Emmy Awards History: 4 Fun Facts And Trivia About The Award Show

The Emmy Awards is a highly-anticipated annual event that seeks to highlight the best of the best in the television industry. But with 67 events down its belt (now running toward 68), what made the Emmys such a distinguished awards ceremony, and what has been the most successful show to date?

Here are some interesting facts about the show:

1. The Emmy was almost called the “Ike”.

When Television Academy founder Sid Cassyd and president Harry Lubcke were coming up with names for the awards ceremony, Cassyd suggested “Ike” because it was the nickname for the television iconoscope tube, according to the Emmys website.

But Lubcke preferred the “Immy” — the nickname for the image-orthicon camera tube that is instrumental in the technical development of television.

Lubcke’s choice was selected, and they feminized the name to “Emmy” because the statuette, which is designed by engineer Louis McManus, is symbolic of the “muse of art uplifting the electron of science.”

2. “Saturday Night Live” has won the most Emmys of any individual television show.

The long-running show has won a total of 42 primetime Emmy Awards, according to the Rolling Stone. It has even bagged five Best Comedy victories, even surpassing its parent show “Cheers,” which received 28 total Emmys with 107 nominations.

3. But “Game of Thrones” is a top contender to edge out “SNL”.

It seems like the HBO show based on George RR Martin’s fantasy novels is soon to become the most Emmy-awarded show to date, since it already has a total number of 35 statuettes and at least a couple more seasons to go.

Just this weekend, the show raked in nine Creative Arts Emmy awards for visual effects, editing, sound mixing, makeup, casting, costume, stunt coordination and product design, reported Comic Book.

4. Not all Emmy wins help boost a show or career.

It’s nice to win an Emmy, but it does not always spell out success for a show or career. Felicity Huffman, who won an Emmy for Desperate Housewives in 2005, told Variety that actors need to ride the wave of their success, because they won’t stay on top for too long.

“I think with any award, it's like a fried egg: It's hot for a while and then it's cold. When it's hot, it's really good. And when it's cold, you could go, ‘I don't know what to do with that?’”

Meanwhile, Kelsey Grammer, a five-time Emmy winner, said that awards actually do “more for a show than they do for an actor, but they’re a great feather in the cap, and they can bump up the price a little bit in syndication. The personal kudos are great, but it’s just window dressing.”

Watch the 2016 Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 18, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.