'Sopranos' steals best drama Emmy

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 17 (UPI) -- "The Sopranos" was named best drama at the 59th annual Emmy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles Sunday night.

The ground-breaking HBO mob drama wrapped up its sixth and final season in June.

Although the show picked up awards for writing and directing earlier in the evening, actors Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco, James Gandolfini, Michael Imperioli and Aida Turturro all lost the Emmy categories in which they were nominated.

"This is really great," series creator David Chase said as he collected the drama award with his cast gathered around him onstage.

Thanking HBO for "the seven or 10 years -- or whatever it was -- of just nothing but pure support," Chase said, "Maybe the best thing about this has been working with this cast. They are great."

Before he left the stage he added: "In essence this is the story about a gangster and gangsters are out there, taking their kids to college; taking their kids to school, putting food on their tables. And, hell, let's face it, if the world and this nation were run by gangsters ... Well, maybe it is."