49th Writers Guild of America Awards
# 49th Writers Guild of America Awards

The 49th Writers Guild of America Awards, given on 16 March 1997, honored the best writers of screen and television of 1996.

## Film

### Best Original Screenplay

Fargo - Joel and Ethan Coen

* Jerry Maguire - Cameron Crowe
* Lone Star - John Sayles
* Secrets & Lies - Mike Leigh
* Shine - Jan Sardi and Scott Hicks

### Best Adapted Screenplay

Sling Blade - Billy Bob Thornton

* Emma - Douglas McGrath
* The Birdcage - Elaine May
* The English Patient - Anthony Minghella
* Trainspotting - John Hodge

## Television

### Best Episodic Drama

Girl Talk - NYPD Blue - Theresa Rebeck and Bill Clark

* Aftershock - Law & Order - Janis Diamond and Michael S. Chernuchin
* Savages - Law & Order - Morgan Gendel, Barry M. Schkolnick and Michael S. Chernuchin
* Trophy - Law & Order - Jeremy R. Litman, Ed Zuckerman and Michael S. Chernuchin
* Pilot - Murder One - Charles H. Eglee, Channing Gibson, Steven Bochco and David Milch
* Falsies - Party of Five - Mark B. Perry
* Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose - The X Files - Darin Morgan

### Best Episodic Comedy

The Pool Guy - Seinfeld - David Mandel

* The Soup Nazi - Seinfeld - Spike Feresten
* The Sponge - Seinfeld - Peter Mehlman
* Eight - The Larry Sanders Show - Peter Tolan
