The Writers Guild Award for Best Written Comedy was an award presented from 1949 to 1984 by the Writers Guild of America, after which it was discontinued.

Winners and nominees Source:

Notes

The year indicates when the film was released. The awards were presented the following year.

1940s YearFilmWriter(s)1948Sitting PrettyF. Hugh HerbertA Foreign AffairCharles Brackett, Billy Wilder, and Richard L. BreenApartment for PeggyGeorge SeatonI Remember MamaDewitt BodeenJune BrideRanald MacdougallMiss Tatlock's MillionsCharles Brackett, and Richard L. BreenNo Minor VicesArnold ManoffThe Mating of MillieLouella MacFarlane, and St. Clair McKelwayThe PalefaceEdmund L. Hartmann, Frank Tashlin, and Jack Rose1949A Letter to Three WivesJoseph L. MankiewiczAdam's RibRuth Gordon, and Garson KaninCome to the StableOscar Millard, and Sally BensonEvery Girl Should Be MarriedStephen Morehouse AveryI Was a Male War BrideCharles Lederer, Leonard Spigel, and Hagar WildeIt Happens Every SpringValentine Davies

1950s YearFilmWriter(s)1950All About EveJoseph L. MankiewiczAdam's RibRuth Gordon, and Garson KaninBorn YesterdayAlbert MannheimerFather of the BrideFrances Goodrich and Albert HackettThe JackpotPhoebe Ephron, and Henry Ephron1951Father's Little DividendAlbert Hackett, and Frances GoodrichAngels in the OutfieldDorothy Kingsley, and George WellsPeople Will TalkJoseph L. MankiewiczThat's My BoyCy HowardYou're in the Navy NowRichard Murphy1952The Quiet ManFrank NugentPat and MikeRuth Gordon, and Garson KaninRoom for One MoreJack Rose, and Melville ShavelsonThe Happy TimeEarl FeltonThe Marrying KindRuth Gordon, and Garson Kanin1953Roman HolidayIan McLellan Hunter, Dalton Trumbo, and John DightonHow to Marry a MillionaireNunnally JohnsonStalag 17Billy Wilder, and Edwin BlumThe ActressRuth GordonThe Moon Is BlueF. Hugh Herbert1954SabrinaBilly Wilder, Samuel Taylor, and Ernest LehmanIt Should Happen to YouGarson KaninKnock on WoodMelvin Frank, and Norman PanamaSusan Slept HereAlex GottliebThe Long, Long TrailerAlbert Hackett, and Frances Goodrich1955Mister RobertsFrank S. Nugent, and Joshua LoganPhffftGeorge AxelrodThe Seven Year ItchBilly Wilder, and George AxelroadThe Tender TrapJulius J. EpsteinTo Catch a ThiefJohn Michael Hayes1956Around the World in 80 DaysJames Poe, John Farrow, and S. J. PerelmanBus StopGeorge AxelrodFull of LifeJohn FanteThe Solid Gold CadillacAbe BurrowsThe Teahouse of the August MoonJohn Patrick1957Love in the AfternoonBilly Wilder, and I.A.L. DiamondDesigning WomanGeorge WellsDon't Go Near the WaterDorothy Kingsley, and George WellsOperation Mad BallArthur Carter, Jed Harris, and Blake EdwardsWill Success Spoil Rock Hunter?Frank Tashlin1958Me and the ColonelS.N. Behrman, and George FroeschelHouseboatMelville Shavelson, and Jack RoseIndiscreetNorman KrasnaTeacher's PetFay Kanin, and Michael KaninThe Reluctant DebutanteWilliam Douglas-Home, and Julius J. Epstein1959Some Like It HotBilly Wilder, and I.A.L. DiamondA Hole in the HeadArnold SchulmanNorth by NorthwestErnest LehmanOperation PetticoatStanley Shapiro, and Maurice RichlinPillow TalkStanley Shapiro, and Maurice Richlin

1960s YearFilmWriter(s)1960The ApartmentBilly Wilder, and I.A.L. DiamondNorth to AlaskaMartin Rackin, John Lee Mahin, and Claude BinyonOcean's 11Harry Brown, and Charles LedererPlease Don't Eat the DaisiesIsobel LennartThe Facts of LifeNorman Panama, and Melvin Frank1961Breakfast at Tiffany'sGeorge AxelrodA Majority of One,Leonard SpigelgassOne, Two, ThreeBilly Wilder, and I.A.L. DiamondThe Absent Minded ProfessorBill WalshThe Parent TrapDavid Swift1962That Touch of MinkNate Monaster and Stanley ShapiroMr. Hobbs Takes a VacationNunnally JohnsonThe Notorious LandladyBlake Edwards, and Larry GelbartPeriod of AdjustmentIsobel LennartThe Pigeon That Took RomeMelville Shavelson1963Lilies of the FieldJames PoeCharadePeter StoneIrma la DouceI.A.L. Diamond, and Billy WilderLove with the Proper StrangerArnold SchulmanThe Thrill of It AllCarl Reiner1964Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the BombStanley Kubrick, Peter George, and Terry SouthernFather Goose,Peter Stone, and Frank TarloffThe Pink PantherMaurice Richlin, and Blake EdwardsThe World of Henry OrientNora Johnson, and Nunnally JohnsonTopkapiMonja Danischewsky1965A Thousand ClownsHerb GardnerCat BallouWalter Newman, and Frank PiersonThat Darn Cat!Mildred Gordon, Gordon Gordon, and Bill WalshThe Great RaceArthur A. RossWhat's New PussycatWoody Allen1966The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are ComingWilliam RoseHow to Steal a MillionHarry KurnitzOur Man FlintHal Fimberg, and Ben StarrThe Fortune CookieBilly Wilder, and I.A.L. DiamondYou're a Big Boy NowFrancis Ford Coppola1967The GraduateBuck Henry, and Calder WillinghamBarefoot in the ParkNeil SimonDivorce American StyleNorman LearThe Flim-Flam ManWilliam RoseA Guide for the Married ManFrank Tarloff1968The Odd CoupleNeil SimonHot MillionsIra Wallach, and Peter UstinovI Love You, Alice B. Toklas!Paul Mazursky, and Larry TuckerThe ProducersMel BrooksYours, Mine and OursMelville Shavelson, and Mort Lachman1969Best Comedy Adapted from Another MediumGoodbye, Columbus ‡Arnold SchulmanCactus FlowerI.A.L. DiamondGaily, GailyAbram S. GinnesJohn and MartyJohn MortimerThe ReiversIrving Ravetch, and Harriet Frank Jr.Best Comedy Written Directly for the ScreenBob & Carol & Ted & Alice ‡ Paul Mazursky and Larry Tucker If It's Tuesday, This Must Be BelgiumDavid ShawPopiTina Pine, and Lester PineSupport Your Local SheriffWilliam BowersTake the Money and RunWoody Allen, and Mickey Rose

1970s YearFilmWriter(s)1970Best Comedy Adapted from Another MediumM*A*S*H †Ring Lardner Jr.Lovers and Other StrangersRenée Taylor, Joseph Bologna, David Zelag GoodmanThe Owl and the PussycatBuck HenryThe Twelve ChairsMel BrooksWhere's PoppaRobert KlaneBest Comedy Written Directly for the ScreenThe Out-of-TownersNeil SimonThe Private Life of Sherlock HolmesBilly Wilder, and I.A.L. DiamondQuackser Fortune Has a Cousin in the BronkGabriel WalshStart the Revolution Without MeFred Freeman, and Lawrence J. CohenThe Cheyenne Social ClubJames Lee Barrett1971Best Comedy Adapted from Another MediumKotchJohn PaxtonA New LeafElaine MayFiddler on the RoofJoseph SteinLittle MurdersJules FeifferThe Boy FriendKen RussellBest Comedy Written Directly for the ScreenThe HospitalPaddy ChayefskyBananasWoody Allen, and Mickey RoseCarnal KnowledgeJules FeifferMade for Each OtherRenée Taylor, and Joseph BolognaTaking OffMiloṡ Forman, Jean-Claude Carrière, John Guare, and Jon Klein1972Best Comedy Adapted from Another MediumCabaret ‡Jay Presson AllenAvanti!Billy Wilder, and I.A.L. DiamondButterflies Are FreeLeonard GersheThe Heartbreak KidNeil SimonTravels with My AuntJay Presson Allen, and Hugh WheelerBest Comedy Written Directly for the ScreenWhat's Up, Doc?Peter Bogdanovich, Buck Henry, David Newman, and Robert BentonGet to Know Your RabbitJordan CrittendenHammersmith Is OutStanford WhitmoreMinnie and MoskowitzJohn CassavetesThe War Between Men and WomenMelville Shavelson, and Danny Arnold1973Best Comedy Adapted from Another MediumPaper Moon ‡Alvin Sargent40 CaratsLeonard GersheGodspellDavid Greenne, and John-Michael TebelakBest Comedy Written Directly for the ScreenA Touch of Class‡Melvin Frank and Jack RoseAmerican Graffiti ‡George Lucas, Gloria Katz, and Willard HuyckBlume in LovePaul MazurskySleeperWoody Allen, and Marshall BrickmanSlitherW.D. Richter1974Best Comedy Adapted from Another MediumThe Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz ‡Mordecai Richler, and Lionel ChetwyndThe Front PageBilly Wilder, and I.A.L. DiamondYoung Frankenstein ‡Gene Wilder, and Mel BrooksBest Comedy Written Directly for the ScreenBlazing Saddles Mel Brooks, Norman Steinberg, Andrew Bergman, Richard Pryor, and Alan UgerCalifornia SplitJoseph WalshClaudineTina Pine, and Lester PinePhantom of the ParadiseBrian de PalmaThe Sugarland ExpressHal Barwood, Matthew Robbins, and Steven Spielberg1975Best Comedy Adapted from Another MediumThe Sunshine Boys ‡Neil SimonHester StreetJoan Micklin SilverThe Prisoner of Second AvenueNeil SimonBest Comedy Written Directly for the ScreenShampoo ‡ Robert Towne and Warren BeattyHeats of the WestRob ThompsonSmileJerry BelsonThe Return of the Pink PantherFrank Waldman, and Blake Edwards1976Best Comedy Adapted from Another MediumThe Pink Panther Strikes AgainFrank Waldman, and Blake EdwardsFamily PlotErnest LehmanStay HungryCharles Gaines, and Bob RafelsonThe Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor KingsHal Barwood, and Matthew RobbinsThe RitzTerrence McNallyBest Comedy Written Directly for the ScreenThe Bad News BearsBill LancasterMurder by DeathNeil SimonNext Stop, Greenwich VillagePaul MazurskySilent MovieMel Brooks, Ron Clark, Rudy De Luca, and Barry LevinsonSilver StreakColin Higgins1977Best Comedy Adapted from Another MediumOh, God! ‡Larry GelbartThe Spy Who Loved MeChristopher Wood, and Richard MaibaumSemi-ToughWalter BernsteinBest Comedy Written Directly for the ScreenAnnie HallWoody Allen and Marshall BrickmanStar WarsGeorge LucasSlap ShotNancy DowdThe Goodbye GirlNeil Simon1978Best Comedy Adapted from Another MediumHeaven Can Wait ‡Elaine May, and Warren BeattyCalifornia Suite ‡Neil SimonSame Time, Next Year ‡Bernard SladeSupermanMario Puzo, David Newman, Leslie Newman, and Robert BentonWho Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?Peter StoneBest Comedy Written Directly for the ScreenMovie Movie Larry Gelbart and Sheldon KellerA WeddingJohn Considine, Patricia Resnick, Allan F. Nicholls, and Robert AltmanAnimal HouseHarold Ramis, Douglas Kenney, and Chris MillerHouse CallsMax Shulman, Julius J. Epstein, Alan Mandel, and Charles ShyerOnce in Paris...Frank D. Gilroy1979Best Comedy Adapted from Another MediumBeing ThereJerzy KosinskiStarting OverJames L. BrooksA Little Romance ‡Allan BurnsBest Comedy Written Directly for the ScreenBreaking Away † Steve Tesich 10Blake EdwardsManhattan ‡Woody Allen, and Marshall Brickman

1980s

YearNomineesWriter(s)1980Best Comedy Adapted from Other Another MediumAirplane!Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry ZuckerHopscotchBrian Garfield, and Bryan ForbesStar Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes BackLeigh Brackett, and Lawrence KasdanBest Comedy Written Directly for the ScreenPrivate Benjamin †Nancy Meyers, Harvey Miller, and Charles ShyerNine to FiveColin Higgins, and Patricia ResnickReturn of the SecaucusJohn SaylesStardust MemoriesWoody Allen1981Best Comedy Adapted from Other Another MediumRich and FamousGerald AyresFor Your Eyes Only'Richard Maibaum, and Michael G. WilsonFirst Monday in OctoberJerome Lawrence, and Robert E. LeeBest Comedy Written Directly for the ScreenArthur ‡Steve GordonRaiders of the Lost ArkLawrence Kasdan, George Lucas, and Philip KaufmanS.O.B.Blake EdwardsThe Four SeasonsAlan Alda1982Best Comedy Adapted from Other Another MediumVictor Victoria ‡Blake EdwardsFast Times at Ridgemont HighCameron CroweBest Comedy Written Directly for the ScreenTootsie ‡Don McGuire, Larry Gelbart, and Murray SchisgalDinerBarry LevinsonMy Favorite YearNorman Steinberg, and Dennis Palumbo1983Best Comedy Adapted from Other Another MediumTerms of Endearment †James L. BrooksA Christmas StoryJean Shepherd, Leigh Brown, and Bob ClarkTo Be or Not to BeThomas Meehan, and Ronny GrahamBest Comedy Written Directly for the ScreenThe Big Chill ‡ Lawrence Kasdan, and Barbara BenedekRisky BusinessPaul BrickmanZeligWoody Allen

References

External links

WGA.org