The 58th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards honored the best in artistic and technical achievement in American prime time television programming from June 1, 2005, until May 31, 2006, as chosen by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. The awards were presented on August 19, 2006, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. A total of 79 Creative Arts Emmys were handed out across 67 categories. The ceremony preceded the 58th Primetime Emmy Awards, held on August 27.
The miniseries Elizabeth I led all programs with five wins, followed by Baghdad ER and Rome with four wins each and the 78th Annual Academy Awards with three wins. For overall program fields, awards went to Baghdad ER, Before the Dinosaurs, Dance in America: Swan Lake with American Ballet Theatre, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, High School Musical, I Have Tourette's but Tourette's Doesn't Have Me, Rome: Engineering an Empire, The Simpsons, 10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America, The XX Olympic Winter Games – Opening Ceremony, and Two Days in October. HBO led all networks with 17 wins.
Winners and nominees
Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger (‡). Sections are based upon the categories listed in the 2005–2006 Emmy rules and procedures. Area awards and juried awards are denoted next to the category names as applicable. For simplicity, producers who received nominations for program awards have been omitted.
Programs + The XX Olympic Winter Games – Opening Ceremony (NBC) 78th Annual Academy Awards (ABC) Bill Maher: I'm Swiss (HBO) George Carlin: Life Is Worth Losing (HBO) McCartney in St. Petersburg (A&E) Dance in America: Swan Lake with American Ballet Theatre (Great Performances) (PBS) Jazz at Lincoln Center – Higher Ground Hurricane Relief Benefit Concert (Live from Lincoln Center) (PBS) A Lincoln Center Special: 30 Years of Live from Lincoln Center (PBS) South Pacific in Concert from Carnegie Hall (Great Performances) (PBS) |- | style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" | Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC) Antiques Roadshow (PBS) The Dog Whisperer (National Geographic) Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List (Bravo) Penn & Teller: Bullshit! (Showtime) | style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" | High School Musical (Disney) I Have Tourette's but Tourette's Doesn't Have Me (HBO) Classical Baby 2 (HBO) Nick News with Linda Ellerbee: Do Something! Caring for the Kids of Katrina (Nickelodeon) |- | style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" | The Simpsons: "The Seemingly Never-Ending Story" (Fox) Camp Lazlo: "Hello Dolly" / "Over Cooked Beans" (Cartoon Network) Family Guy: "PTV" (Fox) Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends: "Go Goo Go" (Cartoon Network) South Park: "Trapped in the Closet" (Comedy Central) | style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" | Before the Dinosaurs (Discovery Channel) Escape from Cluster Prime (Nickelodeon) |- | style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" | 10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America (The History Channel) American Masters (PBS) Biography (A&E) Deadliest Catch (Discovery Channel) Inside the Actors Studio (Bravo) | style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" | Rome: Engineering an Empire (The History Channel) All Aboard! Rosie's Family Cruise (HBO) How William Shatner Changed the World (The History Channel) Inside 9/11 (National Geographic) Stardust: The Bette Davis Story (TCM) |- | style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" | Baghdad ER (HBO) Two Days in October (American Experience'') (PBS) Combat Diary: The Marines of Lima Company (A&E) In the Realms of the Unreal (P.O.V.) (PBS) Three Days in September'' (Showtime) TiVo ABC.com's full-episode streaming player
Performing + Leslie Jordan – Will & Grace as Beverley Leslie (NBC) Alec Baldwin – Will & Grace as Malcolm (NBC) Martin Sheen – Two and a Half Men as Harvey (CBS) Patrick Stewart – Extras as himself (HBO) Ben Stiller – Extras as himself (HBO) Cloris Leachman – Malcolm in the Middle as Ida (Fox) (Episodes: “Bride of Ida” and “Graduation”) Blythe Danner – Will & Grace as Marilyn Truman (NBC) Shirley Knight – Desperate Housewives as Phyllis Van de Kamp (ABC) Laurie Metcalf – Monk as Cora (USA) Kate Winslet – Extras as herself (HBO) Christian Clemenson – Boston Legal as Jerry "Hands" Espenson (ABC) Kyle Chandler – Grey's Anatomy as Dylan Young (ABC) Henry Ian Cusick – Lost as Desmond (ABC) Michael J. Fox – Boston Legal as Daniel Post (ABC) James Woods – ER as Dr. Nate Lennox (NBC) Patricia Clarkson – Six Feet Under as Aunt Sarah (HBO) Kate Burton – Grey's Anatomy as Ellis Grey (ABC) Joanna Cassidy – Six Feet Under as Margaret Chenowith (HBO) Swoosie Kurtz – Huff as Madeline Sullivan (Showtime) Christina Ricci – Grey's Anatomy as Hannah (ABC) Kelsey Grammer – The Simpsons: "The Italian Bob" as Sideshow Bob (Fox)
Animation + Classical Baby 2: "The Hippo Dance" – Jarek Szyszko (HBO) ''Escape from Cluster Prime – Bryan Arnett (Nickelodeon) Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends: "Go Goo Go" – Shannon Tindle (Cartoon Network) The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy – Mike Diederich (Cartoon Network) The Life and Times of Juniper Lee: "Adventures in Babysitting" – Frederick Gardner (Cartoon Network) Robot Chicken'': "Easter Basket" – Sarah E. Meyer (Cartoon Network)
Art Direction + How I Met Your Mother: "Pilot" – Stephan Olson and Richard C. Walker (CBS) Stacked: "iPod" – Bernard Vyzga and Mark Johnson (Fox) Will & Grace: "I Love L. Gay" – Glenda Rovello and Melinda Ritz (NBC) Rome: "Caesarion" / "Triumph" / "Kalends of February" – Joseph Bennett, Domenico Sica, and Cristina Onori (HBO) Desperate Housewives: "There's Something About a War" – Thomas A. Walsh, P. Erik Carlson, and Erica Rogalla (ABC) House: "Autopsy" / "Distractions" / "Skin Deep" – Derek R. Hill and Danielle Berman (Fox) Nip/Tuck: "Ben White" – Liz Kay and Ellen Brill (FX) Six Feet Under: "Hold My Hand" / "Singing for Our Lives" / "Everyone's Waiting" – Suzuki Ingerslev, Kristan Andrews, and Rusty Lipscomb (HBO) Elizabeth I – Eve Stewart, Leon McCarthy, and Sarah Whittle (HBO) Bleak House (Masterpiece Theatre) – Simon Elliot and Bill Crutcher (PBS) The Girl in the Café – Candida Otton and Andrea Coathupe (HBO) Into the West – Marek Dobrowolski, Rick Roberts, Guy Barnes, Paul Healy, and Wendy Ozols-Barnes (TNT) Stephen King's Desperation – Philip Dagort, Jason Weil, and Marcia Calosio (ABC) 78th Annual Academy Awards – Roy Christopher and Greg Richman (ABC) American Idol: "Episode 519" – Andy Walmsley and James Yarnell (Fox) Dancing with the Stars: "Episode 206" – Patrick Doherty and James Yarnell (ABC) MADtv: "Episode 1115" – John Sabato, D Martyn Bookwalter, and Daryn Reid Goodall (Fox) Rome: Engineering an Empire – Vincent Kralyevich (The History Channel)
Casting + My Name Is Earl – Dava Waite Peaslee (NBC) Desperate Housewives – Junie Lowry Johnson and Scott Genkinger (ABC) Entourage – Sheila Jaffe, Georgianne Walken, and Meredith Tucker (HBO) Weeds – Amy McIntyre Britt and Anya Colloff (Showtime) Grey's Anatomy – Linda Lowy and John Brace (ABC) Big Love – Junie Lowry Johnson and Libby Goldstein (HBO) Boston Legal – Ken Miller and Nikki Valko (ABC) House – Amy Lippens and Stephanie Laffin (Fox) Lost – April Webster, Veronica Collins Rooney, and Mandy Sherman (ABC) Elizabeth I – Doreen Jones (HBO) The Girl in the Café – Fiona Weir (HBO) High School Musical – Jason LaPadura and Natalie Hart (Disney) Into the West – Meg Liberman, Cami Patton, Rene Haynes, Candice Elzinga, Rhonda Fisekci, and Jo Edna Boldin (TNT) Mrs. Harris – Junie Lowry Johnson and Libby Goldstein (HBO)
Choreography + High School Musical – Kenny Ortega, Charles Klapow, and Bonnie Story (Disney) Dancing with the Stars: "Episode #204" – Nick Kosovich and Cheryl Burke (ABC) Dancing with the Stars: "Episode #208" – Cheryl Burke (ABC) Dancing with the Stars: "Episode #208" – Tony Dovolani (ABC) Malcolm in the Middle: "Bomb Shelter" – Fred Tallaksen (Fox) The Suite Life of Zack & Cody: "Commercial Breaks" – Travis Payne (Disney)
Cinematography + How I Met Your Mother: "The Limo" – Christian La Fountaine (CBS) According to Jim: "Mr. Right" – George Mooradian (ABC) The New Adventures of Old Christine: "Open Water" – Gregg Heschong (CBS) Reba: "The Goodbye Guy" – Bryan Hays (WB) Two and a Half Men: "Carpet Burns and a Bite Mark" – Steven V. Silver (CBS) CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: "Gum Drops" – Michael Slovis (CBS) Everybody Hates Chris: "Everybody Hates Funerals" – Mark Doering-Powell (UPN) Lost: "Man of Science, Man of Faith" – Michael Bonvillain (ABC) The Sopranos: "The Ride" – Phil Abraham (HBO) 24: "9:00 PM – 10:00 PM" – Rodney Charters (Fox) Bleak House (Masterpiece Theatre): "Episode 1" – Kieran McGuigan (PBS) Four Minutes – James Chressanthis (ESPN2) Into the West: "Dreams and Schemes" – William Wages (TNT) Into the West: "Wheel to the Stars" – Alan Caso (TNT) Mrs. Harris – Steven Poster (HBO) Sleeper Cell: "Al-Fatiha" – Robert Primes (Showtime) Baghdad ER – Jon Alpert and Matthew O'Neill (HBO) All Aboard! Rosie's Family Cruise – Maryse Alberti, Sandra Chandler, and Beth Wichterich (HBO) Children of Beslan – Dirk Nel (HBO) I Have Tourette's but Tourette's Doesn't Have Me – Buddy Squires (HBO) Rome: Engineering an Empire – Jeremiah Crowell (The History Channel) The Amazing Race: "Here Comes the Bedouin!" – Per A. C. Larsson, Sylvester Campe, Tom Cunningham, Chip Goebert, Uri Sharon, and Scott Shelley (CBS) The Apprentice: "Episode #509" – Jim Harrington, Alan Pierce, Jeff Watt, Rodney Chauvin, Tom Magill, and Vince Monteleone (NBC) Deadliest Catch: "The Clock's Ticking" – Doug Stanley, Scott Simper, Patrick Cummings, Zac McFarlane, Marc Carter, and Bryan Miller (Discovery Channel) Project Runway: "Clothes Off Your Back" – Tony Sacco (Bravo) Survivor: "Big Trek, Big Trouble, Big Surprise" – Mark "Ninja" Lynch, Michael Murray, Mark Hryma, Derek Carver, Leighton DeBarros, and Kevin Garrison (CBS)
Commercial + "Required Reading" – The Institute for the Development of Enhanced Perceptual Awareness and Leo Burnett Chicago (Hallmark) "Stick" – Partizan and BBDO New York (FedEx) "Clydesdale American Dream" – PYTKA and DDB Chicago (Budweiser) "Concert" – MJZ and DDB Los Angeles (Ameriquest)
Costumes + Rome: "Triumph" – April Ferry and Augusto Grassi (HBO) Battlestar Galactica: "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part 2" – Glenne Campbell, Glenna Owen, and Cali Newcomen (Sci Fi Channel) Desperate Housewives: "Next" – Catherine Adair, Joyce Goodwin, and Karo Vartanian (ABC) Everybody Hates Chris: "Everybody Hates the Pilot" – Darryle Johnson and Shirlene Williams (UPN) The Sopranos: "Mr. & Mrs. John Sacrimoni Request..." – Juliet Polcsa, Joseph La Corte, and Elizabeth Feldbauer (HBO) ''Elizabeth I: "Part 2" – Mike O'Neill and Samantha Horn (HBO) Bleak House (Masterpiece Theatre): "Episode 1" – Andrea Galer and Charlotte Morris (PBS) Into the West: "Hell on Wheels" – Michael T. Boyd and Joe McCloskey (TNT) Mrs. Harris – Julie Weiss and Elaine Ramires (HBO) Once Upon a Mattress – Bob Mackie, Chris Hargadon, and Dawn Leigh Climie (ABC) |- | style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" colspan="2" | Benise: Nights of Fire! – Erin Lareau (PBS) Dancing with the Stars: "Episode 208A" – Dana Campbell and Randall Christensen (ABC) MADtv'': "Episode #1109" – Wendy Benbrook and Wanda Leavey (Fox)
Directing + Baghdad ER – Jon Alpert and Matthew O'Neill (HBO) All Aboard! Rosie's Family Cruise – Shari Cookson (HBO) American Masters: "Bob Dylan: No Direction Home" – Martin Scorsese (PBS) American Masters: "John Ford/John Wayne: The Filmmaker and the Legend" – Sam Pollard (PBS) Children of Beslan – Ewa Ewart and Leslie Woodhead (HBO)
Hairstyling + Rome: "Stealing from Saturn" – Aldo Signoretti, Ferdinando Merolla, Stefano Ceccarelli, and Gaetano Panico (HBO)