Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series | |
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Awarded for | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series |
Country | United States |
Presented by | Academy of Television Arts & Sciences |
First awarded | 1954 |
Currently held by | Jeremy Allen White, The Bear (2024) |
Website | emmys |
This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. The award is presented to the best performance by a lead actor in a television comedy series. Beginning with the 18th Primetime Emmy Awards, leading actors in comedy have competed alone. However, these comedic performances included actors from miniseries, telefilms, and guest performers competing against main cast competitors. Such instances are marked below:
The 74th Primetime Emmy Awards are the first Emmys where there is no representation from any of the big four broadcast networks.
Year | Actor | Role | Program | Network |
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Best Male Star of a Regular Series | ||||
1954 (6th) [note 1] | ||||
Donald O'Connor | Himself | The Colgate Comedy Hour | NBC | |
Sid Caesar | Various characters | Your Show of Shows | NBC | |
Wally Cox | Robinson Peepers | Mister Peepers | ||
Jackie Gleason | Various characters | The Jackie Gleason Show | CBS | |
Jack Webb | Joe Friday | Dragnet | NBC | |
Best Actor Starring in a Regular Series | ||||
1955 (7th) [note 1] | ||||
Danny Thomas | Danny Williams | Make Room for Daddy | ABC | |
Richard Boone | Dr. Konrad Styner | Medic | NBC | |
Robert Cummings | Robert Beanblossom | My Hero | ||
Jackie Gleason | Various characters | The Jackie Gleason Show | CBS | |
Jack Webb | Joe Friday | Dragnet | NBC | |
Best Actor - Continuing Performance | ||||
1956 (8th) [note 1] | ||||
Phil Silvers | MSgt. Ernest G. Bilko | The Phil Silvers Show | CBS | |
Robert Cummings | Bob Collins | The Bob Cummings Show | CBS | |
Jackie Gleason | Ralph Kramden | The Honeymooners | ||
Danny Thomas | Danny Williams | Make Room for Daddy | ABC | |
Robert Young | Jim Anderson | Father Knows Best | ||
Best Continuing Performance by a Comedian in a Series | ||||
1957 (9th) | ||||
Sid Caesar | Various characters | Caesar's Hour | NBC | |
Jack Benny | Various characters | The Jack Benny Program | CBS | |
Robert Cummings | Bob Collins | The Bob Cummings Show | ||
Ernie Kovacs | Himself | The Ernie Kovacs Show | NBC | |
Phil Silvers | MSgt. Ernest G. Bilko | The Phil Silvers Show | CBS | |
Best Continuing Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic or Comedy Series | ||||
1958 (10th) [note 1] | ||||
Robert Young | Jim Anderson | Father Knows Best | NBC | |
James Arness | Matt Dillon | Gunsmoke | CBS | |
Robert Cummings | Bob Collins | The Bob Cummings Show | ||
Phil Silvers | MSgt. Ernest G. Bilko | The Phil Silvers Show | ||
Danny Thomas | Danny Williams | The Danny Thomas Show | ABC & CBS | |
Best Actor in a Leading Role (Continuing Character) in a Comedy Series | ||||
1959 (11th) | ||||
Jack Benny | Various characters | The Jack Benny Program | CBS | |
Walter Brennan | Grandpa Amos McCoy | The Real McCoys | ABC | |
Robert Cummings | Bob Collins | The Bob Cummings Show | NBC | |
Phil Silvers | MSgt. Ernest G. Bilko | The Phil Silvers Show | CBS | |
Danny Thomas | Danny Williams | The Danny Thomas Show | ||
Robert Young | Jim Anderson | Father Knows Best | CBS & NBC |
Year | Actor | Role | Program | Episode Submissions | Network |
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1980 (32nd) | |||||
Richard Mulligan | Burt Campbell | Soap | "Episode 51" | ABC | |
Alan Alda | Hawkeye Pierce | M*A*S*H | — | CBS | |
Robert Guillaume | Benson DuBois | Benson | — | ABC | |
Judd Hirsch | Alex Reiger | Taxi | — | ||
Hal Linden | Barney Miller | Barney Miller | — | ||
1981 (33rd) | |||||
Judd Hirsch | Alex Reiger | Taxi | "Elaine's Strange Triangle" | ABC | |
Alan Alda | Hawkeye Pierce | M*A*S*H | — | CBS | |
Hal Linden | Barney Miller | Barney Miller | — | ABC | |
Richard Mulligan | Burt Campbell | Soap | — | ||
John Ritter | Jack Tripper | Three's Company | — | ||
1982 (34th) | |||||
Alan Alda | Hawkeye Pierce | M*A*S*H | "Where There's a Will, There's a War" | CBS | |
Robert Guillaume | Benson DuBois | Benson | — | ABC | |
Judd Hirsch | Alex Reiger | Taxi | — | ||
Hal Linden | Barney Miller | Barney Miller | — | ||
Leslie Nielsen | Frank Drebin | Police Squad! | — | ||
1983 (35th) | |||||
Judd Hirsch | Alex Reiger | Taxi | "Alex's Old Buddy" | NBC | |
Alan Alda | Hawkeye Pierce | M*A*S*H | — | CBS | |
Dabney Coleman | Bill Bittinger | Buffalo Bill | — | NBC | |
Ted Danson | Sam Malone | Cheers | — | ||
Robert Guillaume | Benson DuBois | Benson | — | ABC | |
1984 (36th) | |||||
John Ritter | Jack Tripper | Three's Company | "Cupid Works Overtime" | ABC | |
Dabney Coleman | Bill Bittinger | Buffalo Bill | — | NBC | |
Ted Danson | Sam Malone | Cheers | — | ||
Robert Guillaume | Benson DuBois | Benson | — | ABC | |
Sherman Hemsley | George Jefferson | The Jeffersons | — | CBS | |
1985 (37th) | |||||
Robert Guillaume | Benson DuBois | Benson | — | ABC | |
Harry Anderson | Judge Harry Stone | Night Court | — | NBC | |
Ted Danson | Sam Malone | Cheers | — | ||
Bob Newhart | Dick Loudon | Newhart | — | CBS | |
Jack Warden | Harry Fox | Crazy Like a Fox | — | ||
1986 (38th) | |||||
Michael J. Fox | Alex P. Keaton | Family Ties | "The Real Thing" | NBC | |
Harry Anderson | Judge Harry Stone | Night Court | — | NBC | |
Ted Danson | Sam Malone | Cheers | — | ||
Bob Newhart | Dick Loudon | Newhart | — | CBS | |
Jack Warden | Harry Fox | Crazy Like a Fox | — | ||
1987 (39th) | |||||
Michael J. Fox | Alex P. Keaton | Family Ties | "A, My Name Is Alex" | NBC | |
Harry Anderson | Judge Harry Stone | Night Court | — | NBC | |
Ted Danson | Sam Malone | Cheers | "Diamond Sam" | ||
Bob Newhart | Dick Loudon | Newhart | "Co-Hostess Twinkie" | CBS | |
Bronson Pinchot | Balki Bartokomous | Perfect Strangers | — | ABC | |
1988 (40th) | |||||
Michael J. Fox | Alex P. Keaton | Family Ties | "The Last of the Red Hot Psychologists" | NBC | |
Dabney Coleman | Slap Maxwell | The Slap Maxwell Story | "Episode 2" | ABC | |
Ted Danson | Sam Malone | Cheers | — | NBC | |
Tim Reid | Frank Parrish | Frank's Place | "The Bridge" | CBS | |
John Ritter | Det. Harry Hooperman | Hooperman | "Pilot" | ABC | |
1989 (41st) | |||||
Richard Mulligan | Dr. Harry Weston | Empty Nest | "Pilot" | NBC | |
Ted Danson | Sam Malone | Cheers | "Swear to God" | NBC | |
Michael J. Fox | Alex P. Keaton | Family Ties | "Alex Doesn't Live Here Anymore" | ||
John Goodman | Dan Conner | Roseanne | "Dan's Birthday Bash" | ABC | |
Fred Savage | Kevin Arnold | The Wonder Years | "Birthday Boy" | ||
Year | Actor | Role | Program | Episode Submissions | Network |
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1990 (42nd) | |||||
Ted Danson | Sam Malone | Cheers | "Cry Harder, Part II" | NBC | |
Craig T. Nelson | Hayden Fox | Coach | "If Keith Jackson Calls, I'll Be At My Therapist's" | ABC | |
John Goodman | Dan Conner | Roseanne | "Born to Be Wild" | ||
Fred Savage | Kevin Arnold | The Wonder Years | "Good-bye" | ||
Richard Mulligan | Dr. Harry Weston | Empty Nest | "Still Growing After All These Years" | NBC | |
1991 (43rd) | |||||
Burt Reynolds | Wood Newton | Evening Shade | "A Day in the Life of Wood Newton" | CBS | |
Ted Danson | Sam Malone | Cheers | "Bad Neighbor Sam" | NBC | |
John Goodman | Dan Conner | Roseanne | "Her Boyfriends Back" | ABC | |
Richard Mulligan | Dr. Harry Weston | Empty Nest | "The Mentor" | NBC | |
Craig T. Nelson | Hayden Fox | Coach | "The Break-Up" | ABC | |
1992 (44th) | |||||
Craig T. Nelson | Hayden Fox | Coach | "A Real Guy's Guy" | ABC | |
Ted Danson | Sam Malone | Cheers | "Go Make" | NBC | |
John Goodman | Dan Conner | Roseanne | "The Back Story" | ABC | |
Kelsey Grammer § | Frasier Crane | Wings | "Planes, Trains, and Visiting Cranes" | NBC | |
Burt Reynolds | Wood Newton | Evening Shade | "Callous Hearts of Rage" | CBS | |
Jerry Seinfeld | Jerry Seinfeld | Seinfeld | "The Boyfriend" | NBC | |
1993 (45th) | |||||
Ted Danson | Sam Malone | Cheers | "The Guy Can't Help It" | NBC | |
Tim Allen | Tim Taylor | Home Improvement | "Where There's a Will, There's a Way" | ABC | |
John Goodman | Dan Conner | Roseanne | "Terms of Estrangement, Part 2" | ||
Jerry Seinfeld | Jerry Seinfeld | Seinfeld | "The Opera" | NBC | |
Garry Shandling | Larry Sanders | The Larry Sanders Show | "What Have You Done for Me Lately?" | HBO | |
1994 (46th) | |||||
Kelsey Grammer | Frasier Crane | Frasier | "The Good Son" | NBC | |
John Goodman | Dan Conner | Roseanne | "Guilt By Imagination" | ABC | |
John Larroquette | John Hemingway | The John Larroquette Show | "Pilot" | NBC | |
Paul Reiser | Paul Buchman | Mad About You | "Virtual Reality" | ||
Jerry Seinfeld | Jerry Seinfeld | Seinfeld | "The Puffy Shirt" | ||
1995 (47th) | |||||
Kelsey Grammer | Frasier Crane | Frasier | "Adventures in Paradise, Part 2" | NBC | |
John Goodman | Dan Conner | Roseanne | "The Blaming of the Shrew" | ABC | |
Paul Reiser | Paul Buchman | Mad About You | "Cake Fear" | NBC | |
Jerry Seinfeld | Jerry Seinfeld | Seinfeld | "The Diplomat's Club" | ||
Garry Shandling | Larry Sanders | The Larry Sanders Show | "The Mr. Sharon Stone Show" | HBO | |
1996 (48th) | |||||
John Lithgow | Dick Solomon | 3rd Rock from the Sun | "Dick, Smoker" | NBC | |
Kelsey Grammer | Frasier Crane | Frasier | "You Can Go Home Again" | NBC | |
Paul Reiser | Paul Buchman | Mad About You | "Dream Weaver" | ||
Jerry Seinfeld | Jerry Seinfeld | Seinfeld | "The Gum" | ||
Garry Shandling | Larry Sanders | The Larry Sanders Show | — | HBO | |
1997 (49th) | |||||
John Lithgow | Dick Solomon | 3rd Rock from the Sun | "See Dick Continue to Run" | NBC | |
Michael J. Fox | Mike Flaherty | Spin City | "Prototype" | ABC | |
Kelsey Grammer | Frasier Crane | Frasier | "Ham Radio" | NBC | |
Paul Reiser | Paul Buchman | Mad About You | "The Birth" | ||
Garry Shandling | Larry Sanders | The Larry Sanders Show | "Everybody Loves Larry" | HBO | |
1998 (50th) | |||||
Kelsey Grammer | Frasier Crane | Frasier | "Frasier's Imaginary Friend" | NBC | |
Michael J. Fox | Mike Flaherty | Spin City | "The Goodbye Girl" | ABC | |
John Lithgow | Dick Solomon | 3rd Rock from the Sun | "Stuck with Dick" | NBC | |
Paul Reiser | Paul Buchman | Mad About You | "The Conversation" | ||
Garry Shandling | Larry Sanders | The Larry Sanders Show | "Flip" | HBO | |
1999 (51st) | |||||
John Lithgow | Dick Solomon | 3rd Rock from the Sun | "What's Love Got to Do, Got to Do with Dick?" | NBC | |
Michael J. Fox | Mike Flaherty | Spin City | "Gone with the Wind" | ABC | |
Kelsey Grammer | Frasier Crane | Frasier | "Merry Christmas, Mrs. Moskowitz" | NBC | |
Paul Reiser | Paul Buchman | Mad About You | "The Final Frontier" | ||
Ray Romano | Raymond Barone | Everybody Loves Raymond | "How They Met" | CBS | |
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(*) refers to those who have won in this category
Superlative | Performer | Program | Year | Age |
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Oldest Winner | Eugene Levy | Schitt's Creek | 2020 (72nd) | 73 |
Oldest Nominee | Steve Martin | Only Murders in the Building | 2024 (76th) | 78 |
Youngest Winner | Michael J. Fox | Family Ties | 1986 (38th) | 25 |
Youngest Nominee | Fred Savage | The Wonder Years | 1989 (41st) | 13 |
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The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series represents excellence in the category of limited series that are two or more episodes, with a total running time of at least 150 minutes.
This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Beginning with the 18th Primetime Emmy Awards, leading actresses in comedy have competed alone. However, these comedic performances included actresses from miniseries, telefilms, and guest performers competing against main cast competitors. Such instances are marked below:
This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. In early Primetime Emmy Award ceremonies, the supporting categories were not always genre-, or even gender-, specific. Beginning with the 22nd Primetime Emmy Awards, supporting actresses in comedy have competed alone. However, these comedic performances often included actors from miniseries, telefilms, and guest performers competing against main cast competitors. Such instances are marked below:
This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. In early Primetime Emmy Award ceremonies, the supporting categories were not always genre, or even gender, specific. Beginning with the 22nd Primetime Emmy Awards, supporting actors in comedy have competed alone. However, these comedic performances often included actors from miniseries, telefilms, and guest performers competing against main cast competitors. Such instances are marked below:
This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. Prior to 1988 the category was not gender specific, thus was called Outstanding Guest Performer in a Comedy Series. These awards, like the other "Guest" awards, are not presented at the Primetime Emmy Award ceremony, but rather at the Creative Arts Emmy Award ceremony.
This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. Prior to 1989, the category was not gender-specific, and, thus, was called Outstanding Guest Performer in a Comedy Series. It is given in honor to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a guest-starring role in a television comedy series. The current recipient is Jamie Lee Curtis for The Bear. Since the category change in 1989, a total of 34 actresses were awarded for their performances. The most awarded actress is Cloris Leachman, with 3 wins, followed by Tina Fey, Colleen Dewhurst, Kathryn Joosten, Jean Smart, Tracey Ullman, Betty White, and Maya Rudolph, with 2 wins. These awards, like the other "Guest" awards, were previously not presented at the Primetime Emmy Award ceremony, but, rather, at the Creative Arts Emmy Award ceremony.
The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series is an award presented annually in the U.S. by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role on a television drama series for the primetime network season.
The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series is an award presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). Beginning with the 18th Primetime Emmy Awards, leading actors in drama have competed alone. However, these dramatic performances included actors from miniseries, telefilms, and guest performers competing against main cast competitors. Such instances are marked below:
The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie is an award presented annually by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role on a television limited series or television movie for the primetime network season.
The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie is an award presented annually by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role on a television limited series or television movie for the primetime network season.
The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series is an award presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). In early Primetime Emmy Award ceremonies, the supporting categories were not always genre-, or even gender-, specific. Beginning with the 22nd Primetime Emmy Awards, supporting actresses in drama have competed alone. However, these dramatic performances often included actresses from miniseries, telefilms, and guest performers competing against main cast competitors. Such instances are marked below:
This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. Before 1975, supporting actors featured in a miniseries or movie were included in categories such as comedy or drama. From 1975 to 1978, the award was called Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Drama Special. Despite the category's name, actors appearing in many episodes of a miniseries were included. In 1979, the award was named Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Special. The award was renamed again in 1986, in Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Special. By 1998, the award was renamed Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie.
The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie is an award presented annually by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a supporting role on a television limited series or television movie for the primetime network season.
The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series is an award presented annually by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a guest starring role on a television drama series for the primetime network season.
The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series is an award presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). In early Primetime Emmy Award ceremonies, the supporting categories were not always genre, or even gender, specific. Beginning with the 22nd Primetime Emmy Awards, supporting actors in drama have competed alone. However, these dramatic performances often included actors from miniseries, telefilms, and guest performers competing against main cast competitors. Such instances are marked below:
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The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series is an award that is presented annually by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a guest starring role on a television drama series for the primetime network season.
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