The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lighting Design / Lighting Direction for a Variety Special is awarded to one television special each year. Prior to 2011, the award was bestowed as Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic, Multi-Camera) for Variety, Music or Comedy Programming and included both series and specials.
In the following list, the first titles listed in gold are the winners; those not in gold are nominees, which are listed in alphabetical order. The years given are those in which the ceremonies took place.
Winners and nominations 1970s Year Program Episode Nominees Network 1979 Outstanding Individual Achievement - Special ClassAs a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award. The nominees did not meet the benchmark and no award was given. Baryshnikov at the White House Harry Bottorf, Dave Clark, Michael Rosatti PBS A Gift of Song: The Music for UNICEF Special Carl J. Vitelli NBC Rockette: A Holiday Tribute to Radio City Music Hall Bill Klages
1980s Year Program Episode Nominees Network 1980 Outstanding Individual Achievement - Special ClassAs a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award. The nominees did not meet the benchmark and no award was given. A Christmas Carol at Ford's Theatre Harry Bottorf, John Gisondi, William Knight, Dick Weiss PBS Outstanding Individual Achievement - Special EventsAs a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award. The nominees did not meet the benchmark and no award was given. The 34th Annual Tony Awards Carl Vitelli CBS1983 Sheena Easton... Act One Bob Pohle, John Rook, Ken Wilcox NBC Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever John Freschi NBC Rocky Mountain Holiday with John Denver and The Muppets George Riesenberger ABC Solid Gold Christmas Special '82 Robert Dickinson, C. Frank Olivas Syndicated Special Bulletin Carl Gibson NBC1984 The 6th Annual Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts William M. Klages CBS Frank Sinatra: Concert for the Americas Fred "Red" McKinnon, Carl J. Vitelli Syndicated Lynda Carter, Body and Soul Fred "Red" McKinnon, Olin Younger CBS Perry Como's Christmas in New York Gregory Brunton ABC Purlie Alan Adelman, Randy Nordstrom PBS1985 Dance in America: Baryshnikov by Tharp with the American Ballet Theatre (Great Performances) Bill Klages, Arnie Smith PBS Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (American Playhouse) Ken Dettling, Danny Franks PBS Motown Returns to the Apollo Bill Klages NBC Olympic Gala John Freschi ABC1986 Neil Diamond... Hello Again Kim Killingsworth, Marilyn Lowey, John Rook CBS The 58th Annual Academy Awards Robert Dickinson, Tom Markle, Mark Palius ABC The 21st Annual Academy of Country Music Awards Ted Polmanski, Olin Younger NBC The Execution of Raymond Graham John Botelho, Fred "Red" McKinnon, Barney Stewart ABC Nell Carter... Never Too Old to Dream Ted Polmanski, John Rook NBC1987 Diana Ross... Red Hot Rhythm and Blues Gregory Brunton ABC Carnegie Hall: The Grand Reopening Alan Adelman CBS Happy Birthday, Hollywood Jeff Engel, Marc Palius ABC Kraft Salutes the Magic of David Copperfield IX: The Escape from Alcatraz Robert Dickinson CBS Liberty Weekend Closing Ceremonies Robert Dickinson, Olin YoungerABC Liberty Weekend Opening Ceremonies Gregory Brunton, Kieran Healy, Fred "Red" McKinnon 1988 Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) for a Drama Series, Variety Series, Miniseries, Movie or Special Julie Andrews... The Sound of Christmas John Rook ABC Barry Manilow: Big Fun on Swing Street Bill KlagesCBS Willie Nelson, Texas Style Olin Younger Outstanding Individual Achievement - Special EventsAs a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award. The 15th Annual American Music Awards Marc Palius, Olin Younger ABC 1989 Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) for a Drama Series, Variety Series, Miniseries, Movie or Special The Magic of David Copperfield XI: The Explosive Encounter Robert Dickinson CBSThe Jim Henson Hour "Dog City" John Rook NBC John Denver's Christmas in Aspen Tom Beck, Kieran Healey CBS A Raisin in the Sun (American Playhouse) Ken Dettling, William M. Klages PBS Kenny, Dolly and Willie: Something Inside So Strong Jeff Engel NBC Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) for Special EventsAs a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award. The nominees did not meet the benchmark and no award was given. The 61st Annual Academy Awards Marc Palius, John Rook ABC
1990s Year Program Episode Nominees Network1990 The 17th Annual American Music Awards Olin YoungerABC Time Warner Presents "The Earth Day Special" John Rook The 62nd Annual Academy Awards Marc Palius, John Rook ABC Dance in America: American Indian Dance Theater (Great Performances) Alan Adelman PBS The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson William Merrill NBC1991 The 33rd Annual Grammy Awards William M. KlagesCBS The Magic of David Copperfield XIII: Mystery on the Orient Express Robert Dickinson The 63rd Annual Academy Awards Jeffrey M. Engel, Marc Palius ABC Cher... at the Mirage Marty Callner, Jeff Johnson, Tim Phelps, Jeff Ravitz CBSThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson "Louie Bellson, Dean Dill and Cirque du Soleil" William Merrill NBC1992 The Magic of David Copperfield XIV: Flying... Live the Dream Robert Dickinson CBS The 64th Annual Academy Awards Jeffrey M. Engel, Marc Palius ABC Cirque du Soleil II: A New Experience Sylvian BraultHBO Comic Relief V Jeffrey M. Engel The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson William Merrill NBC1993 The 52nd Presidential Inauguration Gala John Rook CBS The 65th Annual Academy Awards Robert Dickinson ABC An American Reunion: The People's Inaugural Celebration Jules Fisher, Simon Miles HBO Michael Jackson Talks to... Oprah: 90 Primetime Minutes with the King of Pop Gregory Brunton ABC1994 World War II: When Lions Roared Rod Yamane NBC The 66th Annual Academy Awards Robert Dickinson ABC Late Show with David Letterman Ruth RobertsCBS The Tony Awards William M. Klages Yanni: Live at the Acropolis David Kaniski, Richard Ocean, Lee Rose PBS1995 The Magic of David Copperfield XVI: Unexplained Forces Robert Dickinson, John C. Morgan CBS Barbra Streisand: The Concert Simon Miles, Peter Morse HBO Disney's Nancy Kerrigan Special: Dreams on Ice William M. Klages CBS The Kennedy Center Presents: The Concert of the Americas Jeffrey M. EngelPBS Tibor Rudas Presents The Three Tenors in Concert 1994 Olin Younger The 1994 Tony Awards William M. Klages CBS1996 The 68th Annual Academy Awards Greg Brunton ABC The 38th Annual Grammy Awards Robert Dickinson, John C. Morgan CBSMuppets Tonight "Tony Bennett" Olin YoungerABC Neil Diamond... Under a Tennessee Moon John Rook The 1995 Tony Awards William M. Klages CBS1997 Bette Midler: Diva Las Vegas Allen Branton, Peter Morse HBO Centennial Olympic Games: Opening Ceremonies Robert Barnhart, Robert Dickinson, John C. Morgan NBC Disney's Beauty and the Beast: A Concert on Ice Bill KlagesCBS The 39th Annual Grammy Awards Robert Dickinson, John C. MorganThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno "1082" Gary Thorns NBC1998 The 70th Annual Academy Awards Robert Barnhart, Robert Dickinson, Matt Ford, Andy O'Reilly ABCER "Ambush" Richard Thorpe NBC Fleetwood Mac: The Dance Robert Dickinson, John C. Morgan MTV Garth: Live from Central Park Mike Baldassari, Dave Butzler, Dave Hill, Patrick Woodroffe HBOPolitically Incorrect with Bill Maher "Ron Silver, Matthew Modine, Faye Anderson and Harlan Ellison" Phil Callan, Jeff Engel, Tim Sheldon ABC Yanni: Tribute Matt Firestone, Dietrich Juengling, David Kaniski, Paul Lennon, Warwick Price, Lee Rose PBS1999 The 71st Annual Academy Awards Robert Barnhart, Robert Dickinson, Matt Ford, Andy O'Reilly ABC Janet: The Velvet Rope Jerry Watson HBO Opening the Lost Tombs — Live from Egypt Greg Brunton Fox The 78th Annual Miss America Pageant Jeff Engel, Victor Fable ABC The Three Tenors: Paris 1998 Olin Younger PBS
Between 2000 and 2010, series and specials competed together for Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic).
2010s