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The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) is a category at the Primetime Emmy Awards. It is awarded annually to the singularly best pre-recorded varietal, musical or comedic special of the year. It was previously presented as Outstanding Variety Special until it was restructured alongside Outstanding Special Class Program for the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.[1]
| Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) |
| Country | United States |
| Presented by | Academy of Television Arts & Sciences |
| First awarded | 1959 |
| Currently held by | Dick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magic (2024) |
| Website | emmys |
The Kennedy Center Honors has won seven awards, including five consecutive wins from 2009 to 2013. It also won twice for Outstanding Variety Series when the two categories were combined.[2][3]
1950s
| Year | Program | Producers | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 (11th) | |||
| Best Special Musical or Variety Program – One Hour or Longer[4] | |||
| An Evening with Fred Astaire | — | NBC | |
| Art Carney Meets "Peter and the Wolf" | — | NBC | |
1960s
| Year | Program | Producers | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 (12th) | |||
| Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Music[5] | |||
| Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic in Moscow | — | CBS | |
| The Bell Telephone Hour "The Music of George Gershwin" |
— | NBC | |
| Hallmark Hall of Fame "The Green Pastures" |
— | ||
| Young People's Concerts | — | CBS | |
| 1962 (14th) | |||
| Outstanding Program Achievements in the Fields of Variety and Music – Music Program[6] | |||
| Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic in Japan | — | CBS | |
| The Bell Telephone Hour | — | NBC | |
| NBC Opera | — | NBC | |
| The Thief and the Hangman | — | ABC | |
| 1963 (15th) | |||
| Outstanding Program Achievement in the Field of Music[7] | |||
| Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall | — | CBS | |
| The Bell Telephone Hour | — | NBC | |
| Judy Garland and Her Guests, Phil Silvers and Robert Goulet | — | CBS | |
| The Lively Ones | — | NBC | |
| NBC Opera | — | ||
| 1964 (16th) | |||
| Outstanding Program Achievement in the Field of Music[8] | |||
| The Bell Telephone Hour | — | NBC | |
| The Lively Ones | — | NBC | |
| New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts with Leonard Bernstein | — | CBS | |
| 1966 (18th) | |||
| Outstanding Musical Program[9] | |||
| Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Music | Dwight Hemion, producer | NBC | |
| The Bell Telephone Hour | Barry Wood, executive producer | NBC | |
| The Bolshoi Ballet | Ted Mills, producer | Syndicated | |
| Color Me Barbra | Joe Layton and Dwight Hemion, producers | CBS | |
| New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts with Leonard Bernstein | Roger Englander, producer | ||
| Outstanding Variety Special[10] | |||
| Chrysler Presents The Bob Hope Christmas Special | Bob Hope, executive producer | NBC | |
| An Evening with Carol Channing | Bud Yorkin, producer | CBS | |
| Jimmy Durante Meets the Lively Arts | Alan Handley and Bob Wynn, producers | ABC | |
| The Julie Andrews Show | Alan Handley, producer | NBC | |
| The Swinging World of Sammy Davis, Jr. | Stan Greene, producer | Syndicated | |
| 1967 (19th) | |||
| Outstanding Musical Program[11] | |||
| Brigadoon | Fielder Cook, producer | CBS | |
| The Bell Telephone Hour "Toscanini: The Maestro Revisited" |
Gerald Green, producer | NBC | |
| Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Music – Part II | Dwight Hemion, producer | CBS | |
| Outstanding Variety Special[11] | |||
| The Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris Special | Jack Arnold, producer | CBS | |
| ABC Stage 67 "A Time for Laughter: A Look at Negro Humor in America" |
Phil Stein, producer | ABC | |
| Chrysler Presents The Bob Hope Christmas Special | Bob Hope, executive producer | NBC | |
| Dick Van Dyke | Jack Donohue and Byron Paul, producers | CBS | |
Outstanding Variety or Musical Program
| Year | Program | Producers | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 (20th) [12] | |||
| Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In "Pilot" |
George Schlatter, producer | NBC | |
| Chrysler Presents The Bob Hope Show | Bob Hope, executive producer | NET | |
| The Fred Astaire Show | Fred Astaire and Gil Rodin, producers | NBC | |
| Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass | Dwight Hemion and Gary Smith, producers | CBS | |
| Lincoln Center/Stage 5 | Jac Venza, producer | NET | |
| A Man and His Music + Ella + Jobim | Robert Scheerer, producer | NBC | |
| 1969 (21st) [13] | |||
| The Bill Cosby Special | Roy Silver, executive producer; Bill Persky, Sam Denoff and Bill Hobin, producers; Bill Cosby, star | NBC | |
| Barbra Streisand: A Happening in Central Park | Robert Scheerer, producer; Barbra Streisand, star | CBS | |
| Duke Ellington – A Concert of Sacred Music (NET Playhouse) | Ralph J. Gleason and Richard Moore, producers; Duke Ellington, star | NET | |
| Francis Albert Sinatra Does His Thing | Ernest Chambers and Saul Ilson, producers; Frank Sinatra, star | CBS | |
| The Rite of Spring (NET Festival) | Robert Foshko, producer; Zubin Mehta, conductor | NET | |
| Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In | Paul Keyes and Carolyn Raskin, producers; Dan Rowan and Dick Martin, stars | NBC | |
| Vladimir Horowitz: A Television Concert at Carnegie Hall | Roger Englander, producer; Vladimir Horowitz, pianist | CBS |
1970s
| Year | Program | Producers | Network | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 (22nd) | ||||
| Outstanding Variety or Musical Program – Classical Music[14] | ||||
| Cinderella: National Ballet of Canada (NET Festival) | Curtis W. Davis, executive producer; Thomas Slevin, producer; Leopold Stokowski, performer | PBS | ||
| S. Hurok Presents | James Krayer, executive producer; Roger Englander, producer | CBS | ||
| Sounds of Summer: The Blossom Music Center with Pierre Boulez | Craig Gilbert, executive producer; Jack Sameth, producer | NET | ||
| The Switched-On Symphony | Pierre Cossette and Burt Sugarman, executive producers; Jack Good, producer | NBC | ||
| Outstanding Variety or Musical Program – Variety and Popular Music[15] | ||||
| Annie, the Women in the Life of a Man | Joseph Cates, executive producer; Martin Charnin, producer; Anne Bancroft, performer | CBS | ||
| The Friars Club "Roasts" Jack Benny (Kraft Music Hall) | Gary Smith and Dwight Hemion, producers; Jack Benny, performer | NBC | ||
| The Second Bill Cosby Special | Roy Silver, executive producer; Bruce Campbell, producer; Bill Cosby, performer | |||
| Sinatra | Frank Sinatra, executive producer/performer; Carolyn Raskin, producer | CBS | ||
| The Sound of Burt Bacharach (Kraft Music Hall) | Gary Smith and Dwight Hemion, producers; Burt Bacharach, performer | NBC | ||
| 1971 (23rd) | ||||
| Outstanding Variety or Musical Program – Classical Music[16] | ||||
| Leopold Stokowski (NET Festival) | Curtis W. Davis, executive producer; Thomas Slevin, producer; Leopold Stokowski, performer | PBS | ||
| Swan Lake (NET Fanfare) | John Barnes and Curtis W. Davis, executive producers; Norman Campbell, producer | PBS | ||
| The Queen of Spades (NET Opera Theatre) | Peter Herman Adler, producer | |||
| Outstanding Variety or Musical Program – Variety and Popular Music[17] | ||||
| Singer Presents Burt Bacharach | Gary Smith and Dwight Hemion, producers; Burt Bacharach, performer | CBS | ||
| Another Evening with Burt Bacharach | Gary Smith and Dwight Hemion, producers; Burt Bacharach, performer | NBC | ||
| Harry and Lena | Chiz Schultz, producer; Harry Belafonte and Lena Horne, performers | ABC | ||
| 1972 (24th) | ||||
| Outstanding Variety or Musical Program – Classical Music[18] | ||||
| Bernstein on Beethoven: A Celebration in Vienna | James Krayer, executive producer; Humphrey Burton, producer; Leonard Bernstein, performer | CBS | ||
| Heifetz Bell System Family Theatre | Lester Shurr, executive producer; Paul Louis, producer; Jascha Heifetz, performer | NBC | ||
| The Peking Ballet: First Spectacular from China | Lucy Jarvis, producer | |||
| The Trial of Mary Lincoln (NET Opera Theatre) | Peter Herman Adler, executive producer; Peter Griffiths, producer | PBS | ||
| Outstanding Variety or Musical Program – Variety and Popular Music[19] | ||||
| Jack Lemmon in 'S Wonderful, 'S Marvelous, 'S Gershwin | Joseph Cates, executive producer; Martin Charnin, producer; Jack Lemmon, performer | NBC | ||
| The Flip Wilson Show "Sammy Davis, Jr., Lily Tomlin and Ed McMahon" |
Monte Kay, executive producer; Bob Henry, producer; Flip Wilson, performer | NBC | ||
| Julie and Carol at Lincoln Center | Joe Hamilton, producer; Julie Andrews and Carol Burnett, performers | CBS | ||
| The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour "Tony Randall and Honey Cone" |
Allan Blye and Chris Bearde, producers; Sonny Bono and Cher, performers | |||
| 1973 (25th) | ||||
| Outstanding Single Program – Variety and Popular Music[18] | ||||
| Liza with a Z | Bob Fosse and Fred Ebb, producers; Liza Minnelli, performer | NBC | ||
| Applause | Alexander H. Cohen, executive producer; Joseph Kipness, Lawrence Kasha and Richard M. Rosenbloom, producers | CBS | ||
| Once Upon a Mattress | Joe Hamilton, producer | |||
| 1974 (26th) | ||||
| Outstanding Comedy-Variety, Variety or Music Special[20] | ||||
| Lily | Irene Pinn, executive producer; Jerry McPhie and Herbert Sargent, producers; Lily Tomlin, performer | CBS | ||
| Barbra Streisand...and Other Musical Instruments | Martin Erlichman, executive producer; Gary Smith, Dwight Hemion and Joe Layton, producers; Barbra Streisand, performer | CBS | ||
| The John Denver Show | Jerry Weintraub, executive producer; Al Rogers and Rich Eustis, producers; John Denver, performer | ABC | ||
| Magnavox Presents Frank Sinatra | Howard W. Koch, producer; Frank Sinatra, performer | NBC | ||
Outstanding Special – Comedy, Variety or Music
| Year | Program | Producers | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 (27th) [21] | |||
| An Evening with John Denver | Jerry Weintraub, executive producer; Al Rogers and Rich Eustis, producers; John Denver, performer | ABC | |
| Lily | Irene Pinn, executive producer; Jane Wagner and Lorne Michaels, producers; Lily Tomlin, performer | ABC | |
| Shirley MacLaine: If They Could See Me Now | Bob Wells, producer; Shirley MacLaine, performer | CBS | |
| 1976 (28th) [22] | |||
| Gypsy in My Soul | William O. Harbach, executive producer; Cy Coleman and Fred Ebb, producers; Shirley MacLaine, performer | CBS | |
| John Denver: Rocky Mountain Christmas | Jerry Weintraub, executive producer; Al Rogers and Rich Eustis, producers; John Denver, performer | CBS | |
| Lily Tomlin | Irene Pinn, executive producer; Jane Wagner and Lorne Michaels, producers; Lily Tomlin, performer | ABC | |
| The Monty Python Show: Wide World Special | Ian MacNaughton, producer | ||
| Steve and Eydie: "Our Love Is Here to Stay" | Gary Smith, executive producer; Dwight Hemion, producer; Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé, performers | CBS | |
| 1977 (29th) [23] | |||
| The Barry Manilow Special | Miles Lourie, executive producer; Steve Binder, producer; Barry Manilow, performer | ABC | |
| Doug Henning's World of Magic | Jerry Goldstein, executive producer; Walter C. Miller, producer; Doug Henning, performer | NBC | |
| The Neil Diamond Special | Jerry Weintraub, executive producer; Gary Smith and Dwight Hemion, producers; Neil Diamond, performer | ||
| The Shirley MacLaine Special: Where Do We Go from Here? | George Schlatter, producer; Shirley MacLaine, performer | CBS | |
| Sills and Burnett at the Met | Joe Hamilton, producer; Beverly Sills and Carol Burnett, performers | ||
| 1978 (30th) [24] | |||
| Bette Midler: Ol' Red Hair Is Back | Aaron Russo, executive producer; Gary Smith and Dwight Hemion, producers; Bette Midler, performer | NBC | |
| Doug Henning's World of Magic | Jerry Goldstein, executive producer; Walter C. Miller, producer; Doug Henning, performer | NBC | |
| The George Burns One-Man Show | Irving Fein, executive producer; Stan Harris, producer; George Burns, performer | CBS | |
| Neil Diamond: I'm Glad You're Here With Me Tonight | Jerry Weintraub, executive producer; Art Fisher, producer; Neil Diamond, performer | NBC | |
| The Second Barry Manilow Special | Miles Lourie, executive producer; Ernest Chambers, producer; Barry Manilow, producer/performer | ABC |
From 1979 to 1989, the category was combined as Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program.
1990s
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special
| Year | Program | Producers | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 (42nd) [25] | |||
| Sammy Davis Jr.'s 60th Anniversary Celebration | George Schlatter, producer; Jeff Margolis, Buz Kohan, Gary Necessary and Maria S. Schlatter, co-producers | ABC | |
| The 62nd Annual Academy Awards | Gilbert Cates, producer | ABC | |
| Billy Crystal: Midnight Train to Moscow | Billy Crystal and David Steinberg, executive producers; Robert Dalrymple, producer; Carmi Zlotnik, co-producer; Jay Roewe, line producer | HBO | |
| The 43rd Annual Tony Awards | Don Mischer, executive producer; David J. Goldberg, producer | CBS | |
| The Best of the Tracey Ullman Show | Jerry Belson, James L. Brooks, Heide Perlman and Sam Simon, executive producers; Marc Flanagan, supervising producer; Richard Sakai, Ted Bessell and Dinah Kirgo, producers; Jay Kogen and Wallace Wolodarsky, co-producers | Fox |
In 1991, the category was combined as Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program.
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program (Special)
| Year | Program | Producers | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 (44th) [26] | |||
| Cirque Du Soleil II: A New Expérience | Hélène Dufresne, producer | HBO | |
| Comic Relief V | John Moffitt, Pat Tourk Lee and Bob Zmuda, executive producers | HBO | |
| Unforgettable, with Love: Natalie Cole Sings the Songs of Nat King Cole (Great Performances) | Dan Cleary and Jac Venza, executive producers; David Horn, producer; John Walker, coordinating producer | PBS |
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special
| Year | Program | Producers | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 (45th) [27] | |||
| Bob Hope: The First 90 Years | Linda Hope, executive producer; Nancy Malone, supervising producer; Don Mischer, producer | NBC | |
| The 65th Annual Academy Awards | Gilbert Cates, producer | ABC | |
| The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe | Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner, executive producers; Paula Mazur, producer | Showtime | |
| Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall (Great Performances) | David Horn and Jac Venza, executive producers; John Walker, producer | PBS | |
| The 46th Annual Tony Awards | Joseph Cates, executive producer; Walter C. Miller, producer | CBS | |
| 1994 (46th) [28] | |||
| The Kennedy Center Honors | George Stevens Jr. and Don Mischer, producers | CBS | |
| The 66th Annual Academy Awards | Gilbert Cates, producer | ABC | |
| Comic Relief VI | John Moffitt, Pat Tourk Lee and Bob Zmuda, executive producers | HBO | |
| The 47th Annual Tony Awards | Gary Smith, executive producer | CBS | |
| Tracey Ullman Takes On New York | Allan McKeown, executive producer; Marc Flanagan, supervising producer; David Wimbury, producer; John H. Starke, line producer | HBO | |
| 1995 (47th) [29] | |||
| Barbra Streisand: The Concert | Martin Erlichman and Gary Smith, executive producers; Barbra Streisand and Dwight Hemion, producers | HBO | |
| The 67th Annual Academy Awards | Gilbert Cates, producer | ABC | |
| AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Steven Spielberg | George Stevens Jr., executive producer; Michael Stevens, producer | NBC | |
| A Comedy Salute to Andy Kaufman | George Shapiro, Howard West, Bob Zmuda and John Davies, producers; Michael Petok, co-producer | ||
| Eagles: Hell Freezes Over | Irving Azoff and Joel Stillerman, executive producers; Carol Donovan, producer | MTV | |
| 1996 (48th) [30] | |||
| The Kennedy Center Honors | George Stevens Jr. and Don Mischer, producers | CBS | |
| The 68th Annual Academy Awards | Quincy Jones, executive producer; David Salzman, producer | ABC | |
| The Best of Tracey Takes On... | Allan McKeown and Tracey Ullman, executive producers; Kevin Berg, Kim Fuller, Molly Newman, Jenji Kohan, Gail Parent, Tony Sheehan and Thomas Schlamme, producers; Ian La Frenais and Dick Clement, supervising producers; Allen J. Zipper, coordinating producer | HBO | |
| Dennis Miller: Citizen Arcane | Dennis Miller, John Moffitt and Pat Tourk Lee,executive producers; Nancy Kurshner, supervising producer | ||
| Sinatra: 80 Years My Way | George Schlatter, executive producer; Maria S. Schlatter, producer; Donn Hoyer, co-producer; Buz Kohan and Gary Necessary, supervising producers | ABC | |
| 1997 (49th) [31] | |||
| Chris Rock: Bring the Pain | Chris Rock, Michael Rotenberg and Sandy Chanley, executive producers; Tom Bull, producer | HBO | |
| The 69th Annual Academy Awards | Gilbert Cates, producer | ABC | |
| Bette Midler in Concert: Diva Las Vegas | Bette Midler and Bonnie Bruckheimer, executive producers; Marty Callner, producer; Bill Brigode, Douglas C. Forbes and Randall Gladstein, co-producer | HBO | |
| George Carlin: 40 Years of Comedy | John Moffitt, Pat Tourk Lee, Stu Smiley and Brenda Carlin, executive producers; Kimber Rickabaugh, producer; Keiren Fisher, line producer; Nancy Kurshner, supervising producer | ||
| The 50th Annual Tony Awards | Gary Smith, executive producer; Walter C. Miller, producer; Roy Somlyo, supervising producer | CBS | |
| 1998 (50th) [32] | |||
| The 1997 Tony Awards | Gary Smith, executive producer; Walter C. Miller, producer; Roy Somlyo, supervising producer | CBS | |
| The 70th Annual Academy Awards | Gilbert Cates, producer | ABC | |
| Christopher Reeve: A Celebration of Hope | Christopher Reeve, executive producer; Don Mischer, producer; Danette Herman, coordinating producer; Michael B. Seligman, supervising producer | ||
| Garth: Live from Central Park | Garth Brooks, executive producer; Jon Small, producer; Douglas C. Forbes, supervising producer; Shelby Werwa, line producer; Tom Forrest and Randall Gladstein, co-producers | HBO | |
| Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella | Whitney Houston, Debra Martin Chase, Craig Zadan, David R. Ginsburg and Neil Meron, executive producers; Chris Montan and Mike Moder, producers | ABC | |
| 1999 (51st) [33] | |||
| The 1998 Tony Awards | Gary Smith, executive producer; Rosie O'Donnell, producer; Roy Somlyo, supervising producer | CBS | |
| The 71st Annual Academy Awards | Gilbert Cates, producer | ABC | |
| George Carlin: You Are All Diseased | George Carlin and Jerry Hamza, executive producers; Kimber Rickabaugh and Rocco Urbisci, producers | HBO | |
| Jerry Seinfeld: "I'm Telling You for the Last Time" | Jerry Seinfeld, executive producer; Marty Callner, producer; Jeff Thorsen, line producer | ||
| John Leguizamo's Freak | John Leguizamo and Robert Morton, executive producer; David Bar Katz, co-executive producer; Denis Biggs, producer; Krysia Plonka, coordinating producer |
2000s
| Year | Program | Producers | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 (52nd) [34] | |||
| Saturday Night Live: The 25th Anniversary Special | Lorne Michaels, executive producer; Ken Aymong, supervising producer; Marci Klein and Michael Shoemaker, producers | NBC | |
| The 72nd Annual Academy Awards | Michael B. Seligman, executive producer; Lili Fini Zanuck and Richard D. Zanuck, producers | ABC | |
| Chris Rock: Bigger & Blacker | Chris Rock, Michael Rotenberg and Sandy Chanley, executive producers; Tom Bull, producer | HBO | |
| Cirque du Soleil: Quidam | Peter Wagg, executive producer; Rocky Oldham, producer; Frances Berwick, network producer | Bravo | |
| Eddie Izzard: Dress to Kill | Eddie Izzard, executive producer; Charlie Swanson and Lawrence Jordan, producers | HBO | |
| 2001 (53rd) [35] | |||
| Cirque du Soleil's Dralion | Peter Wagg, executive producer; Rocky Oldham, producer; Frances Berwick, producer for Bravo | Bravo | |
| The 73rd Annual Academy Awards | Gilbert Cates, producer | ABC | |
| Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band: Live in New York City | Jon Landau, George Travis and Bruce Springsteen, producers | HBO | |
| Ellen DeGeneres: The Beginning | Ellen DeGeneres and Joel Gallen, executive producers | HBO | |
| Saturday Night Live: Presidential Bash 2000 | Lorne Michaels, executive producer; Ken Aymong and Marci Klein, supervising producers; James Downey, producer | NBC | |
| 2002 (54th) [36] | |||
| America: A Tribute to Heroes | Joel Gallen, executive producer | Syndicated | |
| The 74th Annual Academy Awards | Laura Ziskin, producer; Michael B. Seligman, supervising producer | ABC | |
| Carol Burnett: Show Stoppers | Carol Burnett, John Hamilton and Rick Hawkins, executive producers; Jody Hamilton, producer; Mary Jo Blue, produced by | CBS | |
| Cirque du Soleil's Alegria | Peter Wagg and Frances Berwick, executive producers; Rocky Oldham, producer | Bravo | |
| The Concert for New York City | Gregory Sills and Fred Graver, executive producers; Paul Flattery, producer | VH1 | |
| Opening Ceremony: Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games | Don Mischer and Dick Ebersol, executive producers; David J. Goldberg, Geoff Bennett, Kenny Ortega and David Neal, producers | NBC | |
| 2003 | |||
| Cher: The Farewell Tour | Cher, Roger Davies, Lindsay Scott and Rocky Oldham, executive producers; Dione Orrom and Paul Morphos, producers | NBC | |
| The 75th Annual Academy Awards | Gilbert Cates, producer | ABC | |
| Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band: Live in Barcelona | Jon Landau and Barbara Carr, executive producers; George Travis and Thom Zimny, producers | CBS | |
| Robin Williams: Live on Broadway | Marsha Garces Williams and David Steinberg, executive producers; Marty Callner and Randall Gladstein, producers | HBO | |
| Rolling Stones — Licks World Tour, Live from Madison Square Garden | Michael Cohl, executive producer; Marty Callner, Randall Gladstein, Steve Howard and Jake Berry, producers | ||
| 2004 | |||
| Elaine Stritch at Liberty | Sheila Nevins, Richard Fell and Helen Asquith, executive producers; Scott Sanders and John Schreiber, co-executive producers; John Hoffman, supervising producer; Chris Hunt and Frazer Pennebaker, producers | HBO | |
| A&E In Concert: Paul McCartney in Red Square | Delia Fine, executive producer; Mark Haefeli and Emilio Nunez, producers | A&E | |
| The 76th Annual Academy Awards | Michael B. Seligman, executive producer; Joe Roth, producer | ABC | |
| Chris Rock: Never Scared | Chris Rock, Michael Rotenberg and Joel Gallen, executive producers | HBO | |
| Ellen DeGeneres: Here and Now | Ellen DeGeneres and Joel Gallen, executive producers | ||
| 2005 | |||
| The 58th Annual Tony Awards | Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss, executive producers | CBS | |
| The 77th Annual Academy Awards | Gilbert Cates, producer | ABC | |
| Dave Chappelle: For What It's Worth | Dave Chappelle, Stan Lathan, Kimber Rickabaugh and Jay Larkin, executive producers | Showtime | |
| Everybody Loves Raymond: The Laugh Laugh | Ray Romano, Philip Rosenthal, Stu Smiley, Rory Rosegarten, Lew Schneider, Tucker Cawley, Steve Skrovan, Jeremy Stevens, Mike Royce, Aaron Shure, Mark Herzog and Mark Cowen, executive producers; Tom Caltabiano, Leslie Caveny and Lisa Helfrich, co-executive producers; Jonathan Buss, Holli Gailen and Ken Ornstein, producers | CBS | |
| The Games of the XXVIII Olympiad — Opening Ceremony | Dick Ebersol, executive producer; David Neal and Jim Bell, producers | NBC | |
| 2006 | |||
| The XX Olympic Winter Games - Opening Ceremony | Dick Ebersol, executive producer; David Neal and Molly Solomon, producers | NBC | |
| The 78th Annual Academy Awards | Gilbert Cates, producer | ABC | |
| Bill Maher: I'm Swiss | Bill Maher and Marc Gurvitz, executive producers; Michael Drumm and Andrea Allen, producers | HBO | |
| George Carlin: Life Is Worth Losing | George Carlin and Jerry Hamza, executive producers; Kimber Rickabaugh and Rocco Urbisci, produced by | ||
| McCartney in St. Petersburg | Paul McCartney, executive producer; Andrey Boltenko, executive producer, St. Petersburg; Mark Haefeli, producer | A&E | |
| 2007 | |||
| Tony Bennett: An American Classic | Danny Bennett, John DeLuca and Rob Marshall, executive producers; Jodi Hurwitz, producer | NBC | |
| The Comedy Central Roast of William Shatner | Joel Gallen, executive producer; Rick Austin, producer | Comedy Central | |
| The Kennedy Center Honors | George Stevens Jr., producer | CBS | |
| Lewis Black: Red, White and Screwed | Lewis Black, JoAnne Astrow, Mark Lonow, Kimber Rickabaugh and Paul Miller, executive producers | HBO | |
| A Tribute to James Taylor (Great Performances) | John Beug, David Horn, Gary Borman and Barry Schulman, executive producers; Katie Campbell, supervising producers; Rose Granatt, Kristi Harman, Tim Swift and Dana Tomarken, producers | PBS | |
| Wanda Sykes: Sick and Tired | Wanda Sykes and Liz Stanton, executive producers; Michael Drumm and Andrea Allen, producers | HBO | |
| 2008 | |||
| Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project | Mike Richardson, Robert Engelman, Larry Rickles and John Landis, produced by | HBO | |
| Bill Maher: The Decider | Bill Maher and Marc Gurvitz, executive producers; Benn Fleishman, supervising producer; Pat Tourk Lee and John Moffitt, produced by | HBO | |
| George Carlin: It's Bad for Ya! | George Carlin and Jerry Hamza, executive producers; Kimber Rickabaugh and Rocco Urbisci, produced by | ||
| James Taylor: One Man Band (Great Performances) | Sydney Pollack and Michael Gorfaine, executive producers; Don Mischer, producer | PBS | |
| Kathy Griffin: Straight to Hell | Sandy Chanley, Kathy Griffin, Cori Abraham, Frances Berwick and Amy Introcaso, executive producers; Tom Bull, supervising producer; Scott Butler and Keith Truesdell, producers | Bravo | |
| The Kennedy Center Honors | George Stevens Jr. and Michael Stevens, producers | CBS | |
| 2009 | |||
| The Kennedy Center Honors | George Stevens Jr. and Michael Stevens, producers | CBS | |
| Chris Rock: Kill the Messenger | Chris Rock, executive producer/performer; Marty Callner and Randall Gladstein, produced by | HBO | |
| Kathy Griffin: She'll Cut a Bitch | Kathy Griffin, Kimber Rickabaugh, Paul Miller, Cori Abraham, Andy Cohen and Jenn Levy, executive producers | Bravo | |
| Ricky Gervais: Out of England - The Stand-Up Special | Ricky Gervais, executive producer/performer; Ben Fleishman, supervising producer; Pat Tourk Lee and John Moffitt, produced by | HBO | |
| Will Ferrell: You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W. Bush | Will Ferrell, executive producer/performer; Adam McKay and Jessica Elbaum, executive producers; Marty Callner and Randall Gladstein, produced by |
2010s
| Year | Program | Producers | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | |||
| The Kennedy Center Honors | George Stevens Jr. and Michael Stevens, producers | CBS | |
| Bill Maher... But I'm Not Wrong | Bill Maher, executive producer/principal performer; Marc Gurvitz, executive producer; Benn Fleishman, supervising producer; Pat Tourk Lee and John Moffitt, produced by | HBO | |
| Hope for Haiti Now | George Clooney and Joel Gallen, executive producers | [note 1] | |
| Robin Williams: Weapons of Self Destruction | David Steinberg, executive producer; Marty Callner, produced by; Randall Gladstein, Mason Steinberg and Robin Williams, producers | HBO | |
| The 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert | Jann Wenner, Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman, Joel Gallen and Joel Peresman, executive producers | ||
| Wanda Sykes: I'ma Be Me | Wanda Sykes, executive producer/performer; Liz Stanton, executive producer | ||
| 2011 | |||
| The Kennedy Center Honors | George Stevens Jr. and Michael Stevens, producers | CBS | |
| Bette Midler: The Showgirl Must Go On | Bette Midler, executive producer/produced by/performer; Seanne Farmer, produced by | HBO | |
| Carrie Fisher in Wishful Drinking | Sheila Nevins, executive producer; Carrie Fisher, performer; Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, produced by | ||
| Lady Gaga Presents the Monster Ball Tour: At Madison Square Garden | Lady Gaga, executive producer/performer; Troy Carter, Vincent Herbert, Jimmy Iovine and Mo Morrison, executive producers | ||
| The Pee-wee Herman Show on Broadway | Paul Reubens, executive producer/performer; Bonnie Werth and Kelly Bush Novak, executive producers; Marty Callner and Randall Gladstein, produced by |
Outstanding Variety Special
| Year | Program | Producers | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | |||
| The Kennedy Center Honors | George Stevens Jr. and Michael Stevens, producers | CBS | |
| Betty White's 90th Birthday: A Tribute to America's Golden Girl | Brad Lachman, Jon Macks and Steve Ridgeway, executive producers; Bill Bracken, producer | NBC | |
| Kathy Griffin: Tired Hooker | Kathy Griffin, Kimber Rickabaugh, Paul Miller, Andy Cohen and Jenn Levy, executive producers | Bravo | |
| Mel Brooks and Dick Cavett Together Again | Andrea Grossman, executive producer; Steve Haberman and Rudy De Luca, producers; Mel Brooks and Dick Cavett, performers | HBO | |
| Tony Bennett: Duets II (Great Performances) | Danny Bennett, executive producer; David Horn, executive producer for Great Performances; Jennifer Lebeau, producer; Tony Bennett, principal performer | PBS | |
| 2013 | |||
| The Kennedy Center Honors | George Stevens Jr. and Michael Stevens, producers | CBS | |
| Louis C.K.: Oh My God | Louis C.K., executive producer/performer; Blair Breard, Dave Becky and Mike Berkowitz, executive producers | HBO | |
| Mel Brooks Strikes Back! with Mel Brooks and Alan Yentob | Mel Brooks, executive producer; Steve Haberman and Rudy De Luca, produced by | ||
| Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday (Part One) | Lorne Michaels, executive producer; Ken Aymong, supervising producer; Lindsay Shookus, Erin Doyle, Steve Higgins, Erik Kenward and Alex Baze, producers | NBC | |
| 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief | James L. Dolan, Harvey Weinstein and John Sykes, executive producers; Michael Dempsey and Dan Parise, producers | [note 2] | |
| 2014 | |||
| AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Mel Brooks | Bob Gazzale, executive producer; Cort Casady, supervising producer; Chris Merrill, producer; Martin Short, performer/host | TNT | |
| Billy Crystal: 700 Sundays | Billy Crystal, executive producer/performer; Janice Crystal, Larry Magid and David Steinberg, executive producers; Des McAnuff and Alan Zweibel, co-executive producers; Benn Fleishman, supervising producer | HBO | |
| Best of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Primetime Special | Lorne Michaels, executive producer; Rob Crabbe and Jim Juvonen, supervising producers; Gavin Purcell, producer; Josh Lieb, produced by; Jimmy Fallon, host | NBC | |
| The Kennedy Center Honors | George Stevens Jr. and Michael Stevens, produced by | CBS | |
| The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to The Beatles | Ken Elrich and R.A. Clark, executive producers; Renato Basile, producer | ||
| Sarah Silverman: We Are Miracles | Sarah Silverman, executive producer/performer; Heidi Herzon, Mike Farah, Anna Wenger, Betsy Koch and Amy Zvi, executive producers; Stephanie Meurer, producer | HBO | |
| 2015 | |||
| Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special | Lorne Michaels, executive producer; Ken Aymong, supervising producer; Lindsay Shookus, Erin Doyle and Rhys Thomas, producers; Steve Higgins and Erik Kenward, produced by | NBC | |
| Bill Maher: Live from D.C. | Bill Maher, executive producer/performer; Marc Gurvitz and Troy Miller, executive producers; Benn Fleishman, supervising producer | HBO | |
| The Kennedy Center Honors | Bill Urban, Danette Herman and Sara Lukinson, co-executive producers; George Stevens Jr. and Michael Stevens, produced by | CBS | |
| Louis C.K.: Live at the Comedy Store | Louis C.K., Blair Breard, Dave Becky and Mike Berkowitz, executive producers; John Skidmore, produced by | LouisCK.net | |
| Mel Brooks: Live at the Geffen | Mel Brooks, executive producer/performer; Kevin Salter, Steve Haberman and Rudy De Luca, producers | HBO | |
| Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga: Cheek to Cheek Live! | Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga, David Horn, Danny Bennett and Bobby Campbell, executive producers; Mitch Owgang, producer | PBS | |
| 2016 | |||
| The Late Late Show Carpool Karaoke Primetime Special | Rob Crabbe and Ben Winston, executive producers; Mike Gibbons, co-executive producer; Sheila Rogers, Michael Kaplan, Jeff Kopp and Josie Cliff, supervising producers; James Corden, producer/host | CBS | |
| Adele: Live in New York City | Lorne Michaels, Adele and Jonathan Dickins, executive producers; Paul Chagares and Ken Aymong, supervising producers; Lindsay Shookus and Erik Kenward, producers; Matt Roberts, Erin David and Rhys Thomas, produced by | NBC | |
| Amy Schumer: Live at the Apollo | Amy Schumer, executive producer/performer; Jimmy Miller, Mike Berkowitz, Tony Hernandez and Steven Ast, executive producers; Kim Caramele and Kevin Kane, producers; John Skidmore, produced by | HBO | |
| The Kennedy Center Honors | Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss, executive producers; Robert Paine, supervising producer; Stephen Colbert, host | CBS | |
| Lemonade | Beyoncé Knowles Carter, executive producer/performer; Todd Tourso, Erinn Williams, Dora Melissa Vargas, Steve Pamon and Ed Burke, executive producers | HBO | |
| 2017 | |||
| Carpool Karaoke Primetime Special 2017 | Ben Winston and Rob Crabbe, executive producers; Amy Ozols, co-executive producer; Josie Cliff, Sheila Rogers, Michael Kaplan, James Longman, and Jeff Kopp, supervising producers; James Corden, producer/host; Diana Miller, producer | CBS | |
| Full Frontal with Samantha Bee Presents Not the White House Correspondents' Dinner | Samantha Bee, executive producer/host; Jo Miller, Jason Jones, Tony Hernandez, and Miles Kahn, executive producers; Alison Camillo, co-executive producer; Pat King, supervising producer; Kristen Everman, produced by | TBS | |
| Louis C.K. 2017 | Louis C.K., executive producer/performer; Dave Becky, Mike Berkowitz, and Tony Hernandez, executive producers; Ryan Cunningham, producer; John Skidmore, produced by | Netflix | |
| Sarah Silverman: A Speck of Dust | Sarah Silverman, executive producer/performer; Amy Zvi, Nicholas Veneroso, and Daniel Kellison, executive producers; Mickey Meyer, co-executive producer | ||
| Stephen Colbert's Live Election Night Democracy's Series Finale: Who's Going to Clean Up This Sh*t? | Stephen Colbert, executive producer/host; Chris Licht, Tom Purcell, and Jon Stewart, executive producers; Barry Julien, co-executive producer; Denise Rehrig, senior supervising producer; Tanya Michnevich Bracco, Paul Dinello, Matt Lappin, Liz Levin, Opus Moreschi, Emily Gertler, Aaron Cohen, supervising producers; Paige Kendig, producer | Showtime |
Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)[1]
| Year | Program | Producers | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | |||
| Dave Chappelle: Equanimity | Dave Chappelle and Stan Lathan, executive producers; Rikki Hughes, supervising producer | Netflix | |
| The Carol Burnett Show: 50th Anniversary Special | Carol Burnett, executive producer/host; Steve Sauer, Allen Shapiro, Mike Mahan, Mark Bracco, Paul Miller and Leslie Kolins Small, executive producers; Ben Roy, co-executive producer; Linda Gierahn, supervising producer | CBS | |
| Carpool Karaoke Primetime Special 2018 | Ben Winston and Rob Crabbe, executive producers; Josie Cliff, Sheila Rogers, Michael Kaplan, James Longman, Matt Roberts and Jeff Kopp, supervising producers; James Corden, producer/host; Diana Miller, producer | ||
| Full Frontal with Samantha Bee Presents: The Great American* Puerto Rico (*It's Complicated) | Samantha Bee, executive producer/host; Jason Jones, Tony Hernandez, Miles Kahn, Alison Camillo and Pat King, executive producers; Kim Burdges, Allana Harkin, Chris Savage and Melinda Taub, producers | TBS | |
| Steve Martin & Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life | Lorne Michaels, Steve Martin, Martin Short, Marc Gurvitz and Erin David, executive producers; Marcus Raboy, producer; Neal Marshall, produced by | Netflix | |
| 2019 | |||
| Carpool Karaoke: When Corden Met McCartney Live from Liverpool | Ben Winston and Rob Crabbe, executive producers; James Longman, co-executive producer; Josie Cliff, Sheila Rogers, Jeff Kopp and Carly Shackleton, supervising producers; James Corden, Lou Fox, Lauren Greenberg, Ian Karmel, Diana Miller, Benjamin Riad and Gabe Turner, producers | CBS | |
| Hannah Gadsby: Nanette | Kevin Whyte and Kathleen McCarthy, executive producers; Frank Bruzzese, producer; Hannah Gadsby, performer | Netflix | |
| Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé | Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, executive producer/performer; Steve Pamon, Erinn Williams and Ed Burke, executive producers | ||
| Springsteen on Broadway | Bruce Springsteen, executive producer/performer; Jon Landau, George Travis and Thom Zimny, producers | ||
| Wanda Sykes: Not Normal | Wanda Sykes, executive producer/performer; Page Hurwitz, executive producer |
2020s
| Year | Program | Producers | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | |||
| Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones | Dave Chappelle, executive producer/performer; Stan Lathan, executive producer; Rikki Hughes, co-executive producer; Sina Sadighi, producer | Netflix | |
| Dave Chappelle: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor | Rick Austin, Dalton Delan, David Jammy and Deborah F. Rutter, executive producers; Chris Robinson, Michael B. Matuza and Matthew Winer, producers | PBS | |
| Hannah Gadsby: Douglas | Hannah Gadsby, executive producer/performer; Kevin Whyte, Kathleen McCarthy and John Irwin, executive producers; Casey Spira, co-executive producer; Jenney Shamash, producer | Netflix | |
| Jerry Seinfeld: 23 Hours to Kill | Jerry Seinfeld, executive producer/performer; George Shapiro, Tammy Johnston and Michael Davies, executive producers; Denis Jensen and Melissa Miller, producers | ||
| John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch | John Mulaney, executive producer/performer; Marika Sawyer, Rhys Thomas, David Miner, Cara Masline, Ravi Nandan and Inman Young, executive producers; Dave Ferguson, supervising producer; Corey Deckler, Mary Beth Minthorn and Kerri Hundley, producers | ||
| Tiffany Haddish: Black Mitzvah | Tiffany Haddish, executive producer/performer; Page Hurwitz and Wanda Sykes, executive producers | ||
| 2021 | |||
| Hamilton | Sander Jacobs, Jill Furman and Maggie Brohn, executive producers; Jon Kamen, Dave Sirulnick and Justin Wilkes, co-executive producers; Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeffrey Seller, produced by | Disney+ | |
| Bo Burnham: Inside | Bo Burnham, executive producer/performer; Josh Senior, producer | Netflix | |
| David Byrne's American Utopia | Jeff Skoll, David Linde, Diane Weyermann, Len Blavatnik, David Bither, Charlie Cohen, Kurt Deutsch, Bill Pohlad, Christa Zofcin Workman, Jon Kamen, Dave Sirulnick, Meredith Bennett, Kristin Caskey, Mike Isaacson and Patrick Catullo, executive producers; Sue Naegle, co-executive producer; Alec Sash, supervising producer; David Byrne, produced by/performer; Spike Lee, produced by | HBO | |
| 8:46 - Dave Chappelle | Dave Chappelle, produced by/performer; Julia Reichert, Sina Sadighi and Steven Bognar, produced by | Netflix | |
| Friends: The Reunion | Ben Winston, Kevin S. Bright, Marta Kauffman, David Crane, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer, executive producers; Emma Conway, James Longman and Stacey Thomas-Muir, co-executive producers; Brett Blakeney, supervising producer; James Corden, producer/host; Dave Piendak, Carly Robyn Segal, Guy Harding, Paul Monaghan, Tracie Fiss, Mike Darnell and Brooke Karzen, producers | HBO Max | |
| A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote | Casey Patterson, Thomas Schlamme and Aaron Sorkin, executive producers; Rob Paine, co-executive producer; Brittany Mehmedovic, producer | ||
| 2022 | |||
| Adele: One Night Only | Ben Winston, Adele Adkins, Jonathan Dickins, Raj Kapoor, Tara Montgomery and Terry Wood, executive producers; Rob Paine, co-executive producer | CBS | |
| Dave Chappelle: The Closer | Dave Chappelle, executive producer/performer; Rikki Hughes and Stan Lathan, executive producers; Sina Sadighi, producer | Netflix | |
| Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts | Casey Patterson, Carol Donovan, Ashley Edens, Marissa Clifford, Louis Mole, Sam Bridger, Isabel Davis and David Heyman, executive producers; Rob Paine, co-executive producer; Chase Simonds, supervising producer; Mike Darnell, Brooke Karzen and Dan Sacks, producers | HBO Max | |
| Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special | Norm Macdonald, Lori Jo Hoekstra, Marc Gurvitz and John Irwin, executive producers; Casey Spira, co-executive producer | Netflix | |
| One Last Time: An Evening with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga | Alex Coletti, Bruce Gillmer, Jack Sussman, Danny Bennett and Bobby Campbell, executive producers; Gillian Appleby, supervising producer; Allison Roithinger, produced by; Chris Vineyard and Jennifer Lebeau, producers; Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett, hosts | CBS | |
| 2023 | |||
| Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love | Carol Burnett, Brian Miller, Steve Sauer, Baz Halpin, Mark Bracco, Linda Gierahn and Paul Miller, executive producers; Theresa Moore King, supervising producer; Jenessa Salcedo, line producer | NBC | |
| John Mulaney: Baby J | John Mulaney, executive producer/performer; Alex Timbers, executive producer; John Foy, co-executive producer; Jim Jagels, line producer | Netflix | |
| Lizzo: Live in Concert | Lizzo, executive producer/performer; Kevin Beisler, Ian Stewart, Leah Harper-Lane and Hamish Hamilton, executive producers; Alana Balden, producer; Justin Grider, line producer | HBO Max | |
| Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter | David Jammy, Brent Miller, Garrett English and Raj Kapoor, executive producers; Grace Stevens, Tara West Margolis, Eric Cook and James Merryman, co-executive producers; Kate Johnston, Carly Robyn Segal and Augie Max Vargas, producers; Karen Scarminach, line producer | ABC | |
| Trevor Noah: I Wish You Would | Trevor Noah, executive producer/performer; Sanaz Yamin, Bob Bain, Norman Aladjem and Derek Van Pelt, executive producers; Benn Fleishman, supervising producer; Danny Sanchez, line producer | Netflix | |
| Wanda Sykes: I'm an Entertainer | Wanda Sykes, executive producer/performer; Page Hurwitz, executive producer; Kerri Hundley, produced by | ||
| 2024 | |||
| Dick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magic | Craig Plestis, Chris Wagner, Clara Plestis, Ashley Edens, Deena Katz and Arlene Van Dyke, executive producers; Stephanie Wagner, supervising producer; Brittany Cherry and Ariel Kubit, producers; Chelsea Gonnering, line producer | CBS | |
| Billy Joel: The 100th — Live at Madison Square Garden | Billy Joel, executive producer/performer; Steve Cohen, Barry Ehrmann and Paul Dugdale, executive producers; Brian Ruggles and Bobby Thrasher, co-executive producers; Ned Doyle, supervising producer; Leslie Vincent and Krystle Tesoriero, producers | CBS | |
| Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer | Dave Chappelle, executive producer/performer; Rikki Hughes and Stan Lathan, executive producers; Sina Sadighi, producer | Netflix | |
| Nikki Glaser: Someday You'll Die | Nikki Glaser, executive producer/performer; Chris Convy, David Jammy and Alex Murray, executive producers; Bill Urban, co-executive producer; Chris McQueen, producer | HBO | |
| Trevor Noah: Where Was I | Trevor Noah, executive producer/performer; Sanaz Yamin, Bob Bain, Norman Aladjem and Derek Van Pelt, executive producers; Benn Fleishman, supervising producer; Danny Sanchez, line producer; David Paul Meyer, produced by | Netflix |
- Hope for Haiti Now was simulcast on dozens of television stations across the globe. The Emmys listed no individual network with this nomination.
- 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief was simulcast live on 39 U.S. television stations and more than 25 websites. The Emmys listed no individual network with this nomination.
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