The Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance 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 commingled actor/actress award was introduced in 1976, and was last presented at the 1995 ceremony, after which it was retired. On the 19 occasions that this award was given, it was presented three times to an actress and 16 times to an actor.
Winners and nominees 1970s Year Actor Production Character 1976 Penelope Keith Donkeys' Years Lady Driver Peter Barkworth Crown Matrimonial Edward VIII Richard Beckinsale Funny Peculiar Trevor Tinsley Geraldine McEwan Oh, Coward! Performer 1977 Denis Quilley Privates on Parade Terri Dennis Jane Carr Once a Catholic Mary Mooney Joan Hickson Bedroom Farce Delia Leslie Phillips Sextet Unknown 1978 Ian McKellen The Alchemist Face Sheila Hancock Annie Miss Hannigan Geraldine McEwan Look After Lulu! Lulu Donald Sinden Shut Your Eyes and Think of England Performer 1979 Barry Humphries A Night with Dame Edna Dame Edna Everage Richard Griffiths Once in a Lifetime George Lewis Oscar James Gloo Joo Meadowlark Warner Maureen Lipman Outside Edge Maggie
1980s Year Actor Production Character 1980 Beryl Reid Born in the Gardens Maud Edward Duke Jeeves Takes Charge Jeeves Ben Kingsley The Merry Wives of Windsor Ford Julie Walters Educating Rita Rita 1981 Rowan Atkinson Rowan Atkinson in Revue Himself Georgina Hale Steaming Josie Donald Sinden Present Laughter Garry Essendine Angela Thorne Anyone for Denis? Margaret Thatcher 1982 Geoffrey Hutchings Poppy Lady Dodo Jane Carr A Midsummer Night's Dream Hermia Paul Eddington Noises Off Lloyd Dallas Bill Paterson Schweik in the Second World War Schweyk 1983 Griff Rhys Jones Charley's Aunt Lord Fancourt Babberley Susan Colverd The Provok'd Wife Lady Brute Michael Hordern The Rivals Sir Anthony Absolute Peter Ustinov Beethoven's Tenth Ludwig van Beethoven 1984 Maureen Lipman See How They Run Miss Skillon Lavinia Bertram Intimate Exchanges Various Characters Leonard Rossiter Loot Truscott Michael Williams Two into One George 1985 Michael Gambon A Chorus of Disapproval Dafydd Llewellyn Roger Rees Love's Labours Lost Berowne Griff Rhys Jones Trumpets and Raspberries Antonio Berardi / Agnelli Maggie Smith The Way of the World Mrs. Millamant 1986 Bill Fraser When We Are Married Gerald Forbes Brian Cox Misalliance John Tarleton Nigel Hawthorne The Magistrate Posket Paul Scofield I'm Not Rappaport Nat 1987 John Woodvine The Henrys Falstaff Frank Ferrante Groucho: A Life in Revue Groucho Marx Geoffrey Hutchings Three Men on a Horse Irwin Les Marsden Groucho: A Life in Revue Harpo Marx 1988 Alex Jennings Too Clever by Half Gloumov Kenneth Branagh As You Like It Celia Lesley Sharp A Family Affair Lipochka Sian Thomas Countrymania Vittoria 1989/90 Michael Gambon Man of the Moment Douglas Beechey Alex Jennings The Liar Dorante Alfred Molina Speed-the-Plow Fox Peter O'Toole Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell Jeffrey Bernard
1990s Year Actor Production Character 1991 Alan Cumming Accidental Death of an Anarchist The Madman Richard Briers The Wind in the Willows Rat Griff Rhys Jones The Wind in the Willows Mr. Toad Joseph Maher What the Butler Saw Dr. Rance 1992 Desmond Barrit The Comedy of Errors Antipholus of Ephesus / Antipholus of Syracuse Robin Bailey Black Snow Ivan Vassilevich Alan Cumming La Bête Valere Lia Williams The Revengers' Comedies Karen 1993 Simon Cadell Travels with My Aunt Henry Pulling Sara Crowe Hay Fever Sorel Bliss Guy Henry The Alchemist Ananias Robert Lindsay Cyrano de Bergerac Cyrano de Bergerac 1994 Griff Rhys Jones An Absolute Turkey Redillon Ken Campbell Jamais Vu Performer Nicholas Le Prevost An Absolute Turkey Pontagnac Maggie Smith The Importance of Being Earnest Lady Bracknell 1995 Niall Buggy Dead Funny Brian Nigel Hawthorne The Clandestine Marriage Lord Ogleby Tony Slattery Neville's Island Gordon Debra Gillett The Country Wife Mrs. Pinchwife
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