HBO Tops ACE Winners With 27 : Television: ‘Dream On’ and ‘Josephine Baker’ are among programs to garner awards for the oldest pay-cable network.

Paced by the risque comedy series “Dream On” and the Emmy-winning film on the life of an eccentric American performer, “The Josephine Baker Story,” HBO again lorded over the ACE Awards for cable excellence Sunday in a nationally televised ceremony from the Pantages Theater in Hollywood.

The nation’s oldest and largest pay-cable network won 27 ACEs, cable’s version of the Emmy--three times as many as any other cable channel.

Showtime finished second with nine honors, A&E; and CNN both grabbed seven, ESPN scored six and the Disney Channel earned five, as the National Academy of Cable Programming spread this year’s 85 honors among 18 different cable channels.

“Dream On” led all individual programs with five trophies, including best comedy series, best actress (Wendie Malick), best writing, directing and art direction. Though “The Josephine Baker Story,” secured four awards, second most among all programs, HBO’s “Doublecrossed” beat it for best movie honors.

Disney’s “Avonela” was named best dramatic series, and HBO’s “Not Necessarily the Year in Review: 1990” topped all comedy specials. Eleanor Coppola’s Showtime film about her husband’s nightmarish production of “Apocalypse Now” was cable’s best documentary of 1991, while “Naked Hollywood’s” look behind the scenes at the movie industry earned top honors among international documentaries.

Individual laurels went to Bob Einstein, who plays Showtime’s “Super Dave” Osborne, for best actor in a comedy series, Olympia Dukakis in A&E;’s “The Last Act Is a Solo” for best actress in a dramatic series, and Darren McGavin in A&E;’s “Clara” for best actor in a dramatic series.

Christine Lahti, who starred in TNT’s movie “Crazy From the Heart,” grabbed best actress in a cable movie, while Beau Bridges’ portrayal of the former White House press secretary in HBO’s “Without Warning: The Jim Brady Story” earned him the best actor nod.

Other performing kudos went to Whitney Houston, Vanessa Redgrave, Arliss Howard, John Leguizamo, Roy Firestone, Jane Curtain and Marv Albert.

CNN won two awards for its much-lauded coverage of the Gulf War, including this year’s Golden ACE, as well as additional trophies for programs on convicted junk bond trader Michael Milkin and famine in Africa. Bernard Shaw was named best newscaster on cable television, while presidential candidate Pat Buchanan was honored as best interviewer along with his “Crossfire” partner Michael Kinsley.

ESPN’s “Sports Center,” “Up Close” and “Sunday Night NFL” each bagged trophies as top cable sports shows.

The winners included:

* Comedy series: “Dream On,” HBO.

* Dramatic series: “Avonela,” Disney Channel.

* Dramatic special: “Kurt Vonnegut’s Monkey House: All the King’s Horses,” Showtime.

* Movie or miniseries: “Doublecrossed,” HBO.

* Actor, comedy: Bob Einstein, “Super Dave,” Showtime.

* Actress, comedy: Wendie Malick, “Dream On,” HBO.

* Actress, dramatic series: Olympia Dukakis, “The Last Act Is a Solo,” A&E.;

* Actor, dramatic series: Darren McGavin, “Clara,” A&E.;

* Actor, movie: Beau Bridges, “Without Warning: The James Brady Story,” HBO.

* Actress, movie: Christine Lahti, “Crazy From the Heart,” TNT.

* Supporting actor, movie or miniseries: Arliss Howard, “Somebody Has to Shoot the Picture,” HBO.

* Supporting actress, movie or miniseries: Vanessa Redgrave, “Young Catherine,” TNT.

* News special or series: “Famine in Africa,” CNN.

* Business program: “Money Line With Lou Dobbs: Michael Milkin the Junk Bond King Goes to Jail,” CNN.

* Extended news coverage: “CNN’s Extended Coverage of the War in the Gulf,” CNN.

* Newscaster: Bernard Shaw, CNN.

* Public-affairs special: “Rape: Cries From the Heartland (America Undercover),” HBO.

* Documentary special: “Heart’s of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse,” Showtime.

* Documentary series: “The Trials of Life,” TNT.

* Documentary host: David Attenborough, “The Trials of Life,” TNT.

* Program interviewer: Pat Buchanan, Michael Kinsley, “Crossfire,” CNN.

* Entertainment host: Jane Curtain, “Retaining Laughter,” Lifetime.

* Sports events coverage: “ESPN Sunday Night NFL,” ESPN.

* Sports news series: “Sports Center,” ESPN.

* Sports information series: “Up Close,” ESPN.

* Sports information special: “When It Was a Game,” HBO.

* Sports host: Roy Firestone, “Up Close,” ESPN.

* Sports play-by-play: Marv Albert, “New York Knicks Basketball,” Madison Square Garden Network.

* Comedy special: “Not Necessarily the Year in Review: 1990,” HBO.

* Stand-up comedy special: “HBO Comedy Hour: Paula Poundstone--Cats, Cops and Stuff,” HBO.

* Stand-up comedy series: “Comedy On the Road,” A&E.;

* Performance in a comedy series: John Leguizamo, “The Talent Pool,” Comedy Central.

* Music series: “VH-1 to One,” VH-1.

* Music special: “Paul McCartney: Going Home,” Disney.

* Variety program: “The Hype,” MTV.

* Performance music special: Whitney Houston, “Welcome Home Heroes With Whitney Houston,” HBO.

* Talk show: “Larry King Live,” CNN.

* Magazine show: “National Geographic Explorer,” TBS.

* Cultural special: “Crazy About the Movies: Robert Mitchum--The Reluctant Star,” Cinemax. * Children’s program, 7 and up: “The Adventures of Pete and Pete: The Valentine’s Day Massacre,” Nickelodeon.

* Children’s program, 6 and under: “Harry the Dirty Dog,” Nickelodeon.

* Children’s educational program: “Earth to Kids: A Guide to Products for a Healthy Planet,” HBO.

* Educational special: “Heil Hitler! Confessions of a Hitler Youth (America Undercover),” HBO.

* Educational series: “Earthscope,” Learning Channel.

* Game show: “Supermarket Sweep,” Lifetime.

* Animated program: “The Woman Who Raised a Bear as Her Son,” Disney.

* International documentary series: “Naked Hollywood,” A&E.;

* International documentary special: “Swift and Silent,” Discovery.

* International music special: “Montreux Jazz Festival,” A&E.;

* International children’s program: “The Angel and the Soldier Boy,” Showtime.

* International news: “Thawing of a Cold War Warrior,” Discovery.

* International movie: “Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit,” A&E.;

* International series: “Whose Line Is It Anyway,” Comedy Central.

* International cultural program: “Ibsen’s Ghost,” Bravo.

* International educational program: “Beyond 2000,” Discovery.

* Recreation and leisure program: “A Big Picture Special Edition: Lone Wolf,” MTV.

* Short-form special: “CNN Special Assignment: Trade School,” CNN.

* Short-form series: “Crossroads,” Showtime.