SANTA MONICA, Calif., July 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Lionsgate's acclaimed AMC drama MAD MEN earned 16 Emmy(R) nominations today -- the most among all drama series -- marking the first time a basic cable program has topped that list. Nominations include nods for Outstanding Drama Series, Lead Actor (Jon Hamm), Supporting Actor (John Slattery), Guest Actor (Robert Morse), Writing, Directing and Cinematography.
The Company's hit comedy WEEDS scored three nominations, led by Mary-Louise Parker's second consecutive Emmy(R) nod for Outstanding Lead Actress for her work in the much buzzed-about Showtime series.
"This kind of recognition by the industry in our first season of MAD MEN and our fourth season of WEEDS is enormously gratifying," said Kevin Beggs, Lionsgate's president of programming and production. "We're extremely proud of both series and congratulate all of our Emmy nominees. These nominations underscore our commitment to generate programming that stands apart from the competition, speaks to audiences with a unique and distinctive voice and embodies the Lionsgate brand for original and cutting edge filmed entertainment."
Lionsgate noted that its July 1st DVD release of the first season of MAD MEN is selling very strongly and its June DVD release of the third season of WEEDS continues to strongly outperform first and second season sales on both DVD and in digital downloads.
MAD MEN received the following nominations: -- Outstanding Drama Series -- Producers -- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series -- Jon Hamm -- Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series -- John Slattery -- Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series -- Robert Morse -- Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series -- "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" (Pilot) -- Alan Taylor -- Two nominations for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series: -- "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" (Pilot) -- Matthew Weiner -- "The Wheel" - Matthew Weiner, Robin Veith -- Two nominations for Outstanding Art Direction for a Single-Camera Series: -- "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" (Pilot) -- Bob Shaw, Production Designer; Henry Dunn, Art Director; Rena DeAngelo, Set Decorator -- "Shoot" -- Dan Bishop, Production Designer; Christopher Brown, Art Director; Amy Wells, Set Decorator -- Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series -- Kim Miscia, Casting Director (Pilot); Beth Bowling, Casting Director (Pilot); Laura Schiff, Casting Director (Series); Carrie Audino, Casting Director (Series) -- Outstanding Cinematography for a One-Hour Series -- "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" - Phil Abraham, Director of Photography -- Outstanding Costumes for a Series -- "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" -- John A. Dunn, Costume Designer; Lisa Padovani, Assistant Costume Designer -- Outstanding Hairstyling for a Single-Camera Series -- "Shoot" -- Gloria Pasqua Casny, Department Head Hairstylist; Lucia Mace, Key Hairstylist; Anthony Wilson, Additional Hairstylist; Barbara Cantu, Additional Hairstylist -- Outstanding Main Title Design -- Mark Gardner, Designer/Director; Steve Fuller, Designer/Director; Cara McKenney, Main Title Producer -- Outstanding Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic) -- "The Hobo Code" -- Debbie Zoller, Department Head Makeup Artist; Ron Pipes, Key Makeup Artist; Suzanne Diaz, Additional Makeup Artist -- Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Miniseries, Movie or a Special -- "Nixon Vs. Kennedy" -- Debbie Zoller, Department Head Makeup Artist; Joel Harlow, Special Makeup Effects Artist; Brian Penikas, Additional Special Makeup Effects Artist; Jake Garber, Additional Special Makeup Effects Artist WEEDS received the following nominations: -- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series -- Mary-Louise Parker -- Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation -- "Go" -- Susan Moore-Chong, Production Mixer; Fred Tator, Re-Recording Mixer; Chris Philp, Re-Recording Mixer -- Outstanding Picture Editing for a Comedy Series (Single Or Multi-Camera) -- "A Pool And His Money" -- William Turro, Editor
Set to launch its second season on AMC July 27, MAD MEN has enjoyed widespread critical acclaim since its premiere and has garnered a long list of honors, including Golden Globe(R) Awards for Best Television Series -- Drama, and Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series -- Drama (Jon Hamm); an AFI Award as One of the Top 10 Outstanding Television Programs of 2007 and a Peabody Award among many others. Created and executive produced by Matthew Weiner in association with Weiner Bros., the series depicts the professional lives, social mores and sexual exploits of advertising executives on Madison Avenue circa 1960, when the industry was at its height of glamour, power and prestige. The setting is the Sterling Cooper agency, which sells everything from cigarettes to political candidates, and its protagonist, Don Draper (Jon Hamm), is a fast-rising creative director whose smooth exterior conceals any number of secrets. The ensemble cast also includes Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser, January Jones, Christina Hendricks, John Slattery, Rosemarie DeWitt, Talia Balsam, Robert Morse, Michael Gladis, Aaron Staton, Rich Sommer, Maggie Siff and Bryan Batt.
Currently in its fourth season, WEEDS continues to push the creative envelope with its daring portrayal of the complicated life of a suburban pot-dealing mom, played by Mary-Louise Parker. Produced by Lionsgate in association with Tilted Productions, the series was created and is executive produced by Jenji Kohan and also stars Elizabeth Perkins, Hunter Parrish, Alexander Gould, Allie Grant, Kevin Nealon and Justin Kirk, with special guest star Albert Brooks.
ABOUT LIONSGATE
Lionsgate is the leading next generation filmed entertainment studio with a major presence in the production and distribution of motion pictures, television programming, home entertainment, family entertainment, video-on-demand and digitally delivered content. The Company is leveraging its content leadership and marketing expertise through a series of partnerships that include the highly successful FEARNet branded VOD and Internet horror channel with Sony and Comcast, the recent announcement of the fall 2009 launch of a new premium entertainment channel with partners Viacom, Paramount Pictures and MGM, investment in the leading young men's digital distribution platform Break.com, ownership of the premier independent television syndication company Debmar-Mercury LLC and an alliance with independent filmed entertainment production and distribution company Roadside Attractions. Lionsgate also has forged partnerships with leading content creators, owners and distributors in key territories around the world, including Televisa in the U.S. and Latin America, StudioCanal in the UK, Hoyts and Sony in Australia and Eros International in India.
The Company has generated more than $450 million at the North American theatrical box office in the past year and has released a string of hits including THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM, TYLER PERRY'S MEET THE BROWNS, THE BANK JOB, RAMBO, THE EYE, SAW IV, TYLER PERRY'S WHY DID I GET MARRIED?, GOOD LUCK CHUCK, 3:10 TO YUMA and WAR, most of which have opened at #1 or #2 at the box office. The Company has also forged leadership positions in television and home entertainment with the production of such critically-acclaimed television series as WEEDS and MAD MEN, the distribution of TYLER PERRY'S HOUSE OF PAYNE, FAMILY FEUD, SOUTH PARK, TRIVIAL PURSUIT and THE DEAD ZONE, among others, and approximately 8% market share and the industry's leading box office-to-DVD conversion rate in home entertainment. Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of approximately 12,000 motion picture and television titles that is an important source of recurring revenue and serves as the foundation for the growth of the Company's core businesses. The Lionsgate brand is synonymous with entrepreneurial innovation and original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the globe.
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