HBO's miniseries about the life of the second US President John Adams was a big winner at the Annual Primetime Emmy Awards yesterday, bringing home prizes for best miniseries, best actor for Paul Giamatti, best actress for Laura Linney and other statuettes.

The lavish "John Adams" won a total of 13 awards at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards, a record for a miniseries. The HBO historical drama also earned honors for Laura Linney for actress in a miniseries or movie for her role as the president's wife.

Linney couldn't resist getting a little political in accepting her Emmy, saying it will always make her think of "the great community organizers that helped form our country," a reference to one-time community organizer and now Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

While accepting his award, Giamatti joked that "I'm living proof to kids at home watching that anybody can play the president."

HBO's star-studded miniseries produced by Tom Hanks also earned an award for Tom Wilkinson, who won for supporting actor as Ben Franklin, and the writing award for a movie or miniseries.

The production was nominated for 23 Emmys altogether and had already won eight during the Creative Arts Emmys given out last week.

The 60th Primetime Emmy Awards show was held at the Nokia Theater for the first time. The theater, which is next to Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, is boasted as the biggest and most modern entertainment venue in the US West.

The annual gala event of the US television industry was held at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium for the previous six years and nine of the past 10.