UPDATE 5-New crop of cable TV shows break through at Emmys

Three of five contenders for best-drama actress hailed from cable, too: "Damages" star Glenn Close, Kyra Sedgwick on TNT's "The Closer" and Holly Hunter on "Saving Grace."

They face winners from the last two years, Sally Field from ABC's "Brothers & Sisters," and Mariska Hargitay from NBC's "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit."

The comedy performance races remained the dominion of broadcast networks, with only one actor and one actress from cable making the cut -- past winner Tony Shalhoub from USA's "Monk" and Mary-Louise Parker from "Weeds" on Showtime.

Other lead actress comedy nominees are "Seinfeld" veteran and 2006 winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus for CBS's "The New Adventures of Old Christine," America Ferrera from ABC's "Ugly Betty" and Christina Applegate from ABC's new "Samantha Who?"

The comedy actor roster included Steve Carell of "The Office," Charlie Sheen from "Two and a Half Men" and Lee Pace of ABC's new supernatural fantasy "Pushing Daisies."

While "30 Rock" was the most nominated series, HBO's mini-series "John Adams," about the second U.S. president, claimed the most nominations of any single program -- 23.

The 60th annual Primetime Emmy Awards will be broadcast live on Sept. 21 from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on ABC. (Additional reporting by Bob Tourtellotte; editing by Bob Tourtellotte and Philip Barbara)