The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie is an award presented annually by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role on a television limited series or television movie for the primetime network season.
The award was first presented at the 7th Primetime Emmy Awards on March 7, 1955, to Robert Cummings, for his performance as Juror #8 on the Studio One episode "Twelve Angry Men". It has undergone several name changes, with the category split into two categories at the 25th Primetime Emmy Awards: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Special Program – Drama or Comedy; and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series. By the 31st Primetime Emmy Awards, the categories were merged into one, and it has since undergone several name changes, leading to its current title.
Since its inception, the award has been given to 59 actors. Matthew Rhys is the current recipient of the award, for his portrayal of Nile Jarvis on The Beast in Me. Laurence Olivier has won the most awards in this category, with four, while Hal Holbrook has received the most nominations for the award, on seven occasions.
Winners and nominations
+ Table key Indicates the winner
1950s Year Actor Role Program Episode Network Best Actor in a Single Performance 1955(7th) Robert Cummings Juror #8 Studio One "Twelve Angry Men" CBS Frank Lovejoy Walter Neff Lux Video Theatre "Double Indemnity"CBSFredric March Tony Cavendish The Best of Broadway "The Royal Family" Ebenezer Scrooge Shower of Stars "A Christmas Carol" Thomas Mitchell Father Devlin Ford Theatre "The Good of His Soul" NBC David Niven Deacon Four Star Playhouse "The Answer" CBS 1956(8th) Lloyd Nolan Capt. Queeg Ford Star Jubilee "The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial" CBS Ralph Bellamy Father The United States Steel Hour "The Fearful Decision" CBS José Ferrer Cyrano de Bergerac Producers' Showcase "Cyrano de Bergerac"NBC Everett Sloane President Kraft Television Theatre "Patterns" Barry Sullivan Defense Attorney Greenwald Ford Star Jubilee "The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial" CBS 1957(9th) Jack Palance Harlan "Mountain" McClintock Playhouse 90 "Requiem for a Heavyweight" CBS Lloyd Bridges Alec Beggs The Alcoa Hour "Tragedy in a Temporary Town"NBC Fredric March Sam Dodsworth Producers' Showcase "Dodsworth" Sal Mineo Dino Minetta Studio One "Dino"CBS Red Skelton Buddy McCoy Playhouse 90 "The Big Slide" Best Single Performance by an Actor - Lead or Support 1958(10th) Peter Ustinov Dr. Samuel Johnson Omnibus "The Life of Samuel Johnson" NBC Lee J. Cobb Dr. Joseph Pearson Studio One "No Deadly Medicine"CBS Mickey Rooney Sammy Hogarth Playhouse 90 "The Comedian" David Wayne James Mennick Suspicion "Heartbeat"NBC Ed Wynn Gramps Northrup On Borrowed Time Best Single Performance by an Actor 1959(11th) Fred Astaire Himself An Evening with Fred Astaire NBC Robert L. Crawford Jr. TanguyPlayhouse 90 "Child of Our Time"CBS Paul Muni Sam Arlen "Last Clear Chance" Christopher Plummer Kenneth Boyd Hallmark Hall of Fame "Little Moon of Alban"NBC Mickey Rooney Eddie Alcoa Theatre "Eddie" Rod Steiger Harvey Denton Playhouse 90 "A Town Has Turned to Dust" CBS
1960s Year Actor Role Program Episode Network Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor (Lead or Support) 1960(12th) Laurence Olivier Charles Strickland The Moon and Sixpence NBC Lee J. Cobb Dr. Lawrence Doner Playhouse 90 "Project Immortality" CBS Alec Guinness Jebal Deeks Startime "The Wicked Scheme of Jebal Deeks" NBC Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role 1961(13th) Maurice Evans Macbeth Hallmark Hall of Fame "Macbeth" NBC Cliff Robertson Charlie Gordon The United States Steel Hour "The Two Worlds of Charlie Gordon"CBS Ed Wynn Himself Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse "The Man in the Funny Suit" 1962(14th) Peter Falk Aristede Fresco The Dick Powell Theatre "The Price of Tomatoes" NBC Milton Berle Eddie Doyle The Dick Powell Theatre "Doyle Against the House"NBC James Donald Albert, Prince Consort Hallmark Hall of Fame "Victoria Regina" Lee Marvin Hughes Alcoa Premiere "People Need People" ABC Mickey Rooney Augie Miller The Dick Powell Theatre "Somebody's Waiting" NBC 1963(15th) Trevor Howard Benjamin Disraeli Hallmark Hall of Fame "Invincible Mr. Disraeli" NBC Bradford Dillman Charlie Pont Premiere, Presented by Fred Astaire "The Voice of Charlie Pont" ABC Don Gordon Joey Tassili The Defenders "The Madman" CBS Walter Matthau Meredith The DuPont Show of the Week "Big Deal in Laredo"NBC Joseph Schildkraut Rabbi Gottlieb Sam Benedict "Hear the Mellow Wedding Bells" 1964(16th) Jack Klugman Joe Larch The Defenders "Blacklist" CBS James Earl Jones Joe East Side/West Side "Who Do You Kill?" CBS Roddy McDowall Paul LeDoux Arrest and Trial "Journey Into Darkness" ABC Jason Robards Abraham Lincoln Hallmark Hall of Fame "Abe Lincoln in Illinois" NBC Rod Steiger Mike Kirsch Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre "A Slow Fade to Black" NBC Harold J. Stone Elihu Kaminsky The Doctors and the Nurses "Nurse Is a Feminine Noun" CBS Outstanding Individual Achievements in Entertainment - Actors and Performers 1965(17th) Alfred Lunt Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. Hallmark Hall of Fame "The Magnificent Yankee" NBC Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Drama 1966(18th) Cliff Robertson Quincey Parke Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre "The Game" NBC Ed Begley Matthew Harrison BradyHallmark Hall of Fame"Inherit the Wind"NBC Melvyn Douglas Henry Drummond Trevor Howard Napoleon "Eagle in a Cage" Christopher Plummer Hamlet Hamlet Syndicated 1967(19th) Peter Ustinov Socrates Hallmark Hall of Fame "Barefoot in Athens" NBC Alan Arkin Barney Kempinski ABC Stage 67 "The Love Song of Barney Kempinski" ABC Lee J. Cobb Willy Loman Death of a SalesmanCBS Ivan Dixon Olly Winter CBS Playhouse "The Final War of Olly Winter" Hal Holbrook Mark Twain Hal Holbrook: Mark Twain Tonight! 1968(20th) Melvyn Douglas Peter Schermann CBS Playhouse "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" CBS Raymond Burr Robert T. Ironside Ironside "Pilot" NBC Van Heflin Robert Sloane A Case of Libel ABC George C. Scott John Proctor The CrucibleCBS Eli Wallach Douglas Lambert CBS Playhouse "Dear Friends" Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role 1969(21st) Paul Scofield Emlyn Bowen Prudiential's On Stage "Male of the Species" NBC Ossie Davis Charles CarterHallmark Hall of Fame"Teacher, Teacher"NBC David McCallum Hamilton Cade Bill Travers Crichton "The Admirable Crichton"
1970s Year Actor Role Program Network Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role 1970(22nd) Peter Ustinov Abel Shaddick A Storm in Summer NBC Al Freeman Jr. Charles Roberts My Sweet CharlieNBC Laurence Olivier Mr. Creakle David Copperfield 1971(23rd) George C. Scott Victor Franz The Price NBC Jack Cassidy Otis Baker The Andersonville Trial PBS Hal Holbrook Hays Stowe A Clear and Present DangerNBC Richard Widmark Paul Roudebush Vanished Gig Young Jones The Neon Ceiling 1972(24th) Keith Michell Henry VIII The Six Wives of Henry VIII CBS James Caan Brian Piccolo Brian's Song ABC Richard Harris Philip Rhayadar The Snow GooseNBC George C. Scott Edward Rochester Jane Eyre Billy Dee Williams Gale Sayers Brian's Song ABC 1973(25th) Laurence Olivier James Tyrone, Sr. Long Day's Journey Into Night ABC Henry Fonda Carl Tiflin The Red Pony NBC Hal Holbrook Doug Salter That Certain Summer ABC Telly Savalas Theo Kojak Kojak: The Marcus-Nelson Murders CBS Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Drama/Comedy - Limited Episodes) Anthony Murphy Tom Brown Tom Brown's Schooldays PBS John Abineri Chingachgook The Last of the Mohicans PBS Philippe Leroy Leonardo da Vinci The Life of Leonardo da Vinci CBS 1974(26th) Best Lead Actor in a Drama Hal Holbrook Lloyd Bucher Pueblo ABC Alan Alda Paul Friedman 6 Rms Riv Vu CBS Laurence Olivier Shylock The Merchant of Venice ABC Martin Sheen Eddie Slovik The Execution of Private Slovik NBC Dick Van Dyke Charlie Lester The Morning After ABC Best Lead Actor in a Limited Series William Holden Bumper Morgan The Blue Knight NBC Peter Falk Columbo ColumboNBC Dennis Weaver Sam McCloud McCloud 1975(27th) Outstanding Lead Actor in a Special Program – Drama or Comedy Laurence Olivier Arthur Glanville-Jones Love Among the Ruins ABC Richard Chamberlain Edmond Dantès The Count of Monte Cristo NBC William Devane John F. Kennedy The Missiles of October ABC Charles Durning Al Green Queen of the Stardust Ballroom CBS Henry Fonda Clarence Darrow Clarence Darrow NBC Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series Peter Falk Columbo Columbo NBC Dennis Weaver Sam McCloud McCloud NBC 1976(28th) Outstanding Lead Actor in a Special Program – Drama or Comedy Anthony Hopkins Richard Hauptmann The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case NBC William Devane John Henry Faulk Fear on Trial CBS Edward Herrmann Franklin D. Roosevelt Eleanor and Franklin ABC Jack Lemmon Archie Rice The Entertainer NBC Jason Robards James Tyrone, Jr. A Moon for the Misbegotten ABC Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series Hal Holbrook Abraham Lincoln Sandburg's Lincoln NBC George Grizzard John Adams The Adams Chronicles PBS Nick Nolte Thomas JordacheRich Man, Poor ManABC Peter Strauss Rudolph Jordache 1977(29th) Outstanding Lead Actor in a Special Program – Drama or Comedy Ed Flanders Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman: Plain Speaking PBS Peter Boyle Joseph McCarthy Tail Gunner JoeNBC Peter Finch (post-humously) Yitzhak Rabin Raid on Entebbe Edward Herrmann Franklin D. Roosevelt Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years ABC George C. Scott The Beast Beauty and the Beast NBC Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series Christopher Plummer Roscoe Heyward The Moneychangers NBC Stanley Baker Gwilym Morgan How Green Was My Valley PBS Richard Jordan Joseph Armagh Captains and the KingsNBC Steven Keats Jay Blackman Seventh Avenue 1978(30th) Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama or Comedy Special Fred Astaire Ted Long A Family Upside Down NBC Alan Alda Caryl Chessman Kill Me If You CanNBC Hal Holbrook Stage Manager Our Town Martin Sheen Taxi Driver Taxi!!! James Stacy Kenny Briggs Just a Little Inconvenience Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series Michael Moriarty Erik Dorf Holocaust NBC Hal Holbrook Portius Wheeler The Awakening Land NBC Jason Robards Richard Monckton Washington: Behind Closed Doors ABC Fritz Weaver Josef Weiss HolocaustNBC Paul Winfield Martin Luther King, Jr. King Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Special 1979(31st) Peter Strauss Larry Murphy The Jericho Mile ABC Ned Beatty Gene Mullen Friendly Fire ABC Louis Gossett Jr. Levi Mercer Backstairs at the White House NBC Kurt Russell Elvis Presley Elvis ABC
1980s