‘Traffic,’ ‘Count on Me’ Win Writers Guild Honors

“You Can Count on Me” and “Traffic” were the feature film winners Sunday night at the 53rd Annual Writers Guild of America Awards. Episodes of NBC’s “The West Wing” and “Frasier” received honors for TV series writing.

Kenneth Lonergan won for best screenplay written directly for the screen for his intimate family drama, “You Can Count on Me.” Lonergan has already received several honors from critics’ organizations and is nominated for an Oscar.

Stephen Gaghan, who won the Golden Globe in January, was awarded best screenplay previously produced or published for his adaptation of the British TV series “Traffik,” created by Simon Moore. Gaghan also is an Oscar nominee in this category.

Aaron Sorkin and Rick Cleveland were honored by the Writers Guild in the episodic drama category for the “In Excelsis Deo” episode of NBC’s “The West Wing,” and Christopher Lloyd & Joe Keenan picked up the comedy series award for the “Something Borrowed, Something Blue” installment of NBC’s long-running “Frasier.”

There were ties in several categories, including best original long form. Phil Alden Robinson and Stanley Weiser of TNT’s “Freedom Song” shared the honors with Tina Andrews for the first part of the CBS miniseries “Sally Hemings: An American Scandal.”

John Logan picked up the award for best adapted long form for the HBO historical drama “RKO 281,” as did Tom Rickman for his adaptation of Mitch Albom’s book “Tuesdays With Morrie,” which aired on ABC.

One of the winners Sunday evening has been dead nearly 26 years. Rod Serling, who died in 1975, won in the children’s script category for the Showtime drama “A Storm in Summer.” Serling originally wrote “A Storm in Summer” in 1970 for “The Hallmark Hall of Fame.”

Serling tied in this category with Paris Qualles for the Disney Channel’s “The Color of Friendship.”

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The winners:

Feature Films

Screenplay written director for the screen: Kenneth Lonergan, “You Can Count on Me.”

Screenplay based on material previously produced or published: Stephan Gaghan, “Traffic,” based on the British TV series “Traffik,” created by Simon Moore

Television

Original long form: Phil Alden Robinson and Stanley Weiser, “Freedom Song,” TNT; Tina Andrews, “Sally Hemings: An American Scandal, Part I,” CBS (tied),

Adapted long form: John Logan, “RKO 281,” based in part on the documentary “The Battle Over Citizen Kane” from “The American Experience,” PBS; Tom Rickman, “Tuesdays With Morrie,” based on the book by Mitch Albom, ABC (tied)

Episodic drama: Aaron Sorkin and Rick Cleveland, “In Excelsis Deo” (“The West Wing”), NBC

Episodic comedy: Christopher Lloyd & Joe Keenan, “Something Borrowed, Something Blue” (“Frasier”), NBC

Comedy/variety--music, awards, tributes, specials of any length: writing supervised by Tina Fey; written by Anne Beatts, Tom Davis, Tina Fey, Steve Higgins, Lorne Michaels, Marilyn Suzanne Miller, Paula Pell, Paul Schaffer, T. Sean Shannon, Michael Shoemaker, Robert Smigel, “Saturday Night Live: The 25th Anniversary Special,” NBC

Comedy/variety (including talk) series: writing supervised by Eddie Feldmann; written by Jose Arroyo, David Feldman, Jim Hanna, Leah Krinsky Atkins, Dennis Miller, Jacob Sager Weinstein, David Weiss, “Dennis Miller Live,” HBO’

Daytime serials: Agnes Nixon, Jean Passanante, Craig Carlson, Frederick Johnson, N. Gail Lawrence, Victor Miller, Juliet Law Packer, Addie Walsh, Mimi Leahey, Bettina F. Bradbury, Caroline Franz, Charlotte Gibson, David Hiltbrand, Janet Iacobuzio, Royal Miller, John Piroman, Rebecca Taylor, “All My Children,” ABC

Children’s script: Paris Qualles, “The Color of Friendship,” Disney; Rod Serling, “A Storm in Summer,” Showtime (tied)

Documentary, current events: Helen Whitney & Jane Barnes, “John Paul II: The Millennial Pope” (“Frontline”), PBS.

Documentary--other than current events: Steven Fayer and Daniel McCabe & Paul Stekler, “George Wallace: Settin’ the Woods on Fire” (“The American Experience”), PBS

News--regularly scheduled, bulletin or breaking report: Gail Lee, “Sunday Morning Headlines,” CBS

News analysis-- feature or commentary: Glenn Steinfast & Darcy Bonfils, “Hurricane: Eyewitness to a Storm,” ABC

Radio

Radio documentary--any length: Paul Farry & Steve Kathan, “CBS News 20th Century Round-Up,” CBS Radio Network

News--regularly scheduled, bulletin or breaking report: Steven Gosset, “CBS News on the Hour,” CBS Radio Network; Michelle Gillan Fisher, “World News This Week,” ABC News Radio (tie)

News--analysis, feature or radio commentary: Mike Silverstein, “The Wedding Dress,” ABC News Radio

On-air promotion: Lori Sunshine, “NBC Promotions,” NBC