Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series

The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series is an Emmy presented to the best directing of a television comedy series.

Award winners and nominations

1950s

• 1959: Father Knows Best - Peter Tewksbury for "Medal for Margaret" (CBS)

1960s

• 1960: Jack Benny Hour Specials - Ralph Levy and Bud Yorkin (CBS)
• 1961: The Danny Thomas Show - Sheldon Leonard (CBS)
• 1962: Car 54, Where Are You? - Nat Hiken (NBC)
• 1963: The Dick Van Dyke Show - John Rich (CBS)
• 1964: The Dick Van Dyke Show - Jerry Paris (CBS)
• 1966: Bewitched - William Asher (ABC)
• 1967: The Monkees - James Frawley for "Royal Flush" (NBC)
• 1968: Get Smart - Bruce Bilson for "Maxwell Smart, Private Eye" (NBC)

1970s

• 1971: The Mary Tyler Moore Show - Jay Sandrich for "Toulouse Lautrec Is One Of My Favorite Artists" (CBS)
• 1972: All in the Family - John Rich for "Sammy's Visit" (CBS)
• 1973: The Mary Tyler Moore Show - Jay Sandrich for "It's Whether You Win Or Lose" (CBS)
• 1974: M*A*S*H - Jackie Cooper for "Carry On, Hawkeye" (CBS)
• 1975: The Carol Burnett Show - Dave Powers (CBS) and M*A*S*H - Gene Reynolds for "O.R." (CBS)
• 1976: NBC's Saturday Night - Dave Wilson for "Paul Simon" (NBC) and M*A*S*H - Gene Reynolds for "Welcome To Korea" (CBS)
• 1977: M*A*S*H - Alan Alda for "Dear Sigmund" (CBS) and The Carol Burnett Show - Dave Powers (CBS)
• 1978: The Carol Burnett Show - Dave Powers (CBS) and All in the Family - Paul Bogart for "Edith's 50th Birthday" (CBS)
• 1979: Barney Miller - Noam Pitlik for "The Harris Incident" (ABC)

1980s

• 1980: Taxi - James Burrows for "Louie and the Nice Girl" (ABC)
• 1981: Taxi - James Burrows for "Elaine's Strange Triangle" (ABC)
• 1982: One Day At A Time - Alan Rafkin for "Barbara's Crisis" (CBS)
• 1983: Cheers - James Burrows for "Showdown - Part 2" (NBC)
• 1984: Kate & Allie - Bill Persky for "A Very Loud Family" (CBS)
• 1985: The Cosby Show - Jay Sandrich for "The Younger Woman" (NBC)
• 1986: The Cosby Show - Jay Sandrich for "Denise's Friend" (NBC)
• 1987: The Golden Girls - Terry Hughes for "Isn't It Romantic" (NBC)
• 1988: Hooperman - Gregory Hoblit for "Pilot" (ABC)
• 1989: The Wonder Years - Peter Baldwin for "Our Miss White" (ABC)

1990s

• 1990: The Wonder Years: "Good-bye" - Michael Dinner (ABC)
  • Cheers: "The Improbable Dream, Part 1" - James Burrows (NBC)
  • Designing Women: "They Shoot Fat Women, Don't They?" - Harry Thomason (CBS)
  • The Famous Teddy Z: "Pilot" - Hugh Wilson (CBS)
  • The Golden Girls: "Triple Play" - Terry Hughes (NBC)
  • Murphy Brown: "Brown Like Me" - Barnet Kellman (CBS)

• 1991: Cheers: "Woody Interruptus" - James Burrows (NBC)
  • The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd: "Here's a Little Touch of Harry in the Night" - Jay Tarses (Lifetime)
  • Murphy Brown: "On Another Plane" - Barnet Kellman (CBS)
  • Seinfeld: "The Pony Remark" - Tom Cherones (NBC)
  • The Wonder Years: "The Ties That Bind" - Peter Baldwin (ABC)

• 1992: Murphy Brown: "Birth 101" - Barnet Kellman (CBS)
  • Brooklyn Bridge: "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" - Sam Weisman (CBS)
  • Cheers: "An Old Fashioned Wedding" - James Burrows (NBC)
  • Murphy Brown: "Send in the Clowns" - Lee Shallat-Chemel (CBS)
  • Seinfeld: "The Tape" - David Steinberg (NBC)

• 1993: Dream On: "For Peter's Sake" - Betty Thomas (HBO)
  • Cheers: "One for the Road" - James Burrows (NBC)
  • Dream On: "And Bimbo Was His Name-O" - Eric Laneuville (HBO)
  • Murphy Brown: "You Say Potatoe, I Say Potato" - Peter Bonerz (CBS)
  • Seinfeld: "The Contest" - Tom Cherones (NBC)

• 1994: Frasier: "The Good Son" - James Burrows (NBC)
  • The John Larroquette Show: "Pilot" - John Whitesell (NBC)
  • The Larry Sanders Show: "Life Behind Larry" - Todd Holland (HBO)
  • Mad About You: "Love Letters" - Tom Moore (NBC)
  • Mad About You: "Paul Is Dead" - Lee Shallat-Chemel (NBC)
  • Seinfeld: "The Mango" - Tom Cherones (NBC)

• 1995: Frasier: "The Matchmaker" - David Lee (NBC)
  • Friends: "The One with the Blackout" - James Burrows (NBC)
  • The Larry Sanders Show: "Hank's Night in the Sun" - Todd Holland (HBO)
  • The Nanny: "Canasta Master" - Lee Shallat-Chemel (CBS)
  • Seinfeld: "The Jimmy" - Andy Ackerman (NBC)

• 1996: Friends: "The One After the Superbowl" - Michael Lembeck (NBC)
  • 3rd Rock from the Sun: "Pilot" - James Burrows (NBC)
  • The Larry Sanders Show: "Arthur After Hours" - Todd Holland (HBO)
  • The Larry Sanders Show: "I Was a Teenage Lesbian" - Michael Lehmann (HBO)
  • Seinfeld: "The Soup Nazi" - Andy Ackerman (NBC)

• 1997: Frasier: "To Kill a Talking Bird" - David Lee (NBC)
  • Ellen: "The Puppy Episode" - Gil Junger (ABC)
  • The Larry Sanders Show: "Everybody Loves Larry" - Todd Holland (HBO)
  • The Larry Sanders Show: "Ellen, or Isn't She" - Alan Myerson (HBO)
  • Seinfeld: "The Pothole" - Andy Ackerman (NBC)

• 1998: The Larry Sanders Show: "Flip" - Todd Holland (HBO)
  • 3rd Rock from the Sun: "Dick and the Other Guy" - Terry Hughes (NBC)
  • Ally McBeal: "Cro-Magnon" - Allan Arkush (FOX)
  • Ally McBeal: "Pilot" - James Frawley (FOX)
  • Dharma & Greg: "Pilot" - James Burrows (ABC)

• 1999: Sports Night: "Pilot" - Thomas Schlamme (ABC)
  • Ally McBeal: "Those Lips, That Hand" - Arlene Sanford (FOX)
  • Everybody Loves Raymond: "Robert's Date" - Will Mackenzie (CBS)
  • Friends: "The One Where Everybody Finds Out" - Michael Lembeck (NBC)
  • Will & Grace: "Pilot" - James Burrows (NBC)

2000s

• 2000: Malcolm in the Middle: "Pilot" - Todd Holland (FOX)
  • Ally McBeal: "Ally McBeal: The Musical" - Bill D'Elia (FOX)
  • Everybody Loves Raymond: "The Christmas Picture" - Will Mackenzie (CBS)
  • Friends: "The One That Could Have Been" - Michael Lembeck (NBC)
  • Sports Night: "Quo Vadimus" - Thomas Schlamme (ABC)
  • Will & Grace: "Homo for the Holidays" - James Burrows (NBC)

• 2001: Malcolm in the Middle: "Bowling" - Todd Holland (FOX)
  • Ed: "Pilot" - James Frawley (NBC)
  • Malcolm in the Middle: "Flashback" - Jeffrey Melman (FOX)
  • Sex and the City: "Easy Come, Easy Go" - Charles McDougall (HBO)
  • Will & Grace: "Lows in the Mid-Eighties" - James Burrows (NBC)

• 2002: Sex and the City: "The Real Me" - Michael Patrick King (HBO)
  • Curb Your Enthusiasm: "The Doll" - Robert B. Weide (HBO)
  • Malcolm in the Middle: "Christmas" - Jeffrey Melman (FOX)
  • Scrubs: "My Old Lady" - Marc Buckland (NBC)
  • Will & Grace: "A Chorus Lie" - James Burrows (NBC)

• 2003: Curb Your Enthusiasm: "Krazee-Eyez Killa" - Robert B. Weide (HBO)
  • Curb Your Enthusiasm: "The Special Section" - Bryan Gordon (HBO)
  • Curb Your Enthusiasm: "Mary, Joseph, and Larry" - David Steinberg (HBO)
  • Curb Your Enthusiasm: "The Nanny from Hell" - Larry Charles (HBO)
  • Sex and the City: "I Love a Charade" - Michael Engler (HBO)
  • Will & Grace: "24" - James Burrows (NBC)

• 2004: Arrested Development: "Pilot" - Anthony & Joe Russo (FOX)
  • Curb Your Enthusiasm: "The 5 Wood" - Bryan Gordon (HBO)
  • Curb Your Enthusiasm: "The Car Pool Lane" - Robert B. Weide (HBO)
  • Curb Your Enthusiasm: "The Survivor" - Larry Charles (HBO)
  • Sex and the City: "An American Girl in Paris, Part Deux" - Timothy Van Patten (HBO)

• 2005: Desperate Housewives: "Pilot" - Charles McDougall (ABC)
  • Entourage: "Pilot" - David Frankel (HBO)
  • Everybody Loves Raymond: "The Finale" - Gary Halvorson (CBS)
  • Monk: "Mr. Monk Takes His Medicine" - Randall Zisk (USA)
  • Will & Grace: "It's a Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad World" - James Burrows (NBC)

• 2006: My Name Is Earl: "Pilot" - Marc Buckland (NBC)
  • The Comeback: "Valerie Does Another Classic Leno" - Michael Patrick King (HBO)
  • Curb Your Enthusiasm: "The Christ Nail" - Robert B. Weide (HBO)
  • Entourage: "Oh, Mandy" - Daniel Attias (HBO)
  • Entourage: "Sundance Kids" - Julian Farino (HBO)
  • Weeds: "Good Shit Lollipop" - Craig Zisk (Showtime)

• 2007: Ugly Betty: "Pilot" - Richard Shepard (ABC)
  • 30 Rock: "The Break-Up" - Scott Ellis (NBC)
  • Entourage: "One Day in the Valley" - Julian Farino (HBO)
  • Extras: "Orlando Bloom" - Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant (HBO)
  • The Office: "Gay Witch Hunt" - Ken Kwapis (NBC)
  • Scrubs: "My Musical" - Will Mackenzie (NBC)

• 2008: Pushing Daisies: "Pie-lette" - Barry Sonnenfeld (ABC)
  • 30 Rock: "Rosemary's Baby" - Michael Engler (NBC)
  • Entourage: "No Cannes Do" - Daniel Attias (HBO)
  • Flight of the Conchords: "Sally Returns" - James Bobin (HBO)
  • The Office: "Goodbye, Toby" - Paul Feig (NBC)
  • The Office: "Money" - Paul Lieberstein (NBC)

• 2009: The Office: "Stress Relief" - Jeff Blitz (NBC)
  • 30 Rock: "Apollo, Apollo" - Millicent Shelton (NBC)
  • 30 Rock: "Generalissimo" - Todd Holland (NBC)
  • 30 Rock: "Reunion" - Beth McCarthy-Miller (NBC)
  • Entourage: "Tree Trippers" - Julian Farino (HBO)
  • Flight of the Conchords: "The Tough Brets" - James Bobin (HBO)

2010s

• 2010: Glee: "Pilot - Director's Cut" - Ryan Murphy (FOX)
  • 30 Rock: "I Do Do" - Don Scardino (NBC)
  • Glee: "Wheels" - Paris Barclay (FOX)
  • Modern Family: "Pilot" - Jason Winer (ABC)
  • Nurse Jackie: "Pilot" - Allen Coulter (Showtime)

• 2011: Modern Family: "Halloween" - Michael Spiller (ABC)
  • 30 Rock: "Live Show" - Beth McCarthy-Miller (NBC)
  • How I Met Your Mother: "Subway Wars" - Pamela Fryman (CBS)
  • Modern Family: "See You Next Fall" - Steven Levitan (ABC)
  • Modern Family: "Slow Down Your Neighbors" - Gail Mancuso (ABC)

Total awards

• CBS - 15
• NBC - 14
• ABC - 11
• Fox - 4
• HBO - 4

Programs with multiple awards

4 awards

• M*A*S*H (CBS)

3 awards

• Frasier (NBC)

2 awards

• All in the Family (CBS)
• Cheers (NBC)
• The Cosby Show (NBC)
• The Dick Van Dyke Show (CBS)
• Malcolm in the Middle (Fox)
• The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS)
• Taxi (ABC/NBC)
• The Wonder Years (ABC)

Programs with multiple nominations

26 nominations

• M*A*S*H (CBS)

11 nominations

• Cheers (NBC)

9 nominations

• Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)

8 nominations

• The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS)

7 nominations

• The Larry Sanders Show (HBO)
• Seinfeld (NBC)
• 30 Rock (NBC)

6 nominations

• All in the Family (CBS)
• Entourage (HBO)
• The Golden Girls (NBC)
• Murphy Brown (CBS)
• Will & Grace (NBC)

5 nominations

• The Wonder Years (ABC)

4 nominations

• Ally McBeal (Fox)
• The Dick Van Dyke Show (CBS)
• Friends (NBC)
• Malcolm in the Middle (Fox)
• Modern Family (ABC)
• The Office (NBC)
• Sex and the City (HBO)

3 nominations

• Buffalo Bill (NBC)
• The Cosby Show (NBC)
• The Danny Thomas Show (CBS)
• Everybody Loves Raymond (CBS)
• Frasier (NBC)
• Kate & Allie (CBS)
• The Red Skelton Show (NBC/CBS)
• Taxi (ABC/NBC)

2 nominations

• 3rd Rock from the Sun (NBC)
• Barney Miller (ABC)
• The Beverly Hillbillies (CBS)
• Bewitched (ABC)
• The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd (NBC/Lifetime)
• Designing Women (CBS)
• Dream On (HBO)
• Flight of the Conchords (HBO)
• The Garry Moore Show (CBS)
• Get Smart (NBC)
• Glee (Fox)
• Happy Days (ABC)
• The Jack Benny Show (CBS)
• Mad About You (NBC)
• Maude (CBS)
• The Monkees (NBC)
• Scrubs (NBC/ABC)
• Soap (ABC)
• Sports Night (ABC)