The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series is presented to the best directing of a television comedy series.
Winners and nominations 1950s Year Program Episode Nominee(s) NetworkBest Direction1955Studio One"Twelve Angry Men"Franklin SchaffnerCBSFour Star Playhouse"The Answer"Roy KellinoCBSThe Loretta Young Show"The Clara Schumann Story"Robert FloreyNBCThe United States Steel Hour"The Interview"Alex SegalABCWaterfront"Christmas in San Pedro"Ted PostSyndicatedYour Hit ParadeClark JonesNBCBest Director - Film Series1956The Phil Silvers ShowNat HikenCBSAlfred Hitchcock Presents"The Case of Mr. Pelham"Alfred HitchcockCBSThe Bob Cummings Show"Return of the Wolf"Rod AmateauDragnetJack WebbNBCMake Room for DaddySheldon LeonardABCYou Are There"Grant & Lee at Appomattox"Bernard GirardCBS1957Best Direction - Half-Hour or LessThe Danny Thomas Show"Danny's Comeback"Sheldon LeonardABCCamera Three"As I Lay Dying"Clay YurdinCBSGeneral Electric Theater"The Road That Led Afar"Herschel DaughertyTales of the 77th Bengal Lancers"The Traitor"George ArchainbaudNBCYou Are There"First Moscow Purge Trial"William D. Russell CBSBest Direction - One Hour or MorePlayhouse 90"Requiem for a Heavyweight"Ralph NelsonCBSThe Dinah Shore Chevy Show"October 5, 1956"Bob BannerNBCKraft Television Theatre"A Night to Remember"George Roy HillNBC Opera Theatre"La Boheme"Kirk BrowningPlayhouse 90"Forbidden Area"John FrankenheimerCBSThe 20th Century Fox Hour"Child of the Regiment"Lewis AllenCBS1958Best Direction - Half-Hour or LessAlfred Hitchcock Presents"The Glass Eye"Robert StevensCBSThe Danny Thomas ShowSheldon LeonardABC & CBSFather Knows BestPeter TewksburyNBCThe Patrice Munsel ShowClark JonesABCYour Hit ParadeBill HobinNBCBest Direction - One Hour or MoreThe Dinah Shore Chevy ShowBob BannerNBCHallmark Hall of Fame"The Green Pastures"George SchaeferNBCPlayhouse 90"The Comedian"John FrankenheimerCBS"The Helen Morgan Story"George Roy Hill"The Miracle Worker"Arthur PennBest Direction of a Single Program of a Comedy Series1959Father Knows Best"Medal for Margaret"Peter TewksburyCBSThe Danny Thomas Show"Pardon My Accent"Sheldon LeonardCBSThe Jack Benny Program"Gary Cooper"Seymour BernsMr. Adams and Eve"The Interview"Richard KinonThe Real McCoys"Kate's Career"Hy AverbackABC
1960s Year Program Episode Nominee(s) NetworkOutstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy1960The Jack Benny ProgramRalph Levy and Bud YorkinCBSThe Danny Thomas ShowSheldon LeonardCBSThe Red Skelton ShowSeymour Berns1961The Danny Thomas ShowSheldon LeonardCBSThe Bob Hope Buick ShowDick McDonough and Jack SheaNBCMy Three SonsPeter TewksburyABC1962Car 54, Where Are You?Nat HikenNBCThe Dick Van Dyke ShowJohn RichCBSThe Garry Moore ShowDave GeiselHenry Fonda and the FamilyBud YorkinThe Red Skelton ShowSeymour Berns1963The Dick Van Dyke ShowJohn RichCBSThe Beverly HillbilliesRichard WhorfCBSThe Garry Moore ShowDave GeiselThe Jack Benny ProgramFrederick De CordovaThe Red Skelton ShowSeymour Berns1964The Dick Van Dyke ShowJerry ParisCBSThe Beverly HillbilliesRichard WhorfCBSThe Farmer's DaughterPaul Nickell, William D. Russell and Don TaylorABCMcHale's NavySidney LanfieldOutstanding Individual Achievements in Entertainment - Directors1965The Defenders"The 700 Year Old Gang"Paul BogartCBSHallmark Hall of Fame"The Magnificent Yankee"George SchaeferNBCMy Name Is BarbraDwight HemionCBSOutstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy1966BewitchedWilliam AsherABCThe Dick Van Dyke ShowJerry ParisCBSGet Smart"Diplomat's Daughter"Paul BogartNBC1967The Monkees"Royal Flush"James FrawleyNBCBewitchedWilliam AsherABCFamily AffairWilliam D. RussellCBSI Spy"One of Our Bombs Is Missing"Earl BellamyNBCThe Lucy ShowMaury ThompsonCBS1968Get Smart"Maxwell Smart, Private Eye"Bruce BilsonNBCThat GirlDanny ArnoldABCThe Monkees"The Devil and Peter Tork"James FrawleyNBCOutstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy, Variety or Music1969In 1969 and 1970, the nominees for the comedy directing award were variety programs.The Dean Martin Show"October 17, 1968"Greg GarrisonNBCThe Bill Cosby SpecialBill HobinNBCRowan & Martin's Laugh-In"February 3, 1969"Gordon Wiles
1970s Year Program Episode Nominee(s) NetworkOutstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety, Comedy or Music1970Kraft Music Hall"The Sound of Burt Bacharach"Dwight HemionNBCThe Second Bill Cosby SpecialSeymour BernsNBCYoung People's Concerts"Berlioz Takes a Trip"Roger EnglanderCBSOutstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy1971The Mary Tyler Moore Show"Toulouse-Lautrec Is One of My Favorite Artists"Jay SandrichCBSAll in the Family"Gloria's Pregnancy"John RichCBSThe Mary Tyler Moore Show"Support Your Local Mother"Alan Rafkin1972All in the Family"Sammy's Visit"John RichCBSThe Mary Tyler Moore Show"Thoroughly Unmilitant Mary"Jay SandrichCBS"Where There's Smoke, There's Rhoda"Peter Baldwin1973The Mary Tyler Moore Show"It's Whether You Win or Lose"Jay SandrichCBSAll in the Family"The Bunkers and the Swingers"John Rich and Bob LaHendroCBSM*A*S*H"Pilot"Gene ReynoldsBest Directing in Comedy1974M*A*S*H"Carry On, Hawkeye"Jackie CooperCBSThe Mary Tyler Moore Show"Lou's First Date"Jay SandrichCBSM*A*S*H"Deal Me Out"Gene ReynoldsOutstanding Directing in a Comedy Series1975M*A*S*H"O.R."Gene ReynoldsCBSM*A*S*H"Alcoholics Unanimous"Hy AverbackCBS"Bulletin Board"Alan Alda1976M*A*S*H"Welcome to Korea"Gene ReynoldsCBSM*A*S*H"The Kids"Alan AldaCBSThe Mary Tyler Moore Show"Chuckles Bites the Dust"Joan DarlingMaude"The Analyst"Hal Cooper1977M*A*S*H"Dear Sigmund"Alan AldaCBSAll in the Family"The Draft Dodger"Paul BogartCBSM*A*S*H"Lt. Radar O'Reilly"Alan Rafkin"The Nurses"Joan DarlingThe Mary Tyler Moore Show"The Last Show"Jay Sandrich1978All in the Family"Edith's 50th Birthday"Paul BogartCBSHappy Days"Richie Almost Dies"Jerry ParisABCM*A*S*H"Comrades in Arms"Alan Alda and Burt MetcalfeCBSMaude"Vivian's Decision"Hal CooperSoap"Episode 24"Jay SandrichABCOutstanding Directing in a Comedy or Comedy-Variety or Music Series1979Barney Miller"The Harris Incident"Noam PitlikABCAll in the Family"California, Here We Are, Part 2"Paul BogartCBSM*A*S*H"Dear Sis"Alan Alda"Point of View"Charles S. DubinSoap"Episode 27"Jay SandrichABC
1980s Year Program Episode Nominee(s) Network1980Taxi"Louie and the Nice Girl"James BurrowsABCM*A*S*H"Bottle Fatigue"Burt MetcalfeCBS"Dreams"Alan Alda"Period of Adjustment"Charles S. Dubin"Stars and Stripes"Harry Morgan1981Taxi"Elaine's Strange Triangle"James BurrowsABCArchie Bunker's Place"Tough Love"Linda DayCBSBarney Miller"Liquidation"Noam PitlikABCHappy Days"Hello Mrs. Arcola"Jerry ParisM*A*S*H"The Life You Save"Alan AldaCBS"No Laughing Matter"Burt MetcalfeWKRP in Cincinnati"Venus Flytrap Explains The Atom"Rod Daniel1982One Day at a Time"Barbara's Crisis"Alan RafkinCBSM*A*S*H"Picture This"Burt MetcalfeCBS"Pressure Points"Charles S. Dubin"Sons and Bowlers"Hy Averback"Where There's a Will, There's a War"Alan AldaTaxi"Jim the Psychic"James BurrowsABC1983Cheers"Showdown, Part 2" James BurrowsNBCBuffalo Bill"Pilot"Tom PatchettNBC"Woody Quits"Jim DrakeThe Love Boat"The Dog Show"Bob SweeneyABCM*A*S*H"Goodbye, Farewell and Amen"Alan AldaCBS"The Joker Is Wild"Burt Metcalfe1984Kate & Allie"The Very Loud Family"Bill PerskyCBSAfterMASH"Fall Out"Larry GelbartCBSBuffalo Bill"Jo-Jo's Problem, Part 2"Ellen FalconNBCCheers"Old Flames"James Burrows1985The Cosby Show"The Younger Woman"Jay SandrichNBCAlice"Tommy's Lost Weekend"Marc DanielsCBSCheers"Cheerio, Cheers"James BurrowsNBCKate & Allie"Landlady"Bill PerskyCBSMoonlighting"Pilot"Robert ButlerABC1986The Cosby Show"Denise's Friend"Jay SandrichNBCCheers"The Triangle"James BurrowsNBCThe Golden Girls"A Little Romance"Terry Hughes"The Heart Attack"Jim DrakeKate & Allie"Chip's Friend"Bill PerskyCBS1987The Golden Girls"Isn't it Romantic?"Terry HughesNBCCheers"Chambers vs. Malone"James BurrowsNBCThe Cosby Show"I Know that You Know"Jay SandrichDesigning Women"The Beauty Contest"Jack SheaCBSFamily Ties"A, My Name is Alex"Will MackenzieNBC1988Hooperman"Pilot"Gregory HoblitABCCheers"Backseat Becky, Up Front"James BurrowsNBCThe Days and Nights of Molly Dodd"Here Comes that Cold Wind off the River"Jay TarsesIt's Garry Shandling's Show"No Baby, No Show"Alan RafkinShowtimeThe Golden Girls"Old Friends"Terry HughesNBC1989The Wonder Years"Our Miss White"Peter BaldwinABCCheers"The Visiting Leecher"James BurrowsNBCThe Golden Girls"Brother, Can You Spare That Jacket?"Terry HughesMurphy Brown"Pilot"Barnet KellmanCBSThe Wonder Years"Birthday Boy"Steve MinerABC"How I'm Spending My Summer Vacation"Michael Dinner
1990s Year Program Episode Nominee(s) Network1990The Wonder Years"Good-bye"Michael DinnerABCCheers"The Improbable Dream, Part 1"James BurrowsNBCDesigning Women"They Shoot Fat Women, Don't They?"Harry ThomasonCBSThe Famous Teddy Z"Pilot"Hugh WilsonThe Golden Girls"Triple Play"Terry HughesNBCMurphy Brown"Brown Like Me"Barnet KellmanCBS1991Cheers"Woody Interruptus"James BurrowsNBCThe Days and Nights of Molly Dodd"Here's a Little Touch of Harry in the Night"Jay TarsesLifetimeMurphy Brown"On Another Plane"Barnet KellmanCBSSeinfeld"The Pony Remark"Tom CheronesNBCThe Wonder Years"The Ties That Bind"Peter BaldwinABC1992Murphy Brown"Birth 101"Barnet KellmanCBSBrooklyn Bridge"When Irish Eyes Are Smiling"Sam WeismanCBSCheers"An Old Fashioned Wedding"James BurrowsNBCMurphy Brown"Send in the Clowns"Lee Shallat-ChemelCBSSeinfeld"The Tape"David SteinbergNBC1993Dream On"For Peter's Sake"Betty ThomasHBOCheers"One for the Road"James BurrowsNBCDream On"And Bimbo Was His Name-O"Eric LaneuvilleHBOMurphy Brown"You Say Potatoe, I Say Potato"Peter BonerzCBSSeinfeld"The Contest"Tom CheronesNBC1994Frasier"The Good Son"James BurrowsNBCThe John Larroquette Show"Pilot"John WhitesellNBCThe Larry Sanders Show"Life Behind Larry"Todd HollandHBOMad About You"Love Letters"Tom MooreNBC"Paul is Dead"Lee Shallat-ChemelSeinfeld"The Mango"Tom Cherones1995Frasier"The Matchmaker"David LeeNBCFriends"The One with the Blackout"James BurrowsNBCThe Larry Sanders Show"Hank's Night in the Sun"Todd HollandHBOThe Nanny"Canasta Master"Lee Shallat-ChemelCBSSeinfeld"The Jimmy"Andy AckermanNBC1996Friends"The One After the Superbowl"Michael LembeckNBCThe Larry Sanders Show"Arthur After Hours"Todd HollandHBO"I Was a Teenage Lesbian"Michael LehmannSeinfeld"The Soup Nazi"Andy AckermanNBC3rd Rock from the Sun"Brains and Eggs"James Burrows1997Frasier"To Kill a Talking Bird"David LeeNBCEllen"The Puppy Episode"Gil JungerABCThe Larry Sanders Show"Everybody Loves Larry"Todd HollandHBO"Ellen, or Isn't She?"Alan MyersonSeinfeld"The Pothole"Andy AckermanNBC1998The Larry Sanders Show"Flip"Todd HollandHBOAlly McBeal"Cro-Magnon"Allan ArkushFox"Pilot"James FrawleyDharma & Greg"Pilot"James BurrowsABC3rd Rock from the Sun"Dick and the Other Guy"Terry HughesNBC1999Sports Night"Pilot"Thomas SchlammeABCAlly McBeal"Those Lips, That Hand"Arlene SanfordFoxEverybody Loves Raymond"Robert's Date"Will MackenzieCBSFriends"The One Where Everybody Finds Out"Michael LembeckNBCWill & Grace"Pilot"James Burrows
2000s