‘Modern Family,’ ‘Homeland,’ ‘Game Change’ each nab four Emmys

List of winners at Sunday’s 64th annual Primetime Emmy Awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences:

Drama series: “Homeland,” Showtime.

Actress, drama series: Claire Danes, “Homeland,” Showtime.

Actor, drama series: Damian Lewis, “Homeland,” Showtime.

Supporting actor, drama series: Aaron Paul, “Breaking Bad,” AMC.

Supporting actress, drama series: Maggie Smith, “Downton Abbey,” PBS.

Writing, drama series: Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon, Gideon Raff, “Homeland,” Showtime.

Directing, drama series: Tim Van Patten, “Boardwalk Empire,” HBO.

Comedy series: “Modern Family,” ABC.

Actor, comedy series: Jon Cryer, “Two and a Half Men,” CBS.

Actress, comedy series: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep,” HBO.

Supporting actress, comedy series: Julie Bowen, “Modern Family,” ABC.

Supporting actor, comedy series: Eric Stonestreet, “Modern Family,” ABC.

Writing, comedy series: Louis C.K, “Louie,” FX Networks.

Directing, comedy series: Steven Levitan, “Modern Family,” ABC.

Miniseries or movie: “Game Change,” HBO.

Actress, miniseries or movie: Julianne Moore, “Game Change,” HBO.

Actor, miniseries or movie: Kevin Costner, “Hatfields & -McCoys,” History.

Supporting actress, miniseries or movie: Jessica Lange, “American Horror Story,” FX Networks.

Supporting actor, miniseries or movie: Tom Berenger, “Hatfields & McCoys,” History.

Directing, miniseries, movie or dramatic special: Jay Roach, “Game Change,” HBO.

Writing, miniseries, movie or dramatic special: Danny Strong, “Game Change,” HBO.

Reality-competition program: “The Amazing Race,” CBS.

Host, reality-competition program: Tom Bergeron, “Dancing With the Stars,” ABC.

Variety, music or comedy series: “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,” Comedy Central.

Writing for a variety special: Louis C.K., “Louis C.K. Live at the Beacon Theatre,” FX Networks.

Directing, variety, music or comedy special: Glenn Weiss, 65th Annual Tony Awards, CBS.

LOS ANGELES — It was a three-peat for “Modern Family.”

ABC’s ensemble hit comedy about a loving, dysfunctional family won the Emmy for best comedy series for the third consecutive year, capping a night in which it also won awards for directing, supporting actor and supporting actress — four trophies in all.

Other big winners Sunday night — each also earning four trophies apiece — were “Game Change” and “Homeland.”

If Sarah Palin was watching the 64th annual Emmy

Awards on ABC, she probably wasn’t clapping. HBO’s “Game Change,” about then-Alaska Gov. turned Republican vice presidential nominee, won for best miniseries or movie, director, writing and best actress for Julianne Moore, who played Palin.

Many thought Moore turned in an uncanny performance, but apparently Palin was not among them.

“I feel so validated,” Moore said, “because Sarah Palin gave me a big thumbs down.”

Showtime made history with its freshman political thriller “Homeland.” It is the first time one of the cable network’s series won an Emmy for dramatic series. In doing so, it edged AMC’s “Mad Men,” which had a seeming lock on the category, after winning it for four years running.

In addition to best dramatic series, “Homeland” earned trophies for lead actress Claire Danes, lead actor for Damian Lewis, and for writing. It’s also the first time that a Showtime series has captured awards in those categories. It was Lewis’ first nomination and his first win.

Left empty handed for the fifth time in a row was Jon Hamm, star of AMC’s “Mad Men.” Also shoved aside was front-runner Bryan Cranston, who had won the category three times for his role on “Breaking Bad.”

Westerns have been very good to Kevin Costner. He earned a directing Oscar for 1990’s “Dances With Wolves.” On Sunday, he won the Emmy for lead actor in a miniseries or movie for History channel’s blockbuster “Hatfields & McCoys.” Ironically, Costner said, “we had to go all the way to Romania to film this very American story.” It was the second win of the night for the miniseries; Tom Berenger won for supporting actor.

In one of the evening’s most poignant moments, director Ron Howard appeared to choke back emotion as he introduced the annual moment at each annual Emmy Awards to remember those who have died.

Howard recalled growing up on the set of “The Andy Griffith Show,” where he played Opie to Griffith’s Sheriff Andy Taylor.

“Dang, if he didn’t make it look easy,” Howard said of Griffith, who died this summer.

Among the others honored who also died in the past year were composer Marvin Hamlisch, producer-director Tony Scott, radio and TV personality Dick Clark, actor Ernest Borgnine, actor Harry Morgan, disco singer Donna Summer, pop singer Whitney Houston, “Soul Train” host Don Cornelius, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, actress Phyllis Diller, producer-director Gil Cates, journalist Mike Wallace and radio and TV writer Andy Rooney.

Jon Stewart was apparently so excited at winning his 10th consecutive Emmy for variety series for “The Daily Show” that he let loose with an expletive — or perhaps two.

CBS’ reality competition “The Amazing Race” won its ninth Emmy. The show that sends competitors racing around the world in pursuit of a million dollars has dominated this category since it was introduced in 2003. It has won every year except one, when Bravo’s “Top Chef” won in 2010.

ABC’s hit comedy “Modern Family” started and ended strong Sunday night. In addition to best comedy series, it won for directing for Steve Levitan, the show’s co-creator, writer and producer, as well as supporting actress Julie Bowen and supporting actor for Eric Stonestreet.

Comedian Jimmy Kimmel kicked off his hosting duties by getting beaten up by several of TV’s leading ladies, and poking fun of actors forgoing carbs to fit into their dresses and tuxes on one of TV’s biggest nights.