The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series is an award that is presented annually by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It is given in honor of an actress 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 Zohra Lampert, for her performance on Kojak, and to Cloris Leachman, for her role on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. It has undergone several name changes, originally honoring single leading and supporting appearances in drama and comedy series through 1978. The award was re-introduced 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 categories for each gender, resulting in the name change to its current title. 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 35 actresses. Patricia Clarkson, Cherry Jones, Shirley Knight, Margo Martindale, Amanda Plummer, and Alfre Woodard have won the most awards in this category, with two each. Jones and Cicely Tyson have been nominated for the award on five occasions each, the most in the category. Meanwhile, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit holds the most awardees, with 5 winners coming from the show.
Winners and nominations Listed below are the winners of the award for each year, as well as the other nominees.
1970s Year Actress Program Role Submitted episode(s) Network 1975 Zohra Lampert Kojak Marina Sheldon "Queen of the Gypsies" CBS Cloris Leachman The Mary Tyler Moore Show Phyllis Lindstrom "Phyllis Whips Inflation" Shelley Winters McCloud Thelma "The Barefoot Girls of Bleaker Street" NBC 1976 Outstanding Lead Actress for a Single Appearance in a Comedy or Drama Series Kathryn Walker The Adams Chronicles Abigail Adams "John Adams, Lawyer" PBS Helen Hayes Hawaii Five-O Aunt Clara "Retire In Sunny Hawaii... Forever" CBS Sheree North Marcus Welby, M.D. June Monica "How Do You Know What Hurts Me?" ABC Pamela Payton-Wright The Adams Chronicles Louisa Catherine Adams "John Quincy Adams, Diplomat" PBS Martha Raye McMillan & Wife Agatha "Greed" NBC Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Drama Series Fionnula Flanagan Rich Man, Poor Man Clothilde "Part II" ABC Kim Darby Rich Man, Poor Man Virginia Calderwood "Part II" ABC Ruth Gordon Rhoda Carlton's Mother "Kiss Your Epaulets Goodbye" CBS Eileen Heckart The Mary Tyler Moore Show Flo Meredith "Mary's Aunt" Kay Lenz Rich Man, Poor Man Kate Jordache "Part VIII" ABC 1977 Outstanding Lead Actress for a Single Appearance in a Comedy or Drama Series Beulah Bondi The Waltons Aunt Martha Corinne Walton "The Pony Cart" CBS Susan Blakely Rich Man, Poor Man Book II Julie Prescott "Chapter 1" ABC Madge Sinclair Roots Bell Reynolds "Part IV" Leslie Uggams Kizzy Reynolds "Part VI" Jessica Walter The Streets of San Francisco Maggie Jarris / Mrs. Reston / Mrs. McCluskey "Till Death Do Us Part" Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Drama Series Olivia Cole Roots Mathilda "Part VIII" ABC Sandy Duncan Roots Missy Anne Reynolds "Part V" ABC Eileen Heckart The Mary Tyler Moore Show Flo Meredith "Lou Proposes" CBS Cicely Tyson Roots Binta "Part I" ABC Nancy Walker Rhoda Ida Morgenstern "The Separation" CBS 1978 Outstanding Lead Actress for a Single Appearance in a Comedy or Drama Series Rita Moreno The Rockford Files Rita Capkovic "The Paper Palace" NBC Patty Duke Having Babies III Leslee Wexler ABC Kate Jackson Jamie at 16 Robin "Pilot" NBC Jayne Meadows Meeting of Minds Florence Nightingale "Luther, Voltaire, Plato, Nightingale" PBS Irene Tedrow Jamie at 16 Miss Jordan "Ducks" NBC Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Drama Series Blanche Baker Holocaust Anna Weiss "Part I" NBC Ellen Corby The Waltons Esther Walton "Grandma Comes Home" CBS Jeanette Nolan The Awakening Land Granny McWhirter "Part I" NBC Beulah Quo Meeting of Minds Empress Tz'u-hsi "Douglass, Tz'u-Hsi, Beccaria, De Sade" PBS Beatrice Straight The Dain Curse Alice Dain Leggett "Part 1" CBS
1980s Year Actress 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 Actress in a Drama Series 1989(41st) Kay Lenz Midnight Caller Tina Cassidy "After It Happened" NBC Shirley Knight The Equalizer Kay "Time Present, Time Past" CBS Jean Simmons Murder, She Wrote Eudora McVeigh "Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Part 1" Maureen Stapleton B.L. Stryker Auntie Sue "Auntie Sue" ABC Chloe Webb China Beach Laurette Barber "Chao Ong" Teresa Wright Dolphin Cove Nina Rothman "The Elders" CBS
1990s Year Actress Program Role Submitted episode(s) Network 1990(42nd) Viveca Lindfors Life Goes On Mrs. Doubcha "Save the Last Dance for Me" ABC Ruby Dee China Beach Ruby "Skylark" ABC Colleen Dewhurst Road to Avonlea Marilla Cuthbert "The Quarantine at Alexander Abraham's" Disney Shirley Knight Thirtysomething Ruth Murdoch "Arizona" ABC Kay Lenz Midnight Caller Tina Cassidy "Someone to Love" NBC 1991(43rd) Peggy McCay The Trials of Rosie O'Neill Irene Hayes "State of Mind" CBS Eileen Brennan Thirtysomething Margaret Weston "Sifting The Ashes" ABC Colleen Dewhurst Road to Avonlea Marilla Cuthbert "The Materializing of Duncan McTavish" Disney Penny Fuller China Beach Margaret Mary McMurphy "Fever" ABC 1992(44th) Valerie Mahaffey Northern Exposure Eve "The Bumpy Road to Love" CBS Barbara Barrie Law & Order Mrs. Bream "Vengeance" NBC Shirley Knight Melanie Currants "The Wages of Love" Kate Nelligan Road to Avonlea Sydney Carver "After the Honeymoon" Disney Channel 1993(45th) Elaine Stritch Law & Order Lanie Stieglitz "Point of View" NBC Bibi Besch Northern Exposure Jane O'Connell "Grosse Pointe 48230" CBS Rosanna Carter I'll Fly Away Eulalia Jefferson "What's in a Name" NBC Diane Ladd Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman Charlotte Cooper "Pilot" CBS Gwen Verdon Homicide: Life on the Street Jessie Doohen "A Ghost of a Chance" NBC 1994(46th) Faye Dunaway Columbo: It's All in the Game Lauren Staton "It's All in the Game" ABC Bonnie Bedelia Fallen Angels Sally Creighton "The Quiet Room" Showtime Stockard Channing Road to Avonlea Viola Elliott "The Minister's Wife" Disney Laura Dern Fallen Angels Annie Ainsley "Murder, Obliquely" Showtime Penny Fuller NYPD Blue Roberta Taub "Serge the Consierge" ABC Marlee Matlin Picket Fences Laurie Bey "Dancing Bandit" CBS 1995(47th) Shirley Knight NYPD Blue Agnes Cantwell "Large Mouth Bass" ABC Amy Brenneman NYPD Blue Janice Licalsi "For Whom the Skell Tolls" ABC Rosemary Clooney ER Madame X / Mary Cavanaugh "Going Home" NBC Colleen Flynn Jodi O'Brien "Love's Labor Lost" CCH Pounder The X-Files Agent Lucy Kazdin "Duane Barry" Fox 1996(48th) Amanda Plummer The Outer Limits Dr. Theresa Givens "A Stitch in Time" Showtime Louise Fletcher Picket Fences Christine Bey "Bye Bye, Bey Bey" CBS Penny Fuller ER Mrs. Constantine "Welcome Back Carter" NBC Carol Kane Chicago Hope Marguerite Birch "Stand" CBS Maureen Stapleton Road to Avonlea Maggie MacPhee "What a Tangled Web We Weave" Disney Lily Tomlin Homicide: Life on the Street Rose Halligan "The Hat" NBC 1997(49th) Dianne Wiest Road to Avonlea Lillian Hepworth "Woman of Importance" Disney Veronica Cartwright ER Norma Houston "Who's Appy Now? Faith" NBC Diane Ladd Touched by an Angel Carolyn Sellers "An Angel By Any Other Name" CBS Anne Meara Homicide: Life on the Street Donna DiGrazi "Hostage, Part 2" NBC Isabella Rossellini Chicago Hope Prof. Marina Giannini "Mother, May I" CBS 1998(50th) Cloris Leachman Promised Land Aunt Mooster "Mooster's Revenge" CBS Veronica Cartwright The X-Files Cassandra Spender "Patient X" Fox Swoosie Kurtz ER Tina Marie Chambliss "Suffer the Little Children" NBC Lili Taylor The X-Files Marty Glenn "Mind's Eye" Fox Alfre Woodard Homicide: Life on the Street Dr. Roxanne Turner "Mercy" NBC 1999(51st) Debra Monk NYPD Blue Katie Sipowicz "Hearts and Souls" ABC Veronica Cartwright The X-Files Cassandra Spender "Two Fathers" Fox Patty Duke Touched by an Angel Nancy Williams "I Do" CBS Julia Roberts Law & Order Katrina Ludlow "Empire" NBC Marion Ross Touched by an Angel Emma "The Wind Beneath My Wings" CBS
2000s