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Anticipation Builds For 65th Primetime Emmy Awards

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com/AP) — Television's biggest stars are gracing the red carpet in downtown Los Angeles in anticipation of the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards.

» COMPLETE COVERAGE: 65th Emmy Awards

The ceremony at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live, airing at 5 p.m. Sunday on CBS2, will boast its fair share of movie stars as well, among them TV movie nominees Michael Douglas and Matt Damon for the Liberace biopic "Behind the Candelabra" and Al Pacino and Helen Mirren for "Phil Spector."

Popular "How I Met Your Mother" star Neil Patrick Harris is the Emmy host.

There could be history made: "Scandal" star Kerry Washington, the first African-American nominee for best actress in a drama since Cicely Tyson in 1995 for "Sweet Justice," would be the first ever to win.

But all eyes will likely be on Netflix's "House of Cards," vying with cable series "Breaking Bad" and "Mad Men" for best drama.

The political thriller, the first online program to compete for the top trophy, is part of a video universe explosion that's added streaming services including Netflix and websites like YouTube to broadcast, cable and satellite TV delivery.

Both CBS and NBC were honored this year with 53 nominations, the most of any non-cable network.

» PICK-A-SIDE: Which First Time Emmy Awards Nominee Should Win?

ABC's "Modern Family" has the chance at its fourth consecutive best comedy series trophy.

If the series wins, it will join "Frasier" as the only other show to win in the outstanding comedy series category in each of its first four seasons, according to KNX 1070. Other nominees, include: "Veep," "Girls," "Big Bang Theory," "Louie," and "30 Rock."

"House of Cards" faces tough opposition. AMC's "Breaking Bad" is after its first best drama award as it nears the end of its five-season run, and "Mad Men" would like to claim a fifth honor to set a record for most wins in the category.

AMC's "Mad Men" is tied with past greats "Hill Street Blues," ''The West Wing," and "L.A. Law." Last year, Showtime's "Homeland" played spoiler by taking the trophy and is nominated again along with PBS' "Downton Abbey" and HBO's "Game of Thrones."

» EMMY AWARDS: Complete List Of Nominees

Bryan Cranston is bidding for a fourth lead-actor trophy for "Breaking Bad," facing fierce competition including Kevin Spacey of "House of Cards" and Jon Hamm of "Mad Men."

Spacey, his co-star Robin Wright and Jason Bateman of Netflix's comedy "Arrested Development" are the first to snare lead online series bids.

There have been Internet nominees before, such as last year's "Web Therapy" and "30 Rock: The Webisodes" in a short-format category, but not in the premier fields of acting and best series.

At last weekend's creative arts Emmys for technical and other achievements, "Behind the Candelabra" received a leading eight awards. Overall network leaders included HBO with 20 awards, followed by CBS with 15 and NBC with eight.

CBSLA.com and KNX 1070 will have comprehensive coverage of the Emmy Awards, starting at 3 p.m. Click here to listen live.

(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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