The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama is a Golden Globe Award that was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as a separate category in 1951. Previously, there was a single award for "Best Actor in a Motion Picture" but the splitting allowed for recognition of it and the Best Actor – Musical or Comedy.
The formal title has varied since its inception. In 2005, it was officially called: "Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama". As of 2013, the wording is "Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama".
Winners and nominees
1940s Year Actor Role(s) Film 1943 Paul Lukas Kurt Muller Watch on the Rhine 1944 Alexander Knox Woodrow Wilson Wilson 1945 Ray Milland Don Birnam The Lost Weekend 1946 Gregory Peck Penny Baxter The Yearling 1947 Ronald Colman Anthony John A Double Life 1948 Laurence Olivier Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Hamlet 1949 Broderick Crawford Willie Stark All the King's Men Richard Todd Cpl. Lachlan "Lachie" MacLachlan The Hasty Heart
1950s Year Actor Role(s) Film 1950 José Ferrer Cyrano de Bergerac Cyrano de Bergerac Louis Calhern Oliver Wendell Holmes The Magnificent Yankee James Stewart Elwood P. Dowd Harvey 1951 Fredric March Willy Loman Death of a Salesman Kirk Douglas Det. James McLeod Detective Story Arthur Kennedy Larry Nevins Bright Victory 1952 Gary Cooper Marshal Will Kane High Noon Ray Milland Allan Fields The Thief Charles Boyer Jacques Bonnard The Happy Time 1953 Spencer Tracy Clinton Jones The Actress 1954 Marlon Brando Terry Malloy On the Waterfront 1955 Ernest Borgnine Marty Piletti Marty 1956 Kirk Douglas Vincent van Gogh Lust for Life Karl Malden Archie Lee Meighan Baby Doll Gary Cooper Jess Birdwell Friendly Persuasion Burt Lancaster Bill Starbuck The Rainmaker Charlton Heston Moses The Ten Commandments 1957 Alec Guinness Colonel Nicholson The Bridge on the River Kwai Marlon Brando Maj. Lloyd "Ace" Gruver Sayonara Henry Fonda Juror #8 12 Angry Men Anthony Franciosa Polo Pope A Hatful of Rain Charles Laughton Sir Wilfrid Robarts Witness for the Prosecution 1958 David Niven Major Pollock Separate Tables Tony Curtis John "Joker" Jackson The Defiant Ones Robert Donat The Mandarin of Yang Cheng The Inn of the Sixth Happiness Sidney Poitier Noah Cullen The Defiant Ones Spencer Tracy Santiago (The Old Man) The Old Man and the Sea 1959 Anthony Franciosa Sam Lawson Career Richard Burton Jimmy Porter Look Back in Anger Charlton Heston Judah Ben-Hur Ben-Hur Fredric March Jerry Kingsley Middle of the Night Joseph Schildkraut Otto Frank The Diary of Anne Frank
1960s Year Actor Role(s) Film 1960 Burt Lancaster Elmer Gantry Elmer Gantry Trevor Howard Walter Morel Sons and Lovers Laurence Olivier Crassus Spartacus Dean Stockwell Paul Morel Sons and Lovers Spencer Tracy Henry Drummond Inherit the Wind 1961 Maximilian Schell Hans Rolfe Judgment at Nuremberg Warren Beatty Bud Stamper Splendor in the Grass Maurice Chevalier Pannisse Fanny Paul Newman Fast Eddie Felson The Hustler Sidney Poitier Walter Lee Younger A Raisin in the Sun 1962 Gregory Peck Atticus Finch To Kill a Mockingbird Laurence Harvey Wilhelm Grimm/The Cobbler The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm Burt Lancaster Robert Franklin Stroud Birdman of Alcatraz Jack Lemmon Joe Clay Days of Wine and Roses James Mason Humbert Humbert Lolita Paul Newman Chance Wayne Sweet Bird of Youth Peter O'Toole T. E. Lawrence Lawrence of Arabia Anthony Quinn Auda ibu Tayi 1963 Sidney Poitier Homer Smith Lilies of the Field Marlon Brando Harrison Carter MacWhite The Ugly American Stathis Giallelis Stavros Topouzoglou America America Rex Harrison Julius Caesar Cleopatra Steve McQueen Rocky Papasano Love with the Proper Stranger Paul Newman Hud Bannon Hud Gregory Peck Captain Josiah Newman Captain Newman, M.D. Tom Tryon Stephen Fermoyle The Cardinal 1964 Peter O'Toole King Henry II Becket Richard Burton Thomas Becket Becket Anthony Franciosa Juan Luis Rodriguez Rio Conchos Fredric March President Lyman Seven Days in May Anthony Quinn Alexis Zorba Zorba the Greek 1965 Omar Sharif Yuri Zhivago Doctor Zhivago Rex Harrison Pope Julius II The Agony and the Ecstasy Sidney Poitier Gordon Ralfe A Patch of Blue Rod Steiger Sol Nazerman The Pawnbroker Oskar Werner Willie Schumann Ship of Fools 1966 Paul Scofield Sir Thomas More A Man for All Seasons Richard Burton George Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Michael Caine Alfie Alfie Steve McQueen Machinist's Mate 1st Class Jake Holman The Sand Pebbles Max von Sydow Reverend Abner Hale Hawaii 1967 Rod Steiger Police Chief Bill Gillespie In the Heat of the Night Alan Bates Gabriel Oak Far from the Madding Crowd Warren Beatty Clyde Barrow Bonnie and Clyde Paul Newman Lucas "Luke" Jackson Cool Hand Luke Sidney Poitier Detective Virgil Tibbs In the Heat of the Night Spencer Tracy Matt Drayton Guess Who's Coming to Dinner 1968 Peter O'Toole King Henry II The Lion in Winter Alan Arkin John Singer The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter Alan Bates Yakov Bok The Fixer Tony Curtis Albert DeSalvo The Boston Strangler Cliff Robertson Charlie Gordon Charly 1969 John Wayne Rooster Cogburn True Grit Alan Arkin Abraham "Popi" Rodriguez Popi Richard Burton King Henry VIII Anne of the Thousand Days Dustin Hoffman Enrico "Ratso" Rizzo Midnight Cowboy Jon Voight Joe Buck
1970s Year Actor Role(s) Film 1970 George C. Scott George S. Patton Patton Melvyn Douglas Tom Garrison I Never Sang for My Father James Earl Jones Jack Jefferson The Great White Hope Jack Nicholson Robert Eroica Dupea Five Easy Pieces Ryan O'Neal Oliver Barret IV Love Story 1971 Gene Hackman Detective Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle The French Connection Peter Finch Daniel Hirsh Sunday Bloody Sunday Malcolm McDowell Alex DeLarge A Clockwork Orange Jack Nicholson Jonathan Fuerst Carnal Knowledge George C. Scott Dr. Herbert Bock The Hospital 1972 Marlon Brando Vito Corleone The Godfather Michael Caine Milo Tindle Sleuth Laurence Olivier Andrew Wyke Al Pacino Michael Corleone The Godfather Jon Voight Ed Gentry Deliverance 1973 Al Pacino Frank Serpico Serpico Robert Blake John Wintergreen Electra Glide in Blue Jack Lemmon Harry Stoner Save the Tiger Steve McQueen Henri "Papillon" Charrière Papillon Jack Nicholson Signalman 1st Class Billy L. "Badass" Buddusky The Last Detail 1974 Jack Nicholson J. J. "Jake" Gittes Chinatown James Caan Axel Freed The Gambler Gene Hackman Harry Caul The Conversation Dustin Hoffman Lenny Bruce Lenny Al Pacino Michael Corleone The Godfather Part II 1975 Jack Nicholson Randle Patrick "Mac" McMurphy One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Gene Hackman Detective Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle French Connection II Al Pacino Sonny Wortzik Dog Day Afternoon Maximilian Schell Arthur Goldman The Man in the Glass Booth James Whitmore Harry S. Truman Give 'em Hell, Harry! 1976 Peter Finch (posthumous) Howard Beale Network David Carradine Woody Guthrie Bound for Glory Robert De Niro Travis Bickle Taxi Driver Dustin Hoffman "Babe" Levy Marathon Man Sylvester Stallone Rocky Balboa Rocky 1977 Richard Burton Dr. Martin Dysart Equus Marcello Mastroianni Gabriele A Special Day Al Pacino Bobby Deerfield Bobby Deerfield Gregory Peck Douglas MacArthur MacArthur Henry Winkler Jack Dunne Heroes 1978 Jon Voight Luke Martin Coming Home Brad Davis Billy Hayes Midnight Express Robert De Niro Michael Vronsky The Deer Hunter Anthony Hopkins Corky Withers / "Fats" Magic Gregory Peck Dr. Josef Mengele The Boys from Brazil 1979 Dustin Hoffman Ted Kramer Kramer vs. Kramer Jack Lemmon Jack Godell The China Syndrome Al Pacino Arthur Kirkland ...And Justice for All Jon Voight Billy Flynn The Champ James Woods Gregory Powell The Onion Field
1980s Year Actor Role(s) Film 1980 Robert De Niro Jake LaMotta Raging Bull John Hurt John Merrick The Elephant Man Jack Lemmon Scottie Templeton Tribute Peter O'Toole Eli Cross The Stunt Man Donald Sutherland Calvin Jarrett Ordinary People 1981 Henry Fonda Norman Thayer On Golden Pond Warren Beatty John Reed Reds Timothy Hutton Brian Moreland Taps Burt Lancaster Lou Pascal Atlantic City Treat Williams Daniel Ciello Prince of the City 1982 Ben Kingsley Mahatma Gandhi Gandhi Albert Finney George Dunlap Shoot the Moon Richard Gere Zack Mayo An Officer and a Gentleman Jack Lemmon Ed Horman Missing Paul Newman Frank Galvin The Verdict 1983 Tom Courtenay Norman The Dresser Robert Duvall Mac Sledge Tender Mercies Tom Conti Gowan McGland Reuben, Reuben Richard Farnsworth Bill Miner The Grey Fox Albert Finney Sir The Dresser Al Pacino Tony Montana Scarface Eric Roberts Paul Snider Star 80 1984 F. Murray Abraham Antonio Salieri Amadeus Jeff Bridges Starman ("Scott Hayden") Starman Albert Finney Geoffrey Firmin Under the Volcano Tom Hulce Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Amadeus Sam Waterston Sydney Schanberg The Killing Fields 1985 Jon Voight Oscar Manheim Runaway Train Harrison Ford John Book Witness Gene Hackman Harry MacKenzie Twice in a Lifetime William Hurt Luis Molina Kiss of the Spider Woman Raul Julia Valentin Arregui 1986 Bob Hoskins George Mona Lisa Harrison Ford Allie Fox The Mosquito Coast Dexter Gordon Dale Turner Round Midnight William Hurt James Leeds Children of a Lesser God Jeremy Irons Father Gabriel The Mission Paul Newman Fast Eddie Felson The Color of Money 1987 Michael Douglas Gordon Gekko Wall Street John Lone Puyi The Last Emperor Jack Nicholson Francis Phelan Ironweed Nick Nolte Lee Umstetter Weeds Denzel Washington Steve Biko Cry Freedom 1988 Dustin Hoffman Raymond Babbitt Rain Man Gene Hackman Rupert Anderson Mississippi Burning Tom Hulce Dominick Luciano Dominick and Eugene Edward James Olmos Jaime Escalante Stand and Deliver Forest Whitaker Charlie Parker Bird 1989 Tom Cruise Ron Kovic Born on the Fourth of July Daniel Day-Lewis Christy Brown My Left Foot Jack Lemmon Jake Tremont Dad Al Pacino Frank Keller Sea of Love Robin Williams John Keating Dead Poets Society
1990s