The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Series is a category in the Primetime Emmy Awards. It is awarded annually to the best variety show or similarly formatted program of the year. The award is sometimes known by other names, such as “Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Program” and “Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series.”
History
From 1979 to 1989 and in 1991, variety series and specials competed together. Single programs dominated as winners during this time until the Outstanding Variety Special category was formed. Since 1994, all of the winners in this category have been late-night talk shows, except in 1997.
^In 1956, two separate series categories existed, Best Variety Series and Best Music Series, and an award was given in each category. The Ed Sullivan Show won Best Variety Series, while Your Hit Parade won Best Music Series.
^In 1957, two separate series categories existed, Best Series – Half Hour or Less and Best Series – One Hour or More, and an award was given in each category. The Phil Silvers Show, a comedy, won Best Series – Half Hour or Less, while Caesar's Hour, another comedy, won Best Series – One Hour or More. For this year (and also in 1965), variety shows competed directly against comedies, dramas, and other shows.
1960s
Year
Program
Producers
Network
Outstanding Program Achievement in the Field of Variety
Jim Henson (executive producer), David Lazer (executive producer), Jack Burns (producer), Frank Oz (star), Richard Hunt (star), Dave Goelz (star), Eren Ozker (star), John Lovelady (star), Jerry Nelson (star)
David Lazer (executive producer), Jim Henson (producer/star: The Muppets), Frank Oz (star: The Muppets), Jerry Nelson (star: The Muppets), Richard Hunt (star: The Muppets), Dave Goelz (star: The Muppets)
Philip Jones (executive producer), Keith Beckett (producer), David Bell (producer), Ronald Fouracre (producer), Peter Frazer-Jones (producer), Dennis Kirkland (producer), John Robins (producer), Mark Stuart (producer), Benny Hill (star)
David Lazer (executive producer), Jim Henson (producer/performer), Dave Goelz (performer), Louise Gold (performer), Richard Hunt (performer), Kathryn Mullen (performer), Jerry Nelson (performer), Frank Oz (performer), Steve Whitmire (performer)
Goldie and Liza Together
George Schlatter (executive producer), Don Mischer (producer), Fred Ebb (producer), Goldie Hawn (star), Liza Minnelli (star)
David Lazer (executive producer), Jim Henson (producer/performer), Frank Oz (performer), Jerry Nelson (performer), Richard Hunt (performer), Dave Goelz (performer), Louise Gold (performer), Steve Whitmire (performer), Kathryn Mullen (performer), Brian Muehl (performer), Karen Prell (performer)
Andrew Alexander (executive producer), Doug Holtby (executive producer), Len Stuart (executive producer), Jack E. Rhodes (executive producer), Patrick Whitley (supervising producer), Barry Sand (producer), Don Novello (producer), Nic Wry (co-producer)
Andrew Alexander (senior executive producer/executive producer), Len Stuart (executive producer), Jack E. Rhodes (executive producer), Doug Holtby (executive producer), Patrick Whitley (supervising producer/producer), Nancy Geller (producer), Don Novello (producer)
Robert Manby (executive producer), Diane M. Gioia (supervising producer), Sherman Sneed (producer), Bill Siegler (coordinating producer), Lena Horne (star)
James L. Brooks (executive producer), Jerry Belson (executive producer), Ken Estin (executive producer), Heide Perlman (executive producer), Richard Sakai (producer), Paul Flaherty (co-producer), Dick Blasucci (co-producer), Tracey Ullman (host)
James L. Brooks (executive producer), Heide Perlman (executive producer), Jerry Belson (executive producer), Ken Estin (executive producer), Richard Sakai (producer), Ted Bessell (producer), Marc Flanagan (co-producer), Tracey Ullman (host), Dick Blasucci (co-producer)
James L. Brooks (executive producer), Jerry Belson (executive producer), Heide Perlman (executive producer), Ken Estin (executive producer), Sam Simon (executive producer), Richard Sakai (producer), Ted Bessell (producer), Marc Flanagan (co-producer), Tracey Ullman (host)
Jerry Belson (executive producer), James L. Brooks (executive producer), Heide Perlman (executive producer), Sam Simon (executive producer), Marc Flanagan (supervising producer), Marilyn Suzanne Miller (senior producer), Richard Sakai (producer), Ted Bessell (producer), Dinah Kirgo (producer), Jay Kogen (co-producer), Wallace Wolodarsky (co-producer), Tracey Ullman (star)
Frederick De Cordova (executive producer), Peter Lassally (executive producer), Jeff Sotzing (producer), Jim McCawley (co-producer), Johnny Carson (host)
Frederick De Cordova (executive producer), Peter Lassally (executive producer), Jeff Sotzing (producer), Jim McCawley (co-producer), Johnny Carson (host)
Peter Lassally (executive producer), Robert Morton (executive producer), Hal Gurnee (supervising producer), Jude Brennan (producer), David Letterman (host)
Robert Morton (executive producer), Peter Lassally (executive producer), Hal Gurnee (supervising producer), Jude Brennan (producer), Rob Burnett (producer), David Letterman (host)
Robert Small (executive producer), Carol Donovan (executive producer), Joel Stillerman (executive producer), Alex Coletti (producer), Audrey Johns (line producer), Drana Prekelezaj (line producer)
Scott Carter (executive producer), Bill Maher (executive producer), Nancy Geller (co-executive producer), Sue Fellows (producer), Douglas M. Wilson (producer)
Rob Burnett (executive producer), Jude Brennan (supervising producer), Jon Beckerman (supervising producer), Barbara Gaines, Joe Toplyn, Peter Lassally (executive producer), David Letterman (host)
Brian Henson (executive producer), Dick Blasucci (executive producer), Alex Rockwell (co-executive producer), Paul Flaherty (supervising producer), Kirk R. Thatcher (supervising producer), Martin G. Baker, Patric M. Verrone (co-producer)
Scott Carter (executive producer), Bill Maher (executive producer), Nancy Geller (executive producer), Douglas M. Wilson (supervising producer), Kevin Hamburger, Sue Fellows (consulting producer)
Allan McKeown (executive producer), Tracey Ullman (executive producer), Jerry Belson (consulting producer), Dick Clement (supervising producer), Ian La Frenais (supervising producer), Carey Dietrich (producer), Thomas Schlamme (producer), Robert Klane (producer), Jenji Kohan (producer), Molly Newman (producer), Gail Parent (producer), Stephanie Laing (associate producer), Allen J. Zipper (coordinating producer)
Dennis Miller (executive producer), Kevin C. Slattery (executive producer), Eddie Feldmann, Michele DeVoe (associate producer), Colleen Grillo (consulting producer)
Scott Carter (executive producer), Bill Maher (executive producer), Nancy Geller (executive producer), Bernie Brillstein (executive producer), Brad Grey (executive producer), Marc Gurvitz (executive producer), Douglas M. Wilson (senior producer), Kevin Hamburger (supervising producer)
Dennis Miller (executive producer), Kevin C. Slattery (executive producer), Eddie Feldmann (supervising producer), Colleen Grillo (co-ordinating producer)
Scott Carter (executive producer), Nancy Geller (executive producer), Bill Maher (executive producer), Bernie Brillstein (executive producer), Brad Grey (executive producer), Marc Gurvitz (executive producer), Douglas M. Wilson (senior producer), Kevin Hamburger (supervising producer)
Dennis Miller (executive producer), Kevin C. Slattery (executive producer), Eddie Feldmann (co-executive producer), David Feldman, Leah Krinsky, Colleen Grillo (coordinating producer)
Scott Carter (executive producer), Bill Maher (executive producer), Nancy Geller (executive producer), Brad Grey (executive producer), Bernie Brillstein (executive producer), Marc Gurvitz (executive producer), Douglas M. Wilson (co-executive producer), Kevin Hamburger (supervising producer), Joy Dolce (coordinating producer)
Chris Rock (executive producer), Michael Rotenberg (executive producer), Nancy Geller (executive producer), Sue Fellows (co-executive producer), Jeff Stilson (supervising producer), Liz Stanton
Dennis Miller (executive producer), Kevin C. Slattery (executive producer), Eddie Feldmann (co-executive producer), David Feldman, Leah Krinsky, Michele DeVoe, Colleen Grillo
Douglas M. Wilson (executive producer), Bill Maher (executive producer), Nancy Geller (executive producer), Brad Grey (executive producer), Bernie Brillstein (executive producer), Marc Gurvitz (executive producer), Scott Carter (executive producer), Kevin Hamburger (co-executive producer), Sheila Griffiths (executive producer), Jerry Nachman (executive producer), Michael Wilson (supervising producer), Marilyn Wilson (executive producer)
Maria Pope (executive producer), Barbara Gaines (executive producer), Rob Burnett (executive producer), Eric Stangel (producer), Justin Stangel (producer)
Chris Rock (executive producer), Michael Rotenberg (executive producer), Nancy Geller (executive producer), Sue Fellows (co-executive producer), Ali LeRoi (supervising producer), Jeff Stilson (supervising producer), Liz Stanton (producer)
Bernie Brillstein, Nancy Geller, Brad Grey, Marc Gurvitz, Kevin Hamburger, Bill Maher and Marilyn Wilson, executive producers; Sheila Griffiths, supervising producer; Carole Chouinard, Dean E. Johnsen and Billy Martin, producers
Scott Carter, Brad Grey, Sheila Griffiths, Marc Gurvitz and Bill Maher, executive producers; Dean E. Johnsen, supervising producer; Billy Martin, producer
Barbara Gaines (executive producer), Maria Pope (executive producer), Jude Brennan (executive producer), Rob Burnett (executive producer), Jerry Foley (supervising producer), Matt Roberts (supervising producer), Eric Stangel (producer), Justin Stangel (producer), Sheila Rogers (producer)
Bill Maher (executive producer), Scott Carter (executive producer), Sheila Griffiths (executive producer), Brad Grey (executive producer), Marc Gurvitz (executive producer), Billy Martin (executive producer), Dean E. Johnsen (co-executive producer)
Lorne Michaels (executive producer), Steve Higgins (produced by), Ken Aymong (supervising producer), Michael Shoemaker (producer), Marci Klein (producer)
Bill Maher, executive producer/host; Scott Carter, Sheila Griffiths, Brad Grey, Marc Gurvitz and Billy Martin, executive producers; Dean E. Johnsen, co-executive producer
Bill Maher, executive producer/host; Scott Carter, Sheila Griffiths, Brad Grey, Marc Gurvitz and Billy Martin, executive producers; Dean E. Johnsen, co-executive producer
Conan O'Brien, host; Jeff Ross, executive producer; Frank Smiley, Daniel Ferguson and Rachel Witlieb Bernstein, supervising producers; Tracy King, producer
Stephen Colbert, executive producer/host; Jon Stewart and Tom Purcell, executive producers; Meredith Bennett and Rich Dahm, co-executive producers; Tanya Michnevich Bracco; Emily Lazar, Barry Julien and Paul Dinello, supervising producers
Jeff Ross, executive producer; Tracy King and Mike Sweeney, producers; Frank Smiley, Daniel Ferguson and Rachel Witlieb Bernstein, supervising producers; Conan O'Brien, host
Bill Maher, executive producer/host; Scott Carter, Sheila Griffiths, Brad Grey, Marc Gurvitz and Billy Martin, executive producers; Dean E. Johnsen, produced by
Stephen Colbert, executive producer/host; Jon Stewart and Tom Purcell, executive producers; Meredith Bennett and Rich Dahm, co-executive producers; Paul Dinello, Barry Julien, Matt Lappin, Emily Lazar and Tanya Michnevich Bracco, supervising producers
Jimmy Kimmel, executive producer/host; Jill Leiderman, executive producer; Doug DeLuca, Erin Irwin and Jason Schrift, co-executive producers; Ken Crosby and Jennifer Sharron, producers; David Craig, produced by
Lorne Michaels, executive producer; Hillary Hunn, Jamie Granet Bederman and Katie Hockmeyer, supervising producers; Gavin Purcell, producer; Michael Shoemaker, produced by; Jimmy Fallon, host
Bill Maher, executive producer/host; Scott Carter, Sheila Griffiths, Brad Grey, Marc Gurvitz and Billy Martin, executive producers; Dean E. Johnsen, co-executive producer
Bill Maher (executive producer), Scott Carter (executive producer), Sheila Griffiths (executive producer), Brad Grey (executive producer), Marc Gurvitz (executive producer), Billy Martin (executive producer), Dean E. Johnsen (co-executive producer), Matt Wood (producer)
Jimmy Kimmel, executive producer/host; Jill Leiderman, executive producer; Doug DeLuca, Jason Schrift and Erin Irwin, co-executive producers; David Craig, Producer; Molly McNearney, Tony Romero, Gary Greenberg, Jennifer Sharron, Josh Weintraub, Ken Crosby and Seth Weidner, producers
Bill Maher, executive producer/host; Scott Carter, Sheila Griffiths, Brad Grey, Marc Gurvitz and Billy Martin, executive producers; Matt Wood, producer; Dean E. Johnsen, produced by
Lorne Michaels, executive producer; Jamie Granet Bederman, Rob Crabbe, Katie Hockmeyer, Jim Juvonen and Brian McDonald, supervising producers; Gavin Purcell, producer; Josh Lieb, produced by; Jimmy Fallon, host