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:
- # – Indicates a performance in a miniseries or television film, prior to the category's creation
- § – Indicates a performance as a guest performer, prior to the category's creation
| Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series | |
|---|---|
 2024 recipient Jeremy Allen White | |
| 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 |
The 74th Primetime Emmy Awards are the first Emmys where there is no representation from any of the big four broadcast networks.
Winners and nominations
edit1950s
edit| Year | Actor | Role | Program | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
1960s
edit1970s
edit1980s
edit| Year | Actor | Role | Program | Episode Submissions | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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" |
1990s
edit| Year | Actor | Role | Program | Episode Submissions | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
2000s
edit| Year | Actor | Role | Program | Episode Submissions | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 (52nd) | |||||
| Michael J. Fox | Mike Flaherty | Spin City | "Goodbye" | ABC | |
| Kelsey Grammer | Frasier Crane | Frasier | "Radio Wars" | NBC | |
| John Lithgow | Dick Solomon | 3rd Rock from the Sun | "Frankie Goes to Rutherford" | ||
| Eric McCormack | Will Truman | Will & Grace | "Oh Dad, Poor Dad, He's Kept Me in the Closet and I'm So Sad" | ||
| Ray Romano | Raymond Barone | Everybody Loves Raymond | "Bad Moon Rising" | CBS | |
| 2001 (53rd) | |||||
| Eric McCormack | Will Truman | Will & Grace | "Lows in the Mid-Eighties" | NBC | |
| Kelsey Grammer | Frasier Crane | Frasier | "Frasier's Edge" | NBC | |
| John Lithgow | Dick Solomon | 3rd Rock from the Sun | "Red, White, and Dick" | ||
| Frankie Muniz | Malcolm | Malcolm in the Middle | "Bowling" | Fox | |
| Ray Romano | Raymond Barone | Everybody Loves Raymond | "Ray's Journal" | CBS | |
| 2002 (54th) | |||||
| Ray Romano | Raymond Barone | Everybody Loves Raymond | "The Breakup Tape" | CBS | |
| Kelsey Grammer | Frasier Crane | Frasier | "The Love You Fake" | NBC | |
| Matt LeBlanc | Joey Tribbiani | Friends | "The One Where Joey Tells Rachel" | ||
| Bernie Mac | Bernie McCullough | The Bernie Mac Show | "Saving Bernie Mac" | Fox | |
| Matthew Perry | Chandler Bing | Friends | "The One Where Chandler Takes a Bath" | NBC | |
| 2003 (55th) | |||||
| Tony Shalhoub | Adrian Monk | Monk | "Mr. Monk and the Airplane" | USA | |
| Larry David | Larry David | Curb Your Enthusiasm | "The Special Section" | HBO | |
| Matt LeBlanc | Joey Tribbiani | Friends | "The One in Barbados" | NBC | |
| Bernie Mac | Bernie McCullough | The Bernie Mac Show | "The Incredible Bulk" | Fox | |
| Eric McCormack | Will Truman | Will & Grace | "The Kid Stays Out of the Picture" | NBC | |
| Ray Romano | Raymond Barone | Everybody Loves Raymond | "Counseling" | CBS | |
| 2004 (56th) | |||||
| Kelsey Grammer | Frasier Crane | Frasier | "The Doctor is Out" | NBC | |
| Larry David | Larry David | Curb Your Enthusiasm | "Opening Night" | HBO | |
| Matt LeBlanc | Joey Tribbiani | Friends | "The One Where the Stripper Cries" | NBC | |
| John Ritter (posthumously) | Paul Hennessy | 8 Simple Rules | "Premiere" | ABC | |
| Tony Shalhoub | Adrian Monk | Monk | "Mr. Monk Goes to the Theater" | USA | |
| 2005 (57th) | |||||
| Tony Shalhoub | Adrian Monk | Monk | "Mr. Monk Takes His Medicine" | USA | |
| Jason Bateman | Michael Bluth | Arrested Development | "Good Grief" | Fox | |
| Zach Braff | J.D. | Scrubs | "My Last Chance" | NBC | |
| Eric McCormack | Will Truman | Will & Grace | "Queens for a Day" | ||
| Ray Romano | Raymond Barone | Everybody Loves Raymond | "The Power of No" | CBS | |
| 2006 (58th) | |||||
| Tony Shalhoub | Adrian Monk | Monk | "Mr. Monk Bumps His Head" | USA | |
| Steve Carell | Michael Scott | The Office | "The Injury" | NBC | |
| Larry David | Larry David | Curb Your Enthusiasm | "The Ski Lift" | HBO | |
| Kevin James | Doug Heffernan | The King of Queens | "Pole Lox" | CBS | |
| Charlie Sheen | Charlie Harper | Two and a Half Men | "The Unfortunate Little Schnauser" | ||
| 2007 (59th) | |||||
| Ricky Gervais | Andy Millman | Extras | "Sir Ian McKellen" | HBO | |
| Alec Baldwin | Jack Donaghy | 30 Rock | "Hiatus" | NBC | |
| Steve Carell | Michael Scott | The Office | "Business School" | ||
| Tony Shalhoub | Adrian Monk | Monk | "Mr. Monk Gets a New Shrink" | USA | |
| Charlie Sheen | Charlie Harper | Two and a Half Men | "Who's Vod Kanockers?" | CBS | |
| 2008 (60th) | |||||
| Alec Baldwin | Jack Donaghy | 30 Rock | "Rosemary's Baby" | NBC | |
| Steve Carell | Michael Scott | The Office | "Goodbye, Toby" | NBC | |
| Lee Pace | Ned | Pushing Daisies | "Pie-lette" | ABC | |
| Tony Shalhoub | Adrian Monk | Monk | "Mr. Monk and the Naked Man" | USA | |
| Charlie Sheen | Charlie Harper | Two and a Half Men | "Is There a Mrs. Waffles?" | CBS | |
| 2009 (61st) | |||||
| Alec Baldwin | Jack Donaghy | 30 Rock | "Generalissimo" | NBC | |
| Steve Carell | Michael Scott | The Office | "Broke" | NBC | |
| Jemaine Clement | Jemaine | Flight of the Conchords | "Unnatural Love" | HBO | |
| Jim Parsons | Sheldon Cooper | The Big Bang Theory | "The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis" | CBS | |
| Tony Shalhoub | Adrian Monk | Monk | "Mr. Monk and the Miracle" | USA | |
| Charlie Sheen | Charlie Harper | Two and a Half Men | "The 'Ocu' or the 'Pado'?" | CBS |
2010s
edit2020s
editPrograms with multiple awards
editPerformers with multiple wins
edit
|
|
Programs with multiple nominations
edit
|
|
|
Performers with multiple nominations
edit
|
|
|
|
(*) refers to those who have won in this category
Superlatives
edit| Superlative | Performer | Program | Year | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Total awards by network
edit
|
|
|
See also
edit- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
- Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy
- Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
- ^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
- ^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
- ^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
- ^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
- ^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
- ^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
- ^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 13, 2017.