Associated Press

A worker removes an Emmy statue from the red carpet at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles yesterday following the cancellation of the 53rd annual Primetime Emmy Awards. The awards telecast, delayed three weeks by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, was canceled yesterday after the United States and Britain launched a military attack in Afghanistan.

Monday October 8, 2001

LOS ANGELES -- The Emmy Awards telecast, delayed three weeks by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, was canceled yesterday after the United States and Britain launched a military attack in Afghanistan.

It was the first cancellation in the awards' 53-year history.

CBS spokeswoman Susan Marks made the announcement to reporters gathered outside the Shrine Auditorium. She did not elaborate on the decision, which followed a meeting between officials from the network and Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

The ceremony had been scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. EDT.

There was no immediate statement from the television academy, which presents the awards, but a press conference was planned for later in the day.

Gary Moses, head of Emmy security, said he knew of no threats but said it was a good decision to cancel.

"I support that decision based on what's going on," he said.

The television industry had grappled in the weeks following the attacks with the propriety of holding a celebration such as the Emmys.

The Recording Academy canceled its 2nd Annual Latin Grammys show on Sept. 11.

Emmy organizers had sought to create a night of muted celebration, asking participants to cut back on red-carpet arrival fanfare and forgo showy gowns and tuxedoes in favor of business attire.

Veteran newsman Walter Cronkite was invited to help set a serious tone. The ceremony on CBS, with master of ceremonies Ellen DeGeneres, was to include tributes to heroes and victims of the attacks.

In deference to East Coast-based nominees, part of the presentation of 27 awards was to take place in a Manhattan studio. The bicoastal Emmy broadcast was the first in more than two decades.

HBO's mob drama "The Sopranos" had bids in seven categories, while NBC's White House drama "The West Wing" held six nominations. Both were up for best drama series honors.

"The Sopranos" grabbed the most nominations in July, a total of 22, to 18 bids for "The West Wing." But after September's creative arts ceremony, the NBC series had four Emmys in hand to one for "The Sopranos."

In last month's creative arts ceremony, awards were announced in categories including outstanding choreography, editing and makeup, and in the new reality series categories.

NBC and Fox received a leading 11 awards, followed by HBO with eight, ABC with seven, and CBS, PBS and UPN with three each.

"Survivor," the CBS program whose success helped spur the reality series craze in America, was honored as best among programs in which the show's participants competed for a prize.

"American High," a documentary series about high school students that was dropped by Fox and picked up by PBS, received an Emmy for best reality program that didn't involve a competition.

Four acting awards for guest roles were given out. The winners were Derek Jacobi and Jean Smart for episodes of "Frasier," Michael Emerson for "The Practice" and Sally Field for "ER."

For best commercial, the award went to PBS' "Photo Booth" spot.