The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series is an award presented annually by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a guest starring role on a television drama series for the primetime network season.
The award was first presented at the 27th Primetime Emmy Awards on May 19, 1975, to Patrick McGoohan for his performance on Columbo: By Dawn's Early Light. It has undergone several name changes, originally honoring leading and supporting actors in single appearances on drama and comedy series through 1978. The award was reintroduced at the 38th Primetime Emmy Awards under the name Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series, honoring actors and actresses in guest starring roles on television drama series. In 1989, the category was split into separate awards for outstanding guest actor and outstanding guest actress. Beginning with the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, performers are no longer eligible in guest acting categories if they were previously nominated for a lead or supporting award for playing the same character role in the same series.
Since its inception, the award has been given to 36 actors. Charles S. Dutton, John Lithgow, Ron Cephas Jones and Patrick McGoohan have won the most awards in this category with two each. Michael J. Fox has been nominated for the award on seven occasions, the most within the category.
Winners and nominees Listed below are the winners of the award for each year, as well as the other nominees.
Key MeaningIndicates the winning actor.
1970s Year Actor Program Role Submitted episode(s) Network 1975 Patrick McGoohan Columbo: By Dawn's Early Light Col. Lyle C. Rumford "By Dawn's Early Light" NBC Lew Ayres Kung Fu Beaumont "The Vanishing Image" ABC Harold Gould Police Story Andrea Basic "Fathers and Sons" NBC Harry Morgan M*A*S*H Maj. Gen. Bartford Hamilton Steele "The General Flipped at Dawn" CBS 1976 Outstanding Lead Actor for a Single Appearance in a Drama or Comedy Series Ed Asner Rich Man, Poor Man Axel Jordache "Parts I" ABC Bill Bixby The Streets of San Francisco Eric Doyle "The Police Buff" ABC Tony Musante Medical Story Dr. Paul Brandon "The Quality of Mercy" NBC Robert Reed Medical Center Dr. Pat Caddison "John Quincy Adams, Diplomat" CBS Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Drama Series Gordon Jackson Upstairs, Downstairs Hudson "The Beastly Hun" PBS Bill Bixby Rich Man, Poor Man Willie Abbott "Part VI" ABC Roscoe Lee Browne Barney Miller Charlie Jeffers "The Escape Artist" Norman Fell Rich Man, Poor Man Smitty "Part V" Van Johnson Marsh Goodwin "Parts VII" 1977 Outstanding Lead Actor for a Single Appearance in a Drama or Comedy Series Louis Gossett Jr. Roots Fiddler "Part IV" ABC John Amos Roots Toby "Part V" ABC LeVar Burton Kunta Kinte "Part I" Ben Vereen "Chicken" George Moore "Part VI" Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Drama Series Ed Asner Roots Capt. Davies "Part 1" ABC Charles Durning Captains and the Kings Billy Rice "Chapter 2" NBC Moses Gunn Roots Kintango "Part I" ABC Robert Reed Dr. William Reynolds "Part V" Ralph Waite Third mate Slater "Part I" 1978 Outstanding Lead Actor for a Single Appearance in a Drama or Comedy Series Barnard Hughes Lou Grant Judge Felix Rushman "Judge" CBS David Cassidy Police Woman Officer Dan Shay "A Chance to Live" NBC Will Geer The Love Boat Franklyn Bootherstone "The Old Man and the Runaway" ABC Judd Hirsch Rhoda Mike Andretti "Rhoda Likes Mike" CBS John Rubinstein Family Jeff Maitland "And Baby Makes Three" ABC Keenan Wynn Police Woman Ben Fletcher "Good Old Uncle Ben" NBC Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Drama Series Ricardo Montalbán How the West Was Won Satangkai "Part I" ABC Will Geer Eight is Enough Santa Claus "Yes, Nicholas... There is a Santa Claus" ABC Larry Gelman Barney Miller Edward Sellers "Goodbye, Mr. Fish" Harold Gould Rhoda Martin Morgenstern "Happy Anniversary" CBS Abe Vigoda Barney Miller Det. Phil Fish "Goodbye, Mr. Fish" ABC
1980s Year Recipient Program Role Submitted episode(s) Network Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series 1986(38th) John Lithgow Amazing Stories John Walters "The Doll" NBC Whoopi Goldberg Moonlighting Camille "Camille" ABC Edward Herrmann St. Elsewhere Father Joseph McCabe "Time Heals" NBC Peggy McCay Cagney & Lacey Mrs. Carruthers "Mothers and Sons" CBS James Stacy Ted Peters "The Gimp" 1987(39th) Alfre Woodard L.A. Law Adrianne Moore "Pilot" NBC Steve Allen St. Elsewhere Lech Osoranski "Visiting Daze" NBC Jeanne Cooper L.A. Law Gladys Becker "Fry Me to the Moon" Edward Herrmann St. Elsewhere Father Joseph McCabe "Where There's Hope, There's Crosby" Jayne Meadows Olga Osoranski "Visiting Daze" 1988(40th) Shirley Knight thirtysomething Ruth Murdock "The Parents Are Coming" ABC Imogene Coca Moonlighting Clara DiPesto "Los Dos DiPietos" ABC Lainie Kazan St. Elsewhere Frieda Fiscus "The Abby Singer Show" NBC Gwen Verdon Magnum, P.I. Catherine Peters "Infinity And Jelly Doughnuts" CBS Alfre Woodard St. Elsewhere Dr. Roxanne Turner "The Abby Singer Show" NBC Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series 1989(41st) Joe Spano Midnight Caller John Saringo "The Execution Of John Saringo" NBC Peter Boyle Midnight Caller J.J. Kilian "Fathers and Sins" NBC Jack Gilford thirtysomething The Old Gentleman "The Mike Van Dyke Show" ABC Michael Moriarty The Equalizer Wayne Virgil "Starfire" CBS Edward Woodward The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents Drummond "The Hunted" USA
1990s Year Actor Program Role Submitted episode(s) Network 1990(42nd) Patrick McGoohan Columbo Oscar Finch "Agenda for Murder" ABC Peter Frechette thirtysomething Peter Montefiore "Strangers" ABC Harold Gould The Ray Bradbury Theatre The Old Man "To the Chicago Abyss" USA William Hickey Tales from the Crypt Carlton Webber "The Switch" HBO Bruce Weitz Midnight Caller Sgt. Ed Adderly "Mercy Me" NBC 1991(43rd) David Opatoshu Gabriel's Fire Max Goldstein "Prayers for the Goldsteins" ABC Dabney Coleman Columbo Hugh Creighton "Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star" ABC Peter Coyote Road to Avonlea Romney Penhallow "Old Quarrels, Old Love" Disney John Glover L.A. Law Dr. Paul Kohler "God Rest Ye Murray Gentleman" NBC 1992(44th)Christopher Lloyd Road to Avonlea Alistair Dimple "Another Point of View" Disney Channel Kirk Douglas Tales from the Crypt General Calthrob "Yellow" HBO Richard Kiley The Ray Bradbury Theater Doug Spaulding "The Utterly Perfect Murder" USA Harrison Page Quantum Leap Reverend Walters "A Song for the Soul - April 7, 1963" NBC Jimmy Smits L.A. Law Victor Sifuentes "Steal It Again, Sam" 1993(45th) Laurence Fishburne TriBeCa Martin McHenry "The Box" Fox Adam Arkin Northern Exposure Adam "The Big Feast" CBS John Glover Crime & Punishment Dennis Atwood "Best Laid Plans" NBC Michael Jeter Picket Fences Peter Lebeck "Frog Man" CBS Richard Kiley Hayden Langston "Thanksgiving" 1994(46th) Richard Kiley Picket Fences Hayden Langston "Buried Alive" CBS Tim Curry Tales from the Crypt Ma Brackett/Pa Brackett/Winona "Death of Some Salesman" HBO Dan Hedaya NYPD Blue Lou the Werewolf "NYPD Lou" ABC James Earl Jones Picket Fences Attorney Bryant Thomas "System Down" CBS Robin Williams Homicide: Life on the Street Robert Ellison "Bop Gun" NBC 1995(47th) Paul Winfield Picket Fences Judge Harold Nance "Enemy Lines" CBS Milton Berle Beverly Hills, 90210 Saul Howard "Sentenced to Life" Fox Beau Bridges The Outer Limits Simon Kress "Sandkings" Showtime Vondie Curtis-Hall ER Rena "ER Confidential" NBC Alan Rosenberg Sam Gasner "Into That Good Night" 1996(48th) Peter Boyle The X-Files Clyde Bruckman "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose" Fox Danny Glover Fallen Angels Philip Marlowe "Red Wind" Showtime Michael Jeter Chicago Hope Bob Ryan "A Coupla Stiffs" CBS Richard Pryor Joe Springer "Stand" Rip Torn Warren Schutt "Hello Goodbye" 1997(49th) Pruitt Taylor Vince Murder One Clifford Banks "Diary of a Serial Killer" ABC Alan Arkin Chicago Hope Zoltan Karpathein "The Son Also Rises" CBS Louis Gossett Jr. Touched by an Angel Anderson Walker "Amazing Grace" William H. Macy ER Dr. Morgenstern NBC Ewan McGregor Duncan Stewart "The Long Way Around" 1998(50th) John Larroquette The Practice Joey Heric "Betrayal" ABC Bruce Davison Touched by an Angel Jake "Elijah" CBS Vincent D'Onofrio Homicide: Life on the Street John Lange "Subway" NBC Charles Durning Thomas Finnegan "Finnegan's Wake" Charles Nelson Reilly Millennium Jose Chung "Jose Chung's Doomsday Defense" Fox 1999(51st) Edward Herrmann The Practice Atty. Anderson Pearson ABC Tony Danza The Practice Tommy Silva ABC Charles S. Dutton Oz Alvah Case "The Tip"HBO John Heard The Sopranos Det. Vin Makazian "Nobody Knows Anything" Mandy Patinkin Chicago Hope Dr. Jeffery Geiger "Curing Cancer" CBS
2000s Year Actor Program Role Network 2000(52nd) James Whitmore The Practice Raymond Oz ABC Alan Alda ER Dr. Gabriel Lawrence NBC Paul Dooley The Practice Judge Philip Swackhein ABC Kirk Douglas Touched by an Angel Ross Burger CBS Henry Winkler The Practice Henry Olson ABC 2001(53rd) Michael Emerson The Practice William Hinks ABC René Auberjonois The Practice Judge Mantz ABC James Cromwell ER Bishop Lionel Stewart NBC Patrick Dempsey Once and Again Aaron Brooks ABC Oliver Platt The West Wing Oliver Babish NBC 2002(54th) Charles S. Dutton The Practice Leonard Marshall ABC Mark Harmon The West Wing Agent Simon Donovan NBC John Larroquette The Practice Joey Heric ABC Tim Matheson The West Wing Vice President John Hoynes NBC Ron Silver Bruno Giannelli 2003(55th) Charles S. Dutton Without a Trace Chet Collins CBS Don Cheadle ER Paul Nathan NBC James Cromwell Six Feet Under George Sibley HBO Tim Matheson The West Wing Vice President John Hoynes NBC Matthew Perry Joe Quincy James Whitmore Mister Sterling Bill Sterling Sr. 2004(56th) William Shatner The Practice Denny Crane ABC James Earl Jones Everwood Will Cleveland The WB Martin Landau Without a Trace Frank Malone CBS Bob Newhart ER Ben Hollander NBC Matthew Perry The West Wing Joe Quincy 2005(57th) Ray Liotta ER Charlie Metcalf NBC Red Buttons ER Jules 'Ruby' Rubadoux NBC Ossie Davis The L Word Melvin Porter Showtime Charles Durning NCIS Ernie Yost CBS Martin Landau Without a Trace Frank Malone 2006(58th) Christian Clemenson Boston Legal Jerry Espenson ABC Kyle Chandler Grey's Anatomy Dylan Young ABC Henry Ian Cusick Lost Desmond Hume Michael J. Fox Boston Legal Daniel Post James Woods ER Dr. Nate Lennox NBC 2007(59th) John Goodman Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip Judge Robert Bebe NBC Christian Clemenson Boston Legal Jerry Espenson ABC Tim Daly The Sopranos J.T. Dolan HBO David Morse House Michael Tritter Fox Eli Wallach Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip Eli Weintraub NBC Forest Whitaker ER Curtis Ames 2008(60th) Glynn Turman In Treatment Alex Prince Jr. HBO Charles Durning Rescue Me John Gavin Sr. FX Robert Morse Mad Men Bert CooperAMC Oliver Platt Nip/Tuck Freddie Prune FX Stanley Tucci ER Dr. Kevin Moretti NBC Robin Williams Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Merritt Rook 2009(61st) Michael J. Fox Rescue Me Dwight FX Ed Asner CSI: NY Abraham Klein CBS Ernest Borgnine ER Paul Manning NBC Ted Danson Damages Arthur Frobisher FX Jimmy Smits Dexter Miguel Prado Showtime
2010s {| class="wikitable" |- style="background:#bebebe;" ! style="width:5%;" | Year ! style="width:20%;" | Actor ! style="width:25%;" | Program ! style="width:20%;" | Role ! style="width:25%;" | Episode ! style="width:5%;" | Network |- | rowspan="8" style="text-align:center" | 2010(62nd)
| style="background:#FAEB86"| John Lithgow | style="background:#FAEB86"|Dexter | style="background:#FAEB86"|Arthur Mitchell | style="background:#FAEB86"| "Road Kill" | style="background:#FAEB86"| Showtime |- | Dylan Baker || The Good Wife || Colin Sweeney || "Bad" || CBS |- | Beau Bridges || The Closer || George Andrews || "Make Over" || TNT |-