The 56th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were held Sunday, September 19, 2004. The awards show was hosted by Garry Shandling and was broadcast on ABC. Nominees are listed below; winners are in bold.

Outstanding Drama Series

• 24, Fox
• Crime Scene Investigation, CBS
• Joan of Arcadia, CBS
• The Sopranos, HBO
• The West Wing, NBC

Outstanding Comedy Series

• Arrested Development, Fox
• Curb Your Enthusiasm, HBO
• Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS
• Sex and the City, HBO
• Will & Grace, NBC

Outstanding Mini-Series

• American Family, PBS
• Angels in America, HBO
• Duty, A&E
• Prime Suspect 6, PBS
• Traffic, USA

Outstanding Made for Television Movie

• And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself, HBO
• Countdown to D-Day, A&E
• The Lion in Winter, Showtime
• The Reagans, Showtime
• Something the Lord Made, HBO

Outstanding Reality-Competition Program

• The Amazing Race 4, CBS
• American Idol, Fox
• The Apprentice, NBC
• Last Comic Standing, NBC
• Pearl Islands, CBS

Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series

• Chappelle's Show, Comedy Central
• The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Comedy Central
• Late Night with Conan O'Brien, NBC
• The Late Show with David Letterman, CBS
• Saturday Night Live, NBC

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

• James Gandolfini for playing Tony Soprano on The Sopranos
• Anthony LaPaglia for playing Jack Malone on Without a Trace
• Martin Sheen for playing President Josiah Bartlet on The West Wing
• James Spader for playing Alan Shore on The Practice
• Kiefer Sutherland for playing Jack Bauer on 24

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

• Larry David for playing himself on Curb Your Enthusiasm
• Kelsey Grammer for playing Dr. Frasier Crane on Frasier
• Matt LeBlanc for playing Joey Tribianni on Friends
• John Ritter for playing Paul Hennessy on 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter
• Tony Shalhoub for playing Adrian Monk on Monk

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie

• Antonio Banderas for playing Pancho Villa in And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself
• James Brolin for playing Ronald Reagan in The Reagans
• Mos Def for playing Vivien Thomas in Something the Lord Made
• Al Pacino for playing Roy Cohn in Angels in America
• Alan Rickman for playing Alfred Blalock in Something the Lord Made

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

• Edie Falco for playing Carmela Soprano on The Sopranos
• Jennifer Garner for playing Sydney Bristow on Alias
• Mariska Hargitay for playing Detective Olivia Benson on Special Victims Unit
• Allison Janney for playing C.J. Cregg on The West Wing
• Amber Tamblyn for playing Joan Girardi on Joan of Arcadia

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

• Jennifer Aniston for playing Rachel Green on Friends
• Patricia Heaton for playing Debra Barone on Everybody Loves Raymond
• Bonnie Hunt for playing Bonnie Molloy on Life with Bonnie
• Jane Kaczmarek for playing Lois Wilkerson on Malcolm in the Middle
• Sarah Jessica Parker for playing Carrie Bradshaw on Sex and the City

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series

• James Earl Jones for playing Will Cleveland on Everwood
• Martin Landau for playing Frank Malone on Without a Trace
• Bob Newhart for playing Ben Hollander on ER
• Matthew Perry for playing Joe Quincy on The West Wing
• William Shatner for playing Denny Crane on The Practice

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series

• Louise Fletcher for playing Miss Eva Garrison on Joan of Arcadia
• Marlee Matlin for playing Dr. Amy Solwey on Special Victims Unit
• Sharon Stone for playing Sheila Carlisle on The Practice
• Betty White for playing Catherine Piper on The Practice
• Mare Winningham for playing "Sandra Blaine" on Special Victims Unit

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series

• John Cleese for playing Lyle Finster on Will & Grace
• Danny DeVito for playing Roy on Friends
• Anthony LaPaglia for playing Simon Moon on Frasier
• John Turturro for playing "Ambrose Monk" on Monk
• Fred Willard for playing Hank MacDougal on Everybody Loves Raymond

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series

• Christina Applegate for playing Amy on Friends
• Eileen Brennan for playing Zandra on Will & Grace
• Georgia Engel for playing Pat MacDougal on Everybody Loves Raymond
• Cloris Leachman for playing Ida on Malcolm in the Middle
• Laura Linney for playing Charlotte on Frasier

Emmy Awards | 2004 awards