The 2020 Primetime Emmy Award nominations were announced today and there were several nods for the Disney family of networks and studios, including the first for Disney+. In addition, this weekend the winners of the Daytime Emmy Awards were announced and Disney was represented there as well, including a historic win by Alan Menken, plus a salute to Disney Legend Regis Philbin.
First up, a look at the Prime Time Emmys, where The Mandalorian earned 15 nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series.
Keep in mind that there are pages and pages of categories…and, since the Fox acquisition, Disney has their hand in “everything the light touches,” so I picked out just a small sample of the Prime Time Emmy nominations earned by Disney networks and production companies:
- Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance
- Taika Waititi (IG-11) | The Mandalorian (Disney+/Lucasfilm Ltd.)
- Outstanding Animated Program
- “Pig Trouble in Little Tina” | Bob’s Burgers (Fox/20th Century Fox Television)
- “Thanksgiving of Horror” | The Simpsons (Fox/Gracie Films-20th Century Fox Television)
- Outstanding Short Form Animated Program
- “What is Love” | Forky Asks a Question (Disney+/Pixar Animation Studios)
- Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (Half-Hour)
- “Chapter 7: The Reckoning” | The Mandalorian (Disney+/Lucasfilm Ltd.)
- Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program
- The Cave (National Geographic/A Danish Documentary Production)
- Sea of Shadows (National Geographic/Terra Mater Factual Studios
- Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
- “Finale Part 2” | Modern Family (ABC/Picador Productions-Steven Levitan Productions-20th Century Fox Television)
- “Prisoners of War” | Homeland (Showtime/Fox21 Television Studios-Teakwood Lane Productions-Cherry Pie Productions)
- Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special
- Live in Front of a Studio Audience: “All in the Family” and “Good Times” (ABC/Sony Pictures Television)
- Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program
- The Cave (National Geographic/A Danish Documentary Production)
- “Episode 7” | The Last Dance (ESPN/Mandalay Sports Media Production)
- Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Dramatic Score)
- “Chapter 8: Redemption” | The Mandalorian (Disney+/Lucasfilm Ltd.)
- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
- Anthony Anderson | black-ish (ABC/ABC Studios)
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
- Tracee Ellis Ross | black-ish (ABC/ABC Studios)
- Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
- Giancarlo Esposito | The Mandalorian (Disney+/Lucasfilm Ltd.)
- Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
- Cicely Tyson | How to Get Away With Murder (ABC/ABC Studios)
- Outstanding Narrator
- Angela Bassett | The Imagineering Story (Disney+/Iwerks & Co)
- Outstanding Drama Series
- The Mandalorian (Disney+/Lucasfilm Ltd.)
- Outstanding Variety Talk Series
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC/ABC Studios-Kimmelot)
- Outstanding Variety Special (Live)
- Live in Front of a Studio Audience: “All in the Family” and “Good Times” (ABC/Stony Pictures Television)
- Outstanding Children’s Program
- Star Wars Resistance (Disney Channel/Lucasfilm Animation Ltd.)
Now off to the 47th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards that were virtually handed out over the weekend, where composer Alan Menken officially earned the EGOT designation….more on that later.
Here are some of the Disney-related winners:
- Outstanding Original Song in a Children’s, Young Adult or Animated Program
- “Waiting in the Wings” by Alan Menken & Glen Slater | Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure (Disney Channel)
- Outstanding Writing for a Preschool Animated Program
- Elena of Avalor (Disney Junior)
- Outstanding Writing for an Animated Program
- Rapuzel’s Tangled Adventure (Disney Channel)
- Outstanding Directing for an Animated Program
- Disney Mickey Mouse (Disney Channel)
With his win, composer Alan Menken became the 16th person to earn the honorary EGOT designation, winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar (Academy Award), and Tony Award.
Menken won several Oscars and Grammy Awards for his work on The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Pocahontas, and Tangled. His Tony win came in 2012 for the stage version of Newsies.
Finally, the virtual ceremony paid tribute to Disney Legend Regis Philin with a replay of his Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. Philbin was the longtime host of Live with Regis and Kathie Lee (later Live with Regis and Kelly), the star of ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, and the host of several Disney Christmas Parade specials.
Philbin, who passed away on Saturday at the age of 88, was named a Disney Legend in 2011.
Disney CEO Bob Chapek commented:
Regis was a very special part of our Disney family for over a half century and we will miss him deeply. He was an amazing person, consummate entertainer, TV icon, and a true Disney Legend. Our heartfelt condolences to Joy and the entire Philbin family.
Sources: Television Academy / Deadline / D23: The Official Disney Fan Club / The Walt Disney Company