Some actors win the battle despite having lost the war

Cancellation, low ratings and old age may have forced shows such as Showtime’s “Huff,” FX’s “Thief” and NBC’s “Will & Grace” from the fall TV lineup. But a halt in production couldn’t stop those series from dominating in many of the Emmys’ major acting categories Sunday night.

Among those on the honored but off-the-air list: “Will & Grace’s” Megan Mullally picked up the award for supporting actress in a comedy. And an absent Alan Alda won supporting actor in a drama for NBC’s “The West Wing.” (Patricia Clarkson won for best guest actress in a drama for HBO’s “Six Feet Under,” and Cloris Leachman won for her guest appearance in “Malcolm in the Middle” on Fox -- awards that were announced on a separate broadcast last week.)

“It’s not supposed to work this way,” said “Huff’s” Blythe Danner, the best supporting actress in a drama series. “I guess I have to thank Showtime, even though they canceled us.”

Andre Braugher, who picked up the best lead actor in a miniseries or movie statuette for his turn in FX’s “Thief,” said the personal victory couldn’t quite eliminate the sting of his show’s cancellation.

“I would prefer to be back where we could be -- working on the show,” Braugher said backstage at the Shrine Auditorium, “rather than picking this up for a canceled show.”