The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy is a Golden Globe Award presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role on a musical or comedy television series for the calendar year.
It was first awarded at the 19th Golden Globe Awards on March 5, 1962, under the title Best TV Star – Male to John Charles Daly and Bob Newhart. The nominees for the award announced annually starting in 1963. The award initially honored actors in both comedy and drama genres until 1969, when the award was split into categories that honored comedic and dramatic performances separately. It was presented under the new title Best TV Actor – Musical or Comedy and in 1980 under its current title.
Since its inception, the award has been given to 45 actors. Alan Alda has won the most awards in this category with six wins and received the most nominations at 11.
Winners and nominees Listed below are the winners of the award for each year, as well as the other nominees. Key Meaning Indicates the winning actor.
Best TV Star – Male 1960s + Year Actor Role Program Network RefBest TV Star – Male 1961 (19th) John Charles Daly Bob Newhart 1962 (20th) Richard Chamberlain James Kildare Dr. Kildare NBC 1963 (21st) Mickey Rooney Mickey Grady Mickey ABC Richard Boone Various Characters The Richard Boone Show NBC Jackie Gleason Various Characters American Scene Magazine CBS Lorne Greene Ben Cartwright Bonanza NBC E.G. Marshall Lawrence Preston The Defenders CBS 1964 (22nd) Gene Barry Amos Burke Burke's Law ABC Richard Crenna James Slattery Slattery's People CBS James Franciscus John Novak Mr. Novak NBC David Janssen Richard Kimble The Fugitive ABC Robert Vaughn Napoleon Solo The Man from U.N.C.L.E. NBC 1965 (23rd) David Janssen Richard Kimble The Fugitive ABC Ben Gazzara Paul Bryan Run for Your Life NBC David McCallum Illya Kuryakin The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Robert Vaughn Napoleon Solo 1966 (24th) Dean Martin Various characters The Dean Martin Show NBC Bill Cosby Alexander Scott I Spy NBC Robert Culp Kelly Robinson Ben Gazzara Paul Bryan Run for Your Life Christopher George Sam Troy The Rat Patrol ABC 1967 (25th) Martin Landau Rollin Hand Mission: Impossible CBS Brendon Boone Chief Garrison's Gorillas ABC Ben Gazzara Paul Bryan Run for Your Life NBC Dean Martin Various characters The Dean Martin Show Andy Williams Various characters The Andy Williams Show 1968 (26th) Carl Betz Clinton Judd Judd, for the Defense ABC Raymond Burr Robert T. Ironside Ironside NBC Peter Graves Jim Phelps Mission: Impossible CBS Dean Martin Various characters The Dean Martin Show NBC Efrem Zimbalist Jr. Lewis Erskine The F.B.I. ABC Best TV Actor – Musical or Comedy 1969 (27th) Dan Dailey William Drinkwater The Governor & J.J. CBS Glen Campbell Himself The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour CBS Tom Jones Himself This Is Tom Jones ABC Dean Martin Himself The Dean Martin Show NBC Jim Nabors Himself The Jim Nabors Hour CBS
1970s + Year Actor Role Program Network Ref 1970 (28th) Flip Wilson Various characters The Flip Wilson Show NBC Herschel Bernardi Arnie Nuvo Arnie CBS David Frost Himself The David Frost Show Syndicated Merv Griffin Himself The Merv Griffin Show CBS Danny Thomas Danny Williams Make Room for Granddaddy ABC 1971 (29th) Carroll O'Connor Archie Bunker All in the Family CBS Herschel Bernardi Arnie Nuvo Arnie CBS Jack Klugman Oscar Madison The Odd Couple ABC Dick Van Dyke Dick Preston The New Dick Van Dyke Show CBS Flip Wilson Various characters The Flip Wilson Show NBC 1972 (30th) Redd Foxx Fred G. Sanford Sanford and Son NBC Alan Alda Hawkeye Pierce M*A*S*H CBS Bill Cosby Various characters The New Bill Cosby Show Paul Lynde Paul Simms The Paul Lynde Show ABC Carroll O'Connor Archie Bunker All in the Family CBS Flip Wilson Various characters The Flip Wilson Show NBC 1973 (31st) Jack Klugman Oscar Madison The Odd Couple ABC Alan Alda Hawkeye Pierce M*A*S*H CBS Dom DeLuise Stanley Belmont Lotsa Luck NBC Redd Foxx Fred G. Sanford Sanford and Son Carroll O'Connor Archie Bunker All in the Family CBS 1974 (32nd) Alan Alda Hawkeye Pierce M*A*S*H CBS Ed Asner Lou Grant The Mary Tyler Moore Show CBS Redd Foxx Fred G. Sanford Sanford and Son NBC Bob Newhart Robert Hartley, Ph.D. The Bob Newhart Show CBS Carroll O'Connor Archie Bunker All in the Family 1975 (33rd) Alan Alda Hawkeye Pierce M*A*S*H CBS Johnny Carson Various characters The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson NBC Redd Foxx Fred G. Sanford Sanford and Son Hal Linden Captain Barney Miller Barney Miller ABC Bob Newhart Robert Hartley, Ph.D. The Bob Newhart Show CBS Carroll O'Connor Archie Bunker All in the Family 1976 (34th) Henry Winkler Fonzie Happy Days ABC Alan Alda Hawkeye Pierce M*A*S*H CBS Michael Constantine Judge Matthew Sirota Sirota's Court NBC Sammy Davis Jr. Various characters Sammy and Company Syndicated Hal Linden Captain Barney Miller Barney Miller ABC Freddie Prinze Chico Rodriguez Chico and the Man NBC Tony Randall Walter Franklin The Tony Randall Show ABC 1977 (35th) Ron Howard Richie Cunningham Happy Days ABC Henry Winkler Fonzie Alan Alda Hawkeye Pierce M*A*S*H CBS Hal Linden Captain Barney Miller Barney Miller ABC Carroll O'Connor Archie Bunker All in the Family CBS 1978 (36th) Robin Williams Mork Mork & Mindy ABC Alan Alda Hawkeye Pierce M*A*S*H CBS Gavin MacLeod Captain Merrill Stubing The Love Boat ABC Judd Hirsch Alex Rieger Taxi John Ritter Jack Tripper Three's Company 1979 (37th) Alan Alda Hawkeye Pierce M*A*S*H CBS Judd Hirsch Alex Rieger Taxi ABC Wilfrid Hyde-White Emerson Marshall The Associates John Ritter Jack Tripper Three's Company Robin Williams Mork Mork & Mindy
Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy 1980s + Year Actor Role Program Network Ref 1980 (38th) Alan Alda Hawkeye Pierce M*A*S*H CBS Judd Hirsch Alex Reiger Taxi ABC Hal Linden Barney Miller Barney Miller Gavin MacLeod Merrill Stubing The Love Boat Wayne Rogers Charley Michaels House Calls CBS 1981 (39th) Alan Alda Hawkeye Pierce M*A*S*H CBS James Garner Bret Maverick Bret Maverick NBC Judd Hirsch Alex Reiger Taxi ABC Gavin MacLeod Merrill Stubing The Love Boat Tony Randall Sidney Shore Love, Sidney NBC 1982 (40th) Alan Alda Hawkeye Pierce M*A*S*H CBS Robert Guillaume Benson DuBois Benson ABC Judd Hirsch Alex Reiger Taxi Bob Newhart Dick Loudon Newhart CBS Tony Randall Sidney Shore Love, Sidney NBC 1983 (41st) John Ritter Jack Tripper Three's Company ABC Dabney Coleman Bill Bittinger Buffalo Bill NBC Ted Danson Sam Malone Cheers Robert Guillaume Benson DuBois Benson ABC Bob Newhart Dick Loudon Newhart CBS 1984 (42nd) Bill Cosby Cliff Huxtable The Cosby Show NBC Ted Danson Sam Malone Cheers NBC Robert Guillaume Benson DuBois Benson ABC Sherman Hemsley George Jefferson The Jeffersons CBS Bob Newhart Dick Loudon Newhart 1985 (43rd) Bill Cosby Cliff Huxtable The Cosby Show NBC Tony Danza Tony Micelli Who's the Boss? ABC Michael J. Fox Alex P. Keaton Family Ties NBC Bob Newhart Dick Loudon Newhart CBS Bruce Willis David Addison Moonlighting ABC 1986 (44th) Bruce Willis David Addison Moonlighting ABC Bill Cosby Cliff Huxtable The Cosby Show NBC Ted Danson Sam Malone Cheers Tony Danza Tony Micelli Who's the Boss? ABC Michael J. Fox Alex P. Keaton Family Ties NBC 1987 (45th) Dabney Coleman Slap Maxwell The Slap Maxwell Story ABC Michael J. Fox Alex P. Keaton Family Ties NBC John Ritter Det. Harry Hooperman Hooperman ABC Alan Thicke Jason Seaver Growing Pains Bruce Willis David Addison Moonlighting 1988 (46th) Michael J. Fox Alex P. Keaton Family Ties NBC Judd Hirsch John Lacey Dear John Richard Mulligan Harry Weston Empty Nest Ted Danson Sam Malone Cheers NBC John Goodman Dan Conner Roseanne ABC 1989 (47th) Ted Danson Sam Malone Cheers NBC John Goodman Dan Conner Roseanne ABC Judd Hirsch John Lacey Dear John NBC Richard Mulligan Harry Weston Empty Nest Fred Savage Kevin Arnold The Wonder Years ABC
1990s + Year Actor Role Program Network Ref 1990 (48th) Ted Danson Sam Malone Cheers NBC John Goodman Dan Conner Roseanne ABC Richard Mulligan Harry Weston Empty Nest NBC Burt Reynolds Wood Newton Evening Shade CBS Fred Savage Kevin Arnold The Wonder Years ABC 1991 (49th) Burt Reynolds Wood Newton Evening Shade CBS Ted Danson Sam Malone Cheers NBC Neil Patrick Harris Doogie Howser Doogie Howser, M.D. ABC Craig T. Nelson Hayden Fox Coach Ed O'Neill Al Bundy Married... with Children Fox 1992 (50th) John Goodman Dan Conner Roseanne ABC Tim Allen Tim Taylor Home Improvement ABC Ted Danson Sam Malone Cheers NBC Craig T. Nelson Hayden Fox Coach ABC Ed O'Neill Al Bundy Married... with Children Fox Burt Reynolds Wood Newton Evening Shade CBS Will Smith Will Smith The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air NBC 1993 (51st) Jerry Seinfeld Jerry Seinfeld Seinfeld NBC Tim Allen Tim Taylor Home Improvement ABC Kelsey Grammer Frasier Crane Frasier NBC Craig T. Nelson Hayden Fox Coach ABC Will Smith Will Smith The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air NBC 1994 (52nd) Tim Allen Tim Taylor Home Improvement ABC Kelsey Grammer Frasier Crane Frasier NBC Craig T. Nelson Hayden Fox Coach ABC Paul Reiser Paul Buchman Mad About You NBC Jerry Seinfeld Jerry Seinfeld Seinfeld Garry Shandling Larry Sanders The Larry Sanders Show HBO 1995 (53rd) Kelsey Grammer Frasier Crane Frasier NBC Tim Allen Tim Taylor Home Improvement ABC Paul Reiser Paul Buchman Mad About You NBC Jerry Seinfeld Jerry Seinfeld Seinfeld Garry Shandling Larry Sanders The Larry Sanders Show HBO 1996 (54th) John Lithgow Dick Solomon 3rd Rock from the Sun NBC Tim Allen Tim Taylor Home Improvement ABC Michael J. Fox Mike Flaherty Spin City Kelsey Grammer Frasier Crane Frasier NBC Paul Reiser Paul Buchman Mad About You 1997 (55th) Michael J. Fox Mike Flaherty Spin City ABC Kelsey Grammer Frasier Crane Frasier NBC John Lithgow Dick Solomon 3rd Rock from the Sun Paul Reiser Paul Buchman Mad About You Jerry Seinfeld Jerry Seinfeld Seinfeld 1998 (56th) Michael J. Fox Mike Flaherty Spin City ABC Thomas Gibson Greg Montgomery Dharma & Greg ABC Kelsey Grammer Frasier Crane Frasier NBC John Lithgow Dick Solomon 3rd Rock from the Sun George Segal Jack Gallo Just Shoot Me! 1999 (57th) Michael J. Fox Mike Flaherty Spin City ABC Thomas Gibson Greg Montgomery Dharma & Greg ABC Eric McCormack Will Truman Will & Grace NBC Ray Romano Raymond Barone Everybody Loves Raymond CBS George Segal Jack Gallo Just Shoot Me! NBC
2000s