# Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

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
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
### 1950s

| Year | Actor | Role | Program | Network |
| Best Male Star of a Regular Series |||||
| 1954 (6th) |
| 1954 (6th) | Donald O'Connor | Himself | The Colgate Comedy Hour | NBC |
| 1954 (6th) | Sid Caesar | Various characters | Your Show of Shows | NBC |
| 1954 (6th) | Wally Cox | Robinson Peepers | Mister Peepers | NBC |
| 1954 (6th) | Jackie Gleason | Various characters | The Jackie Gleason Show | CBS |
| 1954 (6th) | Jack Webb | Joe Friday | Dragnet | NBC |
| Best Actor Starring in a Regular Series |||||
| 1955 (7th) |
| 1955 (7th) | Danny Thomas | Danny Williams | Make Room for Daddy | ABC |
| 1955 (7th) | Richard Boone | Dr. Konrad Styner | Medic | NBC |
| 1955 (7th) | Robert Cummings | Robert Beanblossom | My Hero | NBC |
| 1955 (7th) | Jackie Gleason | Various characters | The Jackie Gleason Show | CBS |
| 1955 (7th) | Jack Webb | Joe Friday | Dragnet | NBC |
| Best Actor - Continuing Performance |||||
| 1956 (8th) |
| 1956 (8th) | Phil Silvers | MSgt. Ernest G. Bilko | The Phil Silvers Show | CBS |
| 1956 (8th) | Robert Cummings | Bob Collins | The Bob Cummings Show | CBS |
| 1956 (8th) | Jackie Gleason | Ralph Kramden | The Honeymooners | CBS |
| 1956 (8th) | Danny Thomas | Danny Williams | Make Room for Daddy | CBS | ABC |
| 1956 (8th) | Robert Young | Jim Anderson | Father Knows Best |
| Best Continuing Performance by a Comedian in a Series |||||
| 1957 (9th) |
| 1957 (9th) | Sid Caesar | Various characters | Caesar's Hour | NBC |
| 1957 (9th) | Jack Benny | Various characters | The Jack Benny Program | CBS |
| 1957 (9th) | Robert Cummings | Bob Collins | The Bob Cummings Show | CBS |
| 1957 (9th) | Ernie Kovacs | Himself | The Ernie Kovacs Show | NBC |
| 1957 (9th) | 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) |
| 1958 (10th) | Robert Young | Jim Anderson | Father Knows Best | NBC |
| 1958 (10th) | James Arness | Matt Dillon | Gunsmoke | CBS |
| 1958 (10th) | Robert Cummings | Bob Collins | The Bob Cummings Show | CBS |
| 1958 (10th) | Phil Silvers | MSgt. Ernest G. Bilko | The Phil Silvers Show | CBS |
| 1958 (10th) | Danny Thomas | Danny Williams | The Danny Thomas Show | ABC & CBS |
| Best Actor in a Leading Role (Continuing Character) in a Comedy Series |||||
| 1959 (11th) |
| 1959 (11th) | Jack Benny | Various characters | The Jack Benny Program | CBS |
| 1959 (11th) | Walter Brennan | Grandpa Amos McCoy | The Real McCoys | ABC |
| 1959 (11th) | Robert Cummings | Bob Collins | The Bob Cummings Show | NBC |
| 1959 (11th) | Phil Silvers | MSgt. Ernest G. Bilko | The Phil Silvers Show | CBS |
| 1959 (11th) | Danny Thomas | Danny Williams | The Danny Thomas Show | CBS |
| 1959 (11th) | Robert Young | Jim Anderson | Father Knows Best | CBS & NBC |

### 1960s

| Year | Actor | Role | Program | Network |
| Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Series (Lead or Support) |||||
| 1960 (12th) |
| 1960 (12th) | Robert Stack | Eliot Ness | The Untouchables | ABC |
| 1960 (12th) | Richard Boone | Paladin | Have Gun – Will Travel | CBS |
| 1960 (12th) | Raymond Burr | Perry Mason | Perry Mason | CBS |
| Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Series (Lead) |||||
| 1961 (13th) |
| 1961 (13th) | Raymond Burr | Perry Mason | Perry Mason | CBS |
| 1961 (13th) | Jackie Cooper | Chick Hennesey | Hennesey | CBS |
| 1961 (13th) | Robert Stack | Eliot Ness | The Untouchables | ABC |
| Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Series (Lead) |||||
| 1962 (14th) |
| 1962 (14th) | E. G. Marshall | Lawrence Preston | The Defenders | CBS |
| 1962 (14th) | Paul Burke | Det. Adam Flint | Naked City | ABC |
| 1962 (14th) | Jackie Cooper | Chick Hennesey | Hennesey | CBS |
| 1962 (14th) | Vince Edwards | Ben Casey | Ben Casey | ABC |
| 1962 (14th) | George Maharis | Buz Murdock | Route 66 | CBS |
| 1963 (15th) |
| 1963 (15th) | E. G. Marshall | Lawrence Preston | The Defenders | CBS |
| 1963 (15th) | Ernest Borgnine | Lt. Cmdr. Quinton McHale | McHale's Navy | ABC |
| 1963 (15th) | Paul Burke | Det. Adam Flint | Naked City | ABC |
| 1963 (15th) | Vic Morrow | Sgt. Sanders | Combat! | ABC |
| 1963 (15th) | Dick Van Dyke | Rob Petrie | The Dick Van Dyke Show | CBS |
| 1964 (16th) |
| 1964 (16th) | Dick Van Dyke | Rob Petrie | The Dick Van Dyke Show | CBS |
| 1964 (16th) | Richard Boone | Host | The Richard Boone Show | NBC |
| 1964 (16th) | Dean Jagger | Principal Albert Vane | Mr. Novak | NBC |
| 1964 (16th) | David Janssen | Dr. Richard Kimble | The Fugitive | ABC |
| 1964 (16th) | George C. Scott | Neil Brock | East Side/West Side | CBS |
| Outstanding Individual Achievements in Entertainment - Actors and Performers |||||
| 1965 (17th) |
| 1965 (17th) | Leonard Bernstein | Conductor | New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts with Leonard Bernstein | CBS |
| 1965 (17th) | Lynn Fontanne | Fanny Bowditch Holmes | Hallmark Hall of Fame: "The Magnificent Yankee" | NBC |
| 1965 (17th) | Alfred Lunt | Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. | Hallmark Hall of Fame: "The Magnificent Yankee" | NBC |
| 1965 (17th) | Barbra Streisand | Herself | My Name Is Barbra | CBS |
| 1965 (17th) | Dick Van Dyke | Rob Petrie | The Dick Van Dyke Show | CBS |
| 1965 (17th) | Julie Andrews | Herself | The Andy Williams Show: "November 30, 1964" | NBC |
| 1965 (17th) | Johnny Carson | Host | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | NBC |
| 1965 (17th) | Gladys Cooper | Margaret St. Clair | The Rogues | NBC |
| 1965 (17th) | Robert Coote | Timmy St. Clair | The Rogues | NBC |
| 1965 (17th) | Richard Crenna | James Slattery | Slattery's People | CBS |
| 1965 (17th) | Julie Harris | Florence Nightingale | Hallmark Hall of Fame: "The Holy Terror" | NBC |
| 1965 (17th) | Bob Hope | Himself | Chrysler Presents A Bob Hope Comedy Special | NBC |
| 1965 (17th) | Dean Jagger | Principal Albert Vane | Mr. Novak | NBC |
| 1965 (17th) | Danny Kaye | Host | The Danny Kaye Show | CBS |
| 1965 (17th) | David McCallum | Illya Kuryakin | The Man from U.N.C.L.E. | NBC |
| 1965 (17th) | Red Skelton | Himself | The Red Skelton Hour | CBS |
| Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series |||||
| 1966 (18th) |
| 1966 (18th) | Dick Van Dyke | Rob Petrie | The Dick Van Dyke Show | CBS |
| 1966 (18th) | Don Adams | Maxwell Smart | Get Smart | NBC |
| 1966 (18th) | Bob Crane | Colonel Robert E. Hogan | Hogan's Heroes | CBS |
| 1967 (19th) |
| 1967 (19th) | Don Adams | Maxwell Smart | Get Smart | NBC |
| 1967 (19th) | Bob Crane | Colonel Robert E. Hogan | Hogan's Heroes | CBS |
| 1967 (19th) | Brian Keith | Bill Davis | Family Affair | CBS |
| 1967 (19th) | Larry Storch | Corporal Randolph Agarn | F Troop | ABC |
| 1968 (20th) |
| 1968 (20th) | Don Adams | Maxwell Smart | Get Smart | NBC |
| 1968 (20th) | Richard Benjamin | Dick Hollister | He & She | CBS |
| 1968 (20th) | Sebastian Cabot | Giles French | Family Affair | CBS |
| 1968 (20th) | Brian Keith | Bill Davis | Family Affair | CBS |
| 1968 (20th) | Dick York | Darrin Stephens | Bewitched | ABC |
| 1969 (21st) |
| 1969 (21st) | Don Adams | Maxwell Smart | Get Smart | NBC |
| 1969 (21st) | Brian Keith | Bill Davis | Family Affair | CBS |
| 1969 (21st) | Edward Mulhare | Captain Daniel Gregg | The Ghost and Mrs. Muir | NBC |
| 1969 (21st) | Lloyd Nolan | Dr. Morton Chegley | Julia | NBC |

### 1970s

| Year | Actor | Role | Program | Network |
| 1970 (22nd) |
| 1970 (22nd) | William Windom | John Monroe | My World and Welcome to It | NBC |
| 1970 (22nd) | Bill Cosby | Chet Kincaid | The Bill Cosby Show | NBC |
| 1970 (22nd) | Lloyd Haynes | Pete Dixon | Room 222 | ABC |
| 1971 (23rd) |
| 1971 (23rd) | Jack Klugman | Oscar Madison | The Odd Couple | ABC |
| 1971 (23rd) | Ted Bessell | Donald Hollinger | That Girl | ABC |
| 1971 (23rd) | Bill Bixby | Tom Corbett | The Courtship of Eddie's Father | ABC |
| 1971 (23rd) | Carroll O'Connor | Archie Bunker | All in the Family | CBS |
| 1971 (23rd) | Tony Randall | Felix Unger | The Odd Couple | ABC |
| 1972 (24th) |
| 1972 (24th) | Carroll O'Connor | Archie Bunker | All in the Family | CBS |
| 1972 (24th) | Redd Foxx | Fred G. Sanford | Sanford and Son | NBC |
| 1972 (24th) | Jack Klugman | Oscar Madison | The Odd Couple | ABC |
| 1972 (24th) | Tony Randall | Felix Unger | The Odd Couple | ABC |
| 1973 (25th) |
| 1973 (25th) | Jack Klugman | Oscar Madison | The Odd Couple | ABC |
| 1973 (25th) | Alan Alda | Hawkeye Pierce | M*A*S*H | CBS |
| 1973 (25th) | Redd Foxx | Fred G. Sanford | Sanford and Son | NBC |
| 1973 (25th) | Carroll O'Connor | Archie Bunker | All in the Family | CBS |
| 1973 (25th) | Tony Randall | Felix Unger | The Odd Couple | ABC |
| 1974 (26th) |
| 1974 (26th) | Alan Alda | Hawkeye Pierce | M*A*S*H | CBS |
| 1974 (26th) | Redd Foxx | Fred G. Sanford | Sanford and Son | NBC |
| 1974 (26th) | Jack Klugman | Oscar Madison | The Odd Couple | ABC |
| 1974 (26th) | Carroll O'Connor | Archie Bunker | All in the Family | CBS |
| 1974 (26th) | Tony Randall | Felix Unger | The Odd Couple | ABC |
| 1975 (27th) |
| 1975 (27th) | Tony Randall | Felix Unger | The Odd Couple | ABC |
| 1975 (27th) | Jack Albertson | Ed Brown | Chico and the Man | NBC |
| 1975 (27th) | Alan Alda | Hawkeye Pierce | M*A*S*H | CBS |
| 1975 (27th) | Jack Klugman | Oscar Madison | The Odd Couple | ABC |
| 1975 (27th) | Carroll O'Connor | Archie Bunker | All in the Family | CBS |
| 1976 (28th) |
| 1976 (28th) | Jack Albertson | Ed Brown | Chico and the Man | NBC |
| 1976 (28th) | Alan Alda | Hawkeye Pierce | M*A*S*H | CBS |
| 1976 (28th) | Hal Linden | Barney Miller | Barney Miller | ABC |
| 1976 (28th) | Henry Winkler | Fonzie | Happy Days | ABC |
| 1977 (29th) |
| 1977 (29th) | Carroll O'Connor | Archie Bunker | All in the Family | CBS |
| 1977 (29th) | Jack Albertson | Ed Brown | Chico and the Man | NBC |
| 1977 (29th) | Alan Alda | Hawkeye Pierce | M*A*S*H | CBS |
| 1977 (29th) | Hal Linden | Barney Miller | Barney Miller | ABC |
| 1977 (29th) | Henry Winkler | Fonzie | Happy Days | ABC |
| 1978 (30th) |
| 1978 (30th) | Carroll O'Connor | Archie Bunker | All in the Family | CBS |
| 1978 (30th) | Alan Alda | Hawkeye Pierce | M*A*S*H | CBS |
| 1978 (30th) | Hal Linden | Barney Miller | Barney Miller | ABC |
| 1978 (30th) | John Ritter | Jack Tripper | Three's Company | ABC |
| 1978 (30th) | Henry Winkler | Fonzie | Happy Days | ABC |
| 1979 (31st) |
| 1979 (31st) | Carroll O'Connor | Archie Bunker | All in the Family | CBS |
| 1979 (31st) | Alan Alda | Hawkeye Pierce | M*A*S*H | CBS |
| 1979 (31st) | Judd Hirsch | Alex Reiger | Taxi | ABC |
| 1979 (31st) | Hal Linden | Barney Miller | Barney Miller | ABC |
| 1979 (31st) | Robin Williams | Mork | Mork & Mindy | ABC |

### 1980s

| Year | Actor | Role | Program | Episode Submissions | Network |
| 1980 (32nd) |
| 1980 (32nd) | Richard Mulligan | Burt Campbell | Soap | "Episode 51" | ABC |
| 1980 (32nd) | Alan Alda | Hawkeye Pierce | M*A*S*H | — | CBS |
| 1980 (32nd) | Robert Guillaume | Benson DuBois | Benson | — | ABC |
| 1980 (32nd) | Judd Hirsch | Alex Reiger | Taxi | — | ABC |
| 1980 (32nd) | Hal Linden | Barney Miller | Barney Miller | — | ABC |
| 1981 (33rd) |
| 1981 (33rd) | Judd Hirsch | Alex Reiger | Taxi | "Elaine's Strange Triangle" | ABC |
| 1981 (33rd) | Alan Alda | Hawkeye Pierce | M*A*S*H | — | CBS |
| 1981 (33rd) | Hal Linden | Barney Miller | Barney Miller | — | ABC |
| 1981 (33rd) | Richard Mulligan | Burt Campbell | Soap | — | ABC |
| 1981 (33rd) | John Ritter | Jack Tripper | Three's Company | — | ABC |
| 1982 (34th) |
| 1982 (34th) | Alan Alda | Hawkeye Pierce | M*A*S*H | "Where There's a Will, There's a War" | CBS |
| 1982 (34th) | Robert Guillaume | Benson DuBois | Benson | — | ABC |
| 1982 (34th) | Judd Hirsch | Alex Reiger | Taxi | — | ABC |
| 1982 (34th) | Hal Linden | Barney Miller | Barney Miller | — | ABC |
| 1982 (34th) | Leslie Nielsen | Frank Drebin | Police Squad! | — | ABC |
| 1983 (35th) |
| 1983 (35th) | Judd Hirsch | Alex Reiger | Taxi | "Alex's Old Buddy" | NBC |
| 1983 (35th) | Alan Alda | Hawkeye Pierce | M*A*S*H | — | CBS |
| 1983 (35th) | Dabney Coleman | Bill Bittinger | Buffalo Bill | — | NBC |
| 1983 (35th) | Ted Danson | Sam Malone | Cheers | — | NBC |
| 1983 (35th) | Robert Guillaume | Benson DuBois | Benson | — | ABC |
| 1984 (36th) |
| 1984 (36th) | John Ritter | Jack Tripper | Three's Company | "Cupid Works Overtime" | ABC |
| 1984 (36th) | Dabney Coleman | Bill Bittinger | Buffalo Bill | — | NBC |
| 1984 (36th) | Ted Danson | Sam Malone | Cheers | — | NBC |
| 1984 (36th) | Robert Guillaume | Benson DuBois | Benson | — | ABC |
| 1984 (36th) | Sherman Hemsley | George Jefferson | The Jeffersons | — | CBS |
| 1985 (37th) |
| 1985 (37th) | Robert Guillaume | Benson DuBois | Benson | — | ABC |
| 1985 (37th) | Harry Anderson | Judge Harry Stone | Night Court | — | NBC |
| 1985 (37th) | Ted Danson | Sam Malone | Cheers | — | NBC |
| 1985 (37th) | Bob Newhart | Dick Loudon | Newhart | — | CBS |
| 1985 (37th) | Jack Warden | Harry Fox | Crazy Like a Fox | — | CBS |
| 1986 (38th) |
| 1986 (38th) | Michael J. Fox | Alex P. Keaton | Family Ties | "The Real Thing" | NBC |
| 1986 (38th) | Harry Anderson | Judge Harry Stone | Night Court | — | NBC |
| 1986 (38th) | Ted Danson | Sam Malone | Cheers | — | NBC |
| 1986 (38th) | Bob Newhart | Dick Loudon | Newhart | — | CBS |
| 1986 (38th) | Jack Warden | Harry Fox | Crazy Like a Fox | — | CBS |
| 1987 (39th) |
| 1987 (39th) | Michael J. Fox | Alex P. Keaton | Family Ties | "A, My Name Is Alex" | NBC |
| 1987 (39th) | Harry Anderson | Judge Harry Stone | Night Court | — | NBC |
| 1987 (39th) | Ted Danson | Sam Malone | Cheers | "Diamond Sam" | NBC |
| 1987 (39th) | Bob Newhart | Dick Loudon | Newhart | "Co-Hostess Twinkie" | CBS |
| 1987 (39th) | Bronson Pinchot | Balki Bartokomous | Perfect Strangers | — | ABC |
| 1988 (40th) |
| 1988 (40th) | Michael J. Fox | Alex P. Keaton | Family Ties | "The Last of the Red Hot Psychologists" | NBC |
| 1988 (40th) | Dabney Coleman | Slap Maxwell | The Slap Maxwell Story | "Episode 2" | ABC |
| 1988 (40th) | Ted Danson | Sam Malone | Cheers | — | NBC |
| 1988 (40th) | Tim Reid | Frank Parrish | Frank's Place | "The Bridge" | CBS |
| 1988 (40th) | John Ritter | Det. Harry Hooperman | Hooperman | "Pilot" | ABC |
| 1989 (41st) |
| 1989 (41st) | Richard Mulligan | Dr. Harry Weston | Empty Nest | "Pilot" | NBC |
| 1989 (41st) | Ted Danson | Sam Malone | Cheers | "Swear to God" | NBC |
| 1989 (41st) | Michael J. Fox | Alex P. Keaton | Family Ties | "Alex Doesn't Live Here Anymore" | NBC |
| 1989 (41st) | John Goodman | Dan Conner | Roseanne | "Dan's Birthday Bash" | ABC |
| 1989 (41st) | Fred Savage | Kevin Arnold | The Wonder Years | "Birthday Boy" | ABC |

### 1990s

| Year | Actor | Role | Program | Episode Submissions | Network |
| 1990 (42nd) |
| 1990 (42nd) | Ted Danson | Sam Malone | Cheers | "Cry Harder, Part II" | NBC |
| 1990 (42nd) | Craig T. Nelson | Hayden Fox | Coach | "If Keith Jackson Calls, I'll Be At My Therapist's" | ABC |
| 1990 (42nd) | John Goodman | Dan Conner | Roseanne | "Born to Be Wild" | ABC |
| 1990 (42nd) | Fred Savage | Kevin Arnold | The Wonder Years | "Good-bye" | ABC |
| 1990 (42nd) | Richard Mulligan | Dr. Harry Weston | Empty Nest | "Still Growing After All These Years" | NBC |
| 1991 (43rd) |
| 1991 (43rd) | Burt Reynolds | Wood Newton | Evening Shade | "A Day in the Life of Wood Newton" | CBS |
| 1991 (43rd) | Ted Danson | Sam Malone | Cheers | "Bad Neighbor Sam" | NBC |
| 1991 (43rd) | John Goodman | Dan Conner | Roseanne | "Her Boyfriends Back" | ABC |
| 1991 (43rd) | Richard Mulligan | Dr. Harry Weston | Empty Nest | "The Mentor" | NBC |
| 1991 (43rd) | Craig T. Nelson | Hayden Fox | Coach | "The Break-Up" | ABC |
| 1992 (44th) |
| 1992 (44th) | Craig T. Nelson | Hayden Fox | Coach | "A Real Guy's Guy" | ABC |
| 1992 (44th) | Ted Danson | Sam Malone | Cheers | "Go Make" | NBC |
| 1992 (44th) | John Goodman | Dan Conner | Roseanne | "The Back Story" | ABC |
| 1992 (44th) | Kelsey Grammer § | Frasier Crane | Wings | "Planes, Trains, and Visiting Cranes" | NBC |
| 1992 (44th) | Burt Reynolds | Wood Newton | Evening Shade | "Callous Hearts of Rage" | CBS |
| 1992 (44th) | Jerry Seinfeld | Jerry Seinfeld | Seinfeld | "The Boyfriend" | NBC |
| 1993 (45th) |
| 1993 (45th) | Ted Danson | Sam Malone | Cheers | "The Guy Can't Help It" | NBC |
| 1993 (45th) | Tim Allen | Tim Taylor | Home Improvement | "Where There's a Will, There's a Way" | ABC |
| 1993 (45th) | John Goodman | Dan Conner | Roseanne | "Terms of Estrangement, Part 2" | ABC |
| 1993 (45th) | Jerry Seinfeld | Jerry Seinfeld | Seinfeld | "The Opera" | NBC |
| 1993 (45th) | Garry Shandling | Larry Sanders | The Larry Sanders Show | "What Have You Done for Me Lately?" | HBO |
| 1994 (46th) |
| 1994 (46th) | Kelsey Grammer | Frasier Crane | Frasier | "The Good Son" | NBC |
| 1994 (46th) | John Goodman | Dan Conner | Roseanne | "Guilt By Imagination" | ABC |
| 1994 (46th) | John Larroquette | John Hemingway | The John Larroquette Show | "Pilot" | NBC |
| 1994 (46th) | Paul Reiser | Paul Buchman | Mad About You | "Virtual Reality" | NBC |
| 1994 (46th) | Jerry Seinfeld | Jerry Seinfeld | Seinfeld | "The Puffy Shirt" | NBC |
| 1995 (47th) |
| 1995 (47th) | Kelsey Grammer | Frasier Crane | Frasier | "Adventures in Paradise, Part 2" | NBC |
| 1995 (47th) | John Goodman | Dan Conner | Roseanne | "The Blaming of the Shrew" | ABC |
| 1995 (47th) | Paul Reiser | Paul Buchman | Mad About You | "Cake Fear" | NBC |
| 1995 (47th) | Jerry Seinfeld | Jerry Seinfeld | Seinfeld | "The Diplomat's Club" | NBC |
| 1995 (47th) | Garry Shandling | Larry Sanders | The Larry Sanders Show | "The Mr. Sharon Stone Show" | HBO |
| 1996 (48th) |
| 1996 (48th) | John Lithgow | Dick Solomon | 3rd Rock from the Sun | "Dick, Smoker" | NBC |
| 1996 (48th) | Kelsey Grammer | Frasier Crane | Frasier | "You Can Go Home Again" | NBC |
| 1996 (48th) | Paul Reiser | Paul Buchman | Mad About You | "Dream Weaver" | NBC |
| 1996 (48th) | Jerry Seinfeld | Jerry Seinfeld | Seinfeld | "The Gum" | NBC |
| 1996 (48th) | Garry Shandling | Larry Sanders | The Larry Sanders Show | — | HBO |
| 1997 (49th) |
| 1997 (49th) | John Lithgow | Dick Solomon | 3rd Rock from the Sun | "See Dick Continue to Run" | NBC |
| 1997 (49th) | Michael J. Fox | Mike Flaherty | Spin City | "Prototype" | ABC |
| 1997 (49th) | Kelsey Grammer | Frasier Crane | Frasier | "Ham Radio" | NBC |
| 1997 (49th) | Paul Reiser | Paul Buchman | Mad About You | "The Birth" | NBC |
| 1997 (49th) | Garry Shandling | Larry Sanders | The Larry Sanders Show | "Everybody Loves Larry" | HBO |
| 1998 (50th) |
| 1998 (50th) | Kelsey Grammer | Frasier Crane | Frasier | "Frasier's Imaginary Friend" | NBC |
| 1998 (50th) | Michael J. Fox | Mike Flaherty | Spin City | "The Goodbye Girl" | ABC |
| 1998 (50th) | John Lithgow | Dick Solomon | 3rd Rock from the Sun | "Stuck with Dick" | NBC |
| 1998 (50th) | Paul Reiser | Paul Buchman | Mad About You | "The Conversation" | NBC |
| 1998 (50th) | Garry Shandling | Larry Sanders | The Larry Sanders Show | "Flip" | HBO |
| 1999 (51st) |
| 1999 (51st) | John Lithgow | Dick Solomon | 3rd Rock from the Sun | "What's Love Got to Do, Got to Do with Dick?" | NBC |
| 1999 (51st) | Michael J. Fox | Mike Flaherty | Spin City | "Gone with the Wind" | ABC |
| 1999 (51st) | Kelsey Grammer | Frasier Crane | Frasier | "Merry Christmas, Mrs. Moskowitz" | NBC |
| 1999 (51st) | Paul Reiser | Paul Buchman | Mad About You | "The Final Frontier" | NBC |
| 1999 (51st) | Ray Romano | Raymond Barone | Everybody Loves Raymond | "How They Met" | CBS |

### 2000s

| Year | Actor | Role | Program | Episode Submissions | Network |
| 2000 (52nd) |
| 2000 (52nd) | Michael J. Fox | Mike Flaherty | Spin City | "Goodbye" | ABC |
| 2000 (52nd) | Kelsey Grammer | Frasier Crane | Frasier | "Radio Wars" | NBC |
| 2000 (52nd) | John Lithgow | Dick Solomon | 3rd Rock from the Sun | "Frankie Goes to Rutherford" | NBC |
| 2000 (52nd) | Eric McCormack | Will Truman | Will & Grace | "Oh Dad, Poor Dad, He's Kept Me in the Closet and I'm So Sad" | NBC |
| 2000 (52nd) | Ray Romano | Raymond Barone | Everybody Loves Raymond | "Bad Moon Rising" | CBS |
| 2001 (53rd) |
| 2001 (53rd) | Eric McCormack | Will Truman | Will & Grace | "Lows in the Mid-Eighties" | NBC |
| 2001 (53rd) | Kelsey Grammer | Frasier Crane | Frasier | "Frasier's Edge" | NBC |
| 2001 (53rd) | John Lithgow | Dick Solomon | 3rd Rock from the Sun | "Red, White, and Dick" | NBC |
| 2001 (53rd) | Frankie Muniz | Malcolm | Malcolm in the Middle | "Bowling" | Fox |
| 2001 (53rd) | Ray Romano | Raymond Barone | Everybody Loves Raymond | "Ray's Journal" | CBS |
| 2002 (54th) |
| 2002 (54th) | Ray Romano | Raymond Barone | Everybody Loves Raymond | "The Breakup Tape" | CBS |
| 2002 (54th) | Kelsey Grammer | Frasier Crane | Frasier | "The Love You Fake" | NBC |
| 2002 (54th) | Matt LeBlanc | Joey Tribbiani | Friends | "The One Where Joey Tells Rachel" | NBC |
| 2002 (54th) | Bernie Mac | Bernie McCullough | The Bernie Mac Show | "Saving Bernie Mac" | Fox |
| 2002 (54th) | Matthew Perry | Chandler Bing | Friends | "The One Where Chandler Takes a Bath" | NBC |
| 2003 (55th) |
| 2003 (55th) | Tony Shalhoub | Adrian Monk | Monk | "Mr. Monk and the Airplane" | USA |
| 2003 (55th) | Larry David | Larry David | Curb Your Enthusiasm | "The Special Section" | HBO |
| 2003 (55th) | Matt LeBlanc | Joey Tribbiani | Friends | "The One in Barbados" | NBC |
| 2003 (55th) | Bernie Mac | Bernie McCullough | The Bernie Mac Show | "The Incredible Bulk" | Fox |
| 2003 (55th) | Eric McCormack | Will Truman | Will & Grace | "The Kid Stays Out of the Picture" | NBC |
| 2003 (55th) | Ray Romano | Raymond Barone | Everybody Loves Raymond | "Counseling" | CBS |
| 2004 (56th) |
| 2004 (56th) | Kelsey Grammer | Frasier Crane | Frasier | "The Doctor is Out" | NBC |
| 2004 (56th) | Larry David | Larry David | Curb Your Enthusiasm | "Opening Night" | HBO |
| 2004 (56th) | Matt LeBlanc | Joey Tribbiani | Friends | "The One Where the Stripper Cries" | NBC |
| 2004 (56th) | John Ritter (posthumously) | Paul Hennessy | 8 Simple Rules | "Premiere" | ABC |
| 2004 (56th) | Tony Shalhoub | Adrian Monk | Monk | "Mr. Monk Goes to the Theater" | USA |
| 2005 (57th) |
| 2005 (57th) | Tony Shalhoub | Adrian Monk | Monk | "Mr. Monk Takes His Medicine" | USA |
| 2005 (57th) | Jason Bateman | Michael Bluth | Arrested Development | "Good Grief" | Fox |
| 2005 (57th) | Zach Braff | J.D. | Scrubs | "My Last Chance" | NBC |
| 2005 (57th) | Eric McCormack | Will Truman | Will & Grace | "Queens for a Day" | NBC |
| 2005 (57th) | Ray Romano | Raymond Barone | Everybody Loves Raymond | "The Power of No" | CBS |
| 2006 (58th) |
| 2006 (58th) | Tony Shalhoub | Adrian Monk | Monk | "Mr. Monk Bumps His Head" | USA |
| 2006 (58th) | Steve Carell | Michael Scott | The Office | "The Injury" | NBC |
| 2006 (58th) | Larry David | Larry David | Curb Your Enthusiasm | "The Ski Lift" | HBO |
| 2006 (58th) | Kevin James | Doug Heffernan | The King of Queens | "Pole Lox" | CBS |
| 2006 (58th) | Charlie Sheen | Charlie Harper | Two and a Half Men | "The Unfortunate Little Schnauser" | CBS |
| 2007 (59th) |
| 2007 (59th) | Ricky Gervais | Andy Millman | Extras | "Sir Ian McKellen" | HBO |
| 2007 (59th) | Alec Baldwin | Jack Donaghy | 30 Rock | "Hiatus" | NBC |
| 2007 (59th) | Steve Carell | Michael Scott | The Office | "Business School" | NBC |
| 2007 (59th) | Tony Shalhoub | Adrian Monk | Monk | "Mr. Monk Gets a New Shrink" | USA |
| 2007 (59th) | Charlie Sheen | Charlie Harper | Two and a Half Men | "Who's Vod Kanockers?" | CBS |
| 2008 (60th) |
| 2008 (60th) | Alec Baldwin | Jack Donaghy | 30 Rock | "Rosemary's Baby" | NBC |
| 2008 (60th) | Steve Carell | Michael Scott | The Office | "Goodbye, Toby" | NBC |
| 2008 (60th) | Lee Pace | Ned | Pushing Daisies | "Pie-lette" | ABC |
| 2008 (60th) | Tony Shalhoub | Adrian Monk | Monk | "Mr. Monk and the Naked Man" | USA |
| 2008 (60th) | Charlie Sheen | Charlie Harper | Two and a Half Men | "Is There a Mrs. Waffles?" | CBS |
| 2009 (61st) |
| 2009 (61st) | Alec Baldwin | Jack Donaghy | 30 Rock | "Generalissimo" | NBC |
| 2009 (61st) | Steve Carell | Michael Scott | The Office | "Broke" | NBC |
| 2009 (61st) | Jemaine Clement | Jemaine | Flight of the Conchords | "Unnatural Love" | HBO |
| 2009 (61st) | Jim Parsons | Sheldon Cooper | The Big Bang Theory | "The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis" | CBS |
| 2009 (61st) | Tony Shalhoub | Adrian Monk | Monk | "Mr. Monk and the Miracle" | USA |
| 2009 (61st) | Charlie Sheen | Charlie Harper | Two and a Half Men | "The 'Ocu' or the 'Pado'?" | CBS |

### 2010s

| Year | Actor | Role | Program | Episode Submissions | Network |
| 2010 (62nd) |
| 2010 (62nd) | Jim Parsons | Sheldon Cooper | The Big Bang Theory | "The Pants Alternative" | CBS |
| 2010 (62nd) | Alec Baldwin | Jack Donaghy | 30 Rock | "Don Geiss, America and Hope" | NBC |
| 2010 (62nd) | Steve Carell | Michael Scott | The Office | "The Cover-Up" | NBC |
| 2010 (62nd) | Larry David | Larry David | Curb Your Enthusiasm | "Seinfeld" | HBO |
| 2010 (62nd) | Matthew Morrison | Will Schuester | Glee | "Mash-Up" | Fox |
| 2010 (62nd) | Tony Shalhoub | Adrian Monk | Monk | "Mr. Monk and the End" | USA |
| 2011 (63rd) |
| 2011 (63rd) | Jim Parsons | Sheldon Cooper | The Big Bang Theory | "The Agreement Dissection" | CBS |
| 2011 (63rd) | Alec Baldwin | Jack Donaghy | 30 Rock | "Respawn" | NBC |
| 2011 (63rd) | Louis C.K. | Louie | Louie | "Bully" | FX |
| 2011 (63rd) | Steve Carell | Michael Scott | The Office | "Goodbye, Michael" | NBC |
| 2011 (63rd) | Johnny Galecki | Leonard Hofstadter | The Big Bang Theory | "The Benefactor Factor" | CBS |
| 2011 (63rd) | Matt LeBlanc | Matt LeBlanc | Episodes | "Episode Seven" | Showtime |
| 2012 (64th) |
| 2012 (64th) | Jon Cryer | Alan Harper | Two and a Half Men | "Frodo's Headshots" | CBS |
| 2012 (64th) | Alec Baldwin | Jack Donaghy | 30 Rock | "Live from Studio 6H" | NBC |
| 2012 (64th) | Louis C.K. | Louie | Louie | "Duckling" | FX |
| 2012 (64th) | Don Cheadle | Marty Kaan | House of Lies | "The Gods of Dangerous Financial Instruments" | Showtime |
| 2012 (64th) | Larry David | Larry David | Curb Your Enthusiasm | "Palestinian Chicken" | HBO |
| 2012 (64th) | Jim Parsons | Sheldon Cooper | The Big Bang Theory | "The Werewolf Transformation" | CBS |
| 2013 (65th) |
| 2013 (65th) | Jim Parsons | Sheldon Cooper | The Big Bang Theory | "The Habitation Configuration" | CBS |
| 2013 (65th) | Alec Baldwin | Jack Donaghy | 30 Rock | "A Goon's Deed in a Weary World" | NBC |
| 2013 (65th) | Jason Bateman | Michael Bluth | Arrested Development | "Flight of the Phoenix" | Netflix |
| 2013 (65th) | Louis C.K. | Louie | Louie | "Daddy's Girlfriend, Part 1" | FX |
| 2013 (65th) | Don Cheadle | Marty Kaan | House of Lies | "Hostile Takeover" | Showtime |
| 2013 (65th) | Matt LeBlanc | Matt LeBlanc | Episodes | "Episode Two" | Showtime |
| 2014 (66th) |
| 2014 (66th) | Jim Parsons | Sheldon Cooper | The Big Bang Theory | "The Relationship Diremption" | CBS |
| 2014 (66th) | Louis C.K. | Louie | Louie | "Model" | FX |
| 2014 (66th) | Don Cheadle | Marty Kaan | House of Lies | "Wreckage" | Showtime |
| 2014 (66th) | Ricky Gervais | Derek Noakes | Derek | "Episode 6" | Netflix |
| 2014 (66th) | Matt LeBlanc | Matt LeBlanc | Episodes | "Episode Six" | Showtime |
| 2014 (66th) | William H. Macy | Frank Gallagher | Shameless | "Lazarus" | Showtime |
| 2015 (67th) |
| 2015 (67th) | Jeffrey Tambor | Maura Pfefferman | Transparent | "The Letting Go" | Amazon |
| 2015 (67th) | Anthony Anderson | Andre Johnson | Black-ish | "Sex, Lies, and Vasectomies" | ABC |
| 2015 (67th) | Louis C.K. | Louie | Louie | "Bobby's House" | FX |
| 2015 (67th) | Don Cheadle | Marty Kaan | House of Lies | "It's a Box Inside a Box Inside a Box, Dipshit" | Showtime |
| 2015 (67th) | Will Forte | Phil Miller | The Last Man on Earth | "Alive in Tucson" | Fox |
| 2015 (67th) | Matt LeBlanc | Matt LeBlanc | Episodes | "Episode Five" | Showtime |
| 2015 (67th) | William H. Macy | Frank Gallagher | Shameless | "A Night to Remem... Wait, What?" | Showtime |
| 2016 (68th) |
| 2016 (68th) | Jeffrey Tambor | Maura Pfefferman | Transparent | "Man on the Land" | Amazon |
| 2016 (68th) | Anthony Anderson | Andre Johnson | Black-ish | "Hope" | ABC |
| 2016 (68th) | Aziz Ansari | Dev Shah | Master of None | "Parents" | Netflix |
| 2016 (68th) | Will Forte | Phil Miller | The Last Man on Earth | "30 Years of Science Down the Tubes" | Fox |
| 2016 (68th) | William H. Macy | Frank Gallagher | Shameless | "I Only Miss Her When I'm Breathing" | Showtime |
| 2016 (68th) | Thomas Middleditch | Richard Hendricks | Silicon Valley | "The Empty Chair" | HBO |
| 2017 (69th) |
| 2017 (69th) | Donald Glover | Earn Marks | Atlanta | "The Big Bang" | FX |
| 2017 (69th) | Anthony Anderson | Andre Johnson | Black-ish | "Lemons" | ABC |
| 2017 (69th) | Aziz Ansari | Dev Shah | Master of None | "The Dinner Party" | Netflix |
| 2017 (69th) | Zach Galifianakis | Chip and Dale Baskets | Baskets | "Freaks" | FX |
| 2017 (69th) | William H. Macy | Frank Gallagher | Shameless | "You Sold Me the Laundromat, Remember?" | Showtime |
| 2017 (69th) | Jeffrey Tambor | Maura Pfefferman | Transparent | "Elizah" | Amazon |
| 2018 (70th) |
| 2018 (70th) | Bill Hader | Barry Berkman / Barry Block | Barry | "Chapter Seven: Loud, Fast, and Keep Going" | HBO |
| 2018 (70th) | Anthony Anderson | Andre Johnson | Black-ish | "Advance to Go (Collect $200)" | ABC |
| 2018 (70th) | Ted Danson | Michael | The Good Place | "Dance Dance Resolution" | NBC |
| 2018 (70th) | Larry David | Larry David | Curb Your Enthusiasm | "Fatwa!" | HBO |
| 2018 (70th) | Donald Glover | Earn Marks | Atlanta | "Teddy Perkins" | FX |
| 2018 (70th) | William H. Macy | Frank Gallagher | Shameless | "Sleepwalking" | Showtime |
| 2019 (71st) |
| 2019 (71st) | Bill Hader | Barry Berkman / Barry Block | Barry | "The Truth Has a Ring to It" | HBO |
| 2019 (71st) | Anthony Anderson | Andre Johnson | Black-ish | "Purple Rain" | ABC |
| 2019 (71st) | Don Cheadle | Maurice Monroe | Black Monday | "365" | Showtime |
| 2019 (71st) | Ted Danson | Michael | The Good Place | "The Worst Possible Use of Free Will" | NBC |
| 2019 (71st) | Michael Douglas | Sandy Kominsky | The Kominsky Method | "Chapter One: An Actor Avoids" | Netflix |
| 2019 (71st) | Eugene Levy | Johnny Rose | Schitt's Creek | "Rock On!" | Pop TV |

### 2020s

| Year | Actor | Role | Program | Episode Submission | Network |
| 2020 (72nd) |
| 2020 (72nd) | Eugene Levy | Johnny Rose | Schitt's Creek | "The Pitch" | Pop TV |
| 2020 (72nd) | Anthony Anderson | Andre Johnson | Black-ish | "Love, Boat" | ABC |
| 2020 (72nd) | Don Cheadle | Maurice Monroe | Black Monday | "Who Are You Supposed to Be?" | Showtime |
| 2020 (72nd) | Ted Danson | Michael | The Good Place | "Whenever You're Ready" | NBC |
| 2020 (72nd) | Michael Douglas | Sandy Kominsky | The Kominsky Method | "Chapter 12: A Libido Sits in the Fridge" | Netflix |
| 2020 (72nd) | Ramy Youssef | Ramy Hassan | Ramy | "You Are Naked in Front of Your Sheikh" | Hulu |
| 2021 (73rd) |
| 2021 (73rd) | Jason Sudeikis | Ted Lasso | Ted Lasso | "Pilot" | Apple TV+ |
| 2021 (73rd) | Anthony Anderson | Andre Johnson | Black-ish | "What About Gary?" | ABC |
| 2021 (73rd) | Michael Douglas | Sandy Kominsky | The Kominsky Method | "Chapter 20. The round toes, of the high shoes" | Netflix |
| 2021 (73rd) | William H. Macy | Frank Gallagher | Shameless | "Father Frank, Full of Grace" | Showtime |
| 2021 (73rd) | Kenan Thompson | Kenan Williams | Kenan | "Flirting" | NBC |
| 2022 (74th) |
| 2022 (74th) | Jason Sudeikis | Ted Lasso | Ted Lasso | "No Weddings and a Funeral" | Apple TV+ |
| 2022 (74th) | Donald Glover | Earn Marks | Atlanta | "Sinterklaas is Coming to Town" | FX |
| 2022 (74th) | Bill Hader | Barry Berkman / Barry Block | Barry | "starting now" | HBO |
| 2022 (74th) | Nicholas Hoult | Peter III / Yemelyan Pugachev | The Great | "Wedding" | Hulu |
| 2022 (74th) | Steve Martin | Charles-Haden Savage | Only Murders in the Building | "Open and Shut" | Hulu |
| 2022 (74th) | Martin Short | Oliver Putnam | Only Murders in the Building | "How Well Do You Know Your Neighbors?" | Hulu |
| 2023 (75th) |
| 2023 (75th) | Jeremy Allen White | Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto | The Bear | "Braciole" | FX |
| 2023 (75th) | Bill Hader | Barry Berkman / Barry Block | Barry | "you're charming" | HBO |
| 2023 (75th) | Jason Segel | Jimmy Laird | Shrinking | "Imposter Syndrome" | Apple TV+ |
| 2023 (75th) | Martin Short | Oliver Putnam | Only Murders in the Building | "The Tell" | Hulu |
| 2023 (75th) | Jason Sudeikis | Ted Lasso | Ted Lasso | "So Long, Farewell" | Apple TV+ |
| 2024 (76th) |
| 2024 (76th) | Jeremy Allen White | Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto | The Bear | "The Bear" | FX |
| 2024 (76th) | Matt Berry | Leslie "Laszlo" Cravensworth | What We Do in the Shadows | "Pride Parade" | FX |
| 2024 (76th) | Larry David | Larry David | Curb Your Enthusiasm | "Vertical Drop, Horizontal Tug" | HBO |
| 2024 (76th) | Steve Martin | Charles-Haden Savage | Only Murders in the Building | "Sitzprobe" | Hulu |
| 2024 (76th) | Martin Short | Oliver Putnam | Only Murders in the Building | "Ah, Love!" | Hulu |
| 2024 (76th) | D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai | Bear Smallhill | Reservation Dogs | "Maximus" | FX |

## Performers with multiple nominations

(*) refers to those who have won in this category

## Superlatives

| 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 |