Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
	The 2024 recipient: Hiroyuki Sanada
Awarded for	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Country	United States
Presented by	Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
First award	1954
Currently held by	Hiroyuki Sanada, ; Shōgun (2024)
Website	emmys.com

The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series is an award presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). Beginning with the 18th Primetime Emmy Awards, leading actors in drama have competed alone. However, these dramatic 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, before the category's creation
§ – Indicates a performance as a guest performer, before and after the category's creation

Quick Facts for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, Awarded for ...

Year	Actor	Role	Program	Network
Best Male Star of a Regular Series
1954 (6th) ^{[note 1]}
	Donald O'Connor	Himself	The Colgate Comedy Hour	NBC
	Sid Caesar	Various characters	Your Show of Shows	NBC
	Wally Cox	Robinson Peepers	Mister Peepers	NBC
	Jackie Gleason	Various characters	The Jackie Gleason Show	CBS
	Jack Webb	Joe Friday	Dragnet	NBC
Best Actor Starring in a Regular Series
1955 (7th) ^{[note 1]}
	Danny Thomas	Danny Williams	Make Room for Daddy	ABC
	Richard Boone	Dr. Konrad Styner	Medic	NBC
	Robert Cummings	Robert Beanblossom	My Hero	NBC
	Jackie Gleason	Various characters	The Jackie Gleason Show	CBS
	Jack Webb	Joe Friday	Dragnet	NBC
Best Actor - Continuing Performance
1956 (8th) ^{[note 1]}
	Phil Silvers	MSgt. Ernest G. Bilko	The Phil Silvers Show	CBS
	Robert Cummings	Bob Collins	The Bob Cummings Show	CBS
	Jackie Gleason	Ralph Kramden	The Honeymooners	CBS
	Danny Thomas	Danny Williams	Make Room for Daddy	ABC
	Robert Young	Jim Anderson	Father Knows Best	CBS
Best Continuing Performance by an Actor
1957 (9th)
	Robert Young	Jim Anderson	Father Knows Best	NBC
	James Arness	Matt Dillon	Gunsmoke	CBS
	Charles Boyer	Various characters	Four Star Playhouse
	David Niven	Various characters	Four Star Playhouse
	Hugh O'Brian	Wyatt Earp	The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp	ABC
Best Continuing Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic or Comedy Series
1958 (10th) ^{[note 1]}
	Robert Young	Jim Anderson	Father Knows Best	NBC
	James Arness	Matt Dillon	Gunsmoke	CBS
	Robert Cummings	Bob Collins	The Bob Cummings Show
	Phil Silvers	MSgt. Ernest G. Bilko	The Phil Silvers Show
	Danny Thomas	Danny Williams	The Danny Thomas Show	ABC & CBS
Best Actor in a Leading Role (Continuing Character) in a Dramatic Series
1959 (11th)
	Raymond Burr	Perry Mason	Perry Mason	CBS
	James Arness	Matt Dillon	Gunsmoke	CBS
	Richard Boone	Paladin	Have Gun – Will Travel	CBS
	James Garner	Bret Maverick	Maverick	ABC
	Craig Stevens	Peter Gunn	Peter Gunn	NBC
	Efrem Zimbalist Jr.	Stuart Bailey	77 Sunset Strip	ABC

Year	Actor	Role	Program	Network
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Series (Lead or Support)
1960 (12th) ^{[note 1]}
	Robert Stack	Eliot Ness	The Untouchables	ABC
	Richard Boone	Paladin	Have Gun – Will Travel	CBS
	Raymond Burr	Perry Mason	Perry Mason	CBS
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Series (Lead)
1961 (13th) ^{[note 1]}
	Raymond Burr	Perry Mason	Perry Mason	CBS
	Jackie Cooper	Chick Hennesey	Hennesey	CBS
	Robert Stack	Eliot Ness	The Untouchables	ABC
Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Series (Lead)
1962 (14th) ^{[note 1]}
	E. G. Marshall	Lawrence Preston	The Defenders	CBS
	Paul Burke	Det. Adam Flint	Naked City	ABC
	Jackie Cooper	Chick Hennesey	Hennesey	CBS
	Vince Edwards	Ben Casey	Ben Casey	ABC
	George Maharis	Buz Murdock	Route 66	CBS
1963 (15th) ^{[note 1]}
	E. G. Marshall	Lawrence Preston	The Defenders	CBS
	Ernest Borgnine	Lt. Cmdr. Quinton McHale	McHale's Navy	ABC
	Paul Burke	Det. Adam Flint	Naked City
	Vic Morrow	Sgt. Sanders	Combat!
	Dick Van Dyke	Rob Petrie	The Dick Van Dyke Show	CBS
1964 (16th) ^{[note 1]}
	Dick Van Dyke	Rob Petrie	The Dick Van Dyke Show	CBS
	Richard Boone	Various characters	The Richard Boone Show	NBC
	Dean Jagger	Principal Albert Vane	Mr. Novak	NBC
	David Janssen	Dr. Richard Kimble	The Fugitive	ABC
	George C. Scott	Neil Brock	East Side/West Side	CBS
Outstanding Individual Achievements in Entertainment - Actors and Performers
1965 (17th) ^{[note 1]}
	Leonard Bernstein	Conductor	New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts with Leonard Bernstein	CBS
	Lynn Fontanne	Fanny Bowditch Holmes	Hallmark Hall of Fame: "The Magnificent Yankee"	NBC
	Alfred Lunt	Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.	Hallmark Hall of Fame: "The Magnificent Yankee"	NBC
	Barbra Streisand	Herself	My Name Is Barbra	CBS
	Dick Van Dyke	Rob Petrie	The Dick Van Dyke Show	CBS
	Julie Andrews	Herself	The Andy Williams Show: "November 30, 1964"	NBC
	Johnny Carson	Host	The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
	Gladys Cooper	Margaret St. Clair	The Rogues
	Robert Coote	Timmy St. Clair	The Rogues
	Richard Crenna	James Slattery	Slattery's People	CBS
	Julie Harris	Florence Nightingale	Hallmark Hall of Fame: "The Holy Terror"	NBC
	Bob Hope	Himself	Chrysler Presents A Bob Hope Comedy Special
	Dean Jagger	Principal Albert Vane	Mr. Novak
	Danny Kaye	Host	The Danny Kaye Show	CBS
	David McCallum	Illya Kuryakin	The Man from U.N.C.L.E.	NBC
	Red Skelton	Himself	The Red Skelton Hour	CBS
Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Series
1966 (18th)
	Bill Cosby	Alexander Scott	I Spy	NBC
	Richard Crenna	James Slattery	Slattery's People	CBS
	Robert Culp	Kelly Robinson	I Spy	NBC
	David Janssen	Dr. Richard Kimble	The Fugitive	ABC
	David McCallum	Illya Kuryakin	The Man from U.N.C.L.E.	NBC
1967 (19th)
	Bill Cosby	Alexander Scott	I Spy	NBC
	Robert Culp	Kelly Robinson	I Spy	NBC
	Ben Gazzara	Paul Bryan	Run for Your Life	NBC
	David Janssen	Dr. Richard Kimble	The Fugitive	ABC
	Martin Landau	Rollin Hand	Mission: Impossible	CBS
1968 (20th)
	Bill Cosby	Alexander Scott	I Spy	NBC
	Raymond Burr	Robert T. Ironside	Ironside	NBC
	Robert Culp	Kelly Robinson	I Spy
	Ben Gazzara	Paul Bryan	Run for Your Life
	Martin Landau	Rollin Hand	Mission: Impossible	CBS
1969 (21st)
	Carl Betz	Clinton Judd	Judd, for the Defense	ABC
	Raymond Burr	Robert T. Ironside	Ironside	NBC
	Peter Graves	Jim Phelps	Mission: Impossible	CBS
	Martin Landau	Rollin Hand	Mission: Impossible
	Ross Martin	Artemus Gordon	The Wild Wild West

Year	Actor	Role	Program	Network
Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Series
1970 (22nd)
	Robert Young	Dr. Marcus Welby	Marcus Welby, M.D.	ABC
	Raymond Burr	Robert T. Ironside	Ironside	NBC
	Mike Connors	Joe Mannix	Mannix	CBS
	Robert Wagner	Al Mundy	It Takes a Thief	ABC
1971 (23rd)
	Hal Holbrook	Hays Stowe	The Bold Ones: The Senator	NBC
	Raymond Burr	Robert T. Ironside	Ironside	NBC
	Mike Connors	Joe Mannix	Mannix	CBS
	Robert Young	Dr. Marcus Welby	Marcus Welby, M.D.	ABC
1972 (24th)
	Peter Falk	Columbo	Columbo	NBC
	Raymond Burr	Robert T. Ironside	Ironside	NBC
	Mike Connors	Joe Mannix	Mannix	CBS
	Keith Michell #	Henry VIII of England	The Six Wives of Henry VIII	CBS
	Robert Young	Dr. Marcus Welby	Marcus Welby, M.D.	ABC
Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Drama Series - Continuing)
1973 (25th)
	Richard Thomas	John-Boy Walton	The Waltons	CBS
	David Carradine	Kwai Chang Caine	Kung Fu	ABC
	Mike Connors	Joe Mannix	Mannix	CBS
	William Conrad	Frank Cannon	Cannon	CBS
	Peter Falk	Columbo	Columbo	NBC
Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series
1974 (26th)
	Telly Savalas	Lt. Theo Kojak	Kojak	CBS
	William Conrad	Frank Cannon	Cannon	CBS
	Karl Malden	Lt. Mike Stone	The Streets of San Francisco	ABC
	Richard Thomas	John-Boy Walton	The Waltons	CBS
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
1975 (27th)
	Robert Blake	Det. Tony Baretta	Baretta	ABC
	Karl Malden	Lt. Mike Stone	The Streets of San Francisco	ABC
	Barry Newman	Anthony J. Petrocelli	Petrocelli	NBC
	Telly Savalas	Lt. Theo Kojak	Kojak	CBS
1976 (28th)
	Peter Falk	Columbo	Columbo	NBC
	James Garner	Jim Rockford	The Rockford Files	NBC
	Karl Malden	Lt. Mike Stone	The Streets of San Francisco	ABC
1977 (29th)
	James Garner	Jim Rockford	The Rockford Files	NBC
	Robert Blake	Det. Tony Baretta	Baretta	ABC
	Peter Falk	Columbo	Columbo	NBC
	Jack Klugman	Dr. R. Quincy, M.E.	Quincy, M.E.	NBC
	Karl Malden	Lt. Mike Stone	The Streets of San Francisco	ABC
1978 (30th)
	Ed Asner	Lou Grant	Lou Grant	CBS
	James Broderick	Doug Lawrence	Family	ABC
	Peter Falk	Columbo	Columbo	NBC
	James Garner	Jim Rockford	The Rockford Files
	Jack Klugman	Dr. R. Quincy, M.E.	Quincy, M.E.
	Ralph Waite	John Walton, Sr.	The Waltons	CBS
1979 (31st)
	Ron Leibman	Martin Kazinski	Kaz	CBS
	Ed Asner	Lou Grant	Lou Grant	CBS
	James Garner	Jim Rockford	The Rockford Files	NBC
	Jack Klugman	Dr. R. Quincy, M.E.	Quincy, M.E.	NBC

Year	Actor	Role	Program	Network
1980 (32nd)
	Ed Asner	Lou Grant	Lou Grant	CBS
	James Garner	Jim Rockford	The Rockford Files	NBC
	Jack Klugman	R. Quincy	Quincy, M.E.	NBC
	Larry Hagman	J. R. Ewing	Dallas	CBS
1981 (33rd)
	Daniel J. Travanti	Frank Furillo	Hill Street Blues	NBC
	Ed Asner	Lou Grant	Lou Grant	CBS
	Jim Davis (posthumously)	Jock Ewing	Dallas
	Larry Hagman	J. R. Ewing	Dallas
	Louis Gossett Jr. §	Bessie's Father	Palmerstown, U.S.A.
	Pernell Roberts	Trapper John McIntyre	Trapper John, M.D.
1982 (34th)
	Daniel J. Travanti	Frank Furillo	Hill Street Blues	NBC
	Ed Asner	Lou Grant	Lou Grant	CBS
	Tom Selleck	Thomas Magnum	Magnum, P.I.	CBS
	James Garner	Bret Maverick	Bret Maverick	NBC
	John Forsythe	Blake Carrington	Dynasty	ABC
1983 (35th)
	Ed Flanders	Donald Westphall	St. Elsewhere	NBC
	Tom Selleck	Thomas Magnum	Magnum, P.I.	CBS
	William Daniels	Mark Craig	St. Elsewhere	NBC
	John Forsythe	Blake Carrington	Dynasty	ABC
	Daniel J. Travanti	Frank Furillo	Hill Street Blues	NBC
1984 (36th) ^[1]
	Tom Selleck	Thomas Magnum	Magnum, P.I.	CBS
	William Daniels	Mark Craig	St. Elsewhere	NBC
	Ed Flanders	Donald Westphall	St. Elsewhere
	Daniel J. Travanti	Frank Furillo	Hill Street Blues
	John Forsythe	Blake Carrington	Dynasty	ABC
1985 (37th)
	William Daniels	Mark Craig	St. Elsewhere	NBC
	Don Johnson	Sonny Crockett	Miami Vice	NBC
	Ed Flanders	Donald Westphall	St. Elsewhere
	Daniel J. Travanti	Frank Furillo	Hill Street Blues
	Tom Selleck	Thomas Magnum	Magnum, P.I.	CBS
1986 (38th)
	William Daniels	Mark Craig	St. Elsewhere	NBC
	Tom Selleck	Thomas Magnum	Magnum, P.I.	CBS
	Edward Woodward	Robert McCall	The Equalizer	CBS
	Bruce Willis	David Addison	Moonlighting	ABC
	Ed Flanders	Donald Westphall	St. Elsewhere	NBC
1987 (39th)
	Bruce Willis	David Addison	Moonlighting	ABC
	William Daniels	Mark Craig	St. Elsewhere	NBC
	Ed Flanders	Donald Westphall	St. Elsewhere
	Corbin Bernsen	Arnie Becker	L.A. Law
	Edward Woodward	Robert McCall	The Equalizer	CBS
1988 (40th)
	Richard Kiley	Joe Gardner	A Year in the Life	NBC
	Corbin Bernsen	Arnie Becker	L.A. Law	NBC
	Michael Tucker	Stuart Markowitz	L.A. Law	NBC
	Ron Perlman	Vincent	Beauty and the Beast	CBS
	Edward Woodward	Robert McCall	The Equalizer	CBS
1989 (41st)
	Carroll O'Connor	Bill Gillespie	In the Heat of the Night	NBC
	Ken Wahl	Vinnie Terranova	Wiseguy	CBS
	Edward Woodward	Robert McCall	The Equalizer
	Ron Perlman	Vincent	Beauty and the Beast
	Michael Tucker	Stuart Markowitz	L.A. Law	NBC

Year	Actor	Role	Program	Episode Submissions	Network
1990 (42nd)
	Peter Falk	Columbo	Columbo	"Agenda for Murder"	ABC
	Scott Bakula	Sam Beckett	Quantum Leap	—	NBC
	Robert Loggia	Nick Mancuso	Mancuso, F.B.I.	—	NBC
	Kyle MacLachlan	Dale Cooper	Twin Peaks	—	ABC
	Edward Woodward	Robert McCall	The Equalizer	—	CBS
1991 (43rd)
	James Earl Jones	Gabriel Bird	Gabriel's Fire	"Pilot"	ABC
	Scott Bakula	Sam Beckett	Quantum Leap	"Shock Theater: October 3, 1954"	NBC
	Michael Moriarty	Benjamin Stone	Law & Order	"Indifference"	NBC
	Peter Falk	Columbo	Columbo	"Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star"	ABC
	Kyle MacLachlan	Dale Cooper	Twin Peaks	"Episode 16"	ABC
1992 (44th)
	Christopher Lloyd §	Alistair Dimple	Road to Avonlea	"Another Point of View"	Disney Channel
	Scott Bakula	Sam Beckett	Quantum Leap	"Dreams: February 28, 1979"	NBC
	Harrison Page §	Reverend Walters	Quantum Leap	"Song for the Soul: April 7, 1963"	NBC
	Kirk Douglas §	General Kalthrob	Tales from the Crypt	"Yellow"	HBO
	Rob Morrow	Joel Fleischman	Northern Exposure	"Jules et Joel"	CBS
	Michael Moriarty	Benjamin Stone	Law & Order	"The Wages of Love"	NBC
	Sam Waterston	Forrest Bedford	I'll Fly Away	"Hard Lessons Master Magician"	NBC
1993 (45th)
	Tom Skerritt	Jimmy Brock	Picket Fences	"High Tidings"	CBS
	Scott Bakula	Sam Beckett	Quantum Leap	"Lee Harvey Oswald: October 5, 1957-November 22, 1963"	NBC
	Michael Moriarty	Benjamin Stone	Law & Order	"Night and Fog"
	Sam Waterston	Forrest Bedford	I'll Fly Away	"All in the Life"
	Rob Morrow	Joel Fleischman	Northern Exposure	"Kaddish for Uncle Manny"	CBS
1994 (46th)
	Dennis Franz	Andy Sipowicz	NYPD Blue	"NYPD Lou"	ABC
	David Caruso	John Kelly	NYPD Blue	"Pilot"	ABC
	Michael Moriarty	Benjamin Stone	Law & Order	"Sanctuary"	NBC
	Tom Skerritt	Jimmy Brock	Picket Fences	"Dairy Queen"	CBS
	Peter Falk	Columbo	Columbo	"It's All in the Game"	ABC
1995 (47th)
	Mandy Patinkin	Jeffrey Geiger	Chicago Hope	"Over the Rainbow"	CBS
	Dennis Franz	Andy Sipowicz	NYPD Blue	"A.D.A. Sipowicz"	ABC
	Jimmy Smits	Bobby Simone	NYPD Blue	"The Bookie and Kooky Cookie"	ABC
	George Clooney	Doug Ross	ER	"Long Day's Journey"	NBC
	Anthony Edwards	Mark Greene	ER	"Love's Labor Lost"	NBC
1996 (48th)
	Dennis Franz	Andy Sipowicz	NYPD Blue	"Closing Time"	ABC
	Jimmy Smits	Bobby Simone	NYPD Blue	"A Death in the Family"	ABC
	Andre Braugher	Frank Pembleton	Homicide: Life on the Street	"For God and Country"	NBC
	George Clooney	Doug Ross	ER	"Hell and High Water"
	Anthony Edwards	Mark Greene	ER	"A Shift in the Night"
1997 (49th)
	Dennis Franz	Andy Sipowicz	NYPD Blue	"Where's 'Swaldo?"	ABC
	Jimmy Smits	Bobby Simone	NYPD Blue	"My Wild Irish Nose"	ABC
	David Duchovny	Fox Mulder	The X-Files	"Small Potatoes"	Fox
	Anthony Edwards	Mark Greene	ER	"Tribes"	NBC
	Sam Waterston	Jack McCoy	Law & Order	"Mad Dog"	NBC
1998 (50th)
	Andre Braugher	Frank Pembleton	Homicide: Life on the Street	"Fallen Heroes, Part 2"	NBC
	David Duchovny	Fox Mulder	The X-Files	"Redux II"	Fox
	Dennis Franz	Andy Sipowicz	NYPD Blue	"The One That Got Away"	ABC
	Jimmy Smits	Bobby Simone	NYPD Blue	"Lost Israel"	ABC
	Anthony Edwards	Mark Greene	ER	"Family Practice"	NBC
1999 (51st)
	Dennis Franz	Andy Sipowicz	NYPD Blue	"Safe Home"	ABC
	Jimmy Smits	Bobby Simone	NYPD Blue	"Hearts and Souls"	ABC
	James Gandolfini	Tony Soprano	The Sopranos	"The Sopranos"	HBO
	Dylan McDermott	Bobby Donnell	The Practice	"Happily Ever After"	ABC
	Sam Waterston	Jack McCoy	Law & Order	"Sideshow"	NBC

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Winners and nominations

1950s

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

Programs with multiple wins

Programs with multiple nominations

Performers with multiple wins

Performers with multiple nominations

Superlatives

See also

Notes

References

Wikiwand - on

Year	Actor	Role	Program	Episode Submissions	Network
2020 (72nd) ^[11]
	Jeremy Strong	Kendall Roy	Succession	"This Is Not for Tears"	HBO
	Billy Porter	Pray Tell	Pose	"Love's in Need of Love Today"	FX
	Brian Cox	Logan Roy	Succession	"Hunting"	HBO
	Jason Bateman	Marty Byrde	Ozark	"Su Casa Es Mi Casa"	Netflix
	Sterling K. Brown	Randall Pearson	This Is Us	"After the Fire"	NBC
	Steve Carell	Mitch Kessler	The Morning Show	"Lonely at the Top"	Apple TV+
2021 (73rd) ^[12]
	Josh O'Connor	Charles, Prince of Wales	The Crown	"Terra Nullius"	Netflix
	Billy Porter	Pray Tell	Pose	"Take Me To Church"	FX
	Jonathan Majors	Atticus Freeman	Lovecraft Country	"Sundown"	HBO
	Matthew Rhys	Perry Mason	Perry Mason	"Chapter 8"	HBO
	Regé-Jean Page	Simon Bassett	Bridgerton	"Art of the Swoon"	Netflix
	Sterling K. Brown	Randall Pearson	This Is Us	"Forty: Part 2"	NBC
2022 (74th) ^[13]
	Lee Jung-jae	Seong Gi-hun	Squid Game	"Gganbu"	Netflix
	Adam Scott	Mark Scout	Severance	"Good News About Hell"	Apple TV+
	Bob Odenkirk	Jimmy McGill / Saul Goodman	Better Call Saul	"Plan and Execution"	AMC
	Brian Cox	Logan Roy	Succession	"All the Bells Say"	HBO
	Jason Bateman	Marty Byrde	Ozark	"Pound of Flesh and Still Kickin’"	Netflix
	Jeremy Strong	Kendall Roy	Succession	"Too Much Birthday"	HBO
2023 (75th) ^[14]	Kieran Culkin	Roman Roy	Succession	"Church and State"	HBO
	Bob Odenkirk	Jimmy McGill / Saul Goodman / Gene Takovic	Better Call Saul	"Saul Gone"	AMC
	Brian Cox	Logan Roy	Succession	"Rehearsal"	HBO
	Jeff Bridges	Dan Chase	The Old Man	"I"	FX
	Jeremy Strong	Kendall Roy	Succession	"With Open Eyes"	HBO
	Pedro Pascal	Joel Miller	The Last of Us	"Kin"	HBO
2024 (76th) ^[15]	Hiroyuki Sanada	Lord Yoshii Toranaga	Shōgun	"The Abyss of Life"	FX
	Idris Elba	Sam Nelson	Hijack	"Comply Slowly"	Apple TV+
	Donald Glover	John Smith / Michael	Mr. & Mrs. Smith	"Couples Therapy (Naked & Afraid)"	Prime Video
	Walton Goggins	The Ghoul / Cooper Howard	Fallout	"The Ghouls"	Prime Video
	Gary Oldman	Jackson Lamb	Slow Horses	"Footprints"	Apple TV+
	Dominic West	Charles, Prince of Wales	The Crown	"Aftermath"	Netflix