Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series debuted in 1957, and has been annually awarded most years since 1964. It has had alarge number of name changes, mostly involving the addition or subtraction of the word comedy. Generally, the category has recognized the writers of variety and sketch comedy shows. However, in 1957, 1964, and 1979, it was the main category for writers of situation comedies, which have otherwise been recognized in a wholly separate category.
For most of the 1970s, the category was effectively split into two branches. From 1971 to 1978, one-off specials were awarded separately from ongoing series. Since then, the writers of one-off variety specials have competed against series writers, and have very occasionally won, as in 1991 and 2000. This has led to some anomalies, such as when a special edition of Late Night with David Letterman beat out regular editions of The Tracey Ullman Show and Saturday Night Live in 1987, despite the fact that typical episodes of Late Night were not nominated that year.
The category eventually found greater stability with its name in 1982, when it settled on Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program for almost two decades. In 2000, it added the word comedy, thus allowing for the current form of the name. Of all the writing Emmy categories, it has recently become the one most dominated by cable networks. Since 1996 it has been won by a major terrestrial broadcaster only twice, with the overwhelming majority of winners coming from HBO and Comedy Central.
Winners and nominations
The following list of winners in this category is organized both by year and the name being used by the category in that year:
Best Comedy Writing – Variety or Situation Comedy
- 1957: The Phil Silvers Show – Billy Friedberg, Nat Hiken, Coleman Jacoby, Arnold Rosen, Leonard B. Stern, and Tony Webster
- 1958–1963: No award
Outstanding Writing Achievement in Comedy or Variety
- 1964: The Dick Van Dyke Show – Sam Denoff, Bill Persky, and Carl Reiner
- 1965: No award
Outstanding Writing Achievement in Variety
- 1966: An Evening with Carol Channing – Hal Goldman, Al Gordon, and Sheldon Keller
- 1967: The Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, Howard Show – Mel Brooks, Sam Denoff, Bill Persky, Carl Reiner, and Mel Tolkin
Outstanding Writing Achievement in Music or Variety
- 1968: Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In – Chris Bearde, Phil Hahn, Jack Hanrahan, Coslough Johnson, Paul Keyes, Marc London, Allan Manings, David Panich, Hugh Wedlock, and Digby Wolfe
Outstanding Writing Achievement in Comedy or Variety
- 1969: The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour – Allan Blye, Bob Einstein, Carl Gottlieb, Cy Howard, Steve Martin, Lorenzo Music, Murray Roman, Cecil Tuck, Paul Wayne, and Mason Williams
- 1970: Annie, The Women in the Life of a Man – Gary Belkin, Peter Bellwood, Thomas Meehan, Herb Sargent, and Judith Viorst
Outstanding Writing Achievement in Variety or Music
- 1971: The Flip Wilson Show – Herbert Baker, Hal Goodman, Larry Klein, Bob Schiller, Norman Steinberg, Bob Weiskopf, and Flip Wilson
- 1972: The Carol Burnett Show – Art Baer, Roger Beatty, Stan Burns, Stan Hart, Don Hinkley, Ben Joelson, Woody Kling, Mike Marmer, Arnie Rosen, and Larry Siegel
- 1973: The Carol Burnett Show – Bill Angelos, Roger Beatty, Stan Hart, Robert Hilliard, Woody Kling, Arnie Kogen, Buz Kohan, Gail Parent, Tom Patchett, Larry Siegel, and Jay Tarses
Outstanding Writing Achievement in Comedy, Variety, or Music Special
- 1971: Singer Presents Burt Bacharach – Bob Ellison and Marty Farrell
- 1972: The Trial of Mary Lincoln – Anne Howard Bailey
- 1973: Acts of Love and Other Comedies – Joseph Bologna and Renee Taylor
Outstanding Writing in Variety or Music
- 1974: The Carol Burnett Show – Roger Beatty, Gary Belkin, Dick Clair, Rudy De Luca, Arnie Kogen, Barry Harman, Barry Levinson, Jenna McMahon, Gene Perret, Bill Richmond, and Ed Simmons
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy – Variety or Music Series
- 1975: The Carol Burnett Show – Roger Beatty, Gary Belkin, Dick Clair, Rudy De Luca, Arnie Kogen, Barry Levinson, Jenna McMahon, Gene Perret, Bill Richmond, and Ed Simmons
- 1976: Saturday Night Live – Anne Beatts, Chevy Chase, Tom Davis, Al Franken, Lorne Michaels, Marilyn Suzanne Miller, Michael O'Donoghue, Herb Sargent, Tom Schiller, Rosie Shuster, and Alan Zweibel
- 1977: Saturday Night Live – Dan Aykroyd, Anne Beatts, John Belushi, Tom Davis, Jim Downey, Al Franken, Lorne Michaels, Marilyn Suzanne Miller, Bill Murray, Michael O'Donoghue, Herb Sargent, Tom Schiller, Rosie Shuster, and Alan Zweibel
- 1978: The Carol Burnett Show – Roger Beatty, Dick Clair, Tim Conway, Rick Hawkins, Robert Illes, Jenna McMahon, Gene Perret, Bill Richmond, Liz Sage, Larry Siegel, Franelle Silver, Ed Simmons, and James Stein
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy, Variety, or Music Special
- 1974: Lily – Rosalyn Drexler, Ann Elder, Karyl Geld Miller, Robert Illes, Lorne Michaels, Richard Pryor, Jim Rusk, Herb Sargent, James R. Stein, Lily Tomlin, Jane Wagner, Rod Warren, and George Yanok
- 1975: Shirley MacLaine: If They Could See Me Now – John Bradford, Cy Coleman, and Robert Wells
- 1976: Lily – Ann Elder, Christopher Guest, Lorne Michaels, Earl Pomerantz, Jim Rusk, Lily Tomlin, Jane Wagner, Rod Warren, and George Yanok
- 1977: America Salutes Richard Rodgers: The Sound of His – Buz Kohan and Ted Strauss
- 1978: The Paul Simon Special – Chevy Chase, Tom Davis, Al Franken, Charles Grodin, Lorne Michaels, Paul Simon, Lily Tomlin, and Alan Zweibel
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy, Variety, or Music Series
Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program
- 1980: Shirley MacLaine ..."Every Little Movement" – Buz Kohan
Outstanding Writing in a Variety, Music, or Comedy Program
- 1981: The Muppet Show – Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham, and David Odell
Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program
- 1982: Second City Television – Jeffrey Barron, Dick Blasucci, John Candy, Chris Cluess, Bob Dolman, Joe Flaherty, Paul Flaherty, Stuart Kreisman, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, John McAndrew, Brian McConnachie, Rick Moranis, Catherine O'Hara, Mert Rich, Michael Short, Doug Steckler, and Dave Thomas
- 1983: Second City Television – Dick Blasucci, John Candy, Bob Dolman, Joe Flaherty, Paul Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, John McAndrew, Martin Short, Michael Short, Doug Steckler, and Mary Charlotte Wilcox
- 1984: Late Night with David Letterman – Christopher Elliott, Sanford Frank, Ted Greenberg, David Letterman, Merrill Markoe, Jeff Martin, Gerard Mulligan, Steve O'Donnell, Joseph E. Toplyn, Matt Wickline, and David Yazbek
- 1985: Late Night with David Letterman – Randy Cohen, Kevin Curran, Chris Elliott, Sandy Frank, Eddie Gorodetsky, Fred Graver, Larry Jacobson, David Letterman, Merrill Markoe, Jeff Martin, Gerard Mulligan, Joe Toplyn, and Matt Wickline
- 1986: Late Night with David Letterman (Fourth Anniversary Special) – Randy Cohen, Kevin Curran, Chris Elliott, Sandy Frank, Fred Graver, Larry Jacobson, David Letterman, Merrill Markoe, Jeff Martin, Gerard Mulligan, Steve O'Donnell, Joe Toplyn, and Matt Wickline
- 1987: Late Night with David Letterman (Fifth Anniversary) – Randy Cohen, Kevin Curran, Chris Elliott, Sandy Frank, Fred Graver, Larry Jacobson, David Letterman, Jeff Martin, Gerard Mulligan, Steve O'Donnell, Adam Resnick, Joe Toplyn, and Matt Wickline
- 1988: Jackie Mason on Broadway – Jackie Mason
- 1989: Saturday Night Live – John Bowman, A. Whitney Brown, Greg Daniels, Tom Davis, Jim Downey, Al Franken, Shannon Gaughan, Jack Handey, Phil Hartman, George Meyer, Lorne Michaels, Mike Myers, Conan O'Brien, Bob Odenkirk, Herb Sargent, Tom Schiller, Robert Smigel, Bonnie Turner, Terry Turner, and Christine Zander
- 1990: Billy Crystal: Midnight Train to Moscow – Billy Crystal And The Tracey Ullman Show – Jerry Belson, James L. Brooks, Marc Flanagan, Dinah Kirgo, Jay Kogen, Marilyn Suzanne Miller, Heide Perlman, Ian Praiser, Sam Simon, Tracey Ullman, and Wallace Wolodarsky (tie)
- 1991: 63rd Academy Awards – Billy Crystal, Hal Kanter, Buz Kohan, David Steinberg, Bruce Vilanch, and Robert Wuhl
- 1992: No award
- 1993: The Ben Stiller Show – Judd Apatow, Robert Cohen, David Cross, Brent Forrester, Jeff Kahn, Bruce Kirschbaum, Bob Odenkirk, Sultan Pepper, Dino Stamatopoulos, and Ben Stiller
- 1994: No award
- 1995: No award
- 1996: Dennis Miller Live – David Feldman, Eddie Feldmann, Mike Gandolfi, Tom Hertz, Leah Krinsky, Dennis Miller, and Rick Overton
- 1997: Chris Rock: Bring the Pain – Chris Rock
- 1998: Dennis Miller Live – Jose Arroyo, David Feldman, Eddie Feldmann, Jim Hanna, Leah Krinsky, Dennis Miller, and David Weiss
- 1999: The Chris Rock Show – Tom Agna, Vernon Chatman, Louis C.K., Lance Crouther, Gregory Greenberg, Ali LeRoi, Steve O'Donnell, Chris Rock, Frank Sebastiano, Chuck Sklar, Jeff Stilson, Wanda Sykes-Hall, and Mike Upchurch
Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music, or Comedy Series
- 2000: Dress to Kill – Eddie Izzard
- 2001: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart – Eric Drysdale, Jim Earl, Dan Goor, Charlie Grandy, J.R. Havlan, Tom Johnson, Kent Jones, Paul Mercurio, Chris Regan, Allison Silverman, and Jon Stewart
- 2002: Saturday Night Live – Doug Abeles, James Anderson, Max Brooks, Jim Downey, Tina Fey, Hugh Fink, Charlie Grandy, Jack Handey, Steve Higgins, Erik Kenward, Dennis McNicholas, Lorne Michaels, Matt Murray, Paula Pell, Matt Piedmont, Ken Scarborough, Michael Schur, Frank Sebastiano, T. Sean Shannon, Robert Smigel, Emily Spivey, Andrew Steele, and Scott Wainio
- 2003: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart – Rich Blomquist, Steve Bodow, Eric Drysdale, J.R. Havlan, Scott Jacobson, David Javerbaum, Tom Johnson, Ben Karlin, Rob Kutner, Chris Regan, Jason Reich, Jason Ross, and Jon Stewart
- 2004: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart – Rich Blomquist, Steve Bodow, Tim Carvell, Stephen Colbert, Eric Drysdale, J.R. Havlan, Scott Jacobson, David Javerbaum, Ben Karlin, Chris Regan, Jason Reich, Jason Ross, and Jon Stewart
- 2005: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart – Rich Blomquist, Steve Bodow, Tim Carvell, Stephen Colbert, Eric Drysdale, J.R. Havlan, Scott Jacobson, David Javerbaum, Ben Karlin, Rob Kutner, Chris Regan, Jason Reich, Jason Ross, and Jon Stewart
- 2006: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart – Rich Blomquist, Steve Bodow, Rachel Axler, Kevin Bleyer, Tim Carvell, Stephen Colbert, Eric Drysdale, J.R. Havlan, Scott Jacobson, David Javerbaum, Ben Karlin, Rob Kutner, Sam Means, Chris Regan, Jason Reich, Jason Ross, and Jon Stewart
- 2007: Late Night with Conan O'Brien – Mike Sweeney, Chris Albers, Jose Arroyo, Dan Cronin, Kevin Dorff, Daniel J. Goor, Michael Gordon, Berkley Johnson, Brian Kiley, Michael Koman, Tim Harrod, Brian McCann, Guy Nicolucci, Conan O'Brien, Brian Stack, and Andrew Weinberg
- 2008: The Colbert Report – Tom Purcell, Stephen Colbert, Allison Silverman, Richard Dahm, Michael Brumm, Rob Dubbin, Eric Drysdale, Peter Gwinn, Jay Katsir, Laura Krafft, Frank Lesser, Glenn Eichler, Peter Grosz, Bryan Adams, Barry Julien, and Meredith Scardino
- 2009: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart – Steve Bodow, David Javerbaum, Josh Lieb, Rory Albanese, Kevin Bleyer, Jason Ross, Tim Carvell, John Oliver, Sam Means, Rob Kutner, J.R. Havlan, Rich Blomquist, Wyatt Cenac, Elliott Kalan, Rachel Axler, and Jon Stewart
- 2010: The Colbert Report – Barry Julien, Stephen Colbert, Allison Silverman, Tom Purcell, Rich Dahm, Michael Brumm, Rob Dubbin, Opus Moreschi, Peter Gwinn, Jay Katsir, Frank Lesser, Glenn Eichler, Peter Grosz, Meredith Scardino, Max Werner, and Eric Drysdale
- 2011: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart – Steve Bodow, Tim Carvell, Rory Albanese, Kevin Bleyer, Rich Blomquist, Wyatt Cenac, Hallie Haglund, JR Havlan, Elliott Kalan, Josh Lieb, Sam Means, Jo Miller, John Oliver, Daniel Radosh, Jason Ross, and Jon Stewart
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
References
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