Primetime Emmy Award for Program of the Year

Last updated
Primetime Emmy Award for Program of the Year
Awarded forOutstanding Program of the Year
Country United States
Presented by Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
First awarded1955
Currently held by A War of Children (1973)
Website emmys.com

The Primetime Emmy Award for Program of the Year was an annual award presented as part of the Primetime Emmy Awards. It recognized the best single television program of the year. In early Emmy ceremonies, anthology series were more common than traditional sitcoms or dramas; this made Program of the Year the highest honor. [1]

Contents

Though traditional comedy and drama series were nominated, the majority of nominees and winners were: telefilms, variety specials, and documentaries. The award was last presented in 1973.

Winners and nominations

1950s

YearProgramEpisodeNetwork
1954
(7th)
Disneyland "Operation Undersea" ABC
Light's Diamond Jubilee Variety Special Simulcast
Medic "White is the Color" NBC
Chrysler Shower of Stars "A Christmas Carol" CBS
Westinghouse Studio One
"Twelve Angry Men"
1955
(8th)
Producers' Showcase "Peter Pan"NBC
Disneyland "Davy Crockett and the River Pirates"ABC
Ford Star Jubilee "The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial"CBS
Make Room for Daddy "Peter Pan Meets Rusty Williams"ABC
Producers' Showcase"The Sleeping Beauty"NBC
The United States Steel Hour "No Time for Sergeants"ABC
Wide Wide World "The American West"NBC
1956
(9th)
Playhouse 90 "Requiem for a Heavyweight"CBS
Kraft Television Theatre "A Night to Remember"NBC
Omnibus "Leonard Bernstein"CBS
See It Now "Secret Life of Danny Kaye"
Victor Borge: Comedy in Music Variety Special
1957
(10th)
Playhouse 90 "The Comedian"CBS
The Edsel Show Variety SpecialCBS
General Motors 50th Anniversary Show NBC
Hallmark Hall of Fame "The Green Pastures"
Playhouse 90"The Helen Morgan Story"CBS
19581959
(11th)
An Evening with Fred Astaire Variety SpecialNBC
Hallmark Hall of Fame "Little Moon of Alban"NBC
Playhouse 90 "Child of Our Time"CBS
"The Old Man"

1960s

YearProgramEpisodeNetwork
19591960
(12th)
Not Awarded
19601961
(13th)
Hallmark Hall of Fame "Macbeth"NBC
1960 Presidential Nominating Conventions News ProgramNBC
An Hour with Danny Kaye Variety SpecialCBS
Astaire Time NBC
NBC Sunday Showcase "The Sacco-Venzetti Story"
19611962
(14th)
Hallmark Hall of Fame "Victoria Regina"NBC
Bell & Howell Close Up!"Walk in My Shoes"ABC
CBS Reports "Biography of a Bookie Joint"CBS
The Judy Garland Show Variety Special
Vincent Van Gogh: A Self-PortraitTelefilmNBC
19621963
(15th)
The Tunnel DocumentaryNBC
Alcoa Premiere "The Voice of Charlie Pont"ABC
The Danny Kaye Show with Lucille BallVariety SpecialNBC
The Defenders "The Madman"CBS
19631964
(16th)
The Making of the President 1960DocumentaryABC
The American Revolution of '63News ProgramNBC
The Defenders "Blacklist"CBS
The Kremlin DocumentaryNBC
Town Meeting of the WorldNews ProgramCBS
19641965
(17th)
Not Awarded
19651966
(18th)
[note 1]
The Ages of Man TelefilmCBS
Hallmark Hall of Fame "Eagle in a Cage"NBC
"Inherit the Wind"
Slattery's People "Rally 'Round Your Own Flag, Mister"CBS
19661967
(19th)
[note 1]
Death of a Salesman TelefilmCBS
ABC Stage 67 "A Christmas Memory"ABC
"The Love Song of Barney Kempinski"
CBS Playhouse "The Final War of Olly Winter"CBS
"The Glass Menagerie"
Mark Twain Tonight! Telefilm
19671968
(20th)
[note 1]
Hallmark Hall of Fame "Elizabeth the Queen"NBC
CBS Playhouse "Dear Friends"CBS
"Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night"
NET Playhouse "Uncle Vanya" NET
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde TelefilmABC
Xerox Special"Luther"
19681969
(21st)
[note 1]
Hallmark Hall of Fame "Teacher, Teacher"NBC
CBS Playhouse "The People Next Door"CBS
Heidi TelefilmNBC
A Midsummer Night's Dream CBS
Mission: Impossible "The Execution"
NET Playhouse "Talking to a Stranger"NET

1970s

YearProgramEpisodeNetwork
19691970
(22nd)
[note 1]
Hallmark Hall of Fame "A Storm in Summer"NBC
David Copperfield TelefilmNBC
Marcus Welby, M.D. "Hello, Goodbye, Hello"ABC
My Sweet Charlie TelefilmNBC
19701971
(23rd)
The Andersonville Trial Telefilm PBS
Hallmark Hall of Fame "Hamlet"NBC
"The Price"
Night Gallery "They're Tearing Down Tim Riley's Bar"
VanishedTelefilm
19711972
(24th)
Brian's Song TelefilmABC
All in the Family "Sammy's Visit"CBS
Elizabeth R "The Lion's Cub"PBS
Hallmark Hall of Fame "The Snow Goose"NBC
The Six Wives of Henry VIII "Jane Seymour"CBS
19721973
(25th)
A War of Children TelefilmCBS
That Certain Summer TelefilmABC
Long Day's Journey into Night
The Marcus-Nelson Murders CBS
The Red Pony NBC

Total awards by network

Programs with multiple awards

5 awards
2 awards

Programs with multiple nominations

12 nominations
5 nominations
2 nominations

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Limited to dramatic programs.

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References

  1. O'Neil, Thomas. "1960-61 A Bloodless Coup for Macbeth." The Emmys: The Ultimate, Unofficial Guide to the Battle of TV's Best Shows and Greatest Stars. New York: Perigee, 2000. 80.