Best Actor in A Television Comedy

The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy is presented annually during the Golden Globe Awards ceremony. The ceremony is conducted by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), an organization that comprise of journalists and photographers covering the US entertainment industry for publications mainly in non-US media markets. This accolade is conferred upon an actor to recognize and honor the remarkable performance he delivered in lead role of a musical or comedy television series that made his character as also the series more entertaining and appealing to the viewers.

The HFPA started honoring outstanding television works from the 13th Golden Globe Awards held in February 1956 and first presented this category under the title Best TV Star – Male during the March 5, 1962, held 19th Golden Globe Awards. American journalist, host, radio and TV personality John Charles Daly and American comedian and actor Bob Newhart won the award that year. Name of winners were only announced in that year and the next while starting from the 21st Golden Globe Awards (1964) names of nominees are announced for this category.

The Best TV Star – Male category considered performance of actors in both drama and comedy genres till 1969, however, from the 27th Golden Globe Awards (1970) the category was split into Drama and Musical or Comedy genres by the association to pay particular attention to and recognize acting caliber of performers in both genres. The two separate categories were first presented that year under the titles Best TV Actor – Drama and Best TV Actor – Musical or Comedy. American actor and dancer Dan Dailey became first recipient of the Best TV Actor – Musical or Comedy award for his starring role of William Drinkwater in the television series The Governor & J.J. The award was rechristened as Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy in 1980. American actor, comedian, author, producer, and director Henry Winkler won the award tying with American director, producer, screenwriter, and actor Ron Howard in 1978 for their starring roles in the ABC aired American television sitcom Happy Days. This was Winkler’s second consecutive award in the category that he received for the same role of Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli that raised him to fame. Three actors namely Michael J. Fox, Judd Hirsch and Richard Mulligan won the award in 1989 for the NBC television sitcom series Family Ties, Dear John and Empty Nest respectively, marking the only three-way tie that occurred in this category thus far.

American actor, author, screenwriter, podcast host and director Alan Alda holds the record of earning most nominations in this category with 11 and most wins with 6. All his six wins, of which the first two were won consecutively in 1975 and 1976 and the next four in a row from 1980 to 1983, came for his best known role of Captain Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce in the popular CBS aired American war comedy drama television series M*A*S*H. He is followed by Michael J. Fox with 4 wins of which three were won successively in 1998, 1999 and 2000. Alec Baldwin won 3 awards in the category which includes 2 consecutive ones won in 2009 and 2010. Other notable performers who won the award twice include Kelsey Grammer, Bill Cosby, Ted Danson and Jason Sudeikis of whom the latter three won their respective awards consecutively.

List of Winners