Daytime Emmys Winners For 2009

“The Bold and the Beautiful” won drama series honors at the Daytime Emmys on Sunday, the CBS soap opera’s first such victory in 22 years on the air. It was a poignant victory for executive producer Bradley Bell, whose late father William J. Bell co-created “The Young and the Restless,” a show that was honored seven times in the same category.

Drama series lead acting honors went to Christian LeBlanc of “The Young and the Restless,” and Susan Haskell of ABC’s “One Life to Live.” LeBlanc scored his third career trophy, taking a playful bite out of the globe on the trophy.

“Guiding Light” earned one of its last trophies before it leaves the air after 72 years. Jeff Branson, who plays Shayne Lewis on the CBS soap, tied for supporting actor with Vincent Irizarry of ABC’s “All My Children,” who got his soap start on “Guiding Light” in the early 1980s.

Sunday’s broadcast relocated to the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles, leaving its recent home at Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre. Honoring everything from soaps to talk shows to game shows, it’s the first time the awards weren’t on one of the major three networks. They had alternated between ABC and CBS the last four years.

Host Vanessa Williams’ singing and dancing chops were on display in the opening number, a parody set to “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” from the Broadway musical “Jersey Boys” in which she was comically inserted into scenes from soaps and game shows.

The Daytime Emmys paid tribute to “Guiding Light,” which CBS canceled after a 72-year run that predates television. The low-rated soap will air its final episode in September, leaving just eight daytime dramas on the air. CBS and ABC will have three weekday soaps, with NBC having one.

Rachael Ray and Tyra Banks repeated as winners of the entertainment and informative talk show trophies, respectively. The ladies of “The View” ended Ellen DeGeneres’ four-year run as talk show host winner. Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Sherri Shepherd and Barbara Walters weren’t on hand to accept. Neither was game show host winner Meredith Vieira of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.”

“Good Morning America” earned morning program honors for the third time in as many years since the category was introduced.

The lifetime achievement award went to PBS’ “Sesame Street” for 40 years of educating and entertaining children. Sandra Oh helped salute the show, joined by Big Bird, Elmo, Oscar the Grouch and Cookie Monster, who sang its famous theme song and earned a standing ovation.