The Laurence Olivier Award for Actor of the Year in a New Play was an annual award presented by the Society of London Theatre in recognition of the "world-class status of London theatre." The awards were established as the Society of West End Theatre Awards in 1976, and renamed in 1984 in honour of English actor and director Laurence Olivier.
This award was presented from 1976 to 1984, then in 1985 the award was combined with the Actor of the Year in a Revival award to create the Best Actor award. The original Actor of the Year in a New Play award returned one last time, for the 1988 ceremony.
Winners and nominees 1970s Year Actor Play Character 1976 Paul Copley For King and Country Pte. Hamp Richard Beckinsale Funny Peculiar Trevor Tinsley Frank Finlay Watch It Come Down and Weapons of Happiness Ben Prosser / Josef Frank Alec McCowen The Family Dance Ben Musgrave 1977 Michael Bryant State of Revolution Vladimir Lenin Colin Blakely Just Between Ourselves Dennis Alec Guinness The Old Country Hilary Ralph Richardson The Kingfisher The Author 1978 Tom Conti Whose Life is it Anyway? Ken Harrison Gordon Chater The Elocution of Benjamin Franklin Robert O'Brien John Gielgud Half-Life Sir Noel Cunliffe Peter McEnery The Jail Diary of Albie Sachs Albie Sachs 1979 Ian McKellen Bent Max Michael Gambon Betrayal Jerry Dinsdale Landen Bodies Mervyn John Standing Close of Play Benedict
1980s Year Actor Play Character 1980 Roger Rees The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby Nicholas Nickleby Tom Courtenay The Dresser Norman David Schofield The Elephant Man John Merrick Paul Scofield Amadeus Antonio Salieri 1981 Trevor Eve Children of a Lesser God James Edward Fox Quartermaine's Terms St. John Quartermaine James Grout Quartermaine's Terms Henry Windscape Karl Johnson Television Times Unknown 1982 Ian McDiarmid Insignificance Albert Einstein Rupert Everett Another Country Guy Alec McCowen The Portage to San Cristobal of A.H. Adolf Hitler David Swift 84, Charing Cross Road Frank Doel 1983 Jack Shepherd Glengarry Glen Ross Richard Roma Michael Gambon Tales from Hollywood Ödön von Horváth Ben Kingsley Kean Edmund Kean Michael Williams Pack of Lies Bob Jackson 1984 Brian Cox Rat in the Skull Nelson Ian Charleson Fool for Love Eddie John Kani "Master Harold"...and the Boys Willie Michael Pennington Strider: The Story of a Horse Strider 1988 David Haig Our Country's Good Second Lieutenant Ralph Clark Brian Cox Fashion Paul Cash Alec Guinness A Walk in the Woods Andrey Botvinnik David Suchet Separation Joe Green
See also Best Actor Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play Lists of acting awards Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play
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