page_title: Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
section_title: Winners and nominees
hierarchical_section_title: Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series / Winners and nominees
caption_attribution_description: English: (Photo taken at the 2009 "As The World Turns" Fan Luncheon held in New York City.)
context_page_description: The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series is an award presented annually by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role while working within the daytime drama industry.
  The 1st Daytime Emmy Awards ceremony was held in 1974 with Macdonald Carey receiving the award for his portrayal of Tom Horton on Days of Our Lives. The award has undergone several name changes, originally honoring actors in leading and supporting roles. Following the introduction of a new category in 1979, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, the award's name was altered to Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series before changing once again, to its current title, years later. The awards ceremony was not aired on television in 1983 and 1984, having been criticized for lack of integrity. In 1985, another category was introduced, Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series, one criterion for this category was altered, requiring all actors to be age 26 or younger.
  Since its inception, the award has been given to 25 actors.
context_section_description: Listed below are the winners of the award for each year, as well as the other nominees.
caption: Jon Lindstrom was nominated once for his role as Craig Montgomery on  As the World Turns (2011) and twice for playing dual roles on General Hospital, in 2019 and 2020.
exif: {}