43rd Primetime Emmy Awards

The 43rd Primetime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday, August 25, 1991. The ceremony was broadcast on Fox from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California. The network TNT received its first major nomination at this ceremony.

43rd Primetime Emmy Awards
Date	August 25, 1991
Location	Pasadena Civic Auditorium, Pasadena, California
Presented by	Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
Hosted by	Dennis Miller Jamie Lee Curtis Jerry Seinfeld
Highlights
Most awards	Cheers (4)
Most nominations	Cheers (9)
Outstanding Comedy Series	Cheers
Outstanding Drama Series	L.A. Law
Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special and Miniseries	Separate but Equal
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program	The 63rd Annual Academy Awards
Television/radio coverage
Network	Fox
← 42nd · Primetime Emmy Awards · 44th →

For its ninth season, Cheers won Outstanding Comedy Series for the fourth time, tying All in the Family's record. Cheers' spinoff Frasier would later break this record, ultimately winning five in a row. Cheers also received the most major nominations (9) and major awards (4) during the ceremony. The drama field also saw a four-time winner crowned as L.A. Law won Outstanding Drama Series for the fourth time in five years. This tied the record set by Hill Street Blues whose four wins came consecutively. James Earl Jones joined an exclusive club, as he won two acting Emmys for his work on two different series.

John Gielgud's win for the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Special made him the fourth person to become an EGOT.

Winners and nominees

^[1][2][3][4]

Programs

Programs

Outstanding Comedy Series Cheers (NBC) Designing Women (CBS) The Golden Girls (NBC) Murphy Brown (CBS) The Wonder Years (ABC)	Outstanding Drama Series L.A. Law (NBC) China Beach (ABC) Northern Exposure (CBS) Quantum Leap (NBC) Thirtysomething (ABC)
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program The 63rd Annual Academy Awards (ABC) In Living Color (Fox) The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts (CBS) Late Night with David Letterman (NBC) The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson (CBS) The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (NBC)	Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special and Miniseries[note 1][5] Separate but Equal (ABC) Decoration Day (NBC) The Josephine Baker Story (HBO) Paris Trout (Showtime) Sarah, Plain and Tall (CBS) Switched at Birth (NBC)

Acting

Lead performances

Acting

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Burt Reynolds as Wood Newton in Evening Shade (CBS) (Episode: "A Day in the Life of Wood Newton") Ted Danson as Sam Malone in Cheers (NBC) (Episode: "Bad Neighbor Sam") John Goodman as Dan Conner in Roseanne (ABC) (Episode: "Her Boyfriends Back") Richard Mulligan as Dr. Harry Weston in Empty Nest (NBC) (Episode: "The Mentor") Craig T. Nelson as Coach Hayden Fox in Coach (ABC) (Episode: "The Break-Up")	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Kirstie Alley as Rebecca Howe in Cheers (NBC) (Episode: "The Days of Wine and Neuroses") Candice Bergen as Murphy Brown in Murphy Brown (CBS) (Episode: "On Another Plane") Blair Brown as Molly Dodd in The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd (Lifetime) (Episode: "Here's a Pregnant Pause") Delta Burke as Suzanne Sugarbaker in Designing Women (CBS) (Episode: "The Bachelor Auction") Betty White as Rose Nylund in The Golden Girls (NBC) (Episode: "Once, in St. Olaf")
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series James Earl Jones as Gabriel Bird in Gabriel's Fire (ABC) (Episode: "Pilot") Scott Bakula as Sam Beckett in Quantum Leap (NBC) (Episode: "Shock Theater: October 3, 1954") Peter Falk as Columbo in Columbo (ABC) (Episode: "Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star") Kyle MacLachlan as Special Agent Dale Cooper in Twin Peaks (ABC) (Episode: "Episode 16") Michael Moriarty as Ben Stone in Law & Order (NBC) (Episode: "Indifference")	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Patricia Wettig as Nancy Krieger Weston in Thirtysomething (ABC) (Episode: "Guns and Roses") Dana Delany as Nurse Colleen McMurphy in China Beach (ABC) (Episode: "Fever") Sharon Gless as Rosie O'Neill in The Trials of Rosie O'Neill (CBS) (Episode: "When I'm 44") Angela Lansbury as Jessica Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote (CBS) (Episode: "Thursday's Child")
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special John Gielgud as Haverford Downs in Summer's Lease (PBS) James Garner as Albert Sidney Finch in Decoration Day (NBC) Dennis Hopper as Paris Trout in Paris Trout (Showtime) Sidney Poitier as Thurgood Marshall in Separate but Equal (ABC) Christopher Walken as Jacob Witting in Sarah, Plain and Tall (CBS)	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Special Lynn Whitfield as Josephine Baker in The Josephine Baker Story (HBO) Glenn Close as Sarah Wheaton in Sarah, Plain and Tall (CBS) Barbara Hershey as Hanna Trout in Paris Trout (Showtime) Suzanne Pleshette as Leona Helmsley in Leona Helmsley: The Queen of Mean (CBS) Lee Purcell as Bessie Robertson in Long Road Home (NBC)

Supporting performances

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Jonathan Winters as Gunny Davis in Davis Rules (ABC) (Episodes: "Rules of the Game" + "Mission: Improbable") Charles Durning as Dr. Harlan Elldridge in Evening Shade (CBS) (Episodes: "Whatever Happened to Clutch Newton?" + "The Baby Show") Woody Harrelson as Woody Boyd in Cheers (NBC) (Episodes: "Veggie-Boyd" + "Woody Interruptus") Michael Jeter as Herman Stiles in Evening Shade (CBS) (Episodes: "Chip Off the Old Brick" + "Sex Education") Jerry Van Dyke as Luther Van Dam in Coach (ABC) (Episodes: "Cabin Fever" + "A Father and Son Reunion")	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Bebe Neuwirth as Lilith Crane in Cheers (NBC) (Episodes: "Veggie-Boyd" + "Rat Girl") Elizabeth Ashley as Freida Evans in Evening Shade (CBS) (Episodes: "There Once Was a Boy Named Wood" + "Chip Off the Old Brick") Faith Ford as Corky Sherwood in Murphy Brown (CBS) (Episodes: "Trouble in Sherwood-Forrest" + "Corky's Place") Estelle Getty as Sophia Petrillo in The Golden Girls (NBC) (Episodes: "Ebbtide's Revenge" + "There Goes the Bride: Part 1") Rhea Perlman as Carla Tortelli in Cheers (NBC) (Episodes: "Carla Loves Clavin" + "Pitch It Again, Sam")
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Timothy Busfield as Elliot Weston in Thirtysomething (ABC) (Episodes: "Sifting the Ashes" + "Second Look") David Clennon as Miles Drentell in Thirtysomething (ABC) (Episodes: "Out the Door" + "A Stop at Willoughby") Richard Dysart as Leland McKenzie Jr. in L.A. Law (NBC) (Episodes: "The Beverly Hills Hangers" + "Mutinies on the Banzai") Jimmy Smits as Victor Sifuentes in L.A. Law (NBC) (Episodes: "God Rest Ye Murray Gentleman" + "The Gods Must Be Lawyers") Dean Stockwell as Al Calavicci in Quantum Leap (NBC) (Episodes: "The Leap Home: Part 2 (Vietnam) – April 7, 1970" + "Shock Theater: October 3, 1954")	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Madge Sinclair as Empress Josephine in Gabriel's Fire (ABC) (Episodes: "Tis the Season" + "The Great Waldo") Marg Helgenberger as KC Kolowski in China Beach (ABC) (Episodes: "History, Part II – She Sells More Than Sea Shells" + "100 Klicks Out") Piper Laurie as Catherine Martell in Twin Peaks (ABC) (Episodes: "Episode 13" + "Episode 18") Melanie Mayron as Melissa Steadman in Thirtysomething (ABC) (Episodes: "Melissa and Men" + "Melissa in Wonderland") Diana Muldaur as Rosalind Shays in L.A. Law (NBC) (Episodes: "He's a Crowd" + "The Beverly Hills Hangers")
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special James Earl Jones as Junius Johnson in Heat Wave (TNT) Rubén Blades as Count Giuseppe Pepito Abatino in The Josephine Baker Story (HBO) David Dukes as Jo Bouillon in The Josephine Baker Story (HBO) Richard Kiley as Chief Justice Earl Warren in Separate but Equal (ABC) Leon Russom as Titus Wardlow in Long Road Home (NBC)	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Special Ruby Dee as Rowena in Decoration Day (NBC) Olympia Dukakis as Katherine Campbell in Lucky Day (ABC) Vanessa Redgrave as Empress Elizabeth in Young Catherine (TNT) Doris Roberts as Mimi Finkelstein in The Sunset Gang (PBS) Elaine Stritch as Rose in An Inconvenient Woman (PBS)

Individual performances

Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program Billy Crystal – The 63rd Annual Academy Awards (ABC) Dana Carvey – Saturday Night Live (NBC) Harry Connick Jr. – Swinging Out with Harry (PBS) Damon Wayans – In Living Color (Fox) Keenan Ivory Wayans – In Living Color (Fox)

Directing

Directing

Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series Cheers (NBC): "Woody Interruptus" – James Burrows The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd (Lifetime): "Here's a Little Touch of Harry in the Night" – Jay Tarses Murphy Brown (CBS): "On Another Plane" – Barnet Kellman Seinfeld (NBC): "The Pony Remark" – Tom Cherones The Wonder Years (ABC): "The Ties That Bind" – Peter Baldwin	Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series Equal Justice (ABC): "In Confidence" – Thomas Carter China Beach (ABC): "You, Babe" – Mimi Leder Cop Rock (ABC): "Pilot" – Gregory Hoblit L.A. Law (NBC): "God Rest Ye Murray Gentleman" – Tom Moore
Outstanding Directing in a Variety or Music Program Late Night with David Letterman (NBC) – Hal Gurnee The 63rd Annual Academy Awards (ABC) – Jeff Margolis The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts (CBS) – Dwight Hemion	Outstanding Directing in a Miniseries or a Special The Josephine Baker Story (HBO) – Brian Gibson Absolute Strangers (CBS) – Gilbert Cates Decoration Day (NBC) – Robert Markowitz Sarah, Plain and Tall (CBS) – Glenn Jordan

Writing

Writing

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series Murphy Brown (CBS): "Jingle Hell, Jingle Hell, Jingle All The Way" – Gary Dontzig and Steven Peterman The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd (Lifetime): "Here's a Little Touch of Harry in the Night" – Jay Tarses Murphy Brown (CBS): "On Another Plane" – Diane English Seinfeld (NBC): "The Deal" – Larry David Seinfeld (NBC): "The Pony Remark" – Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld

Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series L.A. Law (NBC): "On the Toad Again" – David E. Kelley L.A. Law (NBC): "Lie Harder" – Judith Feldman and Sarah Woodside Gallagher L.A. Law (NBC): "Mutinies on the Banzai" – David E. Kelley, Patricia Green and Alan Brennert Northern Exposure (CBS): "Pilot" – Joshua Brand and John Falsey Thirtysomething (ABC): "Second Look" – Ann Lewis Hamilton

Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program The 63rd Annual Academy Awards (ABC) In Living Color (Fox) Late Night with David Letterman (NBC) The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson (CBS) Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Outstanding Writing in a Miniseries or a Special House of Cards (PBS) – Andrew Davies Decoration Day (NBC) – Robert W. Lenski Paris Trout (Showtime) – Peter Dexter Sarah, Plain and Tall (CBS) – Patricia MacLachlan Separate but Equal (ABC) – George Stevens Jr.

Miscellaneous

Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries or Special Alixe Gordin – Separate but Equal (ABC)

Outstanding Editing for a Series – Multi-Camera Production Murphy Brown (CBS): "On Another Plane" – Tucker Wiard Cheers (NBC): "The Days of Wine and Neuroses" – Andy Ackerman Cheers (NBC): "Rat Girl" – Sheila Amos Coach (ABC): "The Break-Up" – Andrew Chulack

Most major nominations

Networks with multiple major nominations^{[note 2]}

Network	No. of Nominations
NBC	46
ABC	36
CBS	31

Programs with multiple major nominations

Program	Category	Network	No. of Nominations
Cheers	Comedy	NBC	9
L.A. Law	Drama		8
Murphy Brown	Comedy	CBS	7
Thirtysomething	Drama	ABC	6
Decoration Day	Miniseries/Special	NBC	5
The Josephine Baker Story		HBO
Sarah, Plain and Tall		CBS
Separate but Equal		ABC
The 63rd Annual Academy Awards	Variety		4
China Beach	Drama
Evening Shade	Comedy	CBS
In Living Color	Variety	Fox
Paris Trout	Miniseries/Special	Showtime
Coach	Comedy	ABC	3
The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd		Lifetime
The Golden Girls		NBC
Late Night with David Letterman	Variety
Quantum Leap	Drama
Seinfeld	Comedy
Designing Women		CBS	2
Gabriel's Fire	Drama	ABC
The Kennedy Center Honors	Variety	CBS
Long Road Home	Miniseries/Special	NBC
The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson	Variety	CBS
Northern Exposure	Drama
Twin Peaks		ABC
The Wonder Years	Comedy

Most major awards

Networks with multiple major awards^{[note 2]}

Network	No. of Awards
ABC	11
NBC	8
CBS	2
HBO
PBS

Programs with multiple major awards

Program	Category	Network	No. of Awards
Cheers	Comedy	NBC	4
The 63rd Annual Academy Awards	Variety	ABC	3
Gabriel's Fire	Drama		2
The Josephine Baker Story	Miniseries/Special	HBO
L.A. Law	Drama	NBC
Murphy Brown	Comedy	CBS
Separate but Equal	Miniseries/Special	ABC
Thirtysomething	Drama

Notes

1. For this year only, the Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special and Outstanding Miniseries were combined so that TV Movies and Miniseries competed in the same category.
2. "Major" constitutes the categories listed above: Program, Acting, Directing, and Writing. Does not include the technical categories.

Presenters

The awards were presented by the following people:^[6]

Presenter(s)	Award(s)
Burt Reynolds Loni Anderson	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
Victoria Principal	Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
Jane Seymour John Goodman	Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Corbin Bernsen Christina Applegate	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Craig T. Nelson Jerry Van Dyke	Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
Beatrice Arthur Betty White Rue McClanahan Estelle Getty	Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Kirk Cameron Chelsea Noble	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Special
Richard Mulligan Park Overall	Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries or Special
Mary-Kate Olsen Ashley Olsen Bob Saget	Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries or Special
Crystal Bernard Alan Thicke	Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Special
The cast of Designing Women	Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries or Special
Richard Lewis	Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program
Jimmy Smits Susan Dey	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Special
Sela Ward Julianne Phillips Fred Savage	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Special
Gilbert Gottfried	Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program
Rob Morrow Jeannine Taylor	Outstanding Directing for a Variety or Music Program
Faith Ford Mike Myers	Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program
Jason Priestley Shannen Doherty Luke Perry	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Peter Falk	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Harry Hamlin Nicolette Sheridan	Outstanding Drama Series
Sam Kinison	Outstanding Editing for a Series – Multi-Camera Production
Keenan Ivory Wayans	Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special and Miniseries
Macaulay Culkin	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Marilu Henner Carol Kane Christopher Lloyd	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Carol Burnett	Outstanding Comedy Series

Tribute

A stand-alone tribute was presented to actor Michael Landon by his fellow Little House on the Prairie co-stars Melissa Gilbert and Merlin Olsen. Before the tribute, Gilbert briefly eulogized Lee Remick, Bert Convy, Harry Reasoner and Colleen Dewhurst.