Special Tony Award

Special Tony Award
Awarded for	Special Tony Award
Location	United States New York City
Presented by	American Theatre Wing The Broadway League
Website	TonyAwards.com

The Special Tony Award category includes the Lifetime Achievement Tony Award and the Special Tony Award. These are non-competitive honorary awards, and the titles have changed over the years. The Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre is to "honor an individual for the body of his or her work."^[1] (The Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event was a competitive award, given from 2001 to 2009.) Another non-competitive Tony award is the Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre, to "recognize the achievements of individuals and organizations that do not fit into any of the competitive categories."^[1]

Award winners

1940s

Year	Recipient	Reason
1947 1st Tony Awards	Dora Chamberlain	Unfailing courtesy as treasurer of the Martin Beck Theatre
	Ira and Rita Katzenberg	Enthusiasm as inveterate first-nighters
	Jules Leventhal	Being the season's most prolific backer and producer
	Burns Mantle	The annual publication of The Ten Best Plays
	P. A. MacDonald	Intricate construction for the production of If the Shoe Fits
	Vincent Sardi Sr.	Providing a transient home and comfort station for theatre folk at Sardi's for 20 years
1948 2nd Tony Awards	Rosalind Gilder	Contribution to theatre through a publication for Theatre Arts
	Vera Allen	Distinguished wing volunteer worker through the war and after
	Paul Beisman	Progressive Theatre Operators to Operator of the American Theatre, St. Louis
	Joe E. Brown	Spreading theatre to the country in Harvey, while the originals perform in New York
	Cast of The Importance of Being Earnest	Outstanding Foreign Company
	Robert W. Dowling	Progressive theatre operators to President of City Investing Company, St. Louis
	Experimental Theatre Inc.	Experiment in theatre
	June Lockhart	Outstanding Performance by a Newcomer for For Love or Money
	Mary Martin	Spreading theatre to the country in Annie Get Your Gun, while the originals perform in New York
	George Pierce	Twenty-five years of courteous and efficient service as a backstage doorman at the Empire Theatre
	James Whitmore	Outstanding Performance by a Newcomer for Command Decision
1949 3rd Tony Awards	—

1950s

Year	Recipient	Reason
1950 4th Tony Awards	Maurice Evans	Special recognition for guiding the City Center Theatre Company through a highly successful season
	Philip Faversham	Representing those workers from the American Theatre Wing's hospital program who had performed hospital volunteer work outside of New York
	Brock Pemberton (posthumous)	Founder of awards and its original chairman
1951 5th Tony Awards	Ruth Green	Her services as a volunteer in arranging reservation and seating for the five Tony Awards
1952 6th Tony Awards	Charles Boyer	His performance in Don Juan in Hell, thereby assisting in a new theatre trend
	Judy Garland	An important contribution to the revival of vaudeville through her recent stint at the Palace Theatre
	Edward Kook	His contributing to and encouraging the development of stage lighting and electronics
1953 7th Tony Awards	Danny Kaye	Heading a variety bill at the Palace Theatre. Equity Community Theatre
	Beatrice Lillie	Her performance in An Evening with Beatrice Lillie
1954 8th Tony Awards	—
1955 9th Tony Awards	Proscenium Productions	Presented to Warren Enters, Robert Merriman and Sybil Trubin for high quality and viewpoints shown in The Way of the World and Thieves Carnival
1956 10th Tony Awards	Fourth Street Chekov Theatre
	City Center
	The New York Public Library Theatre Collection	Presented to founder George Freedley for its distinguished service to the theatre
	The Shakespearewrights
	The Threepenny Opera	Presented to producer Carmen Capalbo for her distinguished Off-Broadway production
1957 11th Tony Awards	American Shakespeare Festival
	Jean-Louis Barrault
	Robert Russell Bennett
	William Hammerstein
	Joseph Harbuck	His performance in Auntie Mame
	Paul Shyre
1958 12th Tony Awards	Louise Heims Beck	Fifteen years of untiring dedication to the American Theatre Wing, which she served as treasurer, secretary and chairman of the board of directors
	New York Shakespeare Festival	Presenting free performances in Central Park and the Hecksher Theater
1959 13th Tony Awards	Russel Crouse and Howard Lindsay	A collaboration that lasted longer than Gilbert and Sullivan
	John Gielgud	Contribution to theatre for his extraordinary insight into the writings of Shakespeare as demonstrated in his one-man play, Ages of Man
	Cast of La Plume de Ma Tante	Contribution to the theatre

1960s

Year	Recipient	Reason
1960 14th Tony Awards	Burgess Meredith and James Thurber	Their production of A Thurber Carnival
	John D. Rockefeller III	Vision and leadership in creating the Lincoln Center, a landmark of theatre encompassing the performing arts
1961 15th Tony Awards	David Merrick	In recognition of a fabulous production record over the last seven years
	The Theatre Guild	Organizing the first repertory to go abroad for the State Department; presented to Warren Caro[2]
1962 16th Tony Awards	Brooks Atkinson	His influential theatre critique in The New York Times
	Richard Rodgers	All he has done for young people in the theatre and for taking the men of the orchestra out of the pit and putting them on stage in No Strings
	Franco Zeffirelli	His designs and direction of the Old Vic's Romeo and Juliet
1963 17th Tony Awards	Alan Bennett, Peter Cook, Jonathan Miller and Dudley Moore	Their brilliance in Beyond the Fringe, which has shattered all the old concepts of comedy
	Irving Berlin	His distinguished contribution to the musical theatre for these many years
	W. McNeil Lowry	On behalf of the Ford Foundation for his and their distinguished support of the American Theatre
1964 18th Tony Awards	Eva Le Gallienne	Celebrating her 50th year as an actress, honored for her work with the National Repertory Theatre
1965 19th Tony Awards	Gilbert Miller	Producing 88 plays and musicals and for his perseverance which has helped to keep New York and theatre alive
	Oliver Smith
1966 20th Tony Awards	Helen Menken	A lifetime of devotion and dedicated service to the Broadway theatre
1967 21st Tony Awards	—
1968 22nd Tony Awards	APA-Phoenix Theatre
	Pearl Bailey
	Carol Channing
	Maurice Chevalier
	Marlene Dietrich
	Audrey Hepburn
	David Merrick
1969 23rd Tony Awards	Leonard Bernstein
	Carol Burnett
	Rex Harrison
	The National Theatre of England
	The Negro Ensemble Company

1970s

Year	Recipient	Reason
1970 24th Tony Awards	Noël Coward	Multiple and immortal contributions to the theatre
	Lynn Fontanne and Alfred Lunt
	New York Shakespeare Festival	Pioneering efforts on behalf of new plays
	Barbra Streisand	Star of the Decade
1971 25th Tony Awards	Ingram Ash	Decades of devoted service to the theatre
	Elliot Norton	Distinguished theatrical commentary
	Playbill	Chronicling Broadway through the years
	Roger L. Stevens
1972 26th Tony Awards	Fiddler on the Roof	Presented to Harold Prince for becoming the longest-running musical in Broadway history
	Ethel Merman
	Richard Rodgers
	The Theatre Guild-American Theatre Society	Its many years of service to audiences for touring shows; presented to Warren Caro[2]
1973 27th Tony Awards	John Lindsay (Mayor of New York City)
	Shubert Organization
	The Actor's Fund of America
1974 28th Tony Awards	Actors' Equity Association
	A Moon for the Misbegotten	An outstanding dramatic revival of an American classic
	Candide	An outstanding contribution to the artistic development of the musical theatre
	Peter Cook and Dudley Moore	Co-stars and authors of Good Evening
	Harold Friedlander	Theatre Award '74
	Bette Midler	Adding lustre to the Broadway season
	Liza Minnelli	Adding lustre to the Broadway season
	The Theatre Development Fund
	John F. Wharton	Theatre Award '74
1975 29th Tony Awards	Al Hirschfeld	Fifty years of theatrical cartoons
1976 30th Tony Awards	George Abbott	Lawrence Langner Award
	Richard Burton
	Circle in the Square	Twenty-five continuous years of quality productions
	Thomas H. Fitzgerald (Posthumous)	Gifted lighting in countless Broadway shows and many Tony telecasts
	Mathilde Pincus	Outstanding service to the Broadway musical theatre
1977 31st Tony Awards	Cheryl Crawford	Lawrence Langner Award
	Equity Liberty Theatre
	Barry Manilow
	National Theatre of the Deaf
	Diana Ross
	Lily Tomlin
1978 32nd Tony Awards	Irving Berlin	Lawrence Langner Award
	Stan Dragoti and Charles Moss	To the creators of the I Love New York Broadway show tours and its sponsor, the New York State Department of Commerce
1979 33rd Tony Awards	Walter F. Diehl	Being an active force in advancing the well-being of the Broadway theatre and of theatre nationally
	Eugene O'Neill Memorial Theater Center
	Henry Fonda
	Richard Rodgers	Lawrence Langner Award

1980s

Year	Recipient	Reason
1980 34th Tony Awards	Richard Fitzgerald	Installing the infrared system in Broadway theatres, thus bringing the compassion and dedication of making theatergoing for those with impaired hearing, rewarding and enjoyable
	Goodspeed Musicals
	Helen Hayes	Lawrence Langner Award
	Mary Tyler Moore	Her performance in Whose Life Is It Anyway?
	Hobe Morrison	Theatre Award '80
1981 35th Tony Awards	Lena Horne	Her performance in Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music
1982 36th Tony Awards	Radio City Music Hall	Theatre Award '82
	The Actors' Fund of America
	Warner Communications	Theatre Award '82
1983 37th Tony Awards	—
1984 38th Tony Awards	A Chorus Line	In honor of becoming Broadway's longest-running musical
	Peter Feller	A master craftsman who has devoted forty years to theatre stagecraft and magic
	Al Hirschfeld	Brooks Atkinson Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
	La Tragedie de Carmen	Outstanding achievement in musical theatre
1985 39th Tony Awards	Yul Brynner	Honoring his 4,525 performances in The King and I
	New York State Council on the Arts
1986 40th Tony Awards	—
1987 41st Tony Awards	George Abbott	On the occasion of his 100th birthday
	Jackie Mason	His performance in The World According to Me
	Robert Preston	Lawrence Langner Award (posthumously)
1988 42nd Tony Awards	Brooklyn Academy of Music
1989 43rd Tony Awards	—

1990s

Year	Recipient	Reason
1990 – 1992	—
1993 47th Tony Awards	Oklahoma!	50th anniversary
1994 48th Tony Awards	Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy	Lifetime Achievement
1995 49th Tony Awards	Carol Channing	Lifetime Achievement
	National Endowment for the Arts	Tony Honor
	Harvey Sabinson	Lifetime Achievement after 50 years in the theater
1996 50th Tony Awards	—
1997 51st Tony Awards	Bernard B. Jacobs	Lifetime Achievement
1998 52nd Tony Awards	Edward E. Colton	Lifetime Achievement
	Ben Edwards
1999 53rd Tony Awards	Uta Hagen	Lifetime Achievement
	Arthur Miller
	Isabelle Stevenson

2000s

Year	Recipient	Reason
2000 54th Tony Awards	Dame Edna: The Royal Tour	Live Theatrical Presentation
	T. Edward Hambleton	Lifetime Achievement
2001 55th Tony Awards	Paul Gemignani	Lifetime Achievement
2002 56th Tony Awards	Julie Harris	Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
	Robert Whitehead (theatre producer)
2003 57th Tony Awards	Cy Feuer	Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
	Russell Simmons' Def Poetry Jam on Broadway	Special Theatrical Event (Competitive)
2004 58th Tony Awards	James M. Nederlander	Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2005 59th Tony Awards	Edward Albee	Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2006 60th Tony Awards	Sarah Jones	Her performance in Bridge and Tunnel
	Harold Prince	Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2007 61st Tony Awards	—
2008 62nd Tony Awards	Robert Russell Bennett	In recognition of his contribution to the field of orchestrations
	Stephen Sondheim	Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2009 63rd Tony Awards	Jerry Herman	Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre

2010s

Year	Recipient	Reason
2010 64th Tony Awards	Alan Ayckbourn	Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
	Marian Seldes
2011 65th Tony Awards	Athol Fugard	Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
	Philip J. Smith
2012 66th Tony Awards	Actors' Equity Association
	Hugh Jackman
2013 67th Tony Awards	Bernard "Bernie" Gersten
	Ming Cho Lee
	Paul Libin
2014 68th Tony Awards	Jane Greenwood	Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2015 69th Tony Awards	John Cameron Mitchell
	Tommy Tune	Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2016 70th Tony Awards	Sheldon Harnick	Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
	Marshall W. Mason
	National Endowment for the Arts
	Miles Wilkin
2017 71st Tony Awards	James Earl Jones	Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2018 72nd Tony Awards	Andrew Lloyd Webber	Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
	Chita Rivera
	John Leguizamo
	Bruce Springsteen
2019 73rd Tony Awards	Rosemary Harris	Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
	Terrence McNally
	Harold Wheeler
	New York City Fire Department Engine 54, Ladder 4, Battalion 9
	Marin Mazzie (posthumous)
	Jason Michael Webb
	Sonny Tilders and Creature Technology Company

2020s

Year	Recipient	Reason
2020 74th Tony Awards	Graciela Daniele	Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
	The Broadway Advocacy Coalition
	David Byrne's American Utopia
	Freestyle Love Supreme
2021 No ceremony	—
2022 75th Tony Awards	Angela Lansbury	Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
	James C. Nicola
2023 76th Tony Awards	Joel Grey	Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
	John Kander
2024 77th Tony Awards	Alex Edelman	"Exemplary debut" for Just for Us
	Abe Jacob	Modern theatrical sound design
	Nikiya Mathis	Hair and wig design for Jaja's African Hair Braiding
	Jack O'Brien	Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
	George C. Wolfe

See also

• Regional Theatre Tony Award
• Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre

References

1. "The Award Categories" tonyawards.com, accessed April 7, 2011
2. "Warren Caro, 87, Theater Executive". The New York Times. January 2, 1995. p. 43.

• "Special Tony Awards Tony Award Winners". Broadway World. 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-17.
• "Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre". Broadway World. Retrieved April 7, 2011.
• "Special Tony Award". Tony Awards. Retrieved April 7, 2011.

External links

• Tony Awards Official site
• Tony Awards at Internet Broadway database Listing
• Tony Awards at broadwayworld.com