``The Last Emperor,'' a panoramic drama of modern China, scored top honors with nine nominations Wednesday in an Oscar race that included Cher, Robin Williams and Michael Douglas but overlooked directors Steven Spielberg and James L. Brooks. ``Broadcast News,'' the comedy-romance set in a television news bureau, followed with seven nominations including those for stars William Hurt, Holly Hunter and Albert Brooks. James Brooks was nominated as producer and writer, but surprisingly, not as director. Spielberg's ``Empire of the Sun'' tied ``Fatal Attraction'' and ``Moonstruck'' with six nominations, but Spielberg was not mentioned for his direction, nor did the film make the best movie list. In 1985, Spielberg's ``The Color Purple'' collected 11 nominations, but none for the director. Joining ``Broadcast News'' and ``The Last Emperor,'' the life story of China's last monarch, as contenders for best picture were ``Fatal Attraction,'' ``Hope and Glory'' and ``Moonstruck.'' Bernardo Bertolucci, the Italian director of ``The Last Emperor,'' said in Rome that ``even if I've been making films for 25 years, today for the first time I feel like I passed my exams with flying colors, the sensation of becoming an adult.'' Of the best picture nominees, ``Fatal Attraction'' was the only one to place among the Top Ten money makers of 1987., It was third with a gross of $129,358,990, behind ``Beverly Hills Cop II'' and ``Platoon,'' which won the Oscar for best picture last year. But most of the nominated films opened near the end of the year and are still selling tickets. Two-time winners Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep were nominated as best actor and actress for their roles as Depression-era low-lifers in ``Ironweed.'' Best actor nominees also included Douglas for ``Wall Street''; Hurt, ``Broadcast News''; Marcello Mastroianni, ``Dark Eyes''; Williams, ``Good Morning, Vietnam.'' Douglas learned the news watching television at his New York apartment. He said, ``It made me not only proud of our film `Wall Street,' but it reminded me of what a wonderful part Oliver Stone created.'' Joining Streep on the best actress list: Cher, ``Moonstruck''; Glenn Close, ``Fatal Attraction''; Miss Hunter, ``Broadcast News;'' and Sally Kirkland, ``Anna.'' ``I'm ecstatic to be nominated,'' said Miss Close at her country home in New York. ``I'm especially thrilled that so many connected with the film have been nominated.'' Sean Connery, who never was nominated as James Bond, placed among the nominees for supporting actor with his role as the steely Chicago cop in ``The Untouchables.'' Others in the race: Albert Brooks, ``Broadcast News''; Morgan Freeman, ``Street Smart''; Vincent Gardenia, ``Moonstruck''; Denzel Washington, ``Cry Freedom.'' All of the supporting actresses were first-time nominees: Norma Aleandro, ``Gaby _ A True Story''; Anne Archer, ``Fatal Attraction''; Olympia Dukakis, ``Moonstruck''; Anne Ramsey, ``Throw Momma from the Train''; Ann Sothern, ``The Whales of August.'' The directors branch of the Academy neglected Spielberg and Brooks to reward five foreigners: Britons Adrian Lyne, ``Fatal Attraction,'' and John Boorman, ``Hope and Glory''; Bertolucci, ``The Last Emperor''; Canadian Norman Jewison, ``Moonstruck''; and Swede Lasse Hallstrom, ``My Life as a Dog.'' James Brooks was reached at the Berlin Film Festival by his publicist, Pat Kingsley, who reported: ``I'm sure that he was disappointed at not getting the nomination (for his direction). But he was so thrilled for the actors, and he was thrilled for the screenplay nomination.'' Brooks was nominated for best original screenplay, along with Louis Malle, ``Au Revoir Les Enfants''; Boorman, ``Hope and Glory''; John Patrick Shanley, ``Moonstruck''; Woody Allen, ``Radio Days.'' Both Malle and Boorman based their scripts on their boyhood experiences in World War II. A fourth Huston entered the Academy ranks. Tony Huston was nominated for his adaptation of James Joyce's ``The Dead.'' If he wins an Oscar, he would be following in the footsteps of grandfather Walter, father John and sister Anjelica. Tony Huston was awakened with the news by his publicist Sheila Barr. He told her of his late father's advice when an Academy nominee once asked what he should say to the press. ``Don't say _ listen,'' instructed John. ``Tony said he had gotten this far collaborating with his dad, and he thinks he should take heed of his advice,'' said Miss Barr. Also nominated for screenplay adaptation: James Dearden, ``Fatal Attraction''; Stanley Kubrick, Michael Herr, Gustav Hasford, ``Full Metal Jacket''; Mark Peploe and Bertolucci, ``The Last Emperor''; Hallstrom, Reidar Jonnson, Brasse Brannstrom, Per Berglund, ``My Life as a Dog.'' All of the foreign language film nominees come from Europe: ``Au Revoir Les Enfants'' (France); Babette's Feast'' (Denmark); ``Course Completed'' (Spain); ``The Family'' (Italy); ``Pathfinder'' (Norway). The nominees for best song: ``Cry Freedom'' (title song); ``(I've Had) The Time of My Life'' from ``Dirty Dancing''; ``Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now'' from ``Mannequin''; ``Shakedown'' from ``Beverly Hills Cop II''; ``Storybook Love'' from ``The Princess Bride.'' Nominations for the 60th Academy Awards included other notable omissions besides those of Spielberg and Brooks. Pioneering star Lillian Gish was overlooked for ``The Whales of August,'' but the acting branch saluted Miss Sothern, who started her film career in 1929 in ``The Show of Shows,'' for her role as a compassionate neighbor in ``Whales.'' Steve Martin received critics' raves for his Cyrano in ``Roxanne,'' but neither his performance nor the script he wrote won an Academy mention. But the manic Williams won a nomination _ rare for a flat-out comedy performance _ for ``Good Morning, Vietnam.'' Academy voters resisted the high-pressure campaign for ``Nuts.'' Stars Barbra Streisand and Richard Dreyfus were not among the nominees. Also among the missing: John Lone, ``The Last Emperor''; Elaine Stritch, ``September''; Maggie Smith, ``The Secret Passion of Judith Hearne''; Faye Dunaway, ``Barfly''; director Hector Babenco, ``Ironweed.'' The Academy Awards return to the Shrine Auditorium on April 11 after a 40-year absence. The ceremonies will be televised on the ABC network.