8th Primetime Emmy Awards

The 8th Emmy Awards, later referred to as the 8th Primetime Emmy Awards, were held on March 17, 1956, to honor the best in television of the year. The ceremony was held at the Pan Pacific Auditorium in Hollywood, California and was hosted by Art Linkletter and John Charles Daly. All nominations are listed, with winners in bold and series' networks are in parentheses.

8th Primetime Emmy Awards
DateMarch 17, 1956
LocationPan Pacific Auditorium, Los Angeles, California
Presented byAcademy of Television Arts and Sciences
Hosted byArt Linkletter
John Charles Daly
Highlights
Most awardsThe Phil Silvers Show
Producers' Showcase (4)
Most nominationsProducers' Showcase (12)
Best Comedy SeriesThe Phil Silvers Show
Best Dramatic SeriesProducers' Showcase
Best Variety SeriesThe Ed Sullivan Show
Television/radio coverage
NetworkNBC
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The top shows of the night were The Phil Silvers Show, and Producers' Showcase. Each show won a record four major awards. Producers' Showcase, with its twelve major nominations, became the first show to receive over ten major nominations. (Both of these records were subsequently passed by multiple shows).

Winners and nominees

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Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger (‡).[1]

Programs

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Programs
Best Audience Participation Series (Quiz, Panel, Etc.)
Best Action or Adventure Series
Best Documentary Program
Best Special Event or News Program
Best Music Series
Best Contribution to Daytime Programming

Acting

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Lead performances

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Lead performances
Best Actor in a Continuing Performance
Best Actress in a Continuing Performance

Supporting performances

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Supporting performances
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Single performances

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Single performances
Best Actor in a Single Performance
Best Actress in a Single Performance

Directing

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Directing
Best Director for a Film Series
Best Director for a Live Series

Producing

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Producing
Best Producer for a Film Series
Best Producer for a Live Series

Writing

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Writing
Best Original Teleplay Writing
Best Television Adaptation

Best Specialty Act – Single or Group

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Best Specialty Act
Best Specialty Act – Single or Group[2]

Most major nominations

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Networks with multiple major nominations[note 1]
Network Number of
Nominations
CBS 61
NBC 54
ABC 11
Programs with multiple major nominations
Program Category Network Number of
Nominations
Producers' Showcase Drama NBC 12
The United States Steel Hour CBS 7
Ford Star Jubilee Variety 6
The Bob Cummings Show Comedy CBS 5
Make Room for Daddy ABC
The Phil Silvers Show CBS
Caesar's Hour NBC 4
Climax! Drama CBS
Alcoa-Goodyear Playhouse NBC 3
Disneyland Action/Adventure ABC
The George Gobel Show Comedy NBC
The Honeymooners CBS
I Love Lucy
Kraft Television Theatre Drama NBC
Wide Wide World Documentary
The 20th Century Fox Hour Drama CBS 2
Alfred Hitchcock Presents Action/Adventure
The Dinah Shore Show Music/Variety NBC
Dragnet Action/Adventure
Goodyear Television Playhouse Drama
The Jack Benny Program Comedy CBS
The Perry Como Show Music/Variety NBC
You Are There Documentary CBS

Most major awards

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Networks with multiple major awards[note 1]
Network Number of
Awards
CBS 14
NBC 8
ABC 2
Programs with multiple major awards
Program Category Network Number of
Awards
The Phil Silvers Show Comedy CBS 4
Producers' Showcase Drama NBC
Ford Star Jubilee Variety CBS 3
Disneyland Action/Adventure ABC 2
Notes
  1. ^ a b "Major" constitutes the categories listed above: Program, Acting, Directing, and Writing. Does not include the technical categories.

References

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  1. ^ "Emmys.com list of 1956 Nominees & Winners". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
  2. ^ "Emmys.com Best Specialty Act – Single or Group". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
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