This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. Prior to 1988 the category was not gender specific, thus was called Outstanding Guest Performer in a Comedy Series. These awards, like the other "Guest" awards, are 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.[1]
Winners and nominations
indicates the winner
1970s
Year
Actor
Program
Role
Submitted episode(s)
Network
Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Drama Series
^Harvey Fierstein was nominated in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his guest appearance on Cheers, but lost to Michael Jeter, who won for his role on Evening Shade.
^Kelsey Grammer was nominated in the category of Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his guest appearance on Wings, but lost to Craig T. Nelson, who won for his role on Coach.
^Jay Thomas was nominated in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his guest appearance on Murphy Brown, but lost to Michael Jeter, who won for his role on Evening Shade.
^In 2000, Henry Winkler was nominated for the canceled NBC sitcom Battery Park. After the Television Academy learned that his episode aired in June — after the May 31 cut-off — Winkler was ruled ineligible and sixth place finisher William H. Macy received the nomination in his place.
^In 2016, Peter MacNicol was nominated for the HBO series Veep. His nomination was rescinded after it was determined that MacNicol had appeared in five out of ten episodes in the fifth season of Veep, violating the TV Academy's rule that to be ruled eligible for a guest acting category, a performer must have appeared in "less than 50 percent" of a season's episodes. Seventh place finisher Peter Scolari received the nomination in his place, going on to win the category.
