"Mad Men" won the Emmy Award for outstanding drama series for a second consecutive year in Los Angeles Sunday.

ADVERTISEMENT

Glenn Close picked up the prize for lead actress in a drama for her work on "Damages." The award was presented shortly after the telecast's traditional "In Memorium" segment, which celebrated the lives and careers of Paul Newman, Natasha Richardson, Farrah Fawcett, Eartha Kitt, Karl Malden, Van Johnson, Ed McMahon, Patrick Swayze, Henry Gibson, Michael Jackson and other luminaries who have died during the past year.

"You know, I've been sitting here and I just think it is such a huge privilege to be in the community that we're all a part of," Close said in her acceptance speech. "Looking at who we lost this past year, you think, what a legacy we have and what power we have and I want to salute my -- I call them now -- my category sisters because we've all been together now at these affairs and I respect you and I'm inspired by your talent. We all go where there's great writing. That's what we live off of."

She then thanked the screenwriters for "their incredible words" and for giving her "maybe the character of my lifetime."

Bryan Cranston won the award for lead actor in a drama for his performance in "Breaking Bad."

"I'm so thankful for so many things. ... I'm so thankful that Glenn Close is actually a woman (and thereby not eligible for this award)," Cranston said, staring at his statuette. "I'm thankful to AMC and Sony for being so courageous and supportive throughout this whole process of 'Breaking Bad.' I am honored to be in the company of these great actors. It is an embarrassment of riches for me and, I gotta tell you, I'm a poor kid from the Valley; I don't know what I'm doing up here. I feel like Cinderfella."