The 37th Primetime Emmy Awards were held on September 22, 1985. The ceremony was broadcast on ABC , from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium , Pasadena, California .
The Cosby Show Cheers Outstanding Comedy Series , one of three major awards it won. Although it only took home one major award, Cheers did tie the then-record for most major nominations by a comedy series (11), set by The Mary Tyler Moore Show 1977 . In the drama field Cagney & Lacey Miami Vice Outstanding Drama Series , four-time defending champion Hill Street Blues Hill Street Blues 18th and final major award, setting an Emmy record for a drama series that still stands and was later achieved by The Sopranos
The ceremony also had a memorable unscripted moment involving the arrest of impersonator Barry Bremen for grand theft while attempting to accept the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series award on behalf of Betty Thomas , who would show up on the auditorium stage a few minutes late.
Winners and nominees
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[ 1]
Programs
Motown Returns to the Apollo (NBC)
Acting
Tyne Daly as Mary Beth Lacey in Cagney & Lacey (CBS) (Episode: "Who Said It's Fair?")
John Larroquette as Dan Fielding in Night Court (NBC) (Episode: "Dan's Parents or Married Alive")
Betty Thomas as Sgt. Lucille Bates in Hill Street Blues (NBC)
Directing
Great Performances : "Sweeney Todd" (PBS) – Terry Hughes Late Night with David Letterman 3rd Anniversary Special (NBC) – Hal Gurnee Motown Returns to the Apollo (PBS) – Don Mischer Night of 100 Stars II (ABC) – Clark Jones
Writing
Cagney & Lacey (CBS): "Who Said It's Fair, Part II" – Patricia Green Cagney & Lacey (CBS): "Child Witness" – Deborah ArakelianHill Street Blues (NBC): "The Rise and Fall of Paul the Wall" – Story by : Michael Wagner Teleplay by : Jacob Epstein Miami Vice (NBC): "Pilot " – Anthony Yerkovich St. Elsewhere (NBC): "Murder, She Rote" – Tom Fontana , John Masius and Steve BelloSt. Elsewhere (NBC): "Sweet Dreams" – John Masius and Tom Fontana
Late Night with David Letterman (NBC): "Christmas with the Lettermans"AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Gene Kelly (CBS)Late Night with David Letterman (NBC): "Late Night in Los Angeles"Late Night with David Letterman (NBC): "The Late Night Morning Show"Motown Returns to the Apollo (NBC)
Do You Remember Love (CBS) – Vickie PatikThe Burning Bed (NBC) – Rose Leiman GoldembergFatal Vision (NBC) – John Gay The Jewel in the Crown (PBS): "Crossing the River" – Ken Taylor Wallenberg: A Hero's Story (NBC) – Gerald Green
Most major nominations
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Networks with multiple major nominations[ note 1]
Network
Number of
NBC
66
CBS
37
PBS
10
Programs with multiple major nominations
Program
Category
Network
Number of
Cheers Comedy
NBC
11
Hill Street Blues Drama
9
Cagney & Lacey CBS
7
St. Elsewhere NBC
Miami Vice 6
The Burning Bed Special
5
The Cosby Show Comedy
Do You Remember Love Special
CBS
Late Night with David Letterman Variety
NBC
Motown Returns to the Apollo
Fatal Vision Special
4
The Jewel in the Crown Limited
PBS
Kate & Allie Comedy
CBS
Night Court NBC
Wallenberg: A Hero's Story Special
Ellis Island Limited
CBS
3
Great Performances : "Sweeney Todd"Variety
PBS
Heartsounds Special
ABC
AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Gene Kelly Variety
CBS
2
Benson Comedy
ABC
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Special
PBS
Family Ties Comedy
NBC
The Jeffersons CBS
Magnum, P.I. Drama
Murder, She Wrote
Newhart Comedy
A Woman of Substance Limited
Syndicated
Networks with multiple major awards[ note 1]
Network
Number of
NBC
12
CBS
8
PBS
3
ABC
2
Programs with multiple major awards
Program
Category
Network
Number of
Cagney & Lacey Drama
CBS
4
The Cosby Show Comedy
NBC
3
Do You Remember Love Special
CBS
Great Performances : "Sweeney Todd"Variety
PBS
2
Notes
^ a b "Major" constitutes the categories listed above: Program, Acting, Directing, and Writing. Does not include the technical categories.
