The Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama is a Golden Globe Award presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). The award honors the best performance by an actress in a drama television series.
It was first awarded at the 19th Golden Globe Awards on March 5, 1962, under the title Best TV Star – Female, encompassing performances in comedy and drama television series, to Pauline Frederick. The nominees for the award announced annually starting in 1963. In 1969, the award was split into the drama and comedy categories, presented under the new title Best TV Actress – Drama and in 1980 under its current title.
Since its inception, the award has been given to 50 actresses. Angela Lansbury has won the most awards in this category, winning four times, and received ten nominations for the awards, the most in the category; all of her wins were for the series Murder, She Wrote, which therefore holds the record for series with the most wins in the category. The record for series with the most different actresses winning the award is held by The Crown, for which three actors each won the award once: Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, and Emma Corrin.
Winners and nominees Listed below are the winners of the award for each year, as well as the other nominees. Key Meaning Indicates the winning actress.
1960s + Year Actor Role Program Network RefBest TV Star – Female 1961 (19th) Pauline Frederick 1962 (20th) Donna Reed Donna Stone The Donna Reed Show ABC 1963 (21st) Inger Stevens Katrin "Katy" Holstrum The Farmer's Daughter ABC Shirley Booth Hazel Burke Hazel NBC Dorothy Loudon Various Characters The Garry Moore Show CBS Carolyn Jones Betsy / Meredith / JaneBurke's LawABC Gloria Swanson Venus Walsh 1964 (22nd) Mary Tyler Moore Laura Petrie The Dick Van Dyke Show CBS Dorothy Malone Constance Carson Peyton Place ABC Yvette Mimieux Pat Holmes Dr. Kildare NBC Elizabeth Montgomery Samantha Stephens Bewitched ABC Julie Newmar Rhoda Miller My Living Doll CBS 1965 (23rd) Anne Francis Honey West Honey West ABC Patty Duke Patty Lane / Cathy Lane The Patty Duke ShowABC Mia Farrow Allison MacKenzie Peyton Place Dorothy Malone Constance Carson Barbara Stanwyck Victoria Barkley The Big Valley 1966 (24th) Marlo Thomas Ann Marie That Girl ABC Phyllis Diller Phyllis Pruitt The Pruitts of Southampton ABC Barbara Eden Jeannie I Dream of Jeannie NBC Elizabeth Montgomery Samantha Stephens BewitchedABC Barbara Stanwyck Victoria Barkley The Big Valley 1967 (25th) Carol Burnett Various Characters The Carol Burnett Show CBS Barbara Bain Cinnamon Carter Mission: ImpossibleCBS Lucille Ball Lucy Carmichael The Lucy Show Nancy Sinatra Various characters Movin' with Nancy NBC Barbara Stanwyck Victoria Barkley The Big Valley ABC 1968 (26th) Diahann Carroll Julia Baker Julia NBC Doris Day Doris Martin The Doris Day Show CBS Hope Lange Carolyn Muir The Ghost & Mrs. Muir NBC Elizabeth Montgomery Samantha Stephens Bewitched ABC Nancy Sinatra Various characters The Nancy Sinatra Show NBC Best TV Actress – Drama 1969 (27th) Linda Cristal Victoria Montoya The High Chaparral NBC Amanda Blake Miss Kitty Russell Gunsmoke CBS Peggy Lipton Julie Barnes The Mod SquadABC Denise Nicholas Miss Liz McIntyre Room 222 Eleanor Parker Sylvia Caldwell Bracken's World NBC
1970s + Year Actor Role Program Network Ref 1970 (28th) Peggy Lipton Julie Barnes The Mod Squad ABC Amanda Blake Miss Kitty Russell Gunsmoke CBS Linda Cristal Victoria Montoya The High Chaparral NBC Yvette Mimieux Vannessa Smith The Most Deadly GameABC Denise Nicholas Miss Liz McIntyre Room 222 1971 (29th) Patricia Neal Olivia Walton The Homecoming: A Christmas Story CBS Lynda Day George Lisa Casey Mission: Impossible CBS Peggy Lipton Julie Barnes The Mod SquadABC Denise Nicholas Miss Liz McIntyre Room 222 Susan Saint James Sally McMillan McMillan & Wife NBC 1972 (30th) Gail Fisher Peggy Fair Mannix CBS Ellen Corby Esther "Grandma" WaltonThe WaltonsCBS Michael Learned Olivia Walton Peggy Lipton Julie Barnes The Mod Squad ABC Susan Saint James Sally McMillan McMillan & Wife NBC 1973 (31st) Lee Remick Cassie Walters The Blue Knight NBC Michael Learned Olivia Walton The Waltons CBS Julie London Nurse Dixie McCall Emergency! NBC Emily McLaughlin Nurse Jessie Brewer General Hospital ABC Susan Saint James Sally McMillan McMillan & Wife NBC 1974 (32nd) Angie Dickinson Sgt. Suzanne "Pepper" Anderson Police Woman NBC Teresa Graves Christy Love Get Christy Love! ABC Michael Learned Olivia Walton The Waltons CBS Jean Marsh Rose Buck Upstairs, Downstairs PBS Emily McLaughlin Nurse Jessie Brewer General Hospital ABC Lee Meriwether Betty Jones Barnaby Jones CBS 1975 (33rd) Lee Remick Jennie Randolph Churchill Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill PBS Angie Dickinson Sgt. Suzanne "Pepper" Anderson Police Woman NBC Rosemary Harris George Sand Notorious Woman PBS Michael Learned Olivia Walton The WaltonsCBS Lee Meriwether Betty Jones Barnaby Jones 1976 (34th) Susan Blakely Julie Prescott Rich Man, Poor Man ABC Angie Dickinson Sgt. Suzanne "Pepper" Anderson Police Woman NBC Farrah Fawcett Jill MunroeCharlie's AngelsABC Kate Jackson Sabrina Duncan Jean Marsh Rose Buck Upstairs, Downstairs PBS Sada Thompson Kate Lawrence FamilyABC Lindsay Wagner Jaime Sommers The Bionic Woman 1977 (35th) Lesley Ann Warren Marja Fludjicki / Marianne 79 Park Avenue NBC Angie Dickinson Sgt. Suzanne "Pepper" Anderson Police Woman NBC Kate Jackson Sabrina Duncan Charlie's AngelsABC Leslie Uggams Kizzy Roots Lindsay Wagner Jaime Sommers The Bionic Woman 1978 (36th) Rosemary Harris Berta Palitz Weiss Holocaust NBC Kate Jackson Sabrina Duncan Charlie's AngelsABC Kristy McNichol Leticia "Buddy" Lawrence Family Lee Remick Erica Trenton Wheels NBC Sada Thompson Kate Lawrence Family ABC 1979 (37th) Natalie Wood Karen Holmes From Here to Eternity NBC Barbara Bel Geddes Miss Ellie Ewing Dallas CBS Kate Mulgrew Kate Columbo Mrs. Columbo NBC Stefanie Powers Jennifer Hart Hart to HartABC Sada Thompson Kate Lawrence Family
1980s + Year Actor Role Program Network Ref 1980 (38th) Yoko Shimada Lady Toda Buntaro Shōgun NBC Barbara Bel Geddes Miss Ellie Ewing Dallas CBS Linda Gray Sue Ellen Ewing Melissa Gilbert Laura Ingalls Little House on the Prairie NBC Stefanie Powers Jennifer Hart Hart to Hart ABC 1981 (39th) Linda Evans Krystle Carrington Dynasty ABC Barbara Bel Geddes Miss Ellie Ewing Dallas CBS Joan Collins Alexis Carrington Dynasty ABC Morgan Fairchild Constance Weldon Carlyle Flamingo Road NBC Linda Gray Sue Ellen Ewing Dallas CBS Stefanie Powers Jennifer Hart Hart to Hart ABC 1982 (40th) Joan Collins Alexis Carrington Dynasty ABC Linda Evans Krystle Carrington Dynasty ABC Stefanie Powers Jennifer Hart Hart to Hart Victoria Principal Pamela Barnes Ewing DallasCBS Jane Wyman Angela Channing Falcon Crest 1983 (41st) Jane Wyman Angela Channing Falcon Crest CBS Joan Collins Alexis Carrington Dynasty ABC Tyne Daly Mary Beth Lacey Cagney & Lacey CBS Linda Evans Krystle Carrington Dynasty ABC Stefanie Powers Jennifer Hart Hart to Hart 1984 (42nd) Angela Lansbury Jessica Fletcher Murder, She Wrote CBS Joan Collins Alexis Carrington Dynasty ABC Tyne Daly Mary Beth Lacey Cagney & Lacey CBS Linda Evans Krystle Carrington Dynasty ABC Sharon Gless Christine Cagney Cagney & LaceyCBS Kate Jackson Amanda King Scarecrow and Mrs. King 1985 (43rd) Sharon Gless Christine Cagney Cagney & Lacey CBS Joan Collins Alexis Carrington Dynasty ABC Tyne Daly Mary Beth Lacey Cagney & Lacey CBS Linda Evans Krystle Carrington Dynasty ABC Angela Lansbury Jessica Fletcher Murder, She Wrote CBS 1986 (44th) Angela Lansbury Jessica Fletcher Murder, She Wrote CBS Joan Collins Alexis Carrington Dynasty ABC Tyne Daly Mary Beth LaceyCagney & LaceyCBS Sharon Gless Christine Cagney Connie Sellecca Christine Francis Hotel ABC 1987 (45th) Susan Dey Grace Van Owen L.A. Law NBC Jill Eikenberry Ann Kelsey L.A. Law NBC Sharon Gless Christine Cagney Cagney & LaceyCBS Linda Hamilton Catherine Chandler Beauty and the Beast Angela Lansbury Jessica Fletcher Murder, She Wrote 1988 (46th) Jill Eikenberry Ann Kelsey L.A. Law NBC Susan Dey Grace Van Owen L.A. Law NBC Sharon Gless Christine Cagney Cagney & LaceyCBS Linda Hamilton Catherine Chandler Beauty and the Beast Angela Lansbury Jessica Fletcher Murder, She Wrote 1989 (47th) Angela Lansbury Jessica Fletcher Murder, She Wrote CBS Dana Delany Colleen McMurphy China Beach ABC Susan Dey Grace Van Owen L.A. Law NBC Jill Eikenberry Ann Kelsey Mel Harris Hope Murdoch Steadman thirtysomething ABC
1990s + Year Actor Role Program Network Ref 1990 (48th) Sharon Gless Fiona Rose "Rosie" O'Neill The Trials of Rosie O'Neill CBS Patricia Wettig Nancy Weston thirtysomething ABC Dana Delany Colleen Murphy China Beach ABC Susan Dey Grace Van Owen L.A. Law NBC Jill Eikenberry Ann Kelsey Angela Lansbury Jessica Fletcher Murder, She Wrote CBS 1991 (49th) Angela Lansbury Jessica Fletcher Murder, She Wrote CBS Susan Dey Grace Van Owen L.A. Law NBC Sharon Gless Fiona Rose "Rosie" O'Neill The Trials of Rosie O'Neill CBS Marlee Matlin Tess Kaufman Reasonable Doubts NBC Janine Turner Maggie O'Connell Northern Exposure CBS 1992 (50th) Regina Taylor Lily Harper I'll Fly Away NBC Mariel Hemingway Sydney Guilford Civil Wars ABC Angela Lansbury Jessica Fletcher Murder, She Wrote CBS Marlee Matlin Tess Kaufman Reasonable Doubts NBC Janine Turner Maggie O'Connell Northern Exposure CBS 1993 (51st) Kathy Baker Jill Brock Picket Fences CBS Heather Locklear Amanda Woodward Melrose Place Fox Jane Seymour Dr. Michaela Quinn Dr. Quinn, Medicine WomanCBS Janine Turner Maggie O'Connell Northern Exposure Sela Ward Theodora "Teddy" Reed Sisters NBC 1994 (52nd) Claire Danes Angela Chase My So-Called Life ABC Kathy Baker Jill Brock Picket FencesCBS Angela Lansbury Jessica Fletcher Murder, She Wrote Heather Locklear Amanda Woodward Melrose Place Fox Jane Seymour Dr. Michaela Quinn Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman CBS 1995 (53rd) Jane Seymour Dr. Michaela Quinn Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman CBS Gillian Anderson FBI Special Agent Dana Scully The X-Files Fox Kathy Baker Jill Brock Picket Fences CBS Heather Locklear Amanda Woodward Melrose Place Fox Sherry Stringfield Dr. Susan Lewis ER NBC 1996 (54th) Gillian Anderson FBI Special Agent Dana Scully The X-Files Fox Christine Lahti Dr. Kate Austen Chicago Hope CBS Heather Locklear Amanda Woodward Melrose Place Fox Jane Seymour Dr. Michaela Quinn Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman CBS Sherry Stringfield Dr. Susan Lewis ER NBC 1997 (55th) Christine Lahti Dr. Kate Austen Chicago Hope CBS Gillian Anderson FBI Special Agent Dana Scully The X-Files Fox Kim Delaney Diane Russell NYPD Blue ABC Roma Downey Monica Touched by an Angel CBS Julianna Margulies Carol Hathaway ER NBC 1998 (56th) Keri Russell Felicity Porter Felicity The WB Gillian Anderson FBI Special Agent Dana Scully The X-Files Fox Kim Delaney Diane Russell NYPD Blue ABC Roma Downey Monica Touched by an Angel CBS Julianna Margulies Carol Hathaway ER NBC 1999 (57th) Edie Falco Carmela Soprano The Sopranos HBO Lorraine Bracco Dr. Jennifer Melfi The Sopranos HBO Amy Brenneman Amy Gray Judging Amy CBS Julianna Margulies Carol Hathaway ER NBC Sela Ward Lily Manning Once and Again ABC
2000s