Courtesy of CBS
Although the industry continues to await news on a new telecast date for “The 50th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards” as a result of the ongoing Writers Guild strike, the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) announced today that Susan Lucci (Actress, “All My Children”) and Maury Povich (Host, “Maury”) will be this year’s Lifetime Achievement Honorees, both in the field of daytime television. In addition, NATAS has announced the 2023 Gold and Silver Circle Honorees, which recognize those individuals who have made enduring contributions to daytime television. They will also be honored at the 2023 Daytime Emmy Awards once rescheduled.
Courtesy of NATAS
“We are thrilled to be recognizing two icons with Lifetime Achievement honors, Susan Lucci and Maury Povich. Both of them have had astonishing success and deep impact in the world of daytime television, Susan in drama series and Maury in talk, and have left their indelible marks on the industry,” said Adam Sharp, President and CEO, NATAS. “We look forward to celebrating their achievements and to also recognize the Gold and Silver Circle honorees when our celebrations are rescheduled.”
“I am truly humbled to receive this esteemed award from the Academy,” said Lucci, who for 41 years starred as Erica Kane on the ABC daytime drama series, “All My Children.” She added, “Throughout my career, I have been incredibly fortunate to work alongside exceptional talents and embraced by my fans that have been with me every step of the way. This honor is not just a reflection of my journey, but a testament to the enduring power of storytelling and the profound connection we are so lucky to forge with audiences all over the world through television.”
As for Povich, he says, “I’m just blown away by this honor from the Academy. I have always had great respect for its work as I served on the National Board and was President of the New York Chapter. I guess if you hang around long enough, some good things happen. It’s been a 60+ year ride for me in this business, so I feel extremely blessed with this acknowledgment.”
Meanwhile, this year’s inductees in the Gold and Silver Circle, which is a society of honor, include exceptional professionals who have performed distinguished service within the television industry, setting standards for achievement, mentoring, leadership and professional accolades for 50 or 25 years, respectively. They represent the best and brightest in the industry.
This year’s class includes:
Gold Circle
- Tanya Hart, Host / Producer, Entertainment Neww
- Wendy Riche, Producer, Daytime Drama
- Al Schwartz, Producer, Specials
- Vernée Watson, Performer, Daytime Drama
Silver Circle
- Christina Knack, Production Coordinator, Daytime Drama
- Patrick Weiland, Producer, Lifestyle
In May 1999, on her 19th nomination, Lucci won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of Erica Kane, marking her first time taking home the award. Outside of daytime drama, Lucci’s credits also include Lifetime’s “Devious Maids,” the feature film “Joy,” host and narrator of ID’s “Deadly Affairs” and appearances on “Hot in Cleveland,” “Army Wives,” “Dancing with the Stars” and “Saturday Night Live.” Lucci made her Broadway debut in 1999 as Annie Oakley in the revival of “Annie Get Your Gun” and has had solo performances in theaters and cabarets across the country. In 2011, Lucci released her New York Times bestselling autobiography, “All My Life.” She has dedicated her time to many causes close to her heart and is actively involved with United Cerebral Palsy of NYC, Little Flower Children Family Services of New York, the National AFib Campaign, March of Dimes, AMDeC (Academic Medicine Development Company), the New York Cancer Project, the American Stroke Association, and the American Heart Association, of which she currently serves as the National Ambassador for the Go Red for Women Movement. In 2005, Lucci received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2017, Lucci was inducted into the Silver Circle by the NY Chapter of NATAS.
Hosting the successful first-run syndicated show “Maury” from 1998 to 2022, Povich’s career extends to hosting “A Current Affair” (1986-1990) and “The Maury Povich Show” (1991-1998). Povich began his career in Washington, D.C. at WTTG-TV and later anchored newscasts and hosted talk shows for ABC, CBS and NBC owned-and-operated stations in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Philadelphia, respectively. While at the CBS station in Los Angeles, Povich co-anchored the news with his future wife Connie Chung. Povich served two consecutive terms as president of the New York Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS). In March 2006, Povich received the prestigious Governor’s Award from the New York Chapter of NATAS. The NY chapter of NATAS inducted Povich into the Gold Circle in 2017 for his 50+ years in broadcasting. Povich and his wife also own and operate “Flathead Beacon,” a newspaper in Flathead Valley, Montana, where they have a home, and “Flathead Living,” a quarterly glossy magazine. In addition, Povich’s personal dedication to helping the disadvantaged through education and sports is evident in his widespread and extremely generous philanthropy.
NATAS is a service organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of television and the promotion of creative leadership for artistic, educational, and technical achievements within the television industry. It recognizes excellence in television with the coveted Emmy® Awards for News & Documentary, Sports, Daytime, and Children’s & Family programming, as well as achievements in television Technology & Engineering.