Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Beginning with the 18th Primetime Emmy Awards, leading actresses in comedy have competed alone. However, these comedic performances included actresses 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

In 1953, Eve Arden won for her performance in Our Miss Brooks.

In 1954, Loretta Young won for her performance in The Loretta Young Show.

In 1955, 1967 and 1968, Lucille Ball won three times for her performances in I Love Lucy and The Lucy Show, respectively.

In 1956, Nanette Fabray won for her performance in Caesar's Hour.

From 1957 to 1960, Jane Wyatt won three consecutive times for her performance in Father Knows Best.

In 1961, Barbara Stanwyck won for her performance in The Barbara Stanwyck Show.

In 1962 and 1963, Shirley Booth won consecutively for her performance in Hazel.

In 1964, 1966, 1973, 1974 and 1976, Mary Tyler Moore won five times for her performances in The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, respectively.

In 1969 and 1970, Hope Lange won consecutively for her performance in The Ghost & Mrs. Muir.

In 1971, 1972 and 1978, Jean Stapleton won three times for her performance in All in the Family.

In 1975, Valerie Harper won for her performance in Rhoda.

In 1977 and 1988, Bea Arthur won for her performances in Maude and The Golden Girls, respectively.

In 1979, Ruth Gordon won for her performance in Taxi.

In 1980, Cathryn Damon won for her performance in Soap.

In 1981, Isabel Sanford won for her performance in The Jeffersons.

In 1982, Carol Kane won for her performance in Taxi.

In 1983, Shelley Long won for her performance in Cheers.

In 1984 and 1985, Jane Curtain won consecutively for her performance in Kate & Allie.

In 1986, Betty White won for her performance in The Golden Girls.

In 1987, Rue McClanahan won for her performance in The Golden Girls.

In 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994 and 1995, Candice Bergen won five times for her performance in Murphy Brown.

In 1993, Roseanne Barr won for her performance in Roseanne.

From 1996 to 1999, Helen Hunt won four consecutive times for her performance in Mad About You.

From 2000 to 2001, Patricia Heaton won consecutively for her performance in Everybody Loves Raymond.

In 2002, Jennifer Aniston won for her performance in Friends.

In 2003, Debra Messing won for her performance in Will & Grace.

In 2004, Sarah Jessica Parker won for her performance in Sex and the City.

In 2005, Felicity Huffman won for her performance in Desperate Housewives.

In 2006, Julia Louis-Dreyfus won for her performance in The New Adventures of Old Christine, and from 2012 to 2017 she won six consecutive times for her performance in Veep. With 7 wins, she is the most awarded actress in the category.

In 2007, America Ferrera won for her performance in Ugly Betty.

In 2008, Tina Fey won for her performance in 30 Rock.

In 2009, Toni Collette won for her performance in United States of Tara.

In 2010, Edie Falco won for her performance in Nurse Jackie.

In 2011, Melissa McCarthy won for her performance in Mike & Molly.

In 2018, Rachel Brosnahan won for her performance in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

Total awards by network

• CBS – 26
• NBC – 16
• ABC – 7
• HBO – 7
• Showtime – 2
• Amazon – 1

Superlatives

Multiple awards

Multiple nominations

See also

• Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy
• Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series

Notes

References