This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. Prior to 1989, the category was not gender-specific, and, thus, was called Outstanding Guest Performer in a Comedy Series. It is given in honor to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a guest-starring role in a television comedy series. The current recipient is Julianne Nicholson for Hacks. Since the category change in 1989, a total of 34 actresses were awarded for their performances. The most awarded actress is Cloris Leachman, with 3 wins, followed by Tina Fey, Colleen Dewhurst, Kathryn Joosten, Jean Smart, Tracey Ullman, Betty White, and Maya Rudolph, with 2 wins. These awards, like the other "Guest" awards, were previously not presented at the Primetime Emmy Award ceremony, but, rather, at the Creative Arts Emmy Award ceremony.
Beginning with the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, performers are no longer eligible in guest acting categories if they were previously nominated for a lead or supporting award for playing the same character role in the same series.
Winners and nominations
1970s Year Actress Program Role Submitted episode(s) Network Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Drama Series 1975 Zohra Lampert Kojak Marina Sheldon "Queen of the Gypsies" CBS Cloris Leachman The Mary Tyler Moore Show Phyllis Lindstrom "Phyllis Whips Inflation" Shelley Winters McCloud Thelma "The Barefoot Girls of Bleaker Street" NBC 1976 Outstanding Lead Actress for a Single Appearance in a Comedy or Drama Series Kathryn Walker The Adams Chronicles Abigail Adams "John Adams, Lawyer" PBS Helen Hayes Hawaii Five-O Aunt Clara "Retire In Sunny Hawaii... Forever" CBS Sheree North Marcus Welby, M.D. June Monica "How Do You Know What Hurts Me?" ABC Pamela Payton-Wright The Adams Chronicles Louisa Catherine Adams "John Quincy Adams, Diplomat" PBS Martha Raye McMillan & Wife Agatha "Greed" NBC Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Drama Series Fionnula Flanagan Rich Man, Poor Man Clothilde "Part II" ABC Ruth Gordon Rhoda Carlton's Mother "Kiss Your Epaulets Goodbye" CBS Eileen Heckart The Mary Tyler Moore Show Flo Meredith "Mary's Aunt" Kim Darby Rich Man, Poor Man Virginia Calderwood "Part II" ABC Kay Lenz Kate Jordache "Part VIII" 1977 Outstanding Lead Actress for a Single Appearance in a Comedy or Drama Series Beulah Bondi The Waltons Aunt Martha Corinne Walton "The Pony Cart" CBS Susan Blakely Rich Man, Poor Man Book II Julie Prescott "Chapter 1" ABC Madge Sinclair Roots Bell Reynolds "Part IV" Leslie Uggams Kizzy Reynolds "Part VI" Jessica Walter The Streets of San Francisco Maggie Jarris / Mrs. Reston / Mrs. McCluskey "Till Death Do Us Part" Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Drama Series Olivia Cole Roots Mathilda "Part VIII" ABC Eileen Heckart The Mary Tyler Moore Show Flo Meredith "Lou Proposes" CBS Sandy Duncan Roots Missy Anne Reynolds "Part V" ABC Cicely Tyson Binta "Part I" Nancy Walker Rhoda Ida Morgenstern "The Separation" CBS 1978 Outstanding Lead Actress for a Single Appearance in a Comedy or Drama Series Rita Moreno The Rockford Files Rita Capkovic "The Paper Palace" NBC Patty Duke Having Babies III Leslee Wexler ABC Kate Jackson James at 15 Robin "Pilot" NBC Irene Tedrow Miss Jordan "Ducks" Jayne Meadows Meeting of Minds Florence Nightingale "Luther, Voltaire, Plato, Nightingale" PBS Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Drama Series Blanche Baker Holocaust Anna Weiss "Part I" NBC Ellen Corby The Waltons Esther Walton "Grandma Comes Home" CBS Jeanette Nolan The Awakening Land Granny McWhirter "Part I" NBC Beulah Quo Meeting of Minds Empress Tz'u-hsi "Douglass, Tz'u-Hsi, Beccaria, De Sade" PBS Beatrice Straight The Dain Curse Alice Dain Leggett "Part 1" CBS
1980s Year Actor/Actress Program Role Episode Network Outstanding Guest Performer in a Comedy Series 1986(38th) Roscoe Lee Browne The Cosby Show Dr. Barnabus Foster "The Card Game" NBC Earle Hyman The Cosby Show Russell Huxtable "Happy Anniversary" NBC Danny Kaye Dr. Burns "The Dentist" Clarice Taylor Anna Huxtable "Happy Anniversary" Stevie Wonder Himself "A Touch of Wonder" 1987(39th) John Cleese Cheers Dr. Simon Finch-Royce "Simon Says" NBC Art Carney The Cavanaughs James "Weasel" Cavanaugh "He Ain't Heavy, Father..." CBS Herb Edelman The Golden Girls Stanley Zbornak "The Stan Who Came to Dinner" NBC Lois Nettleton Jean "Isn't It Romantic?" Nancy Walker Angela "Long Day's Journey into Marinara" 1988(40th) Beah Richards Frank's Place Mrs. Varden "The Bridge" CBS Herb Edelman The Golden Girls Stanley Zbornak "The Audit" NBC Geraldine Fitzgerald Anna "Mother's Day" Eileen Heckart The Cosby Show Mrs. Hickson "Autumn Gifts" Gilda Radner It's Garry Shandling's Show Herself "Mr. Smith Goes to Nam" Showtime Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series 1989(41st) Colleen Dewhurst Murphy Brown Avery Brown"Mama Said" CBS Eileen Brennan Newhart Corine Denby CBS Diahann Carroll A Different World Marion Gilbert NBC Doris Roberts Perfect Strangers Mrs. Bailey ABC Maxine Stuart The Wonder Years Mrs. Carples
1990s Year Actress Program Role Network 1990(42nd) Swoosie Kurtz Carol & Company Laurie NBC Morgan Fairchild Murphy Brown Julia St. Martin CBS Georgia BrownCheers Madame LazoraNBC Alexis Smith Alice Anne Volkman Liz Torres The Famous Teddy Z Angie CBS 1991(43rd) Colleen Dewhurst Murphy Brown Avery Brown CBS Whoopi Goldberg A Different World Professor Jordan NBC Frances Sternhagen Cheers Esther Clavin Sada Thompson Mama Lozupone Brenda Vaccaro The Golden Girls Angela Petrillo 1992(44th) Tyne Daly Wings Mimsy Borogroves Frances Sternhagen Cheers Esther Clavin 1993(45th) Tracey Ullman Love & War Dava Levine CBS Carol Burnett The Larry Sanders Show Herself HBO Ruby Dee Evening Shade Aurelia Danforth CBS Shelley Long Cheers Diane Chambers NBC Gwen Verdon Dream On Kitty HBO 1994(46th) Eileen Heckart Love & War Rose Stein CBS Diane Ladd Grace Under Fire Louise Burdett ABC Cyndi Lauper Mad About You Marianne Lugasso NBC Marlee Matlin Seinfeld Laura Marcia Wallace Murphy Brown Secretary 66 CBS 1995(47th) Cyndi Lauper Mad About You Marianne Lugasso NBC Bebe NeuwirthFrasier Dr. Lilith SterninNBC JoBeth Williams Madeline Christina Pickles Friends Judy Geller Jean Stapleton Grace Under Fire Aunt Vivian ABC 1996(48th) Betty White The John Larroquette Show Herself NBC Shelley Long Frasier Diane Chambers NBC Rosie O'Donnell The Larry Sanders Show Herself HBO Marlo Thomas Friends Sandra Green NBC Irene Worth Remember WENN Mrs. Mellon AMC 1997(49th) Carol Burnett Mad About You Theresa Stemple NBC Ellen DeGeneres The Larry Sanders Show Herself HBO Laura Dern Ellen Susan Richmond ABC Marsha Mason Frasier Sherry NBC Betty White Suddenly Susan Midge Haber 1998(50th) Emma Thompson Ellen Herself ABC Carol Burnett Mad About You Theresa Stemple NBC Jan Hooks 3rd Rock from the Sun Vicki Dubcek Patti LuPone Frasier Zora Bette Midler Murphy Brown Caprice Feldman CBS 1999(51st) Tracey Ullman Ally McBeal Tracy Clark Fox Christine BaranskiFrasier Dr. Nora Fairchild NBC Piper Laurie Mrs. Mulhern Kathy Bates3rd Rock from the Sun Charlotte Everly Laurie Metcalf Jennifer
2000s Year Actor/Actress Program Role Network 2000(52nd) Jean Smart Frasier Lorna Lynley NBC Bea Arthur Malcolm in the Middle Mrs. White Fox Cheri Oteri Just Shoot Me! Cindy Monroe NBC Debbie Reynolds Will & Grace Bobbi Adler Holland Taylor The Lot Letitia DeVine AMC 2001(53rd) Jean Smart Frasier Lana Gardner NBC Jami Gertz Ally McBeal Kimmy Bishop Fox Cloris Leachman Malcolm in the Middle Grandma Ida Bernadette PetersAlly McBeal Cassandra Lewis Susan Sarandon Friends Cecilia Monroe NBC 2002(54th) Cloris Leachman Malcolm in the Middle Grandma Ida Fox Glenn Close Will & Grace Fannie Lieber NBC Katherine Helmond Everybody Loves Raymond Lois Paymer CBS Susan Sarandon Malcolm in the Middle Meg Burbank Fox Frances Sternhagen Sex and the City Bunny MacDougal HBO 2003(55th) Christina Applegate Friends Amy Green NBC Georgia Engel Everybody Loves Raymond Pat MacDougall CBS Betty Garrett Becker Molly Firth Cloris Leachman Malcolm in the Middle Grandma Ida Fox Betty White Yes, Dear Sylvia Weston CBS 2004(56th) Laura Linney Frasier Charlotte Novak NBC Christina Applegate Friends Amy Green NBC Eileen Brennan Will & Grace Zandra Zoggin Georgia Engel Everybody Loves Raymond Pat MacDougall CBS Cloris Leachman Malcolm in the Middle Grandma Ida Fox 2005(57th) Kathryn Joosten Desperate Housewives Karen McCluskey ABC Blythe Danner Will & Grace Marilyn Truman NBC Georgia Engel Everybody Loves Raymond Pat MacDougall CBS Cloris Leachman Malcolm in the Middle Grandma Ida Fox Lupe Ontiveros Desperate Housewives Juanita Solis ABC 2006(58th) Cloris Leachman Malcolm in the Middle Grandma Ida Fox Blythe Danner Will & Grace Marilyn Truman NBC Shirley Knight Desperate Housewives Phyllis Van De Kamp ABC Laurie Metcalf Monk Cora Cross USA Kate Winslet Extras Herself HBO 2007(59th) Elaine Stritch 30 Rock Colleen Donaghy NBC Dixie Carter Desperate Housewives Gloria Hodge ABC Salma Hayek Ugly Betty Sofia Reyes Judith Light Claire Meade Laurie Metcalf Desperate Housewives Carolyn Bigsby 2008(60th) Kathryn Joosten Desperate Housewives Karen McCluskey ABC Polly Bergen Desperate Housewives Stella Wingfield ABC Edie Falco 30 Rock Celeste "C. C." Cunningham NBC Carrie Fisher Rosemary Howard Sarah Silverman Monk Marci Maven USA Elaine Stritch 30 Rock Colleen Donaghy NBC 2009(61st) Tina Fey Saturday Night Live Sarah Palin NBC Jennifer Aniston 30 Rock Claire Harper NBC Christine Baranski The Big Bang Theory Dr. Beverly Hofstadter CBS Gena Rowlands Monk Marge Nassell USA Elaine Stritch30 Rock Colleen DonaghyNBC Betty White My Name Is Earl Grizelda Weezmer ("Crazy Witch Lady")
2010s