LOS ANGELES, Jan 28 — Comedy The Marvelous Mrs Maisel, the upbeat story of a 1950s housewife-turned-comedian, won top television honours at the Screen Actors Guild Awards today as Hollywood stars honoured their peers’ best performances on the big and small screens.

The Amazon.com Inc show was named best comedy series at a glitzy ceremony in Los Angeles. Maisel stars Rachel Brosnahan and Tony Shalhoub won best TV comedy actress and actor.

"You cannot imagine the incredibly wonderful feeling it is to work alongside these people,” Shalhoub, who plays the lovably pedantic father of the title character, said as he was surrounded by show’s cast onstage. "This is a love fest.”

Brosnahan, who portrays the perennially optimistic Mrs Maisel, said she wanted to be an actor for as long as she could remember.

"To be able to count all of you as my peers, let alone stand here on this stage, is beyond my wildest dreams,” Brosnahan said to the A-list crowd.

SAG-AFTRA, Hollywood’s largest actors union with 160,000 members, also will honour the year’s best film performances. SAG’s film awards are closely watched because actors form the largest voting group in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organisation that hands out the Oscars next month.

"Everybody knows winning a SAG award is the greatest award an actor can receive this weekend,” joked host Megan Mullally, star of comedy Will & Grace.

Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper and the cast of musical revival A Star is Born are up for the night’s top honor, best movie ensemble. They are competing with the stars of superhero flick Black Panther, historical dramedy BlacKkKlansman, romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians and Golden Globes best drama winner Bohemian Rhapsody.

Only one film in the last 23 years has won the prestigious best picture Oscar without being nominated for SAG’s ensemble prize. That was last year’s fantasy romance The Shape of Water.

That scenario could repeat itself this year as SAG snubbed some of the best picture candidates in the ensemble category, including Spanish-language drama Roma, British period comedy The Favourite and Golden Globe best comedy winner Green Book. The Oscars will be awarded February 24.

Green Book did take home one of the night’s early SAG awards. Mahershala Ali received the trophy for best supporting actor in a movie for his role as jazz pianist Don Shirley.

SAG also recognised M*A*S*H TV star Alan Alda with a lifetime achievement award. — Reuters