| Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for Variety Special | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Outstanding Directing for Variety Special |
| Country | United States |
| Presented by | Academy of Television Arts & Sciences |
| Currently held by | Hamish Hamilton, The Oscars |
| Website | emmys |
The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for Variety Special is awarded to one television special each year. After being grouped together, the category was initiated alongside Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series in 2009. From the 1980s to 2000s, specials competed alongside series for Outstanding Directing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program.
In the following list, the first titles listed in gold are the winners; those not in gold are nominees, which are listed in alphabetical order. The years given are those in which the ceremonies took place:
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy-Variety or Music Special
| Year | Program | Nominees | Network | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 [1] | ||||
| Peggy Fleming at Sun Valley | Sterling Johnson | NBC | ||
| The Anatomy of a Symphony Orchestra ( New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts ) | Roger Englander | CBS | ||
| George M! | Martin Charnin and Walter C. Miller | NBC | ||
| 1972 [2] | ||||
| Jack Lemmon in 'S Wonderful, 'S Marvelous, 'S Gershwin | Martin Charnin and Walter C. Miller | NBC | ||
| Julie and Carol at Lincoln Center | Dave Powers | CBS | ||
| Liszt and the Devil ( New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts ) | Roger Englander | |||
| 1973 [3] | ||||
| Liza with a Z | Bob Fosse | NBC | ||
| Duke Ellington... We Love You Madly | Stan Harris | CBS | ||
| Jack Lemmon: Get Happy | Martin Charnin and Dave Wilson | NBC | ||
| Once Upon a Mattress | Ron Field and Dave Powers | CBS | ||
| You're a Good Man Charlie Brown ( Hallmark Hall of Fame ) | Walter C. Miller | NBC | ||
| 1974 [4] | ||||
| Barbra Streisand...and Other Musical Instruments | Dwight Hemion | CBS | ||
| Magnavox Presents Frank Sinatra | Marty Pasetta | NBC | ||
| Mitzi... A Tribute to the American Housewife | Tony Charmoli | CBS | ||
| Peggy Fleming Visits the Soviet Union | Sterling Johnson | NBC | ||
| 1975 [5] | ||||
| An Evening with John Denver | Bill Davis | ABC | ||
| Ann-Margret Olsson | Dwight Hemion | NBC | ||
| Shirley MacLaine: If They Could See Me Now | Tony Charmoli | ABC | ||
| 1976 [6] | ||||
| Steve and Eydie: "Out Love Is Here to Stay" | Dwight Hemion | CBS | ||
| John Denver: Rocky Mountain Christmas | Bill Davis | ABC | ||
| Mitzi... Roarin' in the 20's" | Tony Charmoli | CBS | ||
| 1977 | Outstanding Directing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Special [7] | |||
| America Salutes Richard Rodgers: The Sound of His Music | Dwight Hemion | CBS | ||
| The Barry Manilow Special | George Schaefer | ABC | ||
| Doug Henning's World of Magic | Walter C. Miller | NBC | ||
| Sills and Burnett at the Met | David Powers | CBS | ||
| The Shirley MacLaine Special: Where Do We Go from Here? | Tony Charmoli | |||
| Outstanding Achievement in Coverage of Special Events - Individuals [8] [note 1] | ||||
| The 28th Annual Emmy Awards | John Moffitt | ABC | ||
| The 48th Annual Academy Awards | Marty Pasetta | ABC | ||
| 1978 | Outstanding Directing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Special [9] | |||
| The Sentry Collection Presents Ben Vereen: His Roots | Dwight Hemion | ABC | ||
| Doug Henning's World of Magic | Walter C. Miller | NBC | ||
| Mitzi... Zings Into Springs | Tony Charmoli | CBS | ||
| The Paul Simon Special | Dave Wilson | NBC | ||
| The Second Barry Manilow Special | George Schaefer | ABC | ||
| Outstanding Achievement in Coverage of Special Events - Individuals [10] [note 2] | ||||
| Footlights: The 1978 Tony Awards | Clark Jones | CBS | ||
| Year | Program | Nominees | Network | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Outstanding Individual Achievement - Classical Music/Dance Programming [11] [note 3] | |||
| Dance in America: A Song for Dead Warriors - San Francisco Ballet (Great Performances) | Merrill Brockway | PBS | ||
| A Lincoln Center Special: New York City Ballet's Tribute to George Balanchine | Emile Ardolino | PBS | ||
| Live from the Met Centennial Gala | Kirk Browning | |||
| 1985 | Outstanding Individual Achievement - Classical Music/Dance Programming - Directing [12] [note 4] | |||
| Dance in America: Baryshnikov by Tharp with American Ballet Theatre (Great Performances) | Don Mischer and Twyla Tharp | PBS | ||
| I Pagliacci (Great Performances) | Franco Zeffirelli | |||
| Tosca (Live from the Met) | Kirk Browning | PBS | ||
| 1986 | Outstanding Individual Achievement - Classical Music/Dance Programming [13] [note 5] | |||
| Cavalleria Rusticana (Great Performances) | Franco Zeffirelli | PBS | ||
| Dance in America: Choreography by Jerome Robbins with the New York City Ballet (Great Performances) | Emile Ardolino | PBS | ||
| The Verdi Requiem | Kirk Browning | |||
| 1987 | Outstanding Individual Achievement - Classical Music/Dance Programming - Directing [14] [note 6] | |||
| Goya with Plácido Domingo (Great Performances) | Kirk Browning | PBS | ||
| Vladimir Horowitz: The Last Romantic | Albert and David Maysles | |||
| Dance in America: In Memory of... A Ballet by Jerome Robbins (Great Performances) | Emile Ardolino | PBS | ||
| 1988 | Outstanding Individual Achievement - Classical [15] [note 7] | |||
| The Metropolitan Opera Presents: Turandot | Kirk Browning | PBS | ||
| Dance in America: David Gordon's Made in U.S.A. (Great Performances) | Don Mischer | PBS | ||
| Outstanding Individual Achievement - Special Events [16] [note 8] | ||||
| The 60th Annual Academy Awards | Marty Pasetta | ABC | ||
| 1989 | Outstanding Directing in Classical Music/Dance Programming [17] [note 9] | |||
| A Pavarotti Celebration: Scenes from La Bohème | Kirk Browning | PBS | ||
| Outstanding Directing for Special Events [18] [note 10] | ||||
| The 11th Annual Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts | Dwight Hemion | CBS | ||
Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special
| Year | Program | Nominees | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 [19] | Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony | Bucky Gunts | NBC |
| The 81st Annual Academy Awards | Roger Goodman | ABC | |
| Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Super Bowl Halftime Show | Don Mischer | NBC | |
| The Neighborhood Ball: An Inauguration Celebration | Glenn Weiss | ABC | |
| You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W. Bush | Marty Callner | HBO |
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