LOS ANGELES - "Mad Men," AMC's sleek drama set in the advertising world circa 1960, and FX's legal thriller "Damages" made Emmy nominations history Thursday as the first basic cable programs to gain best-series nods.

"John Adams," HBO's prestige historical drama about one of America's founding fathers, was the leading nominee with 23 bids, including a lead-actor bid for Paul Giamatti's turn as Adams.

The final list of nominees was determined with the help of blue-ribbon panels that screened submitted episodes for the top vote-getters.

Nominees in the top categories for the 60th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were announced at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences by Kristin Chenoweth, Neil Patrick Harris and TV academy Chairman John Shaffner.

The Emmy Awards ceremony will be held Sept. 21 and broadcast on ABC. Other Emmy honours, including those for technical achievement and guest actors and actresses in series, will be given at the creative arts ceremony on Sept. 13.

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