Julia Louis-Dreyfus paid tribute to her father who died on Friday as she won an Emmy for her role in the political satire Veep.
The American fought back tears as she collected her prize for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series, in which she plays President Selina Meyer.
"I'd like to dedicate this to my father ... who passed away on Friday," she said.
"I'm so glad that he liked Veep because his opinion was the one that really mattered."
It is the fifth time in a row Louis-Dreyfus has won the award for her role in the US version of BBC comedy The Thick Of It.
Jeffrey Tambor won best lead actor in a comedy series for his role in the Amazon series Transparent and urged the television industry to provide more opportunities for transgender actors.
"Please give transgender talent a chance," he said. "Give them auditions. Give them their stories.
Jimmy Kimmel kicked off the 2016 Emmys by poking fun at Donald Trump and blaming British producer Mark Burnett, who created the US Apprentice, for the billionaire's move into politics.
"Thanks to Mark Burnett, we don't have to watch reality shows any more, because we're living them," Kimmel said.
"If it wasn't for television, would Donald Trump be running for president?"
Kimmel, the US talk show host, is presenting this year's ceremony - television's equivalent of the Oscars - at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles.
Ghostbusters star Kate McKinnon was named outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series for her performances in long-running sketch show Saturday Night Live.
Louie Anderson took home the outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series for his performance in Baskets.
Actress Sarah Paulson, who is nominated for best lead actress in a limited series, was joined at the show by Marcia Clark, the prosecutor she portrayed in the People vs OJ Simpson: American Crime Story.
Sterling K Brown beat his co-stars John Travolta and David Schwimmer from The People vs OJ Simpson: American Crime Story to win best supporting actor in a limited series or movie.
Brown played prosecutor Christopher Darden in the drama about the murder trial of OJ Simpson. Schwimmer took the role of Simpson's lawyer and friend Robert Kardashian and Travolta portrayed defence lawyer Robert Shapiro.
Paulson and British actress Oliva Colman lost out in the outstanding supporting actress in a limited series category to Regina King from American Crime.
Paulson was nominated for her role in American Horror Story, while Colman was up the award for her performance in BBC series The Night Manager.
Tom Hiddleson, who starred in The Night Manager, presented the award for outstanding directing in a limited series or movie to the show's director Susanne Bier.
Paulson hugged Clark as she was named outstanding lead actress in a limited series for her performance in The People vs OJ Simpson: American Crime Story.
On stage, she said described Clark as a "complicated, whip smart, giant-hearted mother of two" who dedicated herself to "righting an unconscionable wrong".
Courtney B Vance was named outstanding actor in a limited series for his portrayal of defence lawyer Johnnie Cochrane in The People vs OJ Simpson.
Vance beat his co-star Cuba Gooding Jr, who played OJ Simpson, and British stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Idris Elba and Tom Hiddleston to the award.
Sherlock The Abominable Bride was named outstanding television movie and writer Steven Moffat referred on stage to The Great British Bake Off's move from the BBC to Channel Four.
"Thank you to the BBC who we love above all bakery. British people will get that," he said.
The People vs OJ Simpson: American Crime Story was named outstanding limited series.
British comedian John Oliver won the outstanding variety talk series award for Last Week Tonight, beating James Corden's Late, Late Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
Games Of Thrones - hoping to break Frasier's record total for a narrative series of 37 Emmys - won awards for outstanding writing and directing for a drama series.
Dame Maggie Smith was named outstanding supporting actress in a drama series for her role in Downton Abbey, beating Game Of Thrones stars Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke and Maisie Williams.