PGA announces nominees

The feature films "Babel," "The Departed," "Dreamgirls," "Little Miss Sunshine" and "The Queen" were nominated Wednesday by the Producers Guild of America for the Darryl F. Zanuck producer of the year award.

The producers' organization has been one of the most reliable bellwethers for the best picture Oscar -- over the past 14 years only four films that didn't win the Producers Guild Award -- 1992's "Unforgiven," 1995's "Braveheart," 2004's "Million Dollar Baby" " and 2005's "Crash" -- went on to receive the best picture Oscar.

"Cars," "Flushed Away," "Happy Feet," "Ice Age: The Meltdown" and "Monster House" will be vying for the Producer of the Year Award in Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures.

The five contenders for the David L. Wolper Producer of the Year in Long-Form Television Award are "Bleak House," "Elizabeth I," "Flight 93," "High School Musical" and "Mrs. Harris."

Nominees for the Producer of the Year Award in Non-Fiction television are "The Amazing Race 9," "American Idol," "Dancing With the Stars," "Project Runaway" and "60 Minutes."

The Danny Thomas Producer of the Year in Episodic Television-Comedy contenders are "Arrested Development," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "My Name is Earl," "The Office" and "Weeds."

"Grey's Anatomy," "House," "Lost," "The Sopranos" and "24" are nominated for the Norman Felton Producer of the Year Award in Episodic Television-Drama.

Nominees for the Producer of the Year Award in Variety Television are "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," "Late Night With Conan O'Brien," "The Late Show With David Letterman," "Real Time with Bill Maher" and "The XX Olympics Games: Opening Ceremony."

Also scheduled to be honored at the 18th Annual Producers Guild of America Awards on Jan. 20 at the Hyatt Regency will be Ron Meyer (Milestone Award), Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher (David O. Selznick Achievement Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures), Jerry Bruckheimer (Norman Lear Achievement Award in Television), Ken Ehrlich (Visionary Award) and Will Wright (Vanguard Award). The documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" will be presented with the Stanley Kramer Award.