EMMY GOES WILD A YEAR AFTER 9-11 SOLEMNITY.

Byline: Valerie Kuklenski Staff Writer

The stars were back in full force, the fans were back in the bleachers and the evening wear was back on parade Sunday outside the Shrine Auditorium, less than a year after the television industry's most subdued event ever.

The 54th annual Emmy Awards were a glitzy affair, but, for some, they lacked the panache and the prestige of the Oscars.

What does it say about Emmys that Ozzy Osbourne's family drew as big a cheer from the assemblage as did Tom Hanks? Has the Oscar crowd ever rhythmically chanted ``Oprah! Oprah!''

Debra Messing, who glams it up with sweeping ball gowns at the Golden Globes, was toned down in a black Michael Kors knit dress with loosely pulled lace-up bodice. Other celebs, cornered by the ``who-are-you-wearing'' types in the press corps, admitted to not knowing who they were wearing or - horrors - grabbing it off the rack.

Producer-director Mark Rydell, whose ``James Dean'' miniseries was nominated, said the crowd atmosphere was ``more hysterical than ever.''

``It seems there has been so much tension in the world that people are glad to let off some steam,'' he said.

Yet the stands, which were eliminated last year for security reasons after the terrorist attacks, were only about one-third filled, unheard of when the film side of show business celebrates in March.

``I think the Emmys are great,'' Suzanne Pleshette said in defense of its image. ``I think we do wonderful work in television, and we deserve this. We shouldn't be a poor stepchild.''

Nominee Kim Cattrall of ``Sex and the City'' said, ``I feel like I get an Emmy every day when someone says, You make me laugh.''

When Cloris Leachman claimed a record eighth performing Emmy last weekend in the Creative Arts ceremony, there was no big fuss. (The TV academy itself made no mention of the history-making win when Leachman took her turn Sunday as a presenter.) Leachman, asked whether the lack of media attention to her achievement bothered her, replied, ``Where would this have taken place?''

Jane Kaczmarek of ``Malcolm in the Middle'' and her husband, Bradley Whitford of ``The West Wing,'' suggested that multiple nominations take the punch out of the event.

``We've been here a couple of times before,'' Kaczmarek said. ``It's kind of like your senior year. You know where the bathrooms are.'' Asked to make a choice between an Oscar and an Emmy, Kaczmarek was the only actor who owned up to coveting filmdom's top prize.

``It would have to be an Oscar,'' she said. ``Of course, I haven't been in a film in about 10 years. But I remember being a little girl, you watched Miss America and the Oscars.''

Vanessa Redgrave, in a black tuxedo, has both an Oscar and Emmys in her collection, but she sidestepped making a choice between the two. ``I wish I could have a music award,'' she said with a smile.

Rydell, a multiple Oscar nominee, dodged a question about whether he would prefer to have an Oscar or an Emmy, if he could have only one.

``I can't say which - not for the press,'' he said with a smile.

The winners

List of winners in major Emmy categories announced Sunday by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences:

Drama Series: ``The West Wing,'' NBC.

Comedy Series: ``Friends,'' NBC.

Variety, Music or Comedy Series: ``Late Show With David Letterman,'' CBS.

Miniseries: ``Band of Brothers,'' HBO.

Made-for-TV Movie: ``The Gathering Storm,'' HBO.

Variety, Music or Comedy Special: ``America: A Tribute to Heroes,'' various networks.

Actor, Drama Series: Michael Chiklis, ``The Shield,'' FX.

Actor, Comedy Series: Ray Romano, ``Everybody Loves Raymond,'' CBS.

Actor, Miniseries or a Movie: Albert Finney, ``The Gathering Storm,'' HBO.

Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program: Sting, ``A&E In Concert: Sting In Tuscany...All This Time,'' A&E.

Actress, Drama Series: Allison Janney, ``The West Wing,'' NBC.

Actress, Comedy Series: Jennifer Aniston, ``Friends,'' NBC

Actress, Miniseries or a Movie: Laura Linney, ``Wild Iris,'' Showtime.

Supporting Actor, Drama Series: John Spencer, ``The West Wing,'' NBC.

Supporting Actor, Comedy Series: Brad Garrett, ``Everybody Loves Raymond,'' CBS.

Supporting Actor, Miniseries or a Movie: Michael Moriarty, ``James Dean,'' TNT.

Supporting Actress, Drama Series: Stockard Channing, ``The West Wing,'' NBC.

Supporting Actress, Comedy Series: Doris Roberts, ``Everybody Loves Raymond,'' CBS.

Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Stockard Channing, ``The Matthew Shepard Story,'' NBC.

Directing for a Drama Series: ``Six Feet Under: Pilot,'' HBO.

Directing for a Comedy Series: ``Sex and the City: The Real Me,'' HBO.

Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special: ``Band of Brothers,'' HBO.

Directing for a Variety or Music Program: ``Opening Ceremony Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games,'' NBC.

Writing for a Drama Series: ``24: Midnight-1:00 a.m.(Pilot),'' Fox.

Writing for a Comedy Series: ``The Bernie Mac Show: Pilot,'' Fox.

Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special: ``The Gathering Storm,'' HBO.

Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: ``Saturday Night Live,'' NBC.

Awards presented Sunday night that were previously announced:

Governors Award: ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox for a program honoring Sept. 11 heroes.

Bob Hope Humanitarian Award: Oprah Winfrey.

CAPTION(S):

9 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Jane Kazmarek of ``Malcolm in the Middle'' and her husband, Brad Whitford of ``The West Wing'' have been nominated for Emmys a few times before. Kazmarek, seven-months pregnant and wearing a dress designed by Heidi Kaczanski, says this time around is like being in her senior year. ``You know where the bathrooms are, '' she said.

(2 -- color) Kim Cattrall of ``Sex and the City,'' nominated for Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, says she feels like an Emmy winner whenever people tell her she makes them laugh.

(3 -- color) Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, got as enthusiastic a reception as Ozzy Osbourne and his family did at the Emmy Awards. Hanks, the director, also won an Emmy for his work on the HBO miniseries, ``Band of Brothers.''

(4 -- color) Patricia Heaton of ``Everybody Loves Raymond'' was nominated for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.

(5 -- color) Michael Chiklis, peering over his sunglasses, won an Emmy for Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his work on ``The Shield.''

Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer

(6 -- 7 -- color) Debra Messing (above) of ``Will & Grace,'' who has been known to go all out in her fashions for the Golden Globes wore a subdued Michael Kors black knit dress to the Emmys. Ozzy Osbourne and his wife, Sharon (left), arrived to the ceremony at the Shrine auditorium in Los Angeles to a chorus of chanting fans.

(8 -- color) Jennifer Aniston of ``Friends,'' with her husband, Brad Pitt, won an Emmy for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer

(9 -- color) CLORIS LEACHMAN

Box:

The winners (see text)