LOS ANGELES - "Mad Men," the sharply observed drama of a changing 1960s America, captured 19 Emmy nominations Thursday to lead the series pack, with the melodramatic miniseries "Mildred Pierce" starring Kate Winslet grabbing a top 21 bids.

"Mad Men" has a chance to repeat for a fourth consecutive year as best drama. "Modern Family," last year's top comedy series, was the most-nominated sitcom with 17 bids.

Other leading contenders include the Prohibition-era drama "Boardwalk Empire" with 18 nominations, "Saturday Night Live" with 16 and 13 bids each for the sex-and-swords fantasy "Game of Thrones" and the sitcom "30 Rock."

"OK, keep it together," a surprised nominations co-announcer Melissa McCarthy said when she realized she was a nominee for her sitcom "Mike & Molly."

It's been a sweet year already for McCarthy, the one-time "Gilmore Girls" cast member who's drawn critical raves for her turn in the box office hit "Bridesmaids."

The controversial Canadian miniseries "The Kennedys," which was dropped by the History Channel in the U.S., although was broadcast in Canada on History Television, received 10 nominations, including best miniseries and acting bids for Greg Kinnear as U.S. President John F. Kennedy, Barry Pepper as Robert Kennedy and Tom Wilkinson as family patriarch Joe Kennedy.

The 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards airs live, Sunday, Sept. 18 on CTV.

Familiar faces have a chance to claim -- or reclaim -- Emmys, including last year's lead comedy actress winner Edie Falco of "Nurse Jackie" and Jim Parsons, best actor for a comedy for "The Big Bang Theory." Both were nominated this year, with Parsons' co-star Johnny Galecki earning his first bid for the show.

"Project Runway" was nominated in the reality category for the seventh consecutive year and host Heidi Klum got the happy news while filming an upcoming episode. The show has never won, but Klum said getting nominated proved it is still relevant.

"What I always say when I talk to my designers, 'One day you're in and the next day you're out -- as quick as that.' There's always great new shows that come in, and they can kick you off just as easy as you came on. Therefore, we're very happy to be nominated again."

Jon Hamm received his fourth lead acting bid for "Mad Men," and this time the competitor who denied him the award three times before isn't in the category. Bryan Cranston and "Breaking Bad" weren't eligible for this year's awards because the series took a break between seasons.

Hamm's new competition includes Steve Buscemi, who received a Golden Globe for his performance as an Atlantic City political boss in "Boardwalk Empire."

Steve Carell earned a best comedy actor nomination for his final season of "The Office," his last chance to win an Emmy statuette for his role as TV's most clueless boss.

Matt LeBlanc, best known for his role as Joey in "Friends," received a lead comedy actor bid for playing a screen version of himself in the satiric show business series "Episodes."

"I knew I was on some prediction lists and stuff like that, but it's not the kind of thing you expect," he said by phone. "You just work hard. If you get recognized for it, that's great, but if not, it's OK, too."

And proving that the Betty White phenomenon still has legs: The 89-year-old wonder nabbed a best supporting actress bid for the sitcom "Hot in Cleveland." If she wins, it would be her eighth Emmy.

"I am so thrilled. How lucky can an old broad be?" she said by phone a few minutes after her agent woke her. "I wasn't even thinking about the nominations because I didn't even think there was a chance."

There were fresh faces as well, including best drama actress nominee Mireille Enos of "The Killing" and best drama actor Timothy Olyphant of "Justified."

Kyra Sedgwick of "The Closer," last year's best drama actress winner, found herself closed out of the category this year.

"Glee" stars Lea Michele and Matthew Morrison failed to repeat their acting nods, but Chris Colfer and Jane Lynch got second consecutive nominations and there was Emmy love to spare for "Glee" guest actresses Gwyneth Paltrow, Kristin Chenoweth and Dot-Marie Jones.

Chenoweth was fast asleep when her manager called with the news and didn't want to predict her chances of winning: "I'm sure people will be speculating, but honestly, I have zero idea. I consider the nomination the win and an excuse to put on a cute dress."

Lynch, who was a winner last year for her role as an obsessive cheerleading coach, is hosting this year's Emmy ceremony. The awards air Sept. 18.

Ed O'Neill, who was snubbed last year for "Modern Family," this year received a supporting actor bid for his role as the family chief. His co-star, Eric Stonestreet, who plays Cameron, was nominated as a supporting actor and tweeted that he was in Belgium and so his reaction would be in Flemish: "wauw!" the message began.

"Sarah Palin's Alaska" was submitted in four categories, including best reality series and cinematography, and was blanked. Shows that made the reality series cut include "Hoarders" and "Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D List."

Two Oscar winners, Winslet and Melissa Leo, have a chance to score an Emmy for "Mildred Pierce." Leo, who also appears in the New Orleans drama "Treme," received a supporting actress bid for the miniseries.

Emmy voters have a chance to flaunt their risk-taking side with "Game of Thrones," given the usual resistance to rewarding genre shows such as fantasy or science fiction.

The series based on the George R.R. Martin novels scored a best drama nod but only a single acting bid, for Peter Dinklage in a supporting role.

Other best drama contenders besides "Game" and "Mad Men" are "Boardwalk Empire," "Dexter," "Friday Night Lights" and "The Good Wife."

"Modern Family" is competing with "The Big Bang Theory," "Glee," "The Office," "Parks and Recreation" and "30 Rock" for the best comedy crown.

The nominations, which were announced by McCarthy and Joshua Jackson of "Fringe" at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences," sets up a clash in a new category that combines the previously separate movies and miniseries.

The contenders besides "Mildred Pierce" and "The Kennedys" are "Cinema Verite," "Downton Abbey," "The Pillars of the Earth" and "Too Big to Fail," about the 2008 U.S. fiscal crisis. Snubbed in the category was the new incarnation of "Upstairs Downstairs," which found its turf poached by the other British class drama, "Downtown Abbey."

"Let's all dress like Mildred Pierce for the Emmys," Mindy Kaling of "The Office" joked in a tweet about the mid-20th century drama based on the James M. Cain novel.

Besides Bates and Enos, other best drama series actress nominees are Connie Britton for "Friday Night Lights," Mariska Hargitay for "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," Julianna Margulies for "The Good Wife" and Elisabeth Moss for "Mad Men."

Hamm, who plays the darkly conflicted Don Draper in "Mad Men," is competing in the lead drama actor category with Buscemi, Olyphant, Kyle Chandler of "Friday Night Lights," Michael C. Hall of "Dexter" and Hugh Laurie of "House" -- who has yet to receive a trophy after five previous nominations.

On the comedy side, McCarthy and Falco will be vying for best comedy series actress with Laura Linney of "The Big C," Martha Plimpton of "Raising Hope," Amy Poehler of "Parks and Recreation" and Tina Fey of "30 Rock."

Louis C.K. of "Louie" and Alec Baldwin of "30 Rock" are nominated for best actor in a comedy along with Parsons, Carell, Galecki and LeBlanc.

"American Idol," which has yet to win in the reality-competition category, is competing with "The Amazing Race," "Dancing With the Stars," "Project Runway," "So You Think You Can Dance" and last year's winner "Top Chef."

Nominees in major categories for the 2011 Emmy Awards announced Thursday by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences:

  • Drama Series: "Boardwalk Empire," "Dexter," "Friday Night Lights," "Game of Thrones," "The Good Wife," "Mad Men."
  • Comedy Series: "The Big Bang Theory," "Glee," "Modern Family," "The Office," "Parks and Recreation," "30 Rock."
  • Miniseries or Made-for-TV Movie: "Cinema Verite," "Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)," "The Kennedys," "Mildred Pierce," "The Pillars of the Earth," "Too Big to Fail."
  • Actor, Drama Series: Steve Buscemi, "Boardwalk Empire," Michael C. Hall, "Dexter," Kyle Chandler, "Friday Night Lights," Hugh Laurie, "House," Timothy Olyphant, "Justified," Jon Hamm, "Mad Men."
  • Actress, Drama Series: Connie Britton, "Friday Night Lights," Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife," Kathy Bates, "Harry's Law," Mireille Enos, "The Killing," Mariska Hargitay, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," Elisabeth Moss, "Mad Men."
  • Supporting Actor, Drama Series: Peter Dinklage, "Game of Thrones," Josh Charles, "The Good Wife," Alan Cumming, "The Good Wife," Walton Goggins, "Justified," John Slattery, "Mad Men," Andre Braugher, "Men of a Certain Age."
  • Supporting Actress, Drama Series: Kelly Macdonald, "Boardwalk Empire," Archie Panjabi, "The Good Wife," Christine Baranski, "The Good Wife," Margo Martindale, "Justified," Michelle Forbes, "The Killing," Christina Hendricks, "Mad Men."
  • Actor, Comedy Series: Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory," Johnny Galecki, "The Big Bang Theory," Matt LeBlanc, "Episodes," Louis C.K., "Louie," Steve Carell, "The Office," Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock."
  • Actress, Comedy Series: Laura Linney, "The Big C," Showtime; Melissa McCarthy, "Mike & Molly," Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie," Amy Poehler, "Parks and Recreation," Martha Plimpton, "Raising Hope," Tina Fey, "30 Rock."
  • Supporting Actor, Comedy Series: Chris Colfer, "Glee," Jesse Tyler Ferguson, "Modern Family," Ed O'Neill, "Modern Family," Eric Stonestreet, "Modern Family," Ty Burrell, "Modern Family," Jon Cryer, "Two and a Half Men."
  • Supporting Actress, Comedy Series: Jane Lynch, "Glee," Betty White, "Hot in Cleveland," Julie Bowen, "Modern Family," Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family," Kristen Wiig, "Saturday Night Live," Jane Krakowski, "30 Rock."
  • Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Edgar Ramirez, "Carlos," Greg Kinnear, "The Kennedys," Barry Pepper, "The Kennedys," Idris Elba, "Luther," Laurence Fishburne, "Thurgood," William Hurt, "Too Big to Fail."
  • Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Diane Lane, "Cinema Verite," Elizabeth McGovern, "Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)," Kate Winslet, "Mildred Pierce," Taraji P. Henson, "Taken From Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story," Lifetime; Jean Marsh, "Upstairs Downstairs (Masterpiece)."
  • Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Tom Wilkinson, "The Kennedys," Guy Pearce, "Mildred Pierce," Brian F. O'Byrne, "Mildred Pierce," Paul Giamatti, "Too Big to Fail," James Woods, "Too Big to Fail."
  • Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Maggie Smith, "Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)," Evan Rachel Wood, "Mildred Pierce," Melissa Leo, "Mildred Pierce," Mare Winningham, "Mildred Pierce," Eileen Atkins, "Upstairs Downstairs (Masterpiece)."
  • Reality Program: "Antiques Roadshow," "Deadliest Catch," "Hoarders," "Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List," "MythBusters," "Undercover Boss."
  • Reality-Competition Program: "The Amazing Race," "American Idol," "Dancing With the Stars," "Project Runway," Lifetime; "So You Think You Can Dance," "Top Chef."
  • Variety, Music or Comedy Series: "The Colbert Report," "Conan," "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart," "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, "Real Time With Bill Maher, "Saturday Night Live."
  • Children's Program: "A Child's Garden of Poetry," "Degrassi, My Body Is a a Cage, Part 2," "iCarly, iGot a Hot Room, Nickelodeon; "Victorious, Freak The Freak Out," "Wizards of Waverly Place, Wizards Vs. Angels."

AP Entertainment Writers Derrik J. Lang, Sandy Cohen and Ryan Pearson, and AP Television Writer Frazier Moore contributed to this report.