| Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | |
| Image Upright: | 0.7 |
| Awarded For: | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series |
| Presenter: | Academy of Television Arts & Sciences |
| Country: | United States |
| Year: | 1954 |
| Holder: | Kieran Culkin, Succession (2024) |
The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series is an award presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). Beginning with the 18th Primetime Emmy Awards, leading actors in drama have competed alone. However, these dramatic performances included actors from miniseries, telefilms, and guest performers competing against main cast competitors. Such instances are marked below:
| Year | Actor | Role | Program | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Male Star of a Regular Series | ||||
| 1954 (6th) [1] | ||||
| Donald O'Connor | Himself | The Colgate Comedy Hour | NBC | |
| Sid Caesar | Various characters | Your Show of Shows | NBC | |
| Wally Cox | Robinson Peepers | Mister Peepers | ||
| Jackie Gleason | Various characters | The Jackie Gleason Show | CBS | |
| Jack Webb | Joe Friday | Dragnet | NBC | |
| Best Actor Starring in a Regular Series | ||||
| 1955 (7th) | ||||
| Danny Thomas | Danny Williams | Make Room for Daddy | ABC | |
| Richard Boone | Dr. Konrad Styner | Medic | NBC | |
| Robert Cummings | Robert Beanblossom | My Hero | ||
| Jackie Gleason | Various characters | The Jackie Gleason Show | CBS | |
| Jack Webb | Joe Friday | Dragnet | NBC | |
| Best Actor - Continuing Performance | ||||
| 1956 (8th) | ||||
| Phil Silvers | MSgt. Ernest G. Bilko | The Phil Silvers Show | CBS | |
| Robert Cummings | Bob Collins | The Bob Cummings Show | CBS | |
| Jackie Gleason | Ralph Kramden | The Honeymooners | ||
| Danny Thomas | Danny Williams | Make Room for Daddy | ABC | |
| Robert Young | Jim Anderson | Father Knows Best | CBS | |
| Best Continuing Performance by an Actor | ||||
| 1957 (9th) | ||||
| Robert Young | Jim Anderson | Father Knows Best | NBC | |
| James Arness | Matt Dillon | Gunsmoke | CBS | |
| Charles Boyer | Various characters | Four Star Playhouse | ||
| David Niven | ||||
| Hugh O'Brian | Wyatt Earp | The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp | ABC | |
| Best Continuing Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic or Comedy Series | ||||
| 1958 (10th) | ||||
| Robert Young | Jim Anderson | Father Knows Best | NBC | |
| James Arness | Matt Dillon | Gunsmoke | CBS | |
| Robert Cummings | Bob Collins | The Bob Cummings Show | ||
| Phil Silvers | MSgt. Ernest G. Bilko | The Phil Silvers Show | ||
| Danny Thomas | Danny Williams | The Danny Thomas Show | ABC & CBS | |
| Best Actor in a Leading Role (Continuing Character) in a Dramatic Series | ||||
| 1959 (11th) | ||||
| Raymond Burr | Perry Mason | Perry Mason | CBS | |
| James Arness | Matt Dillon | Gunsmoke | CBS | |
| Richard Boone | Paladin | Have Gun – Will Travel | ||
| James Garner | Bret Maverick | Maverick | ABC | |
| Craig Stevens | Peter Gunn | Peter Gunn | NBC | |
| Efrem Zimbalist Jr. | Stuart Bailey | 77 Sunset Strip | ABC | |
| Year | Actor | Role | Program | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Series (Lead or Support) | ||||
| 1960 (12th) | ||||
| Robert Stack | Eliot Ness | The Untouchables | ABC | |
| Richard Boone | Paladin | Have Gun – Will Travel | CBS | |
| Raymond Burr | Perry Mason | Perry Mason | ||
| Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Series (Lead) | ||||
| 1961 (13th) | ||||
| Raymond Burr | Perry Mason | Perry Mason | CBS | |
| Jackie Cooper | Chick Hennesey | Hennesey | CBS | |
| Robert Stack | Eliot Ness | The Untouchables | ABC | |
| Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Series (Lead) | ||||
| 1962 (14th) | ||||
| E. G. Marshall | Lawrence Preston | The Defenders | CBS | |
| Paul Burke | Det. Adam Flint | Naked City | ABC | |
| Jackie Cooper | Chick Hennesey | Hennesey | CBS | |
| Vince Edwards | Ben Casey | Ben Casey | ABC | |
| George Maharis | Buz Murdock | Route 66 | CBS | |
| 1963 (15th) | ||||
| E. G. Marshall | Lawrence Preston | The Defenders | CBS | |
| Ernest Borgnine | Lt. Cmdr. Quinton McHale | McHale's Navy | ABC | |
| Paul Burke | Det. Adam Flint | Naked City | ||
| Vic Morrow | Sgt. Sanders | Combat! | ||
| Dick Van Dyke | Rob Petrie | The Dick Van Dyke Show | CBS | |
| 1964 (16th) | ||||
| Dick Van Dyke | Rob Petrie | The Dick Van Dyke Show | CBS | |
| Richard Boone | Various characters | The Richard Boone Show | NBC | |
| Dean Jagger | Principal Albert Vane | Mr. Novak | ||
| David Janssen | Dr. Richard Kimble | The Fugitive | ABC | |
| George C. Scott | Neil Brock | East Side/West Side | CBS | |
| Outstanding Individual Achievements in Entertainment - Actors and Performers | ||||
| 1965 | ||||
| Leonard Bernstein | Conductor | New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts with Leonard Bernstein | CBS | |
| Lynn Fontanne | Fanny Bowditch Holmes | Hallmark Hall of Fame | NBC | |
| Alfred Lunt | Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. | |||
| Barbra Streisand | Herself | My Name Is Barbra | CBS | |
| Dick Van Dyke | Rob Petrie | The Dick Van Dyke Show | ||
| Julie Andrews | Herself | The Andy Williams Show "November 30, 1964" | NBC | |
| Johnny Carson | Host | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | ||
| Gladys Cooper | Margaret St. Clair | The Rogues | ||
| Robert Coote | Timmy St. Clair | |||
| Richard Crenna | James Slattery | Slattery's People | CBS | |
| Julie Harris | Florence Nightingale | Hallmark Hall of Fame: "The Holy Terror" | NBC | |
| Bob Hope | Himself | Chrysler Presents A Bob Hope Comedy Special | ||
| Dean Jagger | Principal Albert Vane | Mr. Novak | ||
| Danny Kaye | Host | The Danny Kaye Show | CBS | |
| David McCallum | Illya Kuryakin | The Man from U.N.C.L.E. | NBC | |
| Red Skelton | Himself | The Red Skelton Hour | CBS | |
| Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Series | ||||
| 1966 (18th) | ||||
| Bill Cosby | Alexander Scott | I Spy | NBC | |
| Richard Crenna | James Slattery | Slattery's People | CBS | |
| Robert Culp | Kelly Robinson | I Spy | NBC | |
| David Janssen | Dr. Richard Kimble | The Fugitive | ABC | |
| David McCallum | Illya Kuryakin | The Man from U.N.C.L.E. | NBC | |
| 1967 (19th) | ||||
| Bill Cosby | Alexander Scott | I Spy | NBC | |
| Robert Culp | Kelly Robinson | I Spy | NBC | |
| Ben Gazzara | Paul Bryan | Run for Your Life | NBC | |
| David Janssen | Dr. Richard Kimble | The Fugitive | ABC | |
| Martin Landau | Rollin Hand | Mission: Impossible | CBS | |
| 1968 (20th) | ||||
| Bill Cosby | Alexander Scott | I Spy | NBC | |
| Raymond Burr | Robert T. Ironside | Ironside | NBC | |
| Robert Culp | Kelly Robinson | I Spy | ||
| Ben Gazzara | Paul Bryan | Run for Your Life | ||
| Martin Landau | Rollin Hand | Mission: Impossible | CBS | |
| 1969 (21st) | ||||
| Carl Betz | Clinton Judd | Judd, for the Defense | ABC | |
| Raymond Burr | Robert T. Ironside | Ironside | NBC | |
| Peter Graves | Jim Phelps | Mission: Impossible | CBS | |
| Martin Landau | Rollin Hand | |||
| Ross Martin | Artemus Gordon | The Wild Wild West | ||
| Year | Actor | Role | Program | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Series | ||||
| 1970 (22nd) | ||||
| Robert Young | Dr. Marcus Welby | Marcus Welby, M.D. | ABC | |
| Raymond Burr | Robert T. Ironside | Ironside | NBC | |
| Mike Connors | Joe Mannix | Mannix | CBS | |
| Robert Wagner | Al Mundy | It Takes a Thief | ABC | |
| 1971 (23rd) | ||||
| Hal Holbrook | Hays Stowe | NBC | ||
| Raymond Burr | Robert T. Ironside | Ironside | NBC | |
| Mike Connors | Joe Mannix | Mannix | CBS | |
| Robert Young | Dr. Marcus Welby | Marcus Welby, M.D. | ABC | |
| 1972 (24th) | ||||
| Peter Falk | Columbo | Columbo | NBC | |
| Raymond Burr | Robert T. Ironside | Ironside | NBC | |
| Mike Connors | Joe Mannix | Mannix | CBS | |
| Keith Michell # | Henry VIII of England | The Six Wives of Henry VIII | ||
| Robert Young | Dr. Marcus Welby | Marcus Welby, M.D. | ABC | |
| Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Drama Series - Continuing) | ||||
| 1973 (25th) | ||||
| Richard Thomas | John-Boy Walton | The Waltons | CBS | |
| David Carradine | Kwai Chang Caine | Kung Fu | ABC | |
| Mike Connors | Joe Mannix | Mannix | CBS | |
| William Conrad | Frank Cannon | Cannon | ||
| Peter Falk | Columbo | Columbo | NBC | |
| Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series | ||||
| 1974 (26th) | ||||
| Telly Savalas | Lt. Theo Kojak | Kojak | CBS | |
| William Conrad | Frank Cannon | Cannon | CBS | |
| Karl Malden | Lt. Mike Stone | The Streets of San Francisco | ABC | |
| Richard Thomas | John-Boy Walton | The Waltons | CBS | |
| Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | ||||
| 1975 (27th) | ||||
| Robert Blake | Det. Tony Baretta | Baretta | ABC | |
| Karl Malden | Lt. Mike Stone | The Streets of San Francisco | ABC | |
| Barry Newman | Anthony J. Petrocelli | Petrocelli | NBC | |
| Telly Savalas | Lt. Theo Kojak | Kojak | CBS | |
| 1976 (28th) | ||||
| Peter Falk | Columbo | Columbo | NBC | |
| James Garner | Jim Rockford | The Rockford Files | NBC | |
| Karl Malden | Lt. Mike Stone | The Streets of San Francisco | ABC | |
| 1977 (29th) | ||||
| James Garner | Jim Rockford | The Rockford Files | NBC | |
| Robert Blake | Det. Tony Baretta | Baretta | ABC | |
| Peter Falk | Columbo | Columbo | NBC | |
| Jack Klugman | Dr. R. Quincy, M.E. | Quincy, M.E. | ||
| Karl Malden | Lt. Mike Stone | The Streets of San Francisco | ABC | |
| 1978 (30th) | ||||
| Ed Asner | Lou Grant | Lou Grant | CBS | |
| James Broderick | Doug Lawrence | Family | ABC | |
| Peter Falk | Columbo | Columbo | NBC | |
| James Garner | Jim Rockford | The Rockford Files | ||
| Jack Klugman | Dr. R. Quincy, M.E. | Quincy, M.E. | ||
| Ralph Waite | John Walton, Sr. | The Waltons | CBS | |
| 1979 (31st) | ||||
| Ron Leibman | Martin Kazinski | Kaz | CBS | |
| Ed Asner | Lou Grant | Lou Grant | CBS | |
| James Garner | Jim Rockford | The Rockford Files | NBC | |
| Jack Klugman | Dr. R. Quincy, M.E. | Quincy, M.E. | ||
| Year | Actor | Role | Program | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 (32nd) | ||||
| Ed Asner | Lou Grant | Lou Grant | CBS | |
| James Garner | Jim Rockford | The Rockford Files | NBC | |
| Jack Klugman | R. Quincy | Quincy, M.E. | ||
| Larry Hagman | J. R. Ewing | Dallas | CBS | |
| 1981 (33rd) | ||||
| Daniel J. Travanti | Frank Furillo | Hill Street Blues | NBC | |
| Ed Asner | Lou Grant | Lou Grant | CBS | |
| Jim Davis (posthumously) | Jock Ewing | Dallas | ||
| Larry Hagman | J. R. Ewing | |||
| Louis Gossett Jr. § | Bessie's Father | Palmerstown, U.S.A. | ||
| Pernell Roberts | Trapper John McIntyre | Trapper John, M.D. | ||
| 1982 (34th) | ||||
| Daniel J. Travanti | Frank Furillo | Hill Street Blues | NBC | |
| Ed Asner | Lou Grant | Lou Grant | CBS | |
| Tom Selleck | Thomas Magnum | Magnum, P.I. | ||
| James Garner | Bret Maverick | Bret Maverick | NBC | |
| John Forsythe | Blake Carrington | Dynasty | ABC | |
| 1983 (35th) | ||||
| Ed Flanders | Donald Westphall | St. Elsewhere | NBC | |
| Tom Selleck | Thomas Magnum | Magnum, P.I. | CBS | |
| William Daniels | Mark Craig | St. Elsewhere | NBC | |
| John Forsythe | Blake Carrington | Dynasty | ABC | |
| Daniel J. Travanti | Frank Furillo | Hill Street Blues | NBC | |
| 1984 (36th) [2] | ||||
| Tom Selleck | Thomas Magnum | Magnum, P.I. | CBS | |
| William Daniels | Mark Craig | St. Elsewhere | NBC | |
| Ed Flanders | Donald Westphall | |||
| Daniel J. Travanti | Frank Furillo | Hill Street Blues | ||
| John Forsythe | Blake Carrington | Dynasty | ABC | |
| 1985 (37th) | ||||
| William Daniels | Mark Craig | St. Elsewhere | NBC | |
| Don Johnson | Sonny Crockett | Miami Vice | NBC | |
| Ed Flanders | Donald Westphall | St. Elsewhere | ||
| Daniel J. Travanti | Frank Furillo | Hill Street Blues | ||
| Tom Selleck | Thomas Magnum | Magnum, P.I. | CBS | |
| 1986 (38th) | ||||
| William Daniels | Mark Craig | St. Elsewhere | NBC | |
| Tom Selleck | Thomas Magnum | Magnum, P.I. | CBS | |
| Edward Woodward | Robert McCall | The Equalizer | ||
| Bruce Willis | David Addison | Moonlighting | ABC | |
| Ed Flanders | Donald Westphall | St. Elsewhere | NBC | |
| 1987 (39th) | ||||
| Bruce Willis | David Addison | Moonlighting | ABC | |
| William Daniels | Mark Craig | St. Elsewhere | NBC | |
| Ed Flanders | Donald Westphall | |||
| Corbin Bernsen | Arnie Becker | L.A. Law | ||
| Edward Woodward | Robert McCall | The Equalizer | CBS | |
| 1988 (40th) | ||||
| Richard Kiley | Joe Gardner | A Year in the Life | NBC | |
| Corbin Bernsen | Arnie Becker | L.A. Law | NBC | |
| Michael Tucker | Stuart Markowitz | |||
| Ron Perlman | Vincent | Beauty and the Beast | CBS | |
| Edward Woodward | Robert McCall | The Equalizer | CBS | |
| 1989 (41st) | ||||
| Carroll O'Connor | Bill Gillespie | In the Heat of the Night | NBC | |
| Ken Wahl | Vinnie Terranova | Wiseguy | CBS | |
| Edward Woodward | Robert McCall | The Equalizer | ||
| Ron Perlman | Vincent | Beauty and the Beast | ||
| Michael Tucker | Stuart Markowitz | L.A. Law | NBC | |
| Year | Actor | Role | Program | Episode Submissions | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 (42nd) | |||||
| Peter Falk | Columbo | Columbo | "Agenda for Murder" | ABC | |
| Scott Bakula | Sam Beckett | Quantum Leap | NBC | ||
| Robert Loggia | Nick Mancuso | Mancuso, F.B.I. | |||
| Kyle MacLachlan | Dale Cooper | Twin Peaks | ABC | ||
| Edward Woodward | Robert McCall | The Equalizer | CBS | ||
| 1991 (43rd) | |||||
| James Earl Jones | Gabriel Bird | Gabriel's Fire | "Pilot" | ABC | |
| Scott Bakula | Sam Beckett | Quantum Leap | "Shock Theater: October 3, 1954" | NBC | |
| Michael Moriarty | Benjamin Stone | Law & Order | "Indifference" | ||
| Peter Falk | Columbo | Columbo | "Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star" | ABC | |
| Kyle MacLachlan | Dale Cooper | Twin Peaks | "Episode 16" | ||
| 1992 (44th) | |||||
| Christopher Lloyd § | Alistair Dimple | Road to Avonlea | "Another Point of View" | Disney Channel | |
| Scott Bakula | Sam Beckett | Quantum Leap | "Dreams: February 28, 1979" | NBC | |
| Harrison Page § | Reverend Walters | "Song for the Soul: April 7, 1963" | |||
| Kirk Douglas § | General Kalthrob | Tales from the Crypt | "Yellow" | HBO | |
| Rob Morrow | Joel Fleischman | Northern Exposure | "Jules et Joel" | CBS | |
| Michael Moriarty | Benjamin Stone | Law & Order | "The Wages of Love" | NBC | |
| Sam Waterston | Forrest Bedford | I'll Fly Away | "Hard Lessons Master Magician" | ||
| 1993 (45th) | |||||
| Tom Skerritt | Jimmy Brock | Picket Fences | "High Tidings" | CBS | |
| Scott Bakula | Sam Beckett | Quantum Leap | "Lee Harvey Oswald: October 5, 1957-November 22, 1963" | NBC | |
| Michael Moriarty | Benjamin Stone | Law & Order | "Night and Fog" | ||
| Sam Waterston | Forrest Bedford | I'll Fly Away | "All in the Life" | ||
| Rob Morrow | Joel Fleischman | Northern Exposure | "Kaddish for Uncle Manny" | CBS | |
| 1994 (46th) | |||||
| Dennis Franz | Andy Sipowicz | NYPD Blue | "NYPD Lou" | ABC | |
| David Caruso | John Kelly | NYPD Blue | "Pilot" | ABC | |
| Michael Moriarty | Benjamin Stone | Law & Order | "Sanctuary" | NBC | |
| Tom Skerritt | Jimmy Brock | Picket Fences | "Dairy Queen" | CBS | |
| Peter Falk | Columbo | Columbo | "It's All in the Game" | ABC | |
| 1995 (47th) | |||||
| Mandy Patinkin | Jeffrey Geiger | Chicago Hope | "Over the Rainbow" | CBS | |
| Dennis Franz | Andy Sipowicz | NYPD Blue | "A.D.A. Sipowicz" | ABC | |
| Jimmy Smits | Bobby Simone | "The Bookie and Kooky Cookie" | |||
| George Clooney | Doug Ross | ER | "Long Day's Journey" | NBC | |
| Anthony Edwards | Mark Greene | "Love's Labor Lost" | |||
| 1996 (48th) | |||||
| Dennis Franz | Andy Sipowicz | NYPD Blue | "Closing Time" | ABC | |
| Jimmy Smits | Bobby Simone | NYPD Blue | "A Death in the Family" | ABC | |
| Andre Braugher | Frank Pembleton | "For God and Country" | NBC | ||
| George Clooney | Doug Ross | ER | "Hell and High Water" | ||
| Anthony Edwards | Mark Greene | "A Shift in the Night" | |||
| 1997 (49th) | |||||
| Dennis Franz | Andy Sipowicz | NYPD Blue | "Where's 'Swaldo?" | ABC | |
| Jimmy Smits | Bobby Simone | NYPD Blue | "My Wild Irish Nose" | ABC | |
| David Duchovny | Fox Mulder | The X-Files | "Small Potatoes" | Fox | |
| Anthony Edwards | Mark Greene | ER | "Tribes" | NBC | |
| Sam Waterston | Jack McCoy | Law & Order | "Mad Dog" | ||
| 1998 (50th) | |||||
| Andre Braugher | Frank Pembleton | Homicide: Life on the Street | "Fallen Heroes, Part 2" | NBC | |
| David Duchovny | Fox Mulder | The X-Files | "Redux II" | Fox | |
| Dennis Franz | Andy Sipowicz | NYPD Blue | "The One That Got Away" | ABC | |
| Jimmy Smits | Bobby Simone | "Lost Israel" | |||
| Anthony Edwards | Mark Greene | ER | "Family Practice" | NBC | |
| 1999 (51st) | |||||
| Dennis Franz | Andy Sipowicz | NYPD Blue | "Safe Home" | ABC | |
| Jimmy Smits | Bobby Simone | NYPD Blue | "Hearts and Souls" | ABC | |
| James Gandolfini | Tony Soprano | The Sopranos | "The Sopranos" | HBO | |
| Dylan McDermott | Bobby Donnell | The Practice | "Happily Ever After" | ABC | |
| Sam Waterston | Jack McCoy | Law & Order | "Sideshow" | NBC | |
(*) refers to those who have won in this category
| Oldest Winner | Richard Kiley | A Year in the Life | 1988 (40th) | 66 |
| Oldest Nominee | Anthony Hopkins | Westworld | 2017 (69th) | 79 |
| Youngest Winner | Richard Thomas | The Waltons | 1973 (25th) | 21 |
| Youngest Nominee |