The Clarence Derwent Awards are theatre awards given annually by the Actors' Equity Association on Broadway in the United States and by Equity, the performers' union, in the West End in the United Kingdom.
Clarence Derwent (23 March 1884 – 6 August 1959) was an English actor, director, and manager. He was educated at St Paul's School, London and the Birkbeck Institute. He joined Sir Frank Benson's stage company, with whom he stayed for five years. He then joined Annie Horniman's repertory company in Manchester. He was seen in a great variety of roles, both in London and New York. He made his last appearance on stage in 1948 in The Madwoman of Chaillot. He died in New York at the age of 75."Mr Clarence Derwent", The Times, 7 August 1959, p. 14
From 1946 to 1952 Derwent was President of America's Actors' Equity. His will stipulated that two $500 prizes were to be given out annually to the best individual male and female supporting performances on Broadway and a £100 prize to the best supporting performances in the West End. So that Derwent could have the gratification of seeing the awards given out, they were started in America in 1945 and in the UK in 1948. The prizes in the US are now $2,000 and an engraved crystal trophy.
In the United Kingdom, Equity introduced Student awards in 2006. Equity has not resumed giving out supporting performance or student awards since 'pausing' them in 2020.
Most promising male (US) Source: US winners
1940s Year Actor Show Character1945 Frederick O'Neal Anna Lucasta Frank1946 Paul Douglas Born Yesterday Herry Brock1947 Tom Ewell John Loves Mary Fred Taylor1948 Lou Gilbert Hope Is the Thing with Feathers Charlie1949 Ray Walston Summer and Smoke Traveling Salesman
1950s Year Actor Show Character1950 Douglass Watson Wisteria Trees Peter Whitfield1951 Frederic Warriner Getting Married Reverend De Soames Logan Ramsey High Ground Willie Pentridge1952 Iggie Wolfington Mrs. McThing Chef1953 David J. Stewart Camino Real The Baron1954 David Lewis King of Hearts Joe Wicks1955 Fritz Weaver The White Devil Flaminero1956 Gerald Hiken Uncle Vanya Telegen1957 Ellis Rabb The Misanthrope Alceste1958 George C. Scott Richard III Richard III1959 David Hurst Look After Lulu! Police Inspector
1960s Year Actor Show( Character1960 William Daniels The Zoo Story Peter1961 Eric Christmas Little Moon of Alba Rector Olive1962 Gene Wilder The Complaisant Lover Hotel Valet1963 Gene Hackman Children from Their Games Charles Widgin Rochambeau1964 Richard McMurray A Case of Libel Fred Alston1965 Jaime Sánchez Conerico Was Here to Stay Jesus1966 Christopher Walken The Lion in Winter Philip II of France Tom Ahearne Hogan's Goat Edward Quinn1967 Austin Pendleton Hail Scrawdyke! Irwin Ingham Philip Bosco The Alchemist Lincoln Center Rep1968 David Birney Summertree Troubled Youth1969 Ron O'Neal No Place to Be Somebody Gabe Gabriel
1970s Year Actor Show Character1970 Jeremiah Sullivan A Scent of Flowers Gravedigger1971 James Woods Saved Lenny1972 Richard Backus Promenade, All! Willie/Wesley/Walter/Wendall1973 Christopher Murney Tricks Sylvestre1974 Thom Christopher Noël Coward in Two Keys Felix1975 Reyno The First Breeze of Summer Lou Edwards1976 Peter Evans Streamers Richie1977 Barry Preston Bubbling Brown Sugar Charlie/Count1978 Morgan Freeman The Mighty Gents Zeke1979 Richard Cox Platinum Dan Danger
1980s Year Actor Show Character1980 Eric Peterson Billy Bishop Goes to War Billy Bishop1981 Bob Gunton How I Got That Story The Historical Event1982 Larry Riley A Soldier's Play Pvt. C.J. Memphis1983 John Malkovich True West Lee1984 Peter Gallagher The Real Thing Billy1985 Bill Sadler Biloxi Blues Sgt. Merwin J. Toomey1986 John Mahoney The House of Blue Leaves Artie Shaughnessy1987 Courtney B. Vance Fences Cory Maxson1988 BD Wong M. Butterfly Song Liling1989 John Pankow Aristocrats Eamon
1990s Year Actor(s) Show(s) Character1990 Michael Jeter Grand Hotel Otto Kringelein1991 Danny Gerard Lost in Yonkers Arty James McDaniel Six Degrees of Separation Paul Poitier1992 Patrick Fitzgerald Grandchild of Kings Sean O'Casey1993 Joe Mantello Angels in America Louis Ironson1994 Robert Stanton All in the Timing Various roles1995 Billy Crudup Arcadia Septimus Hodge1996 Ruben Santiago-Hudson Seven Guitars Canewell1997 Alan Tudyk Bunny Bunny Various roles1998 Sam Trammell Ah, Wilderness! Richard Miller1999 Robert Sella Side Man Clifford
2000s Year Actor(s) Show(s) Character2000Derek Smith The Green Bird Tartaglia King John Philip Faulconbridge2001 David Burtka The Play About the Baby The Boy2002 Sam Robards The Man Who Had All the Luck Gustav Eberson2003 Denis O'Hare Take Me Out Mason Marzac2004 John Tartaglia Avenue Q Princeton/Rod2005 Christian Borle Spamalot Historian/Not Dead Fred/French Guard/Minstrel/Prince Herbert2006 Jason Ritter Third Woodson Bull III2007 Lin-Manuel Miranda In the Heights Usnavi de la Vega2008 Michael Esper Crazy Mary Skip2009 Aaron Tveit Next to Normal Gabe Goodman
2010s Year Actor(s) Show(s) Character2010 Bill Heck The Orphans' Home Cycle Horace Robedaux/Paul Horace Robedaux2011 Santino Fontana The Importance of Being Earnest Algernon Moncrieff2012 Finn Wittrock Death of a Salesman Happy Loman2013 Michael Urie Buyer & Cellar Alex More2014 Steven Boyer Hand to God Jason/Tyrone2015 Josh Grisetti It Shoulda Been You Marty Kaufman2016 Ben Platt Dear Evan Hansen Evan Hansen2017 Will Pullen Sweat Jason2018 Sean Carvajal Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train Angel Cruz2019 Ephraim Sykes Ain't Too Proud David Ruffin 2020s YearActorShowCharacter2020No award given due to COVID-19 pandemic.20212022 Justin Cooley Kimberly Akimbo Seth Weetis2023 Alex Newell Shucked Lulu2024Andrew DurandDead OutlawElmer McCurdy2025Nicholas BaraschPirates! The Penzance MusicalFrederic2026Ali Louis BourzguiThe Lost BoysDavid
Most promising female (US) Source: US winners
1940s Year Actor Show Character1945 Judy Holliday Kiss Them for Me Alice1946 Barbara Bel Geddes Deep Are the Roots Genevra Langdon1947 Margaret Phillips Another Part of the Forest Birdie Bagtry1948 Catherine Ayers Moon of the Caribbean Susie1949 Leora Dana The Madwoman of Chaillot Irma
1950s Year Actor Show Character1950 Gloria Lane The Consul Secretary to the consulate1951 Phyllis Love The Rose Tattoo Rose Delle Rose1952 Anne Meacham The Long Watch Ensign Jane Hilton1953 Jenny Egan The Crucible Mary Warren1954 Vilma Kurer The Winner Hilde Kranzbeck1955 Vivian Nathan Anastasia Charwoman1956 Frances Sternhagen The Admiral Bashville Shavian Heroine1957 Joan Croydon The Potting Shed Miss Connolly1958 Collin Wilcox The Day the Money Stopped Ellen Wells1959 Lois Nettleton God and Kate Murphy Shelagh O'Conner
1960s Year Actor Show Character1960 Rochelle Oliver Toys in the Attic Lily Berniers1961 Rosemary Murphy Period of Adjustment Dorothea Bates1962 Rebecca Drake Who'll Save the Plowboy? Helen Cobb1963 Jessica Walter Photo Finish Clarice/Ada Cooney1964 Joyce Ebert The Trojan Women Andromache1965 Elizabeth Hubbard The Physicists Monika Stettler1966 Jean Hepple Serjeant Musgrave's Dance Annie1967 Reva Rose You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown Lucy van Pelt1968 Catherine Burns The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Monica1969 Marlene Warfield The Great White Hope Clara
1970s Year Actor Show Character1970 Pamela Payton-Wright The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds Tillie1971 Katherine Helmond The House of Blue Leaves Bananas1972 Pamela Bellwood Butterflies Are Free Jill Tanner1973 Mari Gorman The Hot l Baltimore Jackie1974 Ann Reinking Over Here! Maggie1975 Mary Beth Hurt Love for Love Miss Prue1976 Nancy Snyder Knock Knock Joan of Arc1977 Rose Gregorio The Shadow Box Agnes1978 Margaret Hilton Molly Eve1979 Laurie Kennedy Man and Superman Violet Robinson
1980s Year Actor Show Character1980 Dianne Wiest On the Art of Dining Elizabeth Barrow1981 Mia Dillon Crimes of the Heart Babe Botrelle1982 Joann Camp Geniuses Skye Bullene1983Dana Ivey Present Laughter Monica Reed Quartermaine's Terms Melanie Garth1984 Joan Allen And a Nightingale Sang Hellen Stott1985 Joanna Gleason A Day in the Death of Joe Egg Pam1986 Patti Cohenour The Mystery of Edwin Drood Rosa Bud1987 Annette Bening Coastal Disturbances Holly Dancer1988 Christine Estabrook The Boys Next Door Sheila1989 Mercedes Ruehl Other People's Money Kate Sullivan
1990s Year Actor Show Character1990 Mary-Louise Parker Prelude to a Kiss Rita Boyle1991 Jane Adams I Hate Hamlet Deirdre McDavey1992 Tonya Pinkins Jelly's Last Jam Anita1993 Ann Dowd Candida Miss Proserpine Garnett1994 Jeanne Paulsen The Kentucky Cycle Joleen Rowen1995 Calista Flockhart The Glass Menagerie Laura Wingfield1996 LisaGay Hamilton Valley Song Veronica1997 Allison Janney Present Laughter Liz Essendine1998 Julyana Soelistyo Golden Child Eng Ahn1999 Kristin Chenoweth You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown Sally Brown
2000s Year Actor Show Character2000 Sherie Rene Scott Aida Amneris2001 Spencer Kayden Urinetown Little Sally2002 Anne Hathaway Carnival! Lili2003 Kerry Butler Hairspray Penny Pingleton2004 Anika Noni Rose Caroline, or Change Emmie Thibodeaux2005 Ari Graynor Brooklyn Boy Alison2006 Felicia P. Fields The Color Purple Sofia2007 Leslie Kritzer Legally Blonde Serena2008Zoe Kazan Come Back, Little Sheba Marie Things We Want Stella 100 Saints You Should Know Abby2009 Quincy Tyler Bernstine Ruined Salima
2010s Year Actor Show Character2010 Nina Arianda Venus in Fur Vanda Jordan2011 Tracee Chimo Bachelorette Regan2012 Susan Pourfar Tribes Sylvia2013 Annaleigh Ashford Kinky Boots Lauren2014 Whitney Bashor The Bridges of Madison County Marian/Chiara2015 Phillipa Soo Hamilton Eliza Schuyler Hamilton2016 Alana Arenas Head of Passes Cookie2017 Katrina Lenk The Band's Visit Dina2018Ashley Park KPOP MwE Mean Girls Gretchen Wieners2019 Sarah Stiles Tootsie Sandy Lester
2020s YearActorShowCharacter2022 Kara Young Clyde's Letitia2023 Bonnie Milligan Kimberly Akimbo Aunt Debra2024Hannah CruzThe ConnectorRobin MartinezSuffsInez Milholland2025Julia LesterAll NighterWilma2026McKenzie KurtzHeathersHeather ChandlerSchmigadoon!Betsy McDonough
Winners (UK) Source for UK winners. Best male in a supporting role 1948 Colin Gordon as Rupert Billings in The Happiest Days of Your Life 1949 Robin Bailey as Faulkland in The Rivals 1950 Denholm Elliott as Edgar in Venus Observed 1951 Hugh Griffith as The Father in Point of Departure 1952 Paul Rogers as William Villon in The Other Heart 1953 Ernest Clark as Dr Skillingworth in Escapade 1954 Richard Wordsworth as Antonio in Venice Preserv'd 1955 Noel Willman as Interrogator in The Prisoner 1956 Timothy Bateson as Lucky in Waiting for Godot 1957 Derek Godfrey as Iachimo in Cymbeline 1958 Paul Daneman as Henry VI in Henry VI, parts I, II and III 1959 Alan Bates as Edmund Tyrone in Long Day's Journey into Night 1960 Alec McCowen as Touchstone in As You Like It 1961 Peter Woodthorpe as Aston in The Caretaker 1962 John Moffatt as Cardinal Cajetan in Luther 1963 Frank Finlay as Corporal Hill in Chips with Everything 1964 Charles Gray as Maxim in Poor Bitos 1965 Ian McKellen as Godfrey in A Scent of Flowers 1966 Edward Hardwicke as Camille Chandebise in A Flea in Her Ear 1967 Paul Eddington as Capt M Doleful in Jorrocks 1968 Timothy West as Otto in The Italian Girl 1969 Gordon Jackson as Horatio in Hamlet 1970 Robert Eddison as Lightborn in Edward II 1971 Michael Bates as Charles Bisley in Forget-me-not Lane 1972 Richard O'Callaghan as Joey in Butley 1973 Alan MacNaughtan as Philinte in The Misanthrope 1974 John Tordoff as The Man in Misalliance 1975 Mike Gwilym as Death in King John 1976 Peter Blythe as Peter Frame in The Chairman 1977 Nigel Hawthorne as Major Flack in Privates on Parade 1978 Jeremy Irons as Jameson in Rear Column 1979 Michael Bryant as Sir Paul Plyant in Double Dealer (play) 1980 Richard Griffiths as Lariosik in White Guard 1981 David Threlfall as Smike in Nicholas Nickleby