This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. In early Primetime Emmy Award ceremonies, the supporting categories were not always genre, or even gender, specific. Beginning with 1970, supporting actors in comedy have competed alone. However, these comedic performances often included actors from miniseries, telefilms, and guest performers competing against main cast competitors. Such instances are marked below:
# – Indicates a performance in a Miniseries or Television film, prior to the category's creation § – Indicates a performance as a guest performer, prior to the category's creation
Winners and nominations 1950s Year Actor Role Program NetworkBest Series Supporting Actor 1954(6th)Early Emmy ceremonies did not have genre specific acting categories Art Carney Various characters The Jackie Gleason Show CBS Ben Alexander Officer Frank Smith Dragnet NBC William Frawley Fred Mertz I Love Lucy CBS Tony Randall Harvey Weskitt Mister PeepersNBC Carl Reiner Various characters Your Show of ShowsBest Supporting Actor in a Regular Series 1955(7th) Art Carney Various characters The Jackie Gleason Show CBS Ben Alexander Officer Frank Smith Dragnet NBC Don DeFore Thorny The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet ABC William Frawley Fred Mertz I Love LucyCBS Gale Gordon Osgood Conklin Our Miss BrooksBest Actor in a Supporting Role 1956(8th) Art Carney Ed Norton The Honeymooners CBS Ed Begley # Andy Sloane Patterns NBC William Frawley Fred Mertz I Love Lucy CBS Carl Reiner Various characters Caesar's HourNBC Cyril Ritchard # Mr. Darling / Captain Hook Peter PanBest Supporting Performance by an Actor 1957(9th) Carl Reiner Various characters Caesar's Hour NBC Art Carney Various characters The Jackie Gleason ShowCBS Paul Ford Col. John T. Hall The Phil Silvers Show William Frawley Fred Mertz I Love Lucy Ed Wynn # Army Requiem for a HeavyweightBest Continuing Supporting Performance by an Actor in a Dramatic or Comedy Series 1958(10th) Carl Reiner Various characters Caesar's Hour NBC Paul Ford Col. John T. Hall The Phil Silvers ShowCBS William Frawley Fred Mertz I Love Lucy Louis Nye Various characters The Steve Allen Show NBC Dennis Weaver Chester Goode Gunsmoke CBSBest Supporting Actor (Continuing Character) in a Comedy Series 1959(11th) Tom Poston Various characters The Steve Allen Show NBC Richard Crenna Luke McCoy The Real McCoys ABC Paul Ford Col. John T. HallThe Phil Silvers ShowCBS Maurice Gosfield Pvt. Duane Doberman Billy Gray Bud Anderson Father Knows Best CBS & NBC Harry Morgan Pete Porter December Bride CBS
1960s Year Actor Role Program NetworkOutstanding Performance by an Actor in a Series (Lead or Support) 1960(12th) Robert Stack Eliot Ness The Untouchables ABC Richard Boone Paladin Have Gun – Will TravelCBS Raymond Burr Perry Mason Perry MasonOutstanding Performance in a Supporting Role by an Actor or Actress in a Series 1961(13th) Don Knotts Barney Fife The Andy Griffith Show CBS Abby Dalton Lt. Martha Hale HenneseyCBS Barbara Hale Della Street Perry MasonOutstanding Performance in a Supporting Role by an Actor 1962(14th) Don Knotts Barney Fife The Andy Griffith Show CBS Sam Jaffe Dr. David Zorba Ben Casey ABC Barry Jones # The Dean Hallmark Hall of Fame NBC Horace McMahon Lt. Mike Parker Naked CityABC George C. Scott § Dr. Karl Anders Ben Casey 1963(15th) Don Knotts Barney Fife The Andy Griffith Show CBS Tim Conway Ens. Charles Parker McHale's Navy ABC Paul Ford # Col. Wainwright Purdy IIIHallmark Hall of FameNBC Hurd Hatfield # Lionel de Rothschild Robert Redford # George Laurents Premiere, Presented by Fred Astaire ABC 1964(16th) Albert Paulsen # Lt. Volkoval Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre NBC Sorrell Booke § Julius Orloff Dr. Kildare NBC Conlan Carter Doc Combat! ABC Carl Lee § Lonnie Hill The Nurses CBSOutstanding Individual Achievements in Entertainment - Actors and Performers 1965 Leonard Bernstein Conductor New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts with Leonard Bernstein CBS Lynn Fontanne Fanny Bowditch HolmesHallmark Hall of Fame: "The Magnificent Yankee"| rowspan=2|NBC|- style="background:#FAEB86" | Alfred Lunt| Oliver Wendell Holmes|- style="background:#FAEB86" | Barbra Streisand| Herself| My Name Is BarbraCBS Dick Van Dyke Rob Petrie The Dick Van Dyke Show Julie Andrews Herself The Andy Williams ShowNBC Johnny Carson Himself The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Gladys Cooper Margaret St. ClairThe Rogues Robert Coote Timmy St. Clair Richard Crenna James Slattery Slattery's People CBS Julie Harris Florence Nightingale Hallmark Hall of Fame: "The Holy Terror"NBC Bob Hope Himself Chrysler Presents A Bob Hope Comedy Special Dean Jagger Principal Albert Vane Mr. Novak Danny Kaye Himself The Danny Kaye Show CBS David McCallum Illya Kuryakin The Man from U.N.C.L.E. NBC Red Skelton Himself The Red Skelton Hour CBSOutstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Comedy Series 1966(18th) Don Knotts § Barney Fife The Andy Griffith Show CBS Morey Amsterdam Buddy Sorrell The Dick Van Dyke Show CBS Frank Gorshin Riddler Batman ABC Werner Klemperer Col. Wilhelm Klink Hogan's Heroes CBS 1967(19th) Don Knotts § Barney Fife The Andy Griffith Show CBS Gale Gordon Mr. Theodore J. Mooney The Lucy ShowCBS Werner Klemperer Col. Wilhelm Klink Hogan's Heroes 1968(20th) Werner Klemperer Col. Wilhelm Klink Hogan's Heroes CBS Jack Cassidy Oscar North He & SheCBS William Demarest Uncle Charley O'Casey My Three Sons Gale Gordon Mr. Theodore J. Mooney The Lucy ShowOutstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series 1969(21st) Werner Klemperer Col. Wilhelm Klink Hogan's Heroes CBS Greg Morris Barney Collier Mission: Impossible CBS Leonard Nimoy Spock Star Trek NBC
1970s Year Actor Role Program Network Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in Comedy 1970(22nd) Michael Constantine Principal Seymour Kaufman Room 222 ABC Werner Klemperer Col. Wilhelm Klink Hogan's Heroes CBS Charles Nelson Reilly Claymore Gregg The Ghost & Mrs. Muir ABC 1971(23rd) Ed Asner Lou Grant The Mary Tyler Moore Show CBS Michael Constantine Principal Seymour Kaufman Room 222 ABC Gale Gordon Harrison "Uncle Harry" Carter Here's Lucy CBS 1972(24th) Ed Asner Lou Grant The Mary Tyler Moore Show CBS Ted Knight Ted Baxter The Mary Tyler Moore ShowCBS Rob Reiner Michael Stivic All in the Family 1973(25th) Ted Knight Ted Baxter The Mary Tyler Moore Show CBS Ed Asner Lou Grant The Mary Tyler Moore ShowCBS Gary Burghoff Corp. "Radar" O'Reilly M*A*S*H Rob Reiner Michael Stivic All in the Family McLean Stevenson Lt. Col. Henry Blake M*A*S*H Best Supporting Actor in Comedy 1974(26th) Rob Reiner Michael Stivic All in the Family CBS Ed Asner Lou Grant The Mary Tyler Moore ShowCBS Gary Burghoff Corp. "Radar" O'Reilly M*A*S*H Ted Knight Ted Baxter The Mary Tyler Moore Show McLean Stevenson Lt. Col. Henry Blake M*A*S*H Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series 1975(27th) Ed Asner Lou Grant The Mary Tyler Moore Show CBS Gary Burghoff Corp. "Radar" O'Reilly M*A*S*HCBS Ted Knight Ted Baxter The Mary Tyler Moore Show Rob Reiner Michael Stivic All in the Family McLean Stevenson Lt. Col. Henry Blake M*A*S*H 1976(28th) Ted Knight Ted Baxter The Mary Tyler Moore Show CBS Ed Asner Lou Grant The Mary Tyler Moore ShowCBS Gary Burghoff Corp. "Radar" O'ReillyM*A*S*H Harry Morgan Col. Sherman Potter Abe Vigoda Sgt. Philip K. Fish Barney Miller ABC 1977(29th) Gary Burghoff Corp. "Radar" O'Reilly M*A*S*H CBS Ed Asner Lou GrantThe Mary Tyler Moore ShowCBS Ted Knight Ted Baxter Harry Morgan Col. Sherman Potter M*A*S*H Abe Vigoda Sgt. Philip K. Fish Barney Miller ABC 1978(30th) Rob Reiner Michael Stivic All in the Family CBS Tom Bosley Howard Cunningham Happy Days ABC Gary Burghoff Corp. "Radar" O'ReillyM*A*S*HCBS Harry Morgan Col. Sherman Potter Vic Tayback Mel Sharples Alice Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Comedy-Variety or Music Series 1979(31st) Robert Guillaume Benson DuBois Soap ABC Gary Burghoff Corp. "Radar" O'Reilly M*A*S*H CBS Danny DeVito Louie De Palma TaxiABC Max Gail Det. Stan "Wojo" Wojciehowicz Barney Miller Harry Morgan Col. Sherman Potter M*A*S*H CBS
1980s Year Actor Role Program Network Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Variety or Music Series 1980(32nd) Harry Morgan Col. Sherman Potter M*A*S*H CBS Mike Farrell Cap. BJ Hunnicutt M*A*S*H CBS Max Gail Det. Stan "Wojo" Wojciehowicz Barney Miller ABC Howard Hesseman Dr. Johnny Fever WKRP in Cincinnati CBS Steve Landesberg Arthur P. Deitrich Barney Miller ABC 1981(33rd) Danny DeVito Louie De Palma Taxi ABC Howard Hesseman Dr. Johnny Fever WKRP in Cincinnati CBS Steve Landesberg Arthur P. Deitrich Barney Miller ABC Harry Morgan Col. Sherman PotterM*A*S*HCBS David Ogden Stiers Maj. Charles Emerson Winchester III 1982(34th) Christopher Lloyd Reverend Jim Ignatowski Taxi ABC Danny DeVito Louie De Palma TaxiABC Ron Glass Det. Ron HarrisBarney Miller Steve Landesberg Arthur P. Deitrich Harry Morgan Col. Sherman PotterM*A*S*HCBS David Ogden Stiers Maj. Charles Emerson Winchester III Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy, Variety or Music Series 1983(35th) Christopher Lloyd Reverend Jim Ignatowski Taxi NBC Nicholas Colasanto Coach Ernie Pantusso CheersNBC Danny DeVito Louie De Palma Taxi Harry Morgan Col. Sherman Potter M*A*S*H CBS Eddie Murphy Various characters Saturday Night Live NBC Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series 1984(36th) Pat Harrington Jr. Dwayne Schneider One Day at a Time CBS René Auberjonois Clayton Endicott III Benson ABC Nicholas Colasanto Coach Ernie Pantusso Cheers NBC Tom Poston George Utley Newhart CBS George Wendt Norm Peterson Cheers NBC 1985(37th) John Larroquette Dan Fielding Night Court NBC Nicholas Colasanto (posthumously) Coach Ernie Pantusso CheersNBC Michael J. Fox Alex P. Keaton Family Ties John Ratzenberger Cliff ClavinCheers George Wendt Norm Peterson 1986(38th) John Larroquette Dan Fielding Night Court NBC Tom Poston George Utley Newhart CBS John Ratzenberger Cliff Clavin CheersNBC Malcolm-Jamal Warner Theo Huxtable The Cosby Show George Wendt Norm Peterson Cheers 1987(39th) John Larroquette Dan Fielding Night Court NBC Woody Harrelson Woody Boyd Cheers NBC Tom Poston George UtleyNewhartCBS Peter Scolari Michael Harris George Wendt Norm Peterson Cheers NBC 1988(40th) John Larroquette Dan Fielding Night Court NBC Kelsey Grammer Frasier CraneCheersNBC Woody Harrelson Woody Boyd Peter Scolari Michael Harris Newhart CBS George Wendt Norm Peterson Cheers NBC 1989(41st) Woody Harrelson Woody Boyd Cheers NBC Joe Regalbuto Frank Fontana Murphy BrownCBS Peter Scolari Michael Harris Newhart Meshach Taylor Anthony Bouvier Designing Women George Wendt Norm Peterson Cheers NBC
1990s