11th Primetime Emmy Awards explained

The 11th Emmy Awards, later referred to as the 11th Primetime Emmy Awards, were held on May 6, 1959, to honor the best in television of the year. The ceremony was held at the Moulin Rouge Nightclub in Hollywood, California. It was hosted by Raymond Burr. All nominations are listed, with winners in bold and series' networks are in parentheses.

For the first time in Emmy history, all major categories were split into genre-specific fields, this would become standard for later ceremonies. The top show of the night was the NBC special, An Evening with Fred Astaire, it tied the record of five major wins. Father Knows Best also set a milestone, becoming the first show to be nominated in every major category (series, writing, directing, and the four major acting categories).

Winners and nominees

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

Programs

The Jack Benny Show (CBS) The Bob Cummings Show (NBC) The Danny Thomas Show (CBS) Father Knows Best (CBS / NBC) The Phil Silvers Show (CBS) The Red Skelton Show (CBS)	Alcoa-Goodyear Theatre (NBC) Alfred Hitchcock Presents (CBS) General Electric Theater (CBS) The Loretta Young Show (NBC) Naked City (ABC) Peter Gunn (NBC)
Playhouse 90 (CBS) The United States Steel Hour (CBS)	The Dinah Shore Chevy Show (NBC) The Perry Como Show (NBC) The Steve Allen Show (NBC)
Omnibus (NBC) Bold Journey (ABC) Meet the Press (NBC) Small World (CBS) The Twentieth Century (CBS) New York Philharmonic: Young People's Concerts (CBS)	Maverick (ABC) Gunsmoke (CBS) Have Gun – Will Travel (CBS) The Rifleman (ABC) Wagon Train (NBC)
What's My Line? (CBS) I've Got a Secret (CBS) Keep Talking (CBS) The Price Is Right (NBC) This Is Your Life (NBC) You Bet Your Life (NBC)	An Evening with Fred Astaire (NBC) Art Carney Meets Peter and the Wolf (ABC)
An Evening with Fred Astaire (NBC) Hallmark Hall of Fame: "Little Moon of Alban" (NBC) Playhouse 90: "Child of Our Time" (CBS) Playhouse 90: "Old Man" (CBS)	Hallmark Hall of Fame: "Little Moon of Alban" (NBC) DuPont Show of the Month: "The Bridge of San Luis Rey" (CBS) DuPont Show of the Month: "Hamlet" (CBS) DuPont Show of the Month: "The Hasty Heart" (CBS) Hallmark Hall of Fame: "Johnny Belinda" (NBC)

Acting

Lead performances

Perry Como – The Perry Como Show as himself (CBS) Steve Allen – The Steve Allen Show as himself (NBC) Jack Paar – Tonight Starring Jack Paar as himself (NBC)	Dinah Shore – The Dinah Shore Chevy Show as herself (NBC) Patti Page – The Patti Page Oldsmobile Show as herself (ABC)
Jack Benny – The Jack Benny Show as Jack Benny (NBC) Walter Brennan – The Real McCoys as Grandpa Amos McCoy (ABC) Bob Cummings – The Bob Cummings Show as Bob Collins (NBC) Phil Silvers – The Phil Silvers Show as MSgt. Ernest G. Bilko (CBS) Danny Thomas – The Danny Thomas Show as Danny Williams (ABC / CBS) Robert Young – Father Knows Best as Jim Anderson (CBS / NBC)	Jane Wyatt – Father Knows Best as Margaret Anderson (CBS / NBC) Gracie Allen – The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show as Gracie Allen (CBS) Spring Byington – December Bride as Lily Ruskin (CBS) Ida Lupino – Mr. Adams and Eve as Eve Drake (CBS) Donna Reed – The Donna Reed Show as Donna Stone (ABC) Ann Sothern – The Ann Sothern Show as Katy O'Connor (CBS)
Raymond Burr – Perry Mason as Perry Mason (CBS) James Arness – Gunsmoke as Matt Dillon (CBS) Richard Boone – Have Gun – Will Travel as Paladin (CBS) James Garner – Maverick as Bret Maverick (ABC) Craig Stevens – Peter Gunn as Peter Gunn (NBC) Efrem Zimbalist Jr. – 77 Sunset Strip as Stuart Bailey (ABC)	Loretta Young – The Loretta Young Show as herself (NBC) Phyllis Kirk – The Thin Man as Nora Charles (NBC) June Lockhart – Lassie as Ruth Martin (CBS) Jane Wyman – Fireside Theatre as herself (NBC)

Supporting performances

Tom Poston – The Steve Allen Show as himself (NBC) Richard Crenna – The Real McCoys as Luke McCoy (ABC) Paul Ford – The Phil Silvers Show as Col. John T. Hall (CBS) Maurice Gosfield – The Phil Silvers Show as Pvt. Duane Doberman (CBS) Billy Gray – Father Knows Best as Bud (CBS / NBC) Harry Morgan – December Bride as Pete Porter (CBS)	Ann B. Davis – The Bob Cummings Show as Charmaine Schultz (NBC) Rosemary DeCamp – The Bob Cummings Show as Margaret MacDonald (NBC) Elinor Donahue – Father Knows Best as Betty (CBS / NBC) Verna Felton – December Bride as Hilda Crocker (CBS) Kathleen Nolan – The Real McCoys as Kate McCoy (ABC) Zasu Pitts – The Gale Storm Show as Susanna Pomeroy (CBS)
Dennis Weaver – Gunsmoke as Chester (CBS) Herschel Bernardi – Peter Gunn as Lt. Jacoby (NBC) Johnny Crawford – The Rifleman as Mark McCain (ABC) William Hopper – Perry Mason as Paul Drake (CBS)	Barbara Hale – Perry Mason as Della Street (CBS) Lola Albright – Peter Gunn as Edie Hart (NBC) Amanda Blake – Gunsmoke as Kitty (CBS) Hope Emerson – Peter Gunn as Mother (NBC)

Single performances

Directing

An Evening with Fred Astaire – Bud Yorkin (NBC) The Perry Como Show – Clark Jones (NBC) Pontiac Star Parade – Joseph Cates and Gower Champion (NBC)	Father Knows Best: "Medal for Margaret" – Peter Tewksbury (CBS) The Danny Thomas Show: "Pardon My Accent" – Sheldon Leonard (CBS) The Jack Benny Show: "Gary Cooper" – Seymour Berns (CBS) Mr. Adams and Eve: "The Interview" – Richard Kinon (CBS) The Real McCoys: "Kate's Career" – Hy Averback (ABC)
Alcoa-Goodyear Theatre: "Eddie" – Jack Smight (NBC) Alfred Hitchcock Presents: "Lamb to the Slaughter" – Alfred Hitchcock (CBS) General Electric Theater: "Kid at the Stick" – James Neilson (CBS) General Electric Theater: "One Is a Wanderer" – Herschel Daugherty (CBS) Peter Gunn: "The Kill" – Blake Edwards (NBC)	Hallmark Hall of Fame: "Little Moon of Alban" – George Schaefer (NBC) Playhouse 90: "Child of Our Time" – George Roy Hill (CBS) Playhouse 90: "A Town Has Turned to Dust" – John Frankenheimer (CBS)

Writing

An Evening with Fred Astaire – Herbert Baker and Bud Yorkin (NBC) Art Carney Meets Peter and the Wolf – A.J. Russell (ABC) The Perry Como Show – Goodman Ace, Mort Green, George Foster and Jay Burton (NBC) The Sid Caesar Show – Larry Gelbart and Woody Allen (NBC) The Steve Allen Show – Leonard Stern, Stan Burns, Herbert Sargent, Bill Dana, Don Hinkley, Hal Goodman and Larry Klein (NBC)	The Jack Benny Show: "Ernie Kovacs" – George Balzer, Hal Goldman, Sam Perrin and Al Gordon (CBS) The Bob Cummings Show: "Grandpa Clobbers the Air Force" – Paul Henning and Dick Wesson (NBC) Father Knows Best: "Medal for Margaret" – Roswell Rogers (CBS) The Phil Silvers Show: "Bilko's Vampire" – Billy Friedberg, Arnie Rosen and Coleman Jacoby (CBS) The Real McCoys: "Once There Was a Traveling Salesman" – Bill Manhoff (ABC)
Alcoa-Goodyear Theatre: "Eddie" – Alfred Brenner and Ken Hughes (NBC) Alcoa-Goodyear Theatre: "The Loudmouth" – Christopher Knopf (NBC) Alfred Hitchcock Presents: "Lamb to the Slaughter" – Roald Dahl (CBS) General Electric Theater: "One Is a Wanderer" – Samuel A. Taylor (CBS) Peter Gunn: "The Kill" – Blake Edwards (NBC)	Hallmark Hall of Fame: "Little Moon of Alban" – James Costigan (NBC) Playhouse 90: "Child of Our Time" – Irving G. Neiman (CBS) Playhouse 90: "Days of Wine and Roses" – J.P. Miller (CBS) Playhouse 90: "Old Man" – Horton Foote (CBS) Playhouse 90: "A Town Has Turned to Dust" – Rod Serling (CBS)

Most major nominations

Networks with multiple major nominations^[2]

Network	Number of Nominations
CBS	69
NBC	57
ABC	16

Programs with multiple major nominations

Program	Category	Network	Number of Nominations
Playhouse 90	Drama	CBS	14
Father Knows Best	Comedy	CBS/NBC	7
Peter Gunn	Drama	NBC
Little Moon of Alban			6
Alcoa-Goodyear Theatre			5
The Bob Cummings Show	Comedy
An Evening with Fred Astaire	Musical/Variety
The Phil Silvers Show	Comedy	CBS
The Real McCoys		ABC
General Electric Theater	Drama	CBS	4
Gunsmoke	Western
The Jack Benny Show	Comedy
The Perry Como Show	Musical/Variety	NBC
The Steve Allen Show
Alfred Hitchcock Presents	Drama	CBS	3
The Danny Thomas Show	Comedy
December Bride
Perry Mason	Drama
Art Carney Meets Peter and the Wolf	Musical/Variety	ABC	2
The Bridge of San Luis Rey	Drama	CBS
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show	Musical/Variety	NBC
Have Gun – Will Travel	Western	CBS
The Loretta Young Show	Drama	NBC
Maverick	Western	ABC
Mr. Adams and Eve	Comedy	CBS
The Rifleman	Western	ABC
The United States Steel Hour	Drama	CBS

Most major awards

Networks with multiple major awards^[3]

Network	Number of Awards
NBC	19
CBS	10

Programs with multiple major awards

Program	Category	Network	Number of Awards
An Evening with Fred Astaire	Musical/Variety	NBC	5
Little Moon of Alban	Drama		4
Alcoa-Goodyear Theatre			3
The Jack Benny Show	Comedy	CBS
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show	Musical/Variety	NBC	2
Father Knows Best	Comedy	CBS
Perry Mason	Drama

Notes

External links

• Emmys.com list of 1959 Nominees & Winners

Notes and References

1. Web site: Emmys.com list of 1959 Nominees & Winners . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
2. "Major" constitutes the categories listed above: Program, Acting, Directing, and Writing. Does not include the technical categories.
3. "Major" constitutes the categories listed above: Program, Acting, Directing, and Writing. Does not include the technical categories.