Mad Men receives 17 Emmy nominations as hit Sixties show vies to set new record for most-honoured drama in TV history
- Hit '60s show will compete for best drama against Boardwalk Empire, Breaking Bad, Downton Abbey, Game Of Thrones and Homeland
- American Horror Story earns a matching 17 nods, including an acting nomination for Connie Britton
The AMC show, which portrays a piercingly bleak portrait of a 1960s American anti-hero (Don Draper), has already won four best drama series trophies - and is tied with Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law and The West Wing to receive a fifth bid in the category.
The miniseries American Horror Story, a nightmarish saga about a haunted house, received a matching 17 awards, including an acting nod for star Connie Britton.
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Honoured: Mad Men received a leading 17 Emmy nominations today alongside American Horror Story, pictured here John Hamm as Don Draper and Jessica Pare as his wife Megan
The show is set in Sixties New York and takes a bleak look at the murky world of advertising
Other leading nominees include the elegant British-born period drama Downton Abbey, which earned 16 bids, and two miniseries, Hatfields & McCoys, with 16, and Hemingway & Gellhorn with 15.
Modern Family, honoured as best comedy series for the past two years, was the sitcom leader with 14 bids, but the category also saw an infusion of girl power.
Breakout comedies with women at their centre - in fashion after the box-office success of Bridesmaids - proved alluring to Emmy voters.
American Horror Story won a matching 17 nods, including a leading actress nomination for Connie Britton, left, while Lena Dunham, right, also received an acting nomination and best comedy nomination for her show Girls
Early risers Jimmy Kimmel, clad in his pyjamas, and actress Kerry Washington announced the nominees at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in Los Angeles at 5.30am local time
Girls, creator-star Lena Dunham's darkly comedic coming-of-age New York story, received a best comedy nod and an acting nomination for its star,
Lena Dunham. Zooey Deschanel's offbeat charm in New Girl earned her an acting bid.
'Girls is HBO's current spin on Sex and the City, which was a strong past Emmy favourite,' said Tom O'Neil, editor of the Gold Derby awards website.
Homeland is nominated for best drama, with Damian Lewis and Claire Danes getting an acting honour each
Downton Abbey has been nominated for best drama in the 64th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
Emmy darling Julia Louis-Dreyfus, with past wins for Seinfeld and New Adventures of Old Christine, earned an acting nod for Veep.
Betty White, 90, brought her brand of female empowerment to the nominations, earning a best reality series host nod for Betty White's Off Their Rockers. A no-show in the category was perennial winner Jeff Probst of Survivor.
Top nominations were announced by Kerry Washington of Scandal and by Jimmy Kimmel, who will host the awards.
Game Of Thrones is competing for best drama, pictured left star's Lena Headey and Peter Dinklage, while Modern Family has been honoured in the best comedy category, Sofia Vergara seen right
Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey have received an acting nod each for 30 Rock, which has also bagged a place in the best comedy category
Kimmel filled in today for Nick Offerman of Parks and Recreation, who was held up by weather-related travel delays on the East Coast.
'This is a sex dream, isn't it,' joked Kimmel, ABC's late-night host, who arrived on stage at the TV academy dressed in pyjamas.
The Emmy ceremony is scheduled to air on ABC on September 23.
Kimmel arrived to the announcement ceremony in a pair of pyjamas and discovered that he is up for an award in the Best Variety Series category
THE 2012 EMMY AWARDS, FULL LIST OF NOMINATIONS:
Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire
Breaking Bad
Downton Abbey
Game Of Thrones
Homeland
Mad Men
Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Kathy Bates - Harry's Law
Glenn Close - Damages
Claire Danes - Homeland
Michelle Dockery - Downton Abbey
Julianna Margulies - The Good Wife
Elizabeth Moss - Mad Men
Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Hugh Bonneville - Downton Abbey
Steven Buscemi - Boardwalk Empire
Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall - Dexter
Damien Lewis - Homeland
Jon Hamm - Mad Men
Outstanding Mini Series
American Horror Story
Game Change
Hatfields & McCoys
Hemingway & Gellhorn
Luther
Sherlock
Lead Actress In A Mini Series Or Movie
Connie Britton - American Horror Story
Ashley Judd - Missing
Nicole Kidman - Hemingway & Gellhorn
Julianne Moore - Game Change
Emma Thompson - The Song Of Lunch
Lead Actor In A Mini Series Or Movie
Kevin Costner - Hatfields & McCoys
Benedict Cumberbatch - Sherlock
Idris Elba - Luther
Woody Harrelson - Game Change
Clive Owen - Hemingway & Gellhorn
Bill Paxton - Hatfields & McCoys
Outstanding Host of a Reality Show
Tom Bergeron - Dancing With The Stars
Cat Deeley - So You Think You Can Dance
Phil Keoghan - The Amazing Race
Ryan Seacrest - American Idol
Betty White - Betty White's Off Their Rockers
Best TV Reality Competition
The Amazing Race
Dancing With The Stars
Project Runway
So You Think You Can Dance
Top Chef
The Voice
Best Variety Series
The Cold Bare Reaper
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Late Night With Fallon
Real Time With Bill Marr
Saturday Night Live
Lead Actress In A Comedy
Zooey Deschanel - New Girl
Lena Dunham - Girls
Edie Falco - Nurse Jackie
Tina Fey - 30 Rock
Melissa McCarthy - Mike & Molly
Julie Bowen - Modern Family
Amy Poehler - Parks and Recreation
Lead Actor In A Comedy
Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock
Don Cheadle - House Of Lies
Louis C.K - Louie
Jon Cryer - Two And A Half Men
Larry David - Curb Your Enthusiasm
Jim Parsons - The Big Bang Theory
Comedy Series
The Big Bang Theory
Girls
Modern Family
30 Rock
Veep
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