The first season of American Horror Story, retroactively subtitled Murder House, centers on the Harmon family, who, after dealing with a miscarriage and infidelity, move to a restored mansion in Los Angeles, unaware that the ghosts of its former residents and their victims haunt the house. The ensemble cast includes Connie Britton, Dylan McDermott, Evan Peters, Taissa Farmiga, Denis O'Hare, and Jessica Lange. Created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk for cable network FX, American Horror Story was announced in February 2011, with production commencing that April. The season was broadcast between October 5 and December 21, 2011, being produced by 20th Century Fox Television. Dante Di Loreto served as executive producer alongside Murphy and Falchuk. Murder House generally received positive reviews from critics and drew consistently high ratings for FX, ending its cycle as the biggest new cable series of the year. The season was nominated for various industry awards, including the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Drama, and received a total of seventeen Emmy Award nominations. In addition, Lange won the Golden Globe, the Screen Actors Guild Award, and the Primetime Emmy Award for her supporting role. Cast and characters Main Connie Britton as Vivien Harmon Dylan McDermott as Dr. Ben Harmon Evan Peters as Tate Langdon Taissa Farmiga as Violet Harmon Denis O'Hare as Larry Harvey Jessica Lange as Constance Langdon Special guest stars Kate Mara as Hayden McClaine Zachary Quinto as Chad Warwick Charles S. Dutton as Detective Granger Eric Stonestreet as Derek Recurring Frances Conroy as Moira O'Hara Lily Rabe as Nora Montgomery Matt Ross as Dr. Charles Montgomery Alexandra Breckenridge as young Moira O'Hara Jamie Brewer as Adelaide "Addie" Langdon Morris Chestnut as Luke Christine Estabrook as Marcy Bodhi Schulz as Troy Kai Schulz as Bryan Celia Finkelstein as Nurse Gladys Michael Graziadei as Travis Wanderley Kyle Davis as Dallas Eve Gordon as Dr. Hall Rosa Salazar as Nurse Maria Teddy Sears as Patrick Azura Skye as Fiona David Anthony Higgins as Stan Sam Kinsey as Beauregard "Beau" Langdon Sarah Paulson as Billie Dean Howard Rebecca Wisocky as Lorraine Harvey Shelby Young as Leah Guest stars Adina Porter as Sally Freeman Christian Serratos as Becca Bianca Lawson as Abby Eric Close as Hugo Langdon Jordan David as Kevin Gedman Malaya Rivera Drew as Detective Barrios Brando Eaton as Kyle Greenwell Alexander Nimetz as Amir Stanley Ashley Rickards as Chloe Stapleton Mena