Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

For the “Daytime” Emmy Awards, see Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Awarded for	Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Country	United States
Presented by	Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
Currently held by	Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad (2012)
Official website	http://www.emmys.com/

This is a list of the winners of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.

Superlatives

Superlative	Lead Actor - Drama Series		Supporting Actor - Drama Series		Guest Actor - Drama Series		Overall
Actor with most awards	Dennis Franz	4	Stuart Margolin, Michael Conrad, Larry Drake, Ray Walston, Aaron Paul	2	Patrick McGoohan, Charles S. Dutton, John Lithgow	2	Dennis Franz	4
Actor with most nominations	Raymond Burr, Peter Falk, Dennis Franz	8	Bruce Weitz, Ed Begley, Jr., Jimmy Smits	6	Michael J. Fox	4	Jimmy Smits	12
Actor with most nominations without ever winning	Martin Sheen, Hugh Laurie, Michael C. Hall	6	Ed Begley, Jr.	6	Charles Durning, Beau Bridges, Robert Morse	3	Ed Begley, Jr., Martin Sheen, Hugh Laurie, Michael C. Hall	6
Television program with most wins	NYPD Blue	4	L.A. Law, The West Wing	4	The Practice	6	The Practice	8
Television program with most nominations	NYPD Blue	14	Hill Street Blues	16	ER	14	The West Wing, ER	28

Award winners

1950s

• 1959: Dennis Weaver – Gunsmoke

1960s

• 1960: no award
• 1961: Roddy McDowall – Not Without Honor
• 1962: no award
• 1963: no award
• 1964: Albert Paulsen – Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
• 1965: no award
• 1966: James Daly – Hallmark Hall of Fame
• 1967: Eli Wallach – The Poppy Is Also a Flower
• 1968: Milburn Stone – Gunsmoke
• 1969: no award

1970s

• 1970: James Brolin – Marcus Welby, M.D.
• 1971: David Burns – Hallmark Hall of Fame: Mr. Solomon
• 1972: Jack Warden – Brian's Song
• 1973: Scott Jacoby – That Certain Summer
• 1974: Michael Moriarty – The Glass Menagerie
• 1975: Will Geer – The Waltons
• 1976: Anthony Zerbe – Harry O
• 1977: Gary Frank – Family
• 1978: Robert Vaughn – Washington Behind Closed Doors
• 1979: Stuart Margolin – The Rockford Files

1980s

• 1980: Stuart Margolin – The Rockford Files as Angel Martin
  • Mason Adams - Lou Grant as Charlie Hume
  • Noah Beery - The Rockford Files as Joseph Rockford
  • Robert Walden - Lou Grant as Joe Rossi

• 1981: Michael Conrad – Hill Street Blues as Sgt. Phil Esterhaus
  • Mason Adams - Lou Grant as Charlie Hume
  • Charles Haid - Hill Street Blues as Officer Andy Renko
  • Robert Walden - Lou Grant as Joe Rossi
  • Bruce Weitz - Hill Street Blues as Det. Mick Belker

• 1982: Michael Conrad – Hill Street Blues as Sgt. Phil Esterhaus
  • Taurean Blacque - Hill Street Blues as Det. Neal Washington
  • Charles Haid - Hill Street Blues as Officer Andy Renko
  • Michael Warren - Hill Street Blues as Officer Bobby Hill
  • Bruce Weitz - Hill Street Blues as Det. Mick Belker

• 1983: James Coco – St. Elsewhere as Arnie
  • Ed Begley, Jr. - St. Elsewhere as Dr. Victor Ehrlich
  • Michael Conrad - Hill Street Blues as Sgt. Phil Esterhaus
  • Joe Spano - Hill Street Blues as Sgt. Henry Goldblume
  • Bruce Weitz - Hill Street Blues as Det. Mick Belker

• 1984: Bruce Weitz – Hill Street Blues as Det. Mick Belker
  • Ed Begley, Jr. - St. Elsewhere as Dr. Victor Ehrlich
  • Michael Conrad - Hill Street Blues as Sgt. Phil Esterhaus
  • John Hillerman - Magnum, P.I. as Jonathan Higgins
  • James B. Sikking - Hill Street Blues as Lt. Howard Hunter

• 1985: Edward James Olmos – Miami Vice as Lt. Martin Castillo
  • Ed Begley, Jr. - St. Elsewhere as Dr. Victor Ehrlich
  • John Hillerman - Magnum, P.I. as Jonathan Higgins
  • John Karlen - Cagney & Lacey as Harvey Lacey
  • Bruce Weitz - Hill Street Blues as Det. Mick Belker

• 1986: John Karlen – Cagney & Lacey as Harvey Lacey
  • Ed Begley, Jr. - St. Elsewhere as Dr. Victor Ehrlich
  • John Hillerman - Magnum, P.I. as Jonathan Higgins
  • Edward James Olmos - Miami Vice as Lt. Martin Castillo
  • Bruce Weitz - Hill Street Blues as Det. Mick Belker

• 1987: John Hillerman – Magnum, P.I. as Jonathan Higgins
  • Ed Begley, Jr. - St. Elsewhere as Dr. Victor Ehrlich
  • John Karlen - Cagney & Lacey as Harvey Lacey
  • Jimmy Smits - L.A. Law as Victor Sifuentes
  • Michael Tucker - L.A. Law as Stuart Markowitz

• 1988: Larry Drake – L.A. Law as Benny Stulwicz
  • Ed Begley, Jr. - St. Elsewhere as Dr. Victor Ehrlich
  • Timothy Busfield - thirtysomething as Elliot Weston
  • Alan Rachins - L.A. Law as Douglas Brackman
  • Jimmy Smits - L.A. Law as Victor Sifuentes

• 1989: Larry Drake – L.A. Law as Benny Stulwicz
  • Jonathan Banks - Wiseguy as Frank McPike
  • Timothy Busfield - thirtysomething as Elliot Weston
  • Richard Dysart - L.A. Law as Leland McKenzie
  • Jimmy Smits - L.A. Law as Victor Sifuentes

1990s

Year	Actor	Program	Role	Network
1989-1990 (42nd)
	Jimmy Smits	L.A. Law	Victor Sifuentes	NBC
	Timothy Busfield	thirtysomething	Elliot Weston	ABC
	Larry Drake	L.A. Law	Benny Stulwicz	NBC
	Richard Dysart	L.A. Law	Leland McKenzie	NBC
	Dean Stockwell	Quantum Leap	Al Calavicci	NBC
1990-1991 (43rd)
	Timothy Busfield	thirtysomething	Elliot Weston	ABC
	David Clennon	thirtysomething	Miles Drentell	ABC
	Richard Dysart	L.A. Law	Leland McKenzie	NBC
	Jimmy Smits	L.A. Law	Victor Sifuentes	NBC
	Dean Stockwell	Quantum Leap	Al Calavicci	NBC
1991-1992 (44th)
	Richard Dysart	L.A. Law	Leland McKenzie	NBC
	Edward Asner	The Trials of Rosie O'Neill	Walter Kovatch	CBS
	John Corbett	Northern Exposure	Chris Stevens	CBS
	Richard Kiley	The Ray Bradbury Theater	Doug Spaulding	HBO
	Jimmy Smits	L.A. Law	Victor Sifuentes	NBC
	Dean Stockwell	Quantum Leap	Al Calavicci	NBC
1992-1993 (45th)
	Chad Lowe	Life Goes On	Jesse McKenna	ABC
	Barry Corbin	Northern Exposure	Maurice Minnifield	CBS
	John Cullum	Northern Exposure	Holling Vincouver	CBS
	Fyvush Finkel	Picket Fences	Douglas Wambaugh	ABC
	Dean Stockwell	Quantum Leap	Al Calavicci	NBC
1993-1994 (46th)
	Fyvush Finkel	Picket Fences	Douglas Wambaugh	ABC
	Gordon Clapp	NYPD Blue	Greg Medavoy	ABC
	Barry Corbin	Northern Exposure	Maurice Minnifield	CBS
	Nicholas Turturro	NYPD Blue	James Martinez	ABC
	Ray Walston	Picket Fences	Henry Bone	ABC
1994-1995 (47th)
	Ray Walston	Picket Fences	Henry Bone	ABC
	Hector Elizondo	Chicago Hope	Phillip Watters	CBS
	James Earl Jones	Under One Roof	Neb Langston	CBS
	Eriq La Salle	ER	Peter Benton	NBC
	Noah Wyle	ER	John Carter	NBC
1995-1996 (48th)
	Ray Walston	Picket Fences	Henry Bone	ABC
	Hector Elizondo	Chicago Hope	Phillip Watters	CBS
	James McDaniel	NYPD Blue	Arthur Fancy	ABC
	Stanley Tucci	Murder One	Richard Cross	ABC
	Noah Wyle	ER	John Carter	NBC
1996-1997 (49th)
	Hector Elizondo	Chicago Hope	Phillip Watters	CBS
	Adam Arkin	Chicago Hope	Aaron Shutt	CBS
	Eriq La Salle	ER	Peter Benton	NBC
	Nicholas Turturro	NYPD Blue	James Martinez	ABC
	Noah Wyle	ER	John Carter	NBC
1997-1998 (50th)
	Gordon Clapp	NYPD Blue	Greg Medavoy	ABC
	Hector Elizondo	Chicago Hope	Phillip Watters	CBS
	Steven Hill	Law & Order	Adam Schiff	NBC
	Eriq La Salle	ER	Peter Benton	NBC
	Noah Wyle	ER	John Carter	NBC
1998-1999 (51st)
	Michael Badalucco	The Practice	Jimmy Berluti	ABC
	Benjamin Bratt	Law & Order	Rey Curtis	NBC
	Steve Harris	The Practice	Eugene Young	ABC
	Steven Hill	Law & Order	Adam Schiff	NBC
	Noah Wyle	ER	John Carter	NBC

2000s

Year	Actor	Program	Role	Network
1999-2000 (52nd)
	Richard Schiff	The West Wing	Toby Ziegler	NBC
	Michael Badalucco	The Practice	Jimmy Berlutti	ABC
	Dominic Chianese	The Sopranos	Junior Soprano	HBO
	Steve Harris	The Practice	Eugene Young	ABC
	John Spencer	The West Wing	Leo McGarry	NBC
2000-2001 (53rd)
	Bradley Whitford	The West Wing	Josh Lyman	NBC
	Dominic Chianese	The Sopranos	Junior Soprano	HBO
	Michael Imperioli	The Sopranos	Christopher Moltisanti	HBO
	Richard Schiff	The West Wing	Toby Ziegler	NBC
	John Spencer	The West Wing	Leo McGarry	NBC
2001-2002 (54th)
	John Spencer	The West Wing	Leo McGarry	NBC
	Victor Garber	Alias	Jack Bristow	ABC
	Dulé Hill	The West Wing	Charlie Young	NBC
	Freddy Rodriguez	Six Feet Under	Federico Diaz	HBO
	Richard Schiff	The West Wing	Toby Ziegler	NBC
	Bradley Whitford	The West Wing	Josh Lyman	NBC
2002-2003 (55th)
	Joe Pantoliano	The Sopranos	Ralph Cifaretto	HBO
	Victor Garber	Alias	Jack Bristow	ABC
	Michael Imperioli	The Sopranos	Christopher Moltisanti	HBO
	John Spencer	The West Wing	Leo McGarry	NBC
	Bradley Whitford	The West Wing	Josh Lyman	NBC
2003-2004 (56th)
	Michael Imperioli	The Sopranos	Christopher Moltisanti	HBO
	Steve Buscemi	The Sopranos	Tony Blundetto	HBO
	Brad Dourif	Deadwood	Doc Cochran	HBO
	Victor Garber	Alias	Jack Bristow	ABC
	John Spencer	The West Wing	Leo McGarry	NBC
2004-2005 (57th)
	William Shatner	Boston Legal	Denny Crane	ABC
	Alan Alda	The West Wing	Arnold Vinick	NBC
	Naveen Andrews	Lost	Sayid Jarrah	ABC
	Terry O'Quinn	Lost	John Locke	ABC
	Oliver Platt	Huff	Russell Tupper	Showtime
2005-2006 (58th)
	Alan Alda	The West Wing	Arnold Vinick	NBC
	Michael Imperioli	The Sopranos	Christopher Moltisanti	HBO
	Gregory Itzin	24	President Charles Logan	Fox
	Oliver Platt	Huff	Russell Tupper	Showtime
	William Shatner	Boston Legal	Denny Crane	ABC
2006-2007 (59th)
	Terry O'Quinn	Lost	John Locke	ABC
	Michael Emerson	Lost	Ben Linus	ABC
	Michael Imperioli	The Sopranos	Christopher Moltisanti	HBO
	T.R. Knight	Grey's Anatomy	Dr. George O'Malley	ABC
	Masi Oka	Heroes	Hiro Nakamura	NBC
	William Shatner	Boston Legal	Denny Crane	ABC
2007-2008 (60th)
	Željko Ivanek	Damages	Ray Fiske	FX
	Ted Danson	Damages	Arthur Frobisher	FX
	Michael Emerson	Lost	Ben Linus	ABC
	William Shatner	Boston Legal	Denny Crane	ABC
	John Slattery	Mad Men	Roger Sterling, Jr.	AMC
2008-2009 (61st)
	Michael Emerson	Lost	Ben Linus	ABC
	Christian Clemenson	Boston Legal	Jerry Espenson	ABC
	William Hurt	Damages	Daniel Purcell	FX
	Aaron Paul	Breaking Bad	Jesse Pinkman	AMC
	William Shatner	Boston Legal	Denny Crane	ABC
	John Slattery	Mad Men	Roger Sterling, Jr.	AMC

2010s

Year	Actor	Program	Role	Network
2009-2010 (62nd)
	Aaron Paul	Breaking Bad	Jesse Pinkman	AMC
	Andre Braugher	Men of a Certain Age	Owen Thoreau, Jr.	TNT
	Michael Emerson	Lost	Ben Linus	ABC
	Terry O'Quinn	Lost	John Locke / The Man in Black	ABC
	Martin Short	Damages	Leonard Winstone	FX
	John Slattery	Mad Men	Roger Sterling, Jr.	AMC
2010-2011 (63rd)
	Peter Dinklage	Game of Thrones	Tyrion Lannister	HBO
	Andre Braugher	Men of a Certain Age	Owen Thoreau, Jr.	TNT
	Josh Charles	The Good Wife	Will Gardner	CBS
	Alan Cumming	The Good Wife	Eli Gold	CBS
	Walton Goggins	Justified	Boyd Crowder	FX
	John Slattery	Mad Men	Roger Sterling, Jr.	AMC
2011-2012 (64th)
	Aaron Paul	Breaking Bad	Jesse Pinkman	AMC
	Jim Carter	Downton Abbey	Charles Carson	PBS
	Brendan Coyle	Downton Abbey	John Bates	PBS
	Peter Dinklage	Game of Thrones	Tyrion Lannister	HBO
	Giancarlo Esposito	Breaking Bad	Gus Fring	AMC
	Jared Harris	Mad Men	Lane Pryce	AMC

Most wins

2 wins

• Michael Conrad
• Larry Drake
• Stuart Margolin
• Aaron Paul
• Ray Walston

Most nominations

6 nominations

• Ed Begley, Jr.
• Jimmy Smits
• Bruce Weitz

5 nominations

• Michael Imperioli
• William Shatner
• John Spencer
• Noah Wyle

4 nominations

• Timothy Busfield
• Richard Dysart
• Michael Conrad
• Hector Elizondo
• Michael Emerson
• John Hillerman
• John Slattery
• Dean Stockwell

3 nominations

• Mason Adams
• Larry Drake
• Victor Garber
• John Karlen
• Eriq La Salle
• Terry O'Quinn
• Aaron Paul
• Richard Schiff
• Ray Walston
• Bradley Whitford

2 nominations

• Alan Alda
• Michael Badalucco
• Andre Braugher
• Dominic Chianese
• Gordon Clapp
• Peter Dinklage
• Fyvush Finkel
• Charles Haid
• Steve Harris
• Steven Hill
• Stuart Margolin
• Oliver Platt
• Nicholas Turturro
• Robert Walden

See also

• Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film