The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series is an annual award presented as part of the Primetime Emmy Awards. It recognizes writing excellence in regular comedic series, most of which can generally be described as situation comedies.In 1969 and 1970, the nominees for the comedy writing award were variety programs. It was first presented in 1955 as Outstanding Written Comedy Material.
Winners and nominations 1950s Year Program Episode Nominee(s) NetworkBest Written Comedy MaterialThe George Gobel ShowJames B. Allardice, Jack Douglas, Hal Kanter and Harry WinklerNBCI Love LucyJess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll Jr.CBSThe Jack Benny ShowGeorge Balzer, Milt Josefsberg, Sam Perrin and John TackaberryThe Jackie Gleason ShowJackie Gleason and staff writersMake Room for DaddyDanny Thomas and staff writersABCMister PeepersJim Fritzell and Everett GreenbaumNBCBest Comedy WritingThe Phil Silvers ShowArnold M. Auerbach, Barry Blitzer, Vincent Bogert, Nat Hiken, Coleman Jacoby, Harvey Orkin, Arnold Rosen, Terry Ryan and Tony WebsterCBSCaesar's HourMel Brooks, Selma Diamond, Larry Gelbart, Sheldon Keller and Mel TolkinNBCThe George Gobel ShowEverett Greenbaum, Hal Kanter, Howard Leeds and Harry WinklerI Love LucyJess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll Jr., Bob Schiller and Bob WeiskopfCBSThe Jack Benny ShowGeorge Balzer, Hal Goldman, Al Gordon and Sam PerrinBest Comedy Writing - Variety or Situation ComedyThe Phil Silvers ShowBilly Friedberg, Nat Hiken, Coleman Jacoby, Arnold Rosen, Leonard B. Stern and Tony WebsterCBSCaesar's HourGary Belkin, Mel Brooks, Larry Gelbart, Sheldon Keller, Neil Simon and Michael Stewart and Mel TolkinNBCThe Ernie Kovacs ShowLouis M. Heyward, Ernie Kovacs, Rex Lardner and Mike MarmerThe Jack Benny ShowGeorge Balzer, Hal Goldman, Al Gordon and Sam PerrinCBSThe Perry Como ShowGoodman Ace, Jay Burton, George Foster and Mort GreenNBCBest Comedy WritingThe Phil Silvers ShowBilly Friedberg, Nat Hiken, Coleman Jacoby, Arnold Rosen, A.J. Russell, Terry Ryan, Phil Sharp, Tony Webster and Sydney ZelinkaCBSCaesar's HourGary Belkin, Mel Brooks, Larry Gelbart, Sheldon Keller, Neil Simon and Michael Stewart and Mel TolkinNBCThe Ernie Kovacs Show"No Dialogue Show"Ernie KovacsFather Knows BestRoswell Rogers and Paul WestThe Jack Benny ShowGeorge Balzer, Hal Goldman, Al Gordon and Sam PerrinCBSBest Writing of a Single Program of a Comedy SeriesThe Jack Benny Show"Ernie Kovacs"George Balzer, Hal Goldman, Al Gordon and Sam PerrinCBSThe Bob Cummings Show"Grandpa Clobbers the Air Force"Paul Henning and Dick WessonNBCFather Knows Best"Medal for Margaret"Roswell RogersCBSThe Phil Silvers Show"Bilko's Vampire"Billy Friedberg, Coleman Jacoby and Arnie RosenThe Real McCoys"Once There Was a Traveling Saleswoman"Bill ManhoffABC
1960s Year Program Episode Nominee(s) NetworkOutstanding Writing Achievement in ComedyThe Jack Benny ShowGeorge Balzer, Hal Goldman, Al Gordon and Sam PerrinCBSThe Ballad of Louie the LouseNat HikenCBSFather Knows BestDorothy Cooper and Roswell RogersThe Red Skelton ShowDave O'Brien, Martin Ragaway, Al Schwartz, Sherwood Schwartz and Red SkeltonCBSThe Danny Thomas ShowJack Elinson and Charles StewartCBSHenneseyRichard BaerThe Dick Van Dyke ShowCarl ReinerCBSThe Bob Newhart ShowErnest Chambers, Dean Hargrove, Don Hinkley, Robert Kaufman, Roland Kibbee, Norm Liebman, Bob Newhart, Milt Rosen, Charles Sherman, Larry Siegel and Howard SnyderNBCCar 54, Where Are You?Nat Hiken, Terry Ryan and Tony WebsterChun King Chow Mein HourStan FrebergABCThe Red Skelton ShowDave O'Brien, Arthur Phillips, Martin Ragaway, Al Schwartz, Sherwood Schwartz, Ed Simmons and Red SkeltonCBSThe Dick Van Dyke ShowCarl ReinerCBSThe Beverly HillbilliesPaul HenningCBSCar 54, Where Are You?Nat HikenNBCThe Jack Benny ShowGeorge Balzer, Hal Goldman, Al Gordon and Sam PerrinCBSThe Red Skelton ShowMort Greene, Bruce Howard, Rick Mittleman, Dave O'Brien, Arthur Phillips, Martin A. Ragaway, Larry Rhine, Ed Simmons, Red Skelton and Hugh WedlockOutstanding Writing Achievement in Comedy or VarietyThe Dick Van Dyke ShowCarl Reiner, Bill Persky and Sam DenoffCBSThe Danny Kaye ShowHerbert Baker, Gary Belkin, Ernest Chambers, Larry Gelbart, Saul Ilson, Sheldon Keller, Paul Mazursky, Mel Tolkin and Larry TuckerCBSThe Farmer's DaughterSteven Gethers, Jerry Davis, Lee Loeb and John McGreeveyABCThat Was the Week That WasRobert Emmett, Gerald Gardner, Thomas Meehan, David Panich, Ed Sherman, Saul Turteltaub and Tony WebsterNBC Outstanding Individual Achievements in Entertainment – WritersThe Defenders"The 700 Year Old Gang"David KarpCBSThe Danny Thomas HourThe Wonderful World of BurlesqueColeman Jacoby and Arnie RosenNBCThe Dick Van Dyke Show"Never Bathe on Saturday"Carl ReinerCBSHallmark Hall of Fame"The Magnificent Yankee"Robert HartungNBCThat Was the Week That WasWilliam Boardman, Dee Caruso, Robert Emmett, David Frost, Gerald Gardner, Buck Henry, Joseph Hurley, Thomas Meehan, Herbert Sargent, Larry Siegel, Gloria Steinem, Jim Stevenson, Calvin Trillin and Saul TurteltaubOutstanding Writing Achievement in ComedyThe Dick Van Dyke Show"Coast to Coast Big Mouth"Bill Persky and Sam DenoffCBSThe Dick Van Dyke Show"The Ugliest Dog in the World"Bill Persky and Sam DenoffCBSGet Smart"Mr. Big"Mel Brooks and Buck HenryNBCGet Smart"Ship of Spies"Buck Henry and Leonard B. SternNBCFamily Affair"Buffy"Edmund HartmannCBSI Dream of Jeannie"The Lady in the Bottle"Sidney SheldonNBCHe & She"The Coming-Out Party"Chris Hayward and Allan BurnsCBSHe & She"The Old Man and the She"Leonard Stern and Arne SultanCBSThe Lucy Show"Lucy Gets Jack Benny's Account"Milt Josefsberg and Ray SingerThat Girl"The Mailman Cometh"Danny Arnold and Ruth Brooks FlippenABCOutstanding Writing Achievement in Comedy, Variety or MusicThe Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour"February 16, 1969"Allan Blye, Bob Einstein, Carl Gottlieb, Cy Howard, Steve Martin, Lorenzo Music, Murray Roman, Cecil Tuck, Paul Wayne and Mason WilliamsCBSThe Carol Burnett Show"November 11, 1968"Bill Angelos, Stan Burns, Hal Goldman, Al Gordon, Don Hinkley, Buz Kohan, Mike Marmer, Gail Parent, Arnie Rosen and Kenny SolmsCBSRowan & Martin's Laugh-In"February 3, 1969"Chris Bearde, Jim Carlson, David M. Cox, Phil Hahn, Jack Hanrahan, Coslough Johnson, Paul Keyes, Marc London, Allan Manings, Jack Mendelsohn, Lorne Michaels, James Mulligan, Hart Pomerantz, David Panich and Hugh Wedlock Jr.NBC
1970s Year Program Episode Nominee(s) NetworkOutstanding Writing Achievement in Comedy, Variety or MusicAnnie, the Women in the Life of a ManThomas Meehan, Peter Bellwood, Herb Sargent, Judith Viorst and Gary BelkinCBSRowan & Martin's Laugh-In"November 3, 1969"Jim Carlson, John Carsey, Jack Douglas, Gene Farmer, Coslough Johnson, Paul Keyes, Jeremy Lloyd, Marc London, Allan Manings, Jim Mulligan, David Panich, John Rappaport and Stephen SpearsNBC"December 20, 1969"Jim Abell, Jim Carlson, John Carsey, Jack Douglas, Chet Dowling, Gene Farmer, Coslough Johnson, Jeremy Lloyd, Marc London, Allan Manings, Jim Mulligan, David Panich, John Rappaport, Stephen Spears and Barry TookOutstanding Writing Achievement in ComedyThe Mary Tyler Moore Show"Support Your Local Mother"Allan Burns and James L. BrooksCBSAll in the Family"Meet the Bunkers"Norman LearCBS"Oh My Aching Back"Stanley Ralph RossHere's Lucy"Lucy Meets the Burtons"Bob Carroll Jr. and Madelyn PughAll in the Family"Edith's Problem"Burt StylerCBSAll in the Family"Mike's Problem"CBS"The Saga of Cousin Oscar"All in the Family"The Bunkers and the Swingers"Michael Ross, Bernie West and Lee KalcheimCBSM*A*S*H"Pilot"Larry GelbartCBSThe Mary Tyler Moore Show"The Good-Time News"Allan Burns and James L. BrooksBest Writing in ComedyThe Mary Tyler Moore Show"The Lou and Edie Story"Treva SilvermanCBSM*A*S*H"Hot Lips and Empty Arms"Linda Bloodworth-Thomason and Mary Kay PlaceCBS"The Trial of Henry Blake"McLean StevensonOutstanding Writing in a Comedy SeriesThe Mary Tyler Moore Show"Will Mary Richards Go to Jail?"Stan Daniels and Ed. WeinbergerCBSThe Mary Tyler Moore Show"Lou and That Woman"David LloydCBSRhoda"Rhoda's Wedding"James L. Brooks, Allan Burns, David Davis, Lorenzo Music, Norman Barasch, Carroll Moore and David LloydThe Mary Tyler Moore Show"Chuckles Bites the Dust"David LloydCBSBarney Miller"The Hero"Danny Arnold and Chris HaywardABCM*A*S*H"Hawkeye"Larry Gelbart and Simon MuntnerCBS"The More I See You"Larry Gelbart and Gene ReynoldsMaude"The Analyst"Jay FolbThe Mary Tyler Moore Show"The Last Show"James L. Brooks, Allan Burns, Ed. Weinberger, Stan Daniels, David Lloyd and Bob EllisonCBSBarney Miller"Quarantine, Part 2"Tony Sheehan and Danny ArnoldABCM*A*S*H"Dear Sigmund"Alan AldaCBSThe Mary Tyler Moore Show"Mary Midwife"David Lloyd"Ted's Change of Heart"Earl PomerantzAll in the Family"Cousin Liz"CBSAll in the Family"Edith's Crisis of Faith, Part 2"CBS"Edith's 50th Birthday"Bob Schiller and Bob WeiskopfM*A*S*H"Fallen Idol"Alan AldaOutstanding Writing in a Comedy or Comedy-Variety or Music SeriesM*A*S*H"Inga"Alan AldaCBSAll in the Family"California, Here We Are, Part 2"Milt Josefsberg, Phil Sharp, Bob Schiller and Bob WeiskopfCBSM*A*S*H"Point of View"Ken Levine and David IsaacsSaturday Night Live"Host: Richard Benjamin"Dan Aykroyd, Anne Beatts, Tom Davis, James Downey, Brian Doyle-Murray, Al Franken, Brian McConnachie, Lorne Michaels, Don Novello, Herbert Sargent, Tom Schiller, Rosie Shuster, Walter Williams and Alan ZweibelNBCTaxi"Blind Date"Michael J. LeesonABC
1980s