Best Supporting Actor in A Series

The Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries, or Television Film is presented annually during the Golden Globe Awards ceremony conducted by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). The association is formed of journalists and photographers covering the American entertainment industry for publications mainly in non-US media markets. The award is given to honor an actor who has performed remarkably in a supporting role on a television series, miniseries or television film thus contributing to the development of the story into an appealing one.

The HFPA started honoring outstanding television works from the 13th Golden Globe Awards held in February 1956 and first presented this category as the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Television Series on February 5, 1971, during the 28th Golden Globe Awards. American actor James Brolin became first recipient of the award that year for one of his best known roles of Dr. Steven Kiley in the ABC aired medical drama television series Marcus Welby, M.D.

During the 33rd Golden Globe Awards (1976), American actor Eddie Asner won the award for his best remembered role of Lou Grant in the sitcom television series The Mary Tyler Moore Show, tying with American actor, comedian, writer, and director Tim Conway for the latter’s performance in the variety/sketch comedy TV show The Carol Burnett Show. The other four instances when the award witnessed a tie were in 1980 when Danny DeVito and Vic Tayback won the award; in 1981 when Pat Harrington Jr. and Tayback won it; in 1989 when Barry Bostwick and John Gielgud bagged it; and in 1999 when Don Cheadle and Gregory Peck received it. No award was given in this category during the January 28, 1978, held 35th Golden Globe Awards. The award was rechristened as Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries, or Television Film and first presented under this new title during the 38th Golden Globe Awards (1981).

Asner holds the record of winning most awards in this category with three, of which the first also came for his role of Lou Grant in 1972 while the third came in 1977 for his portrayal of Axel Jordache in the television miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man. He is followed by Brolin, Tayback, Donald Sutherland and Edward James Olmos with two awards each. Jeremy Piven and Sean Hayes are the two actors who earned most nominations in this category with six each. While the former won one of them in 2008, for his portrayal as Ari Gold in the comedy drama television series Entourage; the latter is yet to win an award in this category.

The Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries, or Television Film category was later split into two categories namely Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series – Comedy/Musical or Drama, and Best Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Television Film and first presented during the January 10, 2023, held 80th Golden Globe Awards. Tyler James Williams won the award in the Comedy/Musical or Drama category for playing Gregory Eddie in the mockumentary sitcom television series Abbott Elementary; and Paul Walter Hauser won the award in the Limited or Anthology Series or Television Film category for his role of Larry Hall in the crime drama miniseries Black Bird that year.

List of Winners

Best Supporting Actor - Television Series

Best Supporting Actor - Series, Miniseries or Television Film