For the first time in 50 years, an animated series has been nominated for the top comedy award at the Emmys. FAMILY GUY is among the seven nominees for Outstanding Comedy Series along with ENTOURAGE, FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, THE OFFICE, 30 ROCK and WEEDS.

Staples of toondom rule the animation categories. In the Outstanding Animated Program (for programming less than one hour), the nominees are AMERICAN DAD for "Sixteen-Hundred Candles," ROBOT CHICKEN for "Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II," SOUTH PARK for "Margaritaville" and THE SIMPSONS for "Gone Maggie Gone."

The two animated programs were nominated in the Outstanding Animated Program (for programming one hour or more) category were AFRO SAMURAI: RESURRECTION and DESTINATION IMAGINATION (FOSTER'S HOME FOR IMAGINARY FRIENDS). Two other programs were nominated in the Outstanding Special Class - Short-format Animated Programs category. They were DISNEY'S PHINEAS AND FERB "The Monster Of Phineas-N-Ferbenstein" and SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS "Dear Vikings."

The voice-over category was also filled with animated series performances. The nods for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance went to Ron Rifkin, as Narrator for AMERICAN MASTERS "Jerome Robbins: Something To Dance About," Seth MacFarlane, as Peter Griffin for FAMILY GUY "I Dream of Jesus," Seth Green, as Anakin Skywalker/ Bob Goldstein/ Imperial Officer/ Ponda Baba/ Robot Chicken Nerd for ROBOT CHICKEN "Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II," Hank Azaria, as Moe Syzlak for THE SIMPSONS "Eeny Teeny Maya, Moe," Harry Shearer, as Kent Brockman/ Lenny/ Mr. Burns/ Smithers for THE SIMPSONS "The Burns And The Bees" and Dan Castellaneta, as Homer Simpson for THE SIMPSONS "Father Knows Worst."

In other animated Emmy news, THE SIMPSONS received a nod in the Outstanding Music Composition For A Series (Original Dramatic Score) for the "Gone Maggie Gone" episode as well.

In visual effects Emmy news, the nominations for Outstanding Special Visual Effects For A Series went to BATTLESTAR GALACTICA "Daybreak (Part 2)," FRINGE "Pilot," GHOST WHISPERER "Ghost In The Machine," HEROES "The Second Coming/The Butterfly Effect" and SANCTUARY "Sanctuary For All." Two were nominated in the Outstanding Special Visual Effects For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special category -- GENERATION KILL and INTO THE STORM.

Below is a complete list of the nominees for visual effects.

OUTSTANDING SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE OR A SPECIAL
Generation Kill * The Cradle Of Civilization * HBO * Company Pictures and Blown Deadline Productions in association with HBO Films
Adam McInnes, Visual Effects Supervisor
Courtney Vanderslice-Law, Visual Effects Producer
Antony Bluff, Visual Effects Producer
Paul Edwards, Visual Effects Producer
Ken Dailey, Visual Effects Producer
Stephane Paris, CGI Supervisor
David Sewell, Lead Visual Effects
Stuart Partridge, Lead Visual Effects Compositor
Jean-Paul Rovela, Lead CGI Artist

Into The Storm * HBO * Scott Free and Rainmark Films production in association with the BBC and HBO Films
Gary Brown, Visual Effects Supervisor
Phil Brown, Visual Effects Coordinator
Mark Robinson, Lead Visual Effects Compositor
Lino Khay, Lead Matte Artist
Andy Robinson, Lead Visual Effects Compositor
Chloe Grysole, Visual Effects Producer

OUTSTANDING SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS FOR A SERIES
Battlestar Galactica * Daybreak (Part 2) * Syfy * R&D TV in association with Universal Cable Productions
Gary Hutzel, Visual Effects Supervisor
Michael Gibson, Visual Effects Producer
Jesse Toves, CGI Artist
Sean Jackson, CGI Artist
Kyle Toucher, CGI Artist
Pierre Drolet, CGI Modeler
Greg Behrens, Visual Effects Coordinator
Heather McAuliff, Visual Effects Compositor
Dave Morton, CGI Artist

Fringe • Pilot * FOX * Warner Bros. Television and Bad Robot Productions
Kevin Blank, Visual Effects Supervisor
Jay Worth, Visual Effect Coordinator
Andrew Orloff, Visual Effects Supervisor
Johnathan Banta, 2D Lead Artist
Steve Graves, 3D Lead Artist
Jonathan Spencer Levy, Visual Effects Supervisor
Scott Dewis, 3D Artist
Steve Fong, Compositing Artist