Frasier - the comedy series about a psychologist who hosts a radio talk show - made history by notching up so many straight Emmys in the same category.

The show won 18 awards overall including a host of honours in secondary categories handed out on Saturday by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

The show's main star, Kelsey Grammer, also won in the category for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series and David Hyde Pierce, who plays Frasier's highly strung psychiatrist brother also took away the award for best supporting actor in a comedy.

Helen Hunt only actress to receive Oscar and Emmy in the same year

Other records broken were by Helen Hunt who was awarded outstanding lead actress in the comedy Mad about You.

It was her third Emmy for Hunt and in March this year she gained an Oscar for her role in As Good as it Gets, making her the only actor or actress to receive top awards in television and cinema in the same year.

American comedian and director Mel Brooks won an Emmy for best male guest appearance in a comedy for his performance in Mad About You.

Lisa Kudrow gained her first Emmy for Friends

Emmy firsts were received by Friends co-star Lisa Kudrow for best supporting actress in a comedy.

She plays the 'confused' Phoebe in the comedy series which centres around a group of close buddies in New York.

Gary Shandling also won his first Emmy for writing the Larry Sanders Show and his director Todd Holland gained an Emmy for his work on the highly acclaimed show which ended in May.

British success for Emma Thompson

British success came in the form of Emma Thompson who managed to scoop an Emmy for guest appearance in a comedy. She appeared in Ellen which was cancelled this season.

Other winners included ABC's The Practice in the outstanding drama series in its first season, beating four veteran drama shows.

Outstanding leading actor in a drama series was won by Andre Braugher for his role in NBC's cop series Homicide: Life on the street.

The best outstanding leading actress in a drama series was won by Christine Lahti for her role in CBS's hospital drama Chicago Hope.

Tom Hanks accepts Emmy for his miniseries From Earth to the Moon

John Frankenheimer won an Emmy as director of the miniseries George Wallace. This mini-series focused on the controversial Alabama governor. Frankenheimer received two other prizes just before news that the real Wallace had died in a Montgomery hospital at the age of 79.

But the winner for outstanding miniseries was snapped up by HBO's From the Earth to the Moon production directed by Tom Hanks another former Oscar winner.

The battle of the networks was won by NBC who gained 12 trophies overall, eight each went to ABC and HBO, Fox won five and CBS won four.

The Emmy's award ceremony was watched by over 600 million viewers in 90 countries.