`SOPRANOS,' `RAYMOND' NOMINATED.

Byline: Marla Matzer Staff Writer

After three years on the air, ``Everybody Loves Raymond'' got its first Emmy nominations Thursday, pocketing six. But three other things were clear from the primetime Emmy nominations announced by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences: Everybody loves ``The Sopranos,'' everybody loves David E. Kelley, and everybody loves cable.

The continued success of both basic and pay cable outlets is reflected in the nominations for the 51st annual Primetime Emmy Awards, announced by Camryn Maneheim (``The Practice'') and David Hyde Pierce (``Frasier''), both past winners of Emmies for acting.

Although the major networks haven't lost ground in sheer number of nominations over the past couple of years - NBC easily had the most nods (82) this year, as it did last year - cable outlets such as HBO (74), A&E (20) and Showtime (11) got disproportionately big shares of honors. HBO again was second to NBC in overall nominations, as it was last year.

HBO's freshman drama ``The Sopranos'' garnered the most nominations of any program, 16, and became the first cable show nominated in the dramatic series category. Other top vote-getters included Fox's ``Ally McBeal,'' ABC's ``The Practice'' and the CBS miniseries ``Joan of Arc,'' all with 13 nominations each. Next came an HBO movie, ``The Rat Pack,'' with 11 nominations and NBC's ``Frasier,'' with 10.

Cable channels dominated the categories of best television movie and best actor or actress in a miniseries or movie for the period of June 1998 through May 1999. Award winners will be announced Sept. 12 during a ceremony that Fox will broadcast from Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Cable gains

This year's biggest gainer was cable's A&E, which pulled in 20 nominations, double the number it got last year.

``We're thrilled by the recognition,'' said Michael Cascio, A&E's senior vice president of programming. The nominations cover a variety of programming, including the miniseries ``Horatio Hornblower'' and the movie ``Dash and Lilly.''

The nominations illustrate ``how far we've come and how far basic cable has come,'' Cascio said.

``This is just another sign in the dilemma the broadcast networks find themselves in. They've been hearing for years that their audience is decreasing.''

He said the ratings as well as the nominations show highbrow fare can attract viewers. ``People say you have to appeal to the lowest common denominator to get good ratings. We don't think that's true.''

The producer of some cable shows that got multiple nominations said the networks, operating under different restrictions and expectations, could not use similar programs.

``This show, as it is, could only be done on pay cable,'' said David Chase, creator and executive producer of ``The Sopranos.'' Does he expect networks to try to emulate the style? ``No; I think they'll continue to try to do what they do,'' he said.

Actress Jodie Foster's Egg Pictures received four nominations for its first TV project, ``The Baby Dance,'' which appeared on Showtime. ``We're thrilled. Overwhelmed,'' said Meg LeFauve, the movie's producer and president of Egg Pictures. She said the company may produce more TV projects, but probably only for pay cable. ``Showtime wasn't afraid to take a risk. . . . It was a great experience,'' LeFauve said.

Still, some creators seem to have the magic touch on network television. Kelley's three shows now on the air received a whopping 29 nominations: 13 each for Fox's ``Ally McBeal'' and ABC's ``The Practice,'' tied for second place in terms of multiple nominations for a single project, and three for CBS's ``Chicago Hope.''

Network comeback

Among the networks, CBS was the biggest gainer in the number of nominations. The network, which also made a dramatic comeback in the ratings this year, got 46 nominations, 28 percent more than its 36 last year.

One of CBS's biggest nomination successes was ``Everybody Loves Raymond.'' The blue-collar comedy raked in five, including one for best comedy series, after three years on the air with none.

``Raymond's'' co-creator and executive producer, Phil Rosenthal, described the mood at the show's production office as ``very festive, but a little disorienting; we're not used to happiness here.''

Rosenthal said he thinks the universality of the show is a key to its success. ``Were you listening outside my window last night?'' he said people often ask him. ``From the beginning, we've steered away from social issues and hot topics,'' he added.

Doris Roberts, who plays Raymond's mother, thanked CBS Television president Les Moonves for giving the show time to build an audience. This was a fifth Emmy nomination for Roberts, who won an Emmy for a role as a bag lady on ``St. Elsewhere,'' but she said she was delighted by her first as a comedy actress.

Ray Romano, who plays the lead in the show, said he wished only that he could have shared the excitement with his acting coach, Richard Marion, who died last week. ``Every week we'd go over the script together. I'd worked with him since I got the show'' after doing stand-up comedy.

Feeling the pressure

While thrilling, getting multiple nominations can crank up the stress.

``It does put a tremendous amount of pressure on you,'' acknowledged Chase of ``The Sopranos.'' ``I've had lower back pain for two years. Now I have lower back, shoulder and neck pain,'' he said.

Those accustomed to nominations and awards may feel freer just to savor the honor. ``It always feels good,'' said ``NYPD Blue'' star Dennis Franz, nominated for the sixth time.

The thrill may wear off for well-wishers, however. ``The first year I was nominated, I must've gotten 50 congratulatory calls,'' Franz said. ``The second year, it was maybe 30. Today, I've gotten one call. But I have had several strangers stop me on the street this morning to congratulate me.''

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Photo: (color) Actor James Gandolfini, center, earned one of 16 Emmy nominations for ``The Sopranos'' drama on HBO. See L.A. Life.