The first separate Emmy Awards show honoring daytime programs is telecast live from New York's Rockefeller Center. Barbara Walters and Peter Marshall are the hosts. A listing of the major nominees follows.
Actor of the Year: Macdonald Carey, "Days of Our Lives"; Pat O'Brien, "Other Woman"
Actress of the Year: Elizabeth Hubbard, "The Doctors"; Cathleen Nesbitt, "The Mask of Love"
Host/Hostess of the Year: Peter Marshall, "Hollywood Squares"; Dinah Shore, "Dinah's Place"
Drama Series: "Days of Our Lives"; "The Doctors"; "General Hospital"
Drama Special: "The Other Woman"; "A Special Act of Love"; "Tiger on a Chain"
Bill Hayes and Mary Stuart entertain on the program.
The special program features the first Daytime Emmy Awards presentation, broadcast live from New York's Rockefeller Center. Performers include Mary Stuart and Bill Hayes. Presenters include Ann Flood, Forrest Compton, Arlene Francis, Jacqueline Courtney, Larry Keith, Soupy Sales, Rodney Allen Rippy, Mary Fickett, Ellen Holly, Al Freeman, Jr., Geoff Edwards, Dennis James, Henderson Forsythe, Rosemary Prinz, Susan Seaforth, Bill Hayes, and Jack Gilford. Award winners for achievements in daytime programming include: "The Merv Griffin Show," outstanding talk series (award accepted by Dick Carson); "Password," outstanding game show (award accepted by Mark Goodson); Peter Marshall, outstanding game show host (Hollywood Squares); "Zoom," outstanding entertainment children's series (award accepted by Jim Crum and Christopher Sarson); ABC Afterschool Special: "Rookie of the Year," outstanding entertainment children's special (award accepted by Dan Wilson); Lila Garrett and Sandy Krinsky (not present), outstanding writer ("ABC Afternoon Playbreak: Mother of the Bride"); H. Wesley Kenney, outstanding director ("ABC Afternoon Playbreak: Miss Kline, We Love You"); and ABC Matinee Today: "The Other Woman," outstanding daytime drama special (award accepted by John Conboy). Award winners not in attendance include the following: Cathleen Nesbit, outstanding actress ("ABC Matinee Today: The Mask of Love") (award accepted by Glynis Johns); and Pat O'Brien, outstanding actor ("ABC Matinee Today: The Other Woman") (award accepted by John Conboy). Included are appearances by Garry Moore and John Cannon, vice chairman of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Winners announced but not presented with awards for outstanding achievements in daytime programming include the following: Richard Clements, outstanding musical direction ("ABC Afternoon Playbreak: A Special Act of Love"); Tom Trimble and Brock Broughton ("The Young and the Restless") and Otis Riggs, Jr. ("Another World"), art direction or scenic design; Bill Jobe, outstanding costume design ("ABC Matinee Today: The Mask of Love"); Douglas D. Kelley, make-up, ("ABC Matinee Today: The Mask of Love"); Lou Marchand, Gerald M. Dowd, Frank Melchiorre, John Morris, and John Cordone, technical direction and electronic camerawork ("One Life to Live"); Richard Holbrook, lighting direction ("The Young and the Restless"); Ernest Dellutri, sound mixing ("Days of Our Lives"); and Gary Anderson, editing ("ABC Afternoon Playbreak: Miss Kline, We Love You"). The program concludes with a performance by Peter Marshall; appearances by Dennis James and Fickett; and Gilford's presentation of an award to "The Doctors," for outstanding drama series (award accepted by Joseph Stuart).