The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Movie (formerly known as Outstanding Drama or Comedy Special and Outstanding Television Movie) is an award given to made-for-television films that was first presented in 1966, and originally awarded single episodes of series alongside television movies.
In 1991, Outstanding Drama or Comedy Special category was merged with Outstanding Miniseries category to form Outstanding Drama or Comedy Special and Miniseries and featured six nominations. For that year, two miniseries competed with four made-for-television movies. However, in 1992, the category was separated and the Outstanding Miniseries and Outstanding Made for Television Movie categories were restored.
In 2011, the category was merged with the Outstanding Miniseries category to create the Outstanding Miniseries or Movie category. However, in 2014, the merged category was reversed, and the separate Miniseries and Television Movie categories were reinstated. Rules were also changed in 2019, requiring at least a 75-minute runtime for movies to be eligible.
In the history of this category, there have been four incidents of ties. The first occurred in 1976, when Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years tied with Sybil, the second occurred in 1989, when Day One tied with Roe vs. Wade, the third occurred in 1990, when Caroline? tied with The Incident, and the fourth occurred in 1993, when Barbarians at the Gate tied with Stalin.
Anthology series In the 1950s and 1960s, anthology series were typically nominated in Drama Series categories. A resurgence of anthology series such as Black Mirror led individual episodes to be nominated for Outstanding Television Movie. Black Mirror won in 2017 with "San Junipero" and in 2018 with "USS Callister". In 2018, rule changes restricted the category to runtimes of at least 75 minutes. Black Mirror won again in 2019 with the interactive film Bandersnatch, which has a variable runtime, nominally 90 minutes. Netflix petitioned for "Smithereens" to be submitted in the category in 2020, despite a 70-minute runtime. This was initially allowed, but it was later entered as Outstanding Drama Series instead.
Critics for IndieWire disagreed with ATAS's decisions that Black Mirror fell within the Television Movie scope, as it is episodic. Varietys Michael Schneider noted that it was unclear where else the fifth series could have been nominated due to Drama Series and Limited Series requirements. In 2021, the Limited Series category was renamed Limited or Anthology Series.
Winners and nominations
1960s Year Program Producers Network 1966(18th) Ages of Man Daniel Melnick and David Susskind, producers CBS Eagle in a Cage George Schaefer, producer NBC Inherit the Wind Slattery's People: "Rally 'Round Your Own Flag, Mister" Irving Elman, producer CBS 1967(19th) Death of a Salesman Daniel Melnick and David Susskind, producers CBS A Christmas Memory Frank Perry, producer ABC The Final War of Olly Winter Fred Coe, producer CBS The Love Song of Barney Kempinski Marc Merson, producer ABC Mark Twain Tonight! David Susskind, producer CBS 1968(20th) Elizabeth the Queen George Schaefer, producer NBC Dear Friends Herbert Brodkin, producer CBS Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night George Schaefer, producer NBC Luther Michael Style and Trevor Wallace, producers ABC The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Dan Curtis, producer Uncle Vanya Laurence Olivier, producer NET 1969(21st) Teacher, Teacher George Lefferts, producer NBC Heidi Frederick H. Brogger and James Franciscus, producers NBC A Midsummer Night's Dream Lord Michael Birkett, producer CBS Mission: Impossible: "The Execution" Allan Balter and William Read Woodfield, producers The People Next Door Herbert Brodkin, producer Talking to a Stranger Michael Bakewell, producer NET
1970s Year Program Producers Network Outstanding Dramatic Program 1970(22nd)From 1966 to 1970, television movies and single episodes of series were eligible to compete in a combined category for Outstanding Dramatic Program. A Storm in Summer M.J. Rivkin, executive producer; Alan Landsburg, producer NBC David Copperfield Frederick Brogger, producer NBC Marcus Welby, M.D.: "Hello, Goodbye, Hello" David Victor, executive producer; David J. O'Connell, producer ABC My Sweet Charlie Bob Banner, executive producer; Richard Levinson and William Link, producers NBC Outstanding Single Program - Drama or Comedy 1971(23rd) The Andersonville Trial Lewis Freedman, producer PBS Hamlet Cecil Clarke and George LeMaire, producers NBC Night Gallery: "They're Tearing Down Tim Riley's Bar" Jack Laird, producer The Price David Susskind, producer Vanished David J. O'Connell and David Victor, producers 1972(24th)In 1971 and 1972, television movies and single episodes of series competed in a combined category for Outstanding Single Program - Drama or Comedy. Brian's Song Paul Junger Witt, producer ABC All in the Family: "Sammy's Visit" Norman Lear, producer CBS Elizabeth R: "The Lion's Club" Roderick Graham and Christopher Sarson, producers PBS The Six Wives of Henry VIII: "Jane Seymour" Mark Shivas and Ronald Travers, producers CBS The Snow Goose Frank O'Connor, producer NBC 1973(25th) (The webpage also includes the winner and nominations for Outstanding Miniseries.) A War of Children Roger Gimbel, executive producer; George Schaefer, producer CBS Long Day's Journey into Night Cecil Clarke, executive producer ABC The Marcus-Nelson Murders Abby Mann, executive producer; Matthew Rapf, producer CBS The Red Pony Frederick H. Brogger, producer NBC That Certain Summer Richard Levinson and William Link, producer ABC Outstanding Special-Comedy or Drama 1974(26th) (The webpage also includes the winner and nominations for Outstanding Miniseries.) The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman Robert W. Christiansen and Rick Rosenberg, producers CBS The Execution of Private Slovik Richard Levinson and William Link, executive producers; Richard Dubelman, producer NBC The Migrants Tom Gries, producer CBS 6 Rms Riv Vu Joe Hamilton, producer Steambath Norman Lloyd, executive producer PBS Outstanding Special - Drama or Comedy 1975(27th) (The webpage also includes the winner and nominations for Outstanding Miniseries.) The Law William Sackheim, producer NBC Love Among the Ruins Allan Davis, producerABC The Missiles of October Irv Wilson, executive producer; Herbert Brodkin and Robert Berger, producers QB VII Douglas S. Cramer, producer Queen of the Stardust Ballroom Robert Christiansen and Rick Rosenberg, producers CBS 1976(28th) (The webpage also includes the winner and nominations for Outstanding Miniseries.) Eleanor and Franklin David Susskind, executive producer; Harry R. Sherman and Audrey Maas, producers ABC Babe Norman Felton and Stanley Rubin, producers CBS Fear on Trial Alan Landsburg and Laurence D. Savadove, executive producers; Stanley Chase, producers NBC The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case David Gerber, executive producer; Buzz Kulik, producerCBS A Moon for the Misbegotten David Susskind and Audrey Maas, producers 1977(29th) (The current webpage also includes the winner and nominations for Outstanding Miniseries.) Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years David Susskind, executive producer; Harry R. Sherman, producer ABC Sybil Peter Dunne and Philip Capice, executive producers; Jacqueline Babbin, producer NBC Harry S Truman: Plain Speaking David Susskind, producer PBS Raid on Entebbe Edgar J. Scherick and Daniel H. Blatt, executive producers NBC 21 Hours at Munich Edward S. Feldman, executive producer; Frank von Zerneck and Robert Greenwald, producers ABC 1978(30th) (The current webpage also includes the winner and nominations for Outstanding Miniseries.) The Gathering Joseph Barbera, executive producer; Harry R. Sherman, producer ABC A Death in Canaan Robert W. Christiansen and Rick Rosenberg, producers CBS Jesus of Nazareth Bernard J. Kingham, executive producer; Vincenzo Labella, producerNBC Our Town Saul Jaffe, executive producer; George Schaefer, producer Young Joe, the Forgotten Kennedy Bill McCutchen, producer ABC Outstanding Drama or Comedy Special 1979(31st) (The current webpage also includes the winner and nominations for Outstanding Miniseries.) Friendly Fire Martin Starger, executive producer; Philip Barry Jr., producer; Fay Kanin, co-producer ABC Dummy Frank Konigsberg, executive producer; Sam Manners and Ernest Tidyman, producersCBS First, You Cry Philip Barry Jr., producer The Jericho Mile Tim Zinnemann, producer ABC Summer of My German Soldier Linda Gottlieb, producer NBC
1980s