Our 20 Favorite Emmy Winners of All-Time

by Julian Spivey & Tyler Glover

Photo: CBS

Alan Alda
Alan Alda, for my money, is the greatest television actor of all-time and his character of Hawkeye Pierce in “M*A*S*H” is the greatest TV character of all-time. Not only was Alda such a terrific actor on that series, but he truly did it all by both writing and directing multiple episodes. Alda is the only person in Emmy history to have won Emmys for acting, directing and writing in the same series. He would win Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series twice in 1974 and 1982, he would win Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series in 1977 for the episode “Dear Sigmund” and Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series in 1979 for the episode “Inga.” Alda would also win an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in 2006 for his fantastic role as Republican presidential candidate Arnold Vinick in “The West Wing.” JS

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Photo: HBO

Game of Thrones
"Game of Thrones," the epic story of the battle for the Iron Throne in the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, would go on to win the Outstanding Drama Series Emmy four times. The show's four triumphs tied the record for most drama series wins held by "Hill Street Blues," "The West Wing" and "Mad Men." "Game of Thrones" would also go on to win 38 Emmys, which makes it the most awarded series in Emmy history. "Game of Thrones" is my absolute favorite drama series of all-time. It has extremely high production values, fascinating sets, beautiful costumes, visual effects and interesting characters who you root for. However, with "Game of Thrones," do not get comfortable and assume a character is safe from death. In normal television shows, the audience has always known that certain characters would always be safe, even in a show about war. "Game of Thrones" shocks us multiple times with surprising deaths, which makes the show even more exciting. We really do not know who is safe and this uneasiness is what makes the show so binge-worthy and worthy of all four Emmy wins for Outstanding Drama Series. TG

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Photo: NBC

The West Wing
“The West Wing” is not only one of the greatest written and acted television dramas of all-time, but it’s one that truly makes one wish politics in the real world could be anything like those on this fictional series. “The West Wing” won a record-tying four consecutive Emmys for Outstanding Drama Series (and did so in the same era as “The Sopranos”). The majority of the cast of “The West Wing” would go on to win Emmys for their performances with Allison Janney winning four and Bradley Whitford, John Spencer, Richard Schiff, Stockard Channing and Alan Alda all winning one each. Oddly enough the show’s lead Martin Sheen, who was terrific as President Jed Bartlet, never won an Emmy for his performance. JS

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Photo: NBC

Friends
"Friends," the NBC sitcom about young adults exploring life and love in New York City and drinking lots of coffee, did not manage to win the Outstanding Comedy Series category until its eighth season. Normally, shows hit their Emmy strides early on and win towards the beginning of their runs. This would lead us to believe that "Friends"' Emmy prospects were dead by Season 8. However, an exciting season 7 finale would reveal that Rachel was pregnant and left viewers with many questions and eager for Season 8. Season 8 would deal with who the father of Rachel's baby was, what that meant for their relationship prospects, a budding crush from Joey after many years, and had a shocking finale that left Rachel saying "yes" to a proposal from Joey after giving birth. This season would not only go on to win Outstanding Comedy Series but Jennifer Aniston would win her first Emmy for playing Rachel Green as well. It was an exciting Emmy win because after eight seasons, the Emmys were finally saying "I'll be there for you" to "Friends." TG

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Photo: CBS

Rod Serling – The Twilight Zone
Rod Serling is the greatest writer in television history and the stuff he wrote for “The Twilight Zone” not only still stands up as excellent television to this day but is still inspiring modern TV writers. Serling won Outstanding Writing Achievement in Drama for various episodes of “The Twilight Zone” in 1961 and 1962. It’s unfortunate that the series never gained more Emmy love as it’s easily one of the 10 greatest shows in television history. JS

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Photo: CBS

Lucille Ball
It would have been an absolute Emmy travesty if the Queen of Comedy Television had never won an Emmy. This was her only Emmy win for the series, "I Love Lucy." Ball played Lucy Ricardo, a housewife to her husband Ricky, who is a bandleader at a nightclub. Lucy always schemes with her friend, Ethel, to break out into show business. Her husband, of course, does not approve. These schemes were what really allowed Ball to shine. There were so many episodes of "I Love Lucy" that are remembered 50-plus years later, including Lucy getting drunk off of Vitameatavegamin, not being able to keep up in a chocolate factory, and getting into a brawl with a woman while smashing grapes to make wine. The fact that it is still remembered years later is due to great writing but also very memorable comedic performances from Ball. If Ball had not have won an Emmy for "I Love Lucy," it would have been the biggest Emmy blunder of all time. TG

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Photo: CBS

Late Show with David Letterman
Every late night talk show host owes a debt of gratitude to David Letterman who took the late night show format from his hero and mentor Johnny Carson of “The Tonight Show” and made it into something hipper that younger audiences began to flock toward. Not only do I think Letterman was the funniest late night talk show host of all-time, but also the greatest interviewer of guests. Letterman’s “Late Show” won the Emmy for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series in 1994 and then in five consecutive years from 1998-2002. JS

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Photo: NBC

Cast of 'Golden Girls'
​The 1980s NBC sitcom, "Golden Girls," about four older women navigating life, love, friendships and family in Miami is one of the greatest comedy series of all time. This is in large part due to the amazing comedic performances of Betty White (Rose), Rue McClanahan (Blanche), Bea Arthur (Dorothy) and Estelle Getty (Sophia). All four of these ladies were hysterically funny but in vastly different ways. Rose's naive nature, Blanche's sexiness, Dorothy's sarcasm, and Sophia's blunt nature all combined to make a recipe for comedic gold. Betty White won Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series in 1986, Rue McClanahan won in 1987, Bea Arthur won in 1988, and Estelle Getty triumphed in the Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series in 1988 as well. All four main cast members winning Emmys has only been done two other times in Emmy history. The other two being "All In The Family" and "Will & Grace." I am so glad that all of the Golden Girls got their well-deserved gold. TG

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Photo: CBS

M*A*S*H
“M*A*S*H” is very likely the greatest show of all-time in my opinion because it’s truly the best of both worlds in that it could make you cry tears both through laugh out loud comedy and from moments of incredible drama and sadness. You really just can’t do a show based in wartime any other way (well, I guess you could as “Hogan’s Heroes” showed), at least not properly. The series won Outstanding Comedy Series in 1974 (and almost certainly would’ve won more had it not gone up against “All in the Family” and “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” annually). The show’s star Alan Alda won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series twice. It’s supporting cast would fare well at the Emmys as well with Loretta Swit winning Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy twice and Gary Burghoff and Harry Morgan each winning Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy. JS

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Photo: ABC

America Ferrera
In 2006, ABC developed an American version of a Spanish series entitled "Yo soy Betty la fea." The story follows Betty Suarez, a young lady not concerned with appearance who gets a job at a fashion magazine. She is ultimately hired because the head of the company doesn't want his editor-in-chief son sleeping with his secretary. Once there, Betty does her best to help her boss, Daniel, not be bested by his arch enemy Wilhelmina Slater, who is played deliciously evil by Vanessa Williams. America Ferrera's optimism and comedic timing brought to this series makes us all want to be more like Betty and not care so much what people think. The most important thing is to do the right thing. America Ferrera winning the Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series Emmy was definitely the right thing for the Emmys to do. TG

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Photo: NBC

Helen Hunt
I’ve always felt that NBC’s “Mad About You” in the ‘90s was one of the most underrated television sitcoms of all-time. The relationship between Paul and Jamie Buchmann (Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt) is one of the most realistic I’ve ever seen on television, especially from a comedy, and the chemistry between the two was amazing. The only part about “Mad About You” that seemingly wasn’t underrated was Hunt’s performance, as she would win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series four consecutive years from 1996-1999 (Hunt and Candice Bergen for “Murphy Brown” won eight of the 10 awards in the category during the ‘90s). JS

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Photo: ABC

Viola Davis
Viola Davis' powerful, commanding, yet vulnerable performance of college professor Annalise Keating in ABC's "How To Get Away With Murder" is one of my favorite performances in television of all-time. Keating teaches classes about defense law. She chooses five of her students to be interns at her firm and the show follows their lives as two murders are investigated: one is a fellow student and one is Keating's husband. Seeing Keating in a courtroom scene where she easily shows she is one of the best defense lawyers of all-time and then seeing her in private trying her best to keep her life together gives Davis great material to work with and she shows with every scene why she has the triple crown of acting: Emmy, Tony and Oscar. While it is absolutely ridiculous that it took this many years for a black actress to win Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series, I am awfully glad that Davis’ very deserving performance was recognized and made history. This win is one of the few times I have stood up to give a standing ovation even from the comfort of my own home! It was very well deserved! TG

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Photo: NBC

Kyle Chandler
I’ve always been a huge fan of actors who I believe are very naturalistic in their abilities to come off as everymen – this is why two of my all-time favorites are James Stewart and Henry Fonda. One actor who truly excelled at naturalistically portraying an everyman was Kyle Chandler on NBC’s “Friday Night Lights” as high school football coach Eric Taylor, also one half of probably the greatest and most realistic couple in TV history with Connie Britton (who unfortunately didn’t win any of her nominations for the series). Chandler winning Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2011 was a shock to me as he was considered more of a dark horse making his win all the sweeter.  JS

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Photo: CBS

Julianna Margulies had already won an Emmy for playing Alicia Florrick, the wife of the Cook County State's Attorney who was involved in a very public sex and political corruption scandal. After these events, Alicia decides to return to her career as a lawyer. After five seasons of working at Lockhart Gardner, Alicia made plans with several co-workers to go out on their own and these events made season 5 easily the best season of the show. However, a sudden and unexpected death later in the season gives Margulies amazing material to work with. She has so much guilt, regret, sadness, longing and torment over her actions and Margulies hits it all out of the ballpark. I felt she deserved to win on Emmy night but felt it would go to someone else given it had been several years since she had won and thought the nomination would be her reward. Luckily, the Emmys agreed with me and made a decision that is definitely in my top 10 Emmy wins of all time. TG

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Photo: NBC

30 Rock
“30 Rock” might be the smartest comedy ever written when it comes to packing in jokes upon jokes and gags upon gags. Creator and star Tina Fey and her writing staff were terrifically witty and packed this satire of television and pop culture with so many laughs per episode you’d frequently find yourself laughing at the previous joke still when the next one would hit you. The shoe was nominated for a whopping 103 Emmy Awards during its seven season run with 16 wins, including Outstanding Comedy Series in 2007, 2008 and 2009 and wins for its leads Fey (2008) and Alec Baldwin (2008 and 2009). JS

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Photo: HBO

Peter Dinklage
Peter Dinklage's performance of Tyrion Lannister, the Hand of the King and brother to villainous sister, Cersei, is what great television characters are all about. Throughout my years of watching television, I have never met a character like this one and this is not only due to great storytelling but due to a dynamic and complex performance by Dinklage. Tyrion always has the best interest of the kingdom in mind, which makes him different than his selfish siblings. Tyrion even murders his own father and sides with enemies that are willing to kill his own family because he believes it is the right thing to do. "Game Of Thrones" has very few moments of comedy but Dinklage is at the center of all of it. While Tyrion has many one-liners, the most memorable quote from him is "That's what I do. I drink and I know things." Tyrion was actually my pick of who I wanted to be sitting on the Iron Throne at the end of the series and my love for this character is definitely due to the spectacular performance of Dinklage. I am incredibly happy he broke the record for most Supporting Actor Emmy wins with four! It was very well deserved! TG

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Photo: ABC

James Spader
I don’t know that any actor has ever spoken dialogue as deliciously as James Spader in literally anything he’s ever been in. Maybe his greatest role of all-time was that as attorney Alan Shore, first on ABC’s “The Practice,” for which he won his first Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2004, and then on its spinoff “Boston Legal,” which he would win the honor twice more for. I’ve never seen “The Practice,” but absolutely loved David E. Kelley’s “Boston Legal,” which featured Spader as a liberal, moralistic lawyer who was also incredibly kooky and his best friend was William Shatner’s (also Emmy-winning performance) of someone who was the exact opposite politically, but somehow it still worked as one of TV’s great bromances. JS

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Photo: Showtime

Claire Danes
In "Homeland," Claire Danes plays a bipolar CIA agent who suspects that a Marine who just spent eight years in captivity has been turned and is part of a plan to execute the plan of terrorists. Danes submitted the episode, "Q&A," to the Emmys for consideration for this award. "Q&A" is not only the best episode of "Homeland" but one of the best episodes of television ever. In the episode, the Marine, Brody, has been brought in for questioning and Carrie eventually gets to question him. Even though Brody isn't a great guy, Carrie has grown to care for him and Danes shows all the complex emotions in this episode: anger, betrayal, disappointment, compassion, a sense of still longing for him romantically, and shows belief in him that he can change and admit to what he did. ""Homeland" gave Danes tons of material to work with but this is the episode she most deserved an Emmy for and thankfully, the Emmys let this award land in Danes' hand to take home. TG

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Photo: HBO

Jeff Daniels
Jeff Daniels winning the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for the first season of Aaron Sorkin’s HBO drama “The Newsroom” in 2013 was one of the biggest Emmy shockers of the last decade, especially because fellow nominees like Bryan Cranston (“Breaking Bad”), Jon Hamm (“Mad Men”) and Kevin Spacey (“House of Cards”) were all considered better favorites to win. However, when you take into account that actors and actresses only submit one episode for consideration and the likelihood that Daniels episode was the pilot for “The Newsroom,” in which his character of newsman Will McAvoy gives one of TV’s all-time greatest monologues it’s easy to see how his win could happen. I absolutely loved it – in fact, I think I loved it so much I leapt off of my couch and onto my coffee table while watching the telecast. JS

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Photo: ABC

Kristin Chenoweth
"Pushing Daisies" is one of the best television shows to ever and didn’t get its proper due. A lot of times, nowadays, network executives greenlight shows that are the next "Friends," the next "Game of Thrones" or the next "Big Bang Theory." They do this as a way of hoping to capture that same audience and achieve ratings. However, once in a blue moon, a television show comes along like nothing you have ever seen before. "Pushing Daisies" ran on ABC from 2007 to 2009 and followed Ned, a pie maker, who learns he has the ability to bring people back from the dead but upon touching them again, they remain dead forever. He ends up bringing back his childhood crush from the dead and they decide to investigate crimes together. Kristin Chenoweth played Olive Snook, the optimistic and smitten waitress at his restaurant and next-door neighbor. Chenoweth is someone who radiates positivity and optimism and this role was made for her. Chenoweth's portrayal of Olive is so complex and layered. Olive is angry that Ned doesn't love her and at times, she makes decisions that could hurt him giving Chenoweth spectacular material to work with. Even though "Pushing Daisies" really followed Ned and his crush, Charlotte, every scene Chenoweth is in makes it become the Olive Snook Show and that is in large part due to Chenoweth's fascinating performance. TG