbo (ABC) (Episode: "It's All in the Game")

Michael Moriarty as Ben Stone in Law & Order (NBC) (Episode: "Sanctuary")

Tom Skerritt as Jimmy Brock in Picket Fences (CBS) (Episode: "Dairy Queen")

| style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Award category|#EEDD82|Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series}}

Sela Ward as Teddy Reed in Sisters (NBC) (Episode: "Land of the Lost Children")
Kathy Baker as Jill Brock in Picket Fences (CBS) (Episode: "Guns 'R' Us")
Swoosie Kurtz as Alex Halsey in Sisters (NBC) (Episode: "Protective Measures")
Angela Lansbury as Jessica Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote (CBS) (Episode: "A Killing in Cork")
Jane Seymour as Dr. Michaela Quinn in Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (CBS) (Episode: "Best Friends")

style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Award category|#EEDD82|Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Special}}

Hume Cronyn as Robert Samuel Peek in To Dance with the White Dog (CBS)

Michael Caine as Joseph Stalin in World War II: When Lions Roared (NBC)

James Garner as Ira Moran in Breathing Lessons (CBS)

Matthew Modine as Dr. Don Francis in And the Band Played On (HBO)

Sam Waterston as Forrest Bedford in I'll Fly Away: Then and Now (PBS)

| style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Award category|#EEDD82|Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Special}}

Kirstie Alley as Sally Goodson in David's Mother (CBS)
Bette Midler as Mama Rose in Gypsy (CBS)
Helen Mirren as DCI Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect III (PBS)
Jessica Tandy as Cora Peek in To Dance with the White Dog (CBS)
Joanne Woodward as Maggie Moran in Breathing Lessons (CBS)

==Supporting performances==

class=wikitable width="100%"

| style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Award category|#EEDD82|Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series}}

Michael Richards as Cosmo Kramer in Seinfeld (NBC) (Episodes: "The Sniffing Accountant" + "The Opposite")
Jason Alexander as George Costanza in Seinfeld (NBC) (Episodes: "The Hamptons" + "The Opposite")
David Hyde Pierce as Dr. Niles Crane in Frasier (NBC) (Episodes: "A Mid-Winter Night's Dream" + "Author, Author")
Rip Torn as Arthur in The Larry Sanders Show (HBO) (Episodes: "The List" + "Larry's Birthday")
Jerry Van Dyke as Luther Van Dam in Coach (ABC) (Episodes: "Piece o' Cake" + "Coach for a Day", Part 2)

| style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Award category|#EEDD82|Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series}}

Laurie Metcalf as Jackie Harris in Roseanne (ABC) (Episodes: "Labor Day" + "Past Imperfect")
Shelley Fabares as Christine Armstrong in Coach (ABC) (Episodes: "Nice Job If You Can Get It" + "The Stand-In")
Faith Ford as Corky Sherwood in Murphy Brown (CBS) (Episodes: "The Young and the Rest of Us" + "The More Things Stay The Same")
Sara Gilbert as Darlene Conner in Roseanne (ABC) (Episodes: "Two Down, One to Go" + "Everybody Comes to Jackie's")
Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Elaine Benes in Seinfeld (NBC) (Episodes: "The Mango" + "The Opposite")
Liz Torres as Mahalia Sanchez in The John Larroquette Show (NBC) (Episodes: "Pilot" + "God")

style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Award category|#EEDD82|Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series}}

Fyvush Finkel as Douglas Wambaugh in Picket Fences (CBS) (Episodes: "Turpitude" + "Squatter's Rights")

Gordon Clapp as Greg Medavoy in NYPD Blue (ABC) (Episodes: "Ice Follies" + "Abandando Abandoned")

Barry Corbin as Maurice J. Minnifield in Northern Exposure (CBS) (Episodes: "The Mystery of the Old Curio Shop" + "The Gift of the Maggie")

Nicholas Turturro as James Martinez in NYPD Blue (ABC)(Episodes: "Up on the Roof" + "Guns 'N' Rosaries")

Ray Walston as Henry Bone in Picket Fences (CBS) (Episodes:"Blue Christmas" + "Abominable Snowman")

| style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Award category|#EEDD82|Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series}}

Leigh Taylor-Young as Rachel Harris in Picket Fences (CBS) (Episodes: "Remote Control" + "Divine Recall")
Amy Brenneman as Janice Licalsi in NYPD Blue (ABC) (Episodes: "4B or Not 4B" + "Guns 'N' Rosaries")
Jill Eikenberry as Ann Kelsey in L.A. Law (NBC) (Episodes: "Safe Sex" + "Age of Insolence")
Sharon Lawrence as Sylvia Costas in NYPD Blue (ABC) (Episodes: "Steroid Roy" + "Good Time Charlie")
Gail O'Grady as Donna Abandando in NYPD Blue (ABC) (Episodes: "Ice Follies" + "Abandando Abandoned")

style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Award category|#EEDD82|Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Special}}

Michael A. Goorjian as David Goodson in David's Mother (CBS)

Alan Alda as Dr. Robert Gallo in And the Band Played On (HBO)

Matthew Broderick as John on A Life in the Theatre (TNT)

Richard Gere as The Choreographer in And the Band Played On (HBO)

Ian McKellen as Bill Kraus in And the Band Played On (HBO)

| style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Award category|#EEDD82|Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Special}}

Cicely Tyson as Castralia in Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All (CBS)
Anne Bancroft as Lucy Marsden in Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All (CBS)
Swoosie Kurtz as Mrs. Johnstone in And the Band Played On (HBO)
Lee Purcell as Ann Thielman in Secret Sins of the Father (NBC)
Lily Tomlin as Dr. Selma Dritz in And the Band Played On (HBO)

==Individual performances==

class=wikitable width="100%"

| style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Award category|#EEDD82|Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program}}

Tracey Ullman – Tracey Ullman Takes on New York (HBO)
Whoopi Goldberg – The 66th Annual Academy Awards (ABC)
Phil Hartman – Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Mike Myers – Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Lily Tomlin – Growing Up Funny (Lifetime) as Madame Lupe

=Directing=

class="wikitable" width="100%"

style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Award category|#EEDD82|Outstanding Individual Achievement in Directing in a Comedy Series}}

Frasier (NBC): "The Good Son" – James Burrows
The John Larroquette Show (NBC): "Pilot" – John Whitesell
The Larry Sanders Show (HBO): "Life Behind Larry" – Todd Holland
Mad About You (NBC): "Love Letters" – Tom Moore
Mad About You (NBC): "Paul is Dead" – Lee Shallat-Chemel
Seinfeld (NBC): "The Mango" – Tom Cherones

| style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Award category|#EEDD82|Outstanding Individual Achievement in Directing in a Drama Series}}

NYPD Blue (ABC): "Tempest in a C-Cup" – Daniel Sackheim
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (ABC): "Pilot" – Robert Butler
NYPD Blue (ABC): "Guns 'N' Rosaries" – Michael M. Robin
NYPD Blue (ABC): "Pilot" – Gregory Hoblit
NYPD Blue (ABC): "True Confessions" – Charles Haid

style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Award category|#EEDD82|Outstanding Individual Achievement in Directing in a Variety or Music Program}}

The 47th Annual Tony Awards (ABC) – Walter C. Miller

The 66th Annual Academy Awards (ABC) – Jeff Margolis

Late Show with David Letterman (CBS) – Hal Gurnee

Saturday Night Live (NBC) – Dave Wilson

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC) – Ellen Brown

Tracey Ullman Takes on New York (HBO) – Don Scardino

| style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Award category|#EEDD82|Outstanding Individual Achievement in Directing for a Miniseries or Special}}

Against the Wall (HBO) – John Frankenheimer
And the Band Played On (HBO) – Roger Spottiswoode
Gypsy (CBS) – Emile Ardolino
My Breast (CBS) – Betty Thomas
To Dance with the White Dog (CBS) – Glenn Jordan

=Writing=

class="wikitable" width="100%"

style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Award category|#EEDD82|Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series}}

Frasier (NBC): "The Good Son" – David Angell, Peter Casey and David Lee
Frasier (NBC): "The Show Where Lilith Comes Back" – Ken Levine and David Isaacs
The Larry Sanders Show (HBO): "Larry's Agent" – {{StoryTeleplay|s=Victor Levin|t=Garry Shandling, Paul Simms, Maya Forbes and Drake Sather}}
Seinfeld (NBC): "The Mango" – {{StoryTeleplay|s=Lawrence H. Levy|t=Lawrence H. Levy and Larry David}}
Seinfeld (NBC): "The Puffy Shirt" – Larry David

| style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Award category|#EEDD82|Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series}}

NYPD Blue (ABC): "Steroid Roy" – Ann Biderman
NYPD Blue (ABC): "NYPD Lou" – Ted Mann
NYPD Blue (ABC): "Personal Foul" – {{StoryTeleplay|s=David Milch|t=Burton Armus}}
NYPD Blue (ABC): "Pilot" – {{StoryTeleplay|s=Steven Bochco and David Milch|t=David Milch}}
NYPD Blue (ABC): "Tempest in a C-Cup" – Gardner Stern

style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Award category|#EEDD82|Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program}}

Dennis Miller Live (HBO)

The Kids in the Hall (CBS)

Late Show with David Letterman (CBS)

Mystery Science Theater 3000 (Comedy Central)

Tracey Ullman Takes on New York (HBO)

| style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Award category|#EEDD82|Outstanding Writing in a Miniseries or Special}}

David's Mother (CBS) – Bob Randall
And the Band Played On (HBO) – Arnold Schulman
Breathing Lessons (CBS) – Robert W. Lenski
Prime Suspect III (PBS) – Lynda La Plante
Tales of the City (PBS) – Richard Kramer

Most major nominations

class="wikitable" \|+Networks with multiple major nominations"Major" constitutes the categories listed above: Program, Acting, Directing, and Writing. Does not include the technical categories.
Network ! No. of Nominations
style="text-align:center" \| CBS \| 42
style="text-align:center" \| NBC \| 39
style="text-align:center" \| ABC \| 36
style="text-align:center" \| HBO \| 24

class="wikitable"

|+Networks with multiple major nominations"Major" constitutes the categories listed above: Program, Acting, Directing, and Writing. Does not include the technical categories.

Network

! No. of
Nominations

style="text-align:center"

| CBS

| 42

style="text-align:center"

| NBC

| 39

style="text-align:center"

| ABC

| 36

style="text-align:center"

| HBO

| 24

class="wikitable" \|+Programs with multiple major nominations
Program ! Category ! Network ! No. of Nominations
style="text-align:center" \| NYPD Blue \| Drama \| ABC \| 17
style="text-align:center" \| And the Band Played On \| Movie \| HBO \| 9
style="text-align:center" \| Seinfeld \| Comedy \| NBC \| 8
style="text-align:center" \| Frasier \| Comedy \| NBC \| rowspan="2"\|6
style="text-align:center" \| Picket Fences \| Drama \| CBS
style="text-align:center" \| Mad About You \| Comedy \| NBC \| 5
style="text-align:center" \| Breathing Lessons \| Movie \| CBS \| rowspan="6"\|4
style="text-align:center" \| The Larry Sanders Show \| rowspan="2"\|Comedy \| HBO
style="text-align:center" \| Roseanne \| ABC
style="text-align:center" \| Saturday Night Live \| Variety \| NBC
style="text-align:center" \| To Dance with the White Dog \| Movie \| CBS
style="text-align:center" \| Tracey Ullman Takes on New York \| Variety \| HBO
style="text-align:center" \| The 66th Annual Academy Awards \| Variety \| ABC \| rowspan="7"\|3
style="text-align:center" \| David's Mother \| rowspan="2"\|Movie \| rowspan="2"\|CBS
style="text-align:center" \| Gypsy
style="text-align:center" \| The John Larroquette Show \| Comedy \| NBC
style="text-align:center" \| Late Show with David Letterman \| Variety \| rowspan="2"\|CBS
style="text-align:center" \| Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All \| rowspan="2"\|Miniseries
style="text-align:center" \| Prime Suspect III \| PBS
style="text-align:center" \| The 47th Annual Tony Awards \| Variety \| CBS \| rowspan="11"\|2
style="text-align:center" \| Coach \| Comedy \| ABC
style="text-align:center" \| Dennis Miller Live \| Variety \| HBO
style="text-align:center" \| Home Improvement \| Comedy \| ABC
style="text-align:center" \| Law & Order \| Drama \| NBC
style="text-align:center" \| Murphy Brown \| Comedy \| rowspan="2"\|CBS
style="text-align:center" \| Northern Exposure \| rowspan="2"\|Drama
style="text-align:center" \| Sisters \| NBC
style="text-align:center" \| Tales of the City \| Miniseries \| PBS
style="text-align:center" \| The Tonight Show with Jay Leno \| Variety \| rowspan="2"\|NBC
style="text-align:center" \| World War II: When Lions Roared \| Miniseries

class="wikitable"

|+Programs with multiple major nominations

Program

! Category

! Network

! No. of
Nominations

style="text-align:center"

| NYPD Blue

| Drama

| ABC

| 17

style="text-align:center"

| And the Band Played On

| Movie

| HBO

| 9

style="text-align:center"

| Seinfeld

| Comedy

| NBC

| 8

style="text-align:center"

| Frasier

| Comedy

| NBC

| rowspan="2"|6

style="text-align:center"

| Picket Fences

| Drama

| CBS

style="text-align:center"

| Mad About You

| Comedy

| NBC

| 5

style="text-align:center"

| Breathing Lessons

| Movie

| CBS

| rowspan="6"|4

style="text-align:center"

| The Larry Sanders Show

| rowspan="2"|Comedy

| HBO

style="text-align:center"

| Roseanne

| ABC

style="text-align:center"

| Saturday Night Live

| Variety

| NBC

style="text-align:center"

| To Dance with the White Dog

| Movie

| CBS

style="text-align:center"

| Tracey Ullman Takes on New York

| Variety

| HBO

style="text-align:center"

| The 66th Annual Academy Awards

| Variety

| ABC

| rowspan="7"|3

style="text-align:center"

| David's Mother

| rowspan="2"|Movie

| rowspan="2"|CBS

style="text-align:center"

| Gypsy

style="text-align:center"

| The John Larroquette Show

| Comedy

| NBC

style="text-align:center"

| Late Show with David Letterman

| Variety

| rowspan="2"|CBS

style="text-align:center"

| Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All

| rowspan="2"|Miniseries

style="text-align:center"

| Prime Suspect III

| PBS

style="text-align:center"

| The 47th Annual Tony Awards

| Variety

| CBS

| rowspan="11"|2

style="text-align:center"

| Coach

| Comedy

| ABC

style="text-align:center"

| Dennis Miller Live

| Variety

| HBO

style="text-align:center"

| Home Improvement

| Comedy

| ABC

style="text-align:center"

| Law & Order

| Drama

| NBC

style="text-align:center"

| Murphy Brown

| Comedy

| rowspan="2"|CBS

style="text-align:center"

| Northern Exposure

| rowspan="2"|Drama

style="text-align:center"

| Sisters

| NBC

style="text-align:center"

| Tales of the City

| Miniseries

| PBS

style="text-align:center"

| The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

| Variety

| rowspan="2"|NBC

style="text-align:center"

| World War II: When Lions Roared

| Miniseries

Most major awards

class="wikitable" \|+Networks with multiple major awards"Major" constitutes the categories listed above: Program, Acting, Directing, and Writing. Does not include the technical categories.
Network ! No. of Awards
style="text-align:center" \| CBS \| 11
style="text-align:center" \| NBC \| 6
style="text-align:center" \| ABC \| 5
style="text-align:center" \| HBO \| 4

class="wikitable"

|+Networks with multiple major awards"Major" constitutes the categories listed above: Program, Acting, Directing, and Writing. Does not include the technical categories.

Network

! No. of
Awards

style="text-align:center"

| CBS

| 11

style="text-align:center"

| NBC

| 6

style="text-align:center"

| ABC

| 5

style="text-align:center"

| HBO

| 4

class="wikitable" \|+Programs with multiple major awards
Program ! Category ! Network ! No. of Awards
style="text-align:center" \| Frasier \| Comedy \| NBC \| 4
style="text-align:center" \| David's Mother \| Movie \| CBS \| rowspan="3"\|3
style="text-align:center" \| NYPD Blue \| rowspan="2"\|Drama \| ABC
style="text-align:center" \| Picket Fences \| CBS

class="wikitable"

|+Programs with multiple major awards

Program

! Category

! Network

! No. of
Awards

style="text-align:center"

| Frasier

| Comedy

| NBC

| 4

style="text-align:center"