Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing - Comedy Series

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Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series is an annual award presented as part of the Primetime Emmy Awards. It recognizes writing excellence in regular comedic series, most of which can generally be described as situation comedies.^{[fn 1]} It was first presented in 1955 as Outstanding Written Comedy Material.

Award winners

1950s

• 1955: James Allardice, Jack Douglas, Hal Kanter, Harry Winkler – The George Gobel Show
• 1956: Arnold Auerbach, Barry Blitser, Vincent Bogert, Nat Hiken, Coleman Jacoby, Harvey Orkin, Arnold Rosen, Terry Ryan, Tony Webster – The Phil Silvers Show
• 1958: Billy Friedberg, Nat Hiken, Coleman Jacoby, Arnold Rosen, A.J. Russell, Terry Ryan, Phil Sharp, Tony Webster, Sidney Zelinka – The Phil Silvers Show
• 1959: George Balzer, Hal Goldman, Al Gordon, Sam Perrin – The Jack Benny Show

1960s

• 1960: George Balzer, Hal Goldman, Al Gordon, Sam Perrin – The Jack Benny Show
• 1961: Dave O'Brien, Martin Ragaway, Sherwood Schwartz, Al Schwartz, Red Skelton – The Red Skelton Show
• 1962: Carl Reiner – The Dick Van Dyke Show
• 1963: Carl Reiner – The Dick Van Dyke Show
• 1966: Sam Denoff, Bill Persky – The Dick Van Dyke Show
• 1967: Buck Henry, Leonard B. Stern – Get Smart
• 1968: Allan Burns, Chris Hayward – He and She

1970s

• 1971: James L. Brooks, Allan Burns – The Mary Tyler Moore Show
• 1972: Burt Styler – All In The Family
• 1973: Lee Kalcheim, Michael Ross, Bernard West – All In The Family
• 1974: Treva Silverman – The Mary Tyler Moore Show (also winner of "Writer of the Year, Series" category)
• 1975: Stan Daniels, Ed. Weinberger – The Mary Tyler Moore Show
• 1976: David Lloyd – The Mary Tyler Moore Show
• 1977: James L. Brooks, Allan Burns, Stan Daniels, Bob Ellison, David Lloyd, Ed. Weinberger – The Mary Tyler Moore Show
• 1978: Harve Brosten, Barry Michael Harman, Bob Schiller, Bob Weiskopf – All In The Family
• 1979: This category was combined with another one for the single year of 1979. (Alan Alda - M*A*S*H won in the merged category)

1980s

• 1980: Barney Miller - R.J. Colleary for "Photograph"
  • The Associates - Stan Daniels and Ed Weinberger for "The Censors"
  • The Associates - Michael Leeson and Charlie Hauck for "The First Day"
  • M*A*S*H - David Isaacs and Ken Levine for "Goodbye Radar, Part II"
  • Taxi - Glen Charles and Les Charles for "Honor Thy Father"

• 1981: Taxi - Michael J. Leeson for "Tony's Sister and Jim"
  • The Greatest American Hero - Stephen J. Cannell for "Pilot"
  • M*A*S*H - Mike Farrell, Dennis Koenig, Burt Metcalfe, Thad Mumford, John Rappaport and Dan Wilcox for "Death Takes a Holiday"
  • Taxi - Glen Charles and Les Charles for "Going Home"
  • Taxi - David Lloyd for "Elaine's Strange Triangle"

• 1982: Taxi - Ken Estin for "Elegant Iggy"
  • Barney Miller - Frank Dungan, Jeff Stein and Tony Sheehan for "Landmark, Part III"
  • M*A*S*H - Alan Alda for "Follies of the Living, Concerns of the Dead"
  • Police Squad! - Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker for "A Substantial Gift (The Broken Promise)"
  • Taxi - Holly Holmberg Brooks and Barry Kemp for "Jim the Psychic"

• 1983: Cheers - Glen Charles and Les Charles for "Give Me a Ring Sometime"
  • Buffalo Bill - Tom Patchett and Jay Tarses for "Pilot"
  • Cheers - David Isaacs and Ken Levine for "The Boys in the Bar"
  • Cheers - David Lloyd for "Diane's Perfect Date"
  • Taxi - Ken Estin for "Jim's Inheritance"

• 1984: Cheers - David Angell for "Old Flames"
  • Buffalo Bill - Tom Patchett for "Wilkinson's Sword"
  • Buffalo Bill - Jay Tarses for "Jo-Jo's Problem, Part 2"
  • Cheers - Glen Charles and Les Charles for "Power Play"
  • Cheers - David Lloyd for "Homicidal Ham"

• 1985: The Cosby Show - Ed. Weinberger and Michael J. Leeson for "Pilot"
  • Cheers - Peter Casey and David Lee for "I Call Your Name"
  • Cheers - Glen Charles and Les Charles for "Rebound, Part II"
  • Cheers - David Lloyd for "Sam Turns the Other Cheek"
  • The Cosby Show - Earl Pomerantz for "Goodbye Mr. Fish"

• 1986: The Golden Girls - Barry Fanaro and Mort Nathan for "A Little Romance"
  • Cheers - Peter Casey and David Lee for "2 Good 2 Be 4 Real"
  • The Cosby Show - John Markus for "Denise's Friend"
  • The Cosby Show - Matt Williams, Carmen Finestra and John Markus for "Theo's Holiday"
  • Family Ties - Michael J. Weithorn for "The Real Thing, Part II"
  • The Golden Girls - Susan Harris for "Pilot"

• 1987: Family Ties - Gary David Goldberg and Alan Uger for "'A,' My Name Is Alex"
  • Cheers - Janet Leahy for "Abnormal Psychology"
  • The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd - Jay Tarses for "Here's Why Cosmetics Should Come in Unbreakable Bottles"
  • The Golden Girls - Jeffrey Duteil for "Isn't It Romantic"
  • Newhart - David Mirkin for "Co-Hostess Twinkie"

• 1988: Frank's Place - Hugh Wilson for "The Bridge"
  • Cheers - Glen Charles and Les Charles for "Home Is the Sailor"
  • Designing Women - Linda Bloodworth-Thomason for "Killing All the Right People"
  • It's Garry Shandling's Show - Tom Gamill, Max Pross and Sam Simon for "It's Garry and Angelica's Show"
  • It's Garry Shandling's Show - Garry Shandling and Alan Zweibel for "No Baby, No Show"
  • The Wonder Years - Carol Black and Neal Marlens for "Pilot"

• 1989: Murphy Brown - Diane English for "Pilot"
  • The Wonder Years - Matthew Carlson for "Pottery Will Get You Nowhere"
  • The Wonder Years - Todd W. Langen for "Coda"
  • The Wonder Years - David M. Stern for "Loosiers"
  • The Wonder Years - Michael J. Weithorn for "Our Miss White"

1990s

• 1990: The Wonder Years - Bob Brush for "Good-Bye"
  • Cheers - David Isaacs and Ken Levine for "Death Takes a Holiday on Ice"
  • The Famous Teddy Z - Hugh Wilson for "Pilot"
  • Murphy Brown - Diane English for "Brown Like Me"
  • Newhart - Bob Bendetson, Mark Egan and Mark Solomon for "The Last Newhart"

• 1991: Murphy Brown - Gary Dontzig and Steven Peterman for "Jingle Hell, Jingle Hell, Jingle All the Way"
  • The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd - Jay Tarses for "Here's a Little Touch of Harry in the Night"
  • Murphy Brown - Diane English for "On Another Plane"
  • Seinfeld - Larry David for "The Deal"
  • Seinfeld - Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld for "The Pony Remark"

• 1992: Seinfeld - Larry Charles and Elaine Pope for "The Fix Up"
  • Murphy Brown - Diane English and Korby Siamis for "Uh-Oh: Part 2"
  • Roseanne - Jennifer Heath and Amy Sherman for "A Bitter Pill to Swallow"
  • Seinfeld - Larry David for "The Parking Garage"
  • Seinfeld - Larry David, Don McEnery and Bob Shaw for "The Tape"

• 1993: Seinfeld - Larry David for "The Contest"
  • Dream On - David Crane and Marta Kauffman for "For Peter's Sake"
  • The Larry Sanders Show - Dennis Klein and Garry Shandling for "Pilot"
  • The Larry Sanders Show - Garry Shandling, Rosie Shuster, Paul Simms and Peter Tolan for "The Spider Episode"
  • Seinfeld - Larry Charles for "The Outing"

• 1994: Frasier - David Angell, Peter Casey and David Lee for "The Good Son"
  • Frasier - David Isaacs and Ken Levine for "The Show Where Lilith Comes Back"
  • The Larry Sanders Show - Maya Forbes for "Larry's Agent"
  • Seinfeld - Larry David and Lawrence H. Levy for "The Mango
  • Seinfeld - Larry David for "The Puffy Shirt"

• 1995: Frasier - Anne Flett-Giordano and Chuck Ranberg for "An Affair to Forget"
  • Frasier - Joe Keenan for "The Matchmaker"
  • Friends - Jeff Greenstein and Jeff Strauss for "The One Where Underdog Gets Away"
  • The Larry Sanders Show - Garry Shandling and Peter Tolan for "The Mr. Sharon Stone Show"
  • The Larry Sanders Show - Peter Tolan for "Hank's Night in the Sun"

• 1996: Frasier - Joe Keenan, Christopher Lloyd, Rob Greenberg, Jack Burditt, Chuck Ranberg, Anne Flett-Giordano, Linda Morris and Vic Rauseo for "Moon Dance"
  • The Larry Sanders Show - Maya Forbes, Steve Levitan and Garry Shandling for "Roseanne's Return"
  • The Larry Sanders Show - Peter Tolan for "Arthur After Hours"
  • The Larry Sanders Show - Jon Vitti for "Hank's Sex Tape"
  • Seinfeld - Spike Feresten for "The Soup Nazi"

• 1997: Ellen - Ellen DeGeneres, Mark Driscoll, Dava Savel, Tracy Newman and Jonathan Stark for "The Puppy Episode"
  • The Larry Sanders Show - Judd Apatow, John Markus and Garry Shandling for "Ellen, or Isn't She?"
  • The Larry Sanders Show - Peter Tolan for "My Name is Asher Kingsley"
  • The Larry Sanders Show - Jon Vitti for "Everybody Loves Larry"
  • Seinfeld - Jill Franklyn and Peter Mehlman for "The Yada Yada"

• 1998: The Larry Sanders Show - Peter Tolan and Garry Shandling for "Flip"
  • Ally McBeal - David E. Kelley for "Theme of Life"
  • Ellen - Lawrence Broch for "Emma"
  • Frasier - Joe Keenan for "The Ski Lodge"
  • The Larry Sanders Show - Richard Day, Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck for "Putting the 'Gay' Back in Litigation"

• 1999: Frasier - Jay Kogen for "Merry Christmas, Mrs. Moskowitz"
  • Ally McBeal - David E. Kelley for "Sideshow"
  • Friends - Alexa Junge for "The One Where Everybody Finds Out"
  • Just Shoot Me! - Steven Levitan for "Slow Donnie"
  • Sports Night - Aaron Sorkin for "The Apology"

2000s

• 2000: Malcolm in the Middle - Linwood Boomer for "Pilot"
  • Everybody Loves Raymond - Ray Romano and Philip Rosenthal for "Bad Moon Rising"
  • Frasier - Joe Keenan and Christopher Lloyd for "Something Borrowed, Someone Blue"
  • Freaks and Geeks - Paul Feig for "Pilot"
  • Sex and the City - Cindy Chupack for "Evolution"
  • Sex and the City - Michael Patrick King for "Ex in the City"

• 2001: Malcolm in the Middle - Alex Reid for "Bowling"
  • Ed - Rob Burnett and Jon Beckerman for "Pilot"
  • Freaks and Geeks - Paul Feig for "Discos and Dragons"
  • Sex and the City - Michael Patrick King for "Easy Come, Easy Go"
  • Will & Grace - Jeff Greenstein for "Lows in the Mid-Eighties"

• 2002: The Bernie Mac Show - Larry Wilmore for "Pilot"
  • Andy Richter Controls the Universe - Victor Fresco for "Pilot"
  • Everybody Loves Raymond - Jennifer Crittenden for "Marie's Sculpture"
  • Everybody Loves Raymond - Philip Rosenthal for "The Angry Family"
  • Sex and the City - Julie Rottenberg and Elisa Zuritsky for "My Motherboard, My Self"

• 2003: Everybody Loves Raymond - Tucker Cawley for "Baggage"
  • The Bernie Mac Show - Steve Tompkins for "Goodbye Dolly"
  • Everybody Loves Raymond - Mike Royce for "Counseling"
  • Lucky - Mark and Rob Cullen for "Pilot"
  • Sex and the City - Cindy Chupack and Michael Patrick King for "I Love a Charade"

• 2004: Arrested Development - Mitchell Hurwitz for "Pilot"
  • Frasier - Joe Keenan and Christopher Lloyd for "Goodnight, Seattle"
  • Scrubs - Garrett Donovan and Neil Goldman for "My Screw Up"
  • Sex and the City - Michael Patrick King for "An American Girl in Paris: Part Deux"
  • Sex and the City - Julie Rottenberg and Elisa Zuritsky for "The Ick Factor"

• 2005: Arrested Development - Mitchell Hurwitz and Jim Vallely for "Righteous Brothers"
  • Arrested Development - Barbara Feldman for "Sad Sack"
  • Arrested Development Brad Copeland for "Sword of Destiny"
  • Desperate Housewives - Marc Cherry for "Pilot"
  • Everybody Loves Raymond - Philip Rosenthal, Ray Romano, Tucker Cawley, Lew Schneider, Steve Skrovan, Jeremy Stevens, Mike Royce, Aaron Shure, Tom Caltabiano & Leslie Caveny for "Finale"

• 2006: My Name Is Earl - Greg Garcia for "Pilot"
  • Arrested Development - Chuck Tatham, Jim Vallely, Richard Day and Mitchell Hurwitz for "Development Arrested"
  • Entourage - Doug Ellin for "Exodus"
  • Extras - Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant for "Kate Winslet"
  • The Office - Michael Schur for "Christmas Party"

• 2007: The Office - Greg Daniels for "Gay Witch Hunt"
  • 30 Rock - Robert Carlock for "Jack-Tor"
  • 30 Rock - Tina Fey for "Tracy Does Conan"
  • Extras - Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant for "Daniel Radcliffe"
  • The Office - Michael Schur for "The Negotiation"

• 2008: 30 Rock - Tina Fey for "Cooter"
  • 30 Rock - Jack Burditt for "Rosemary's Baby"
  • Flight of the Conchords - James Bobin, Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie for "Yoko"
  • The Office - Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky for "Dinner Party"
  • Pushing Daisies - Bryan Fuller for "Pie-lette"

• 2009: 30 Rock - Matt Hubbard for "Reunion"
  • 30 Rock - Jack Burditt and Robert Carlock for "Kidney Now!"
  • 30 Rock - Robert Carlock for "Apollo, Apollo"
  • 30 Rock - Ron Weiner for "Mamma Mia"
  • Flight of the Conchords - James Bobin, Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie for "Prime Minister"

External links

• Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing - Comedy Series at the Internet Broadway Database
• Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing - Comedy Series at the Internet off-Broadway Database
• Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing - Comedy Series at the Internet Movie Database

Footnotes