 | This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "American Comedy Awards" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (January 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| American Comedy Awards | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Outstanding comedy in film, television and stage |
| Country | United States |
| Presented by | ABC (1987–97) Fox (1998–2000) Comedy Central (2001) NBC (2014) |
| First awarded | 1987 |
| Last awarded | 2014 |
The American Comedy Awards were a group of awards presented annually in the United States recognizing performances and performers in the field of comedy, with an emphasis on television comedy and comedy films. They began in 1987, billed as the "first awards show to honor all forms of comedy." In 1989, after the death of Lucille Ball, the statue was named "the Lucy" to honor the comic legend.
The awards ceased after 2001. NBC revived the awards for a single year in May 2014.
History
George Schlatter created and produced the American Comedy Awards that first aired on ABC, then on Comedy Central. Only the title was similar. It was a TV special honoring comedians. ABC had broadcast a similar awards program for two years in the 1970s; it was called the "American Academy of Humor" and was "founded" by Alan King.
The last ACA ceremony in 2001 was held under the auspices of the cable network Comedy Central; in 2003 that network replaced them with its own Commie Awards in what turned out to be a one-time replacement. In 2011 Comedy Central created a new annual awards show, The Comedy Awards, which first aired on April 10, 2011.
1987 awards
Creative Achievement Award
- Norman Lear (Presented by Bea Arthur)
Lifetime Achievement Award
Presented for Woman by Walter Matthau, and for Man by Betty White
- Steve Allen
- Woody Allen
- Lucille Ball
- Mel Brooks
- Carol Burnett
- George Burns
- Sid Caesar
- Bette Midler
- Mary Tyler Moore
- Lily Tomlin
- Jonathan Winters
Special Appearance
- Lily Tomlin
- Ed Begley Jr.
- Shirley MacLaine
- Whoopi Goldberg
- Ellen Greene
- George Carlin
- Betty White
- Ed McMahon
- Steven Wright
- Mark Russell
1988 awards
| Category | Winner | Work | Nominees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Funniest Actor in a Motion Picture (Leading Role) | Robin Williams | Good Morning, Vietnam | John Candy – Planes, Trains & Automobiles Steve Martin – Roxanne Danny DeVito – Throw Momma from the Train Nicolas Cage – Raising Arizona |
| Funniest Actress in a Motion Picture (Leading Role) | Bette Midler | Outrageous Fortune | Diane Keaton – Baby Boom Holly Hunter – Broadcast News Cher – Moonstruck Goldie Hawn – Overboard |
| Funniest Female Stand-Up Comic | Lily Tomlin | ||
| Funniest Female Performer of the Year | Tracey Ullman | ||
| Funniest Male Stand-Up Comic | Robin Williams | ||
| Comedy Club Stand-Up Comic – Female | Judy Tenuta | ||
| Funniest Male Performer of the Year | Robin Williams | ||
| Comedy Club Stand-Up Comic – Male | Jerry Seinfeld | ||
| Funniest Supporting Male Performer – Motion Picture or TV | Albert Brooks | Broadcast News | Billy Crystal – The Princess Bride Vincent Gardenia – Moonstruck |
| Funniest Female Performer in a TV Special – Network, Cable or Syndication | Roseanne Barr | On Location: The Roseanne Barr Show | |
| Funniest Male Performer in a TV Special – Network, Cable or Syndication | Robin Williams | Comic Relief '87 | |
| Funniest Supporting Female Performer – Motion Picture or TV | Olympia Dukakis | Moonstruck | Carol Kane – The Princess Bride |
| Funniest Male Performer in a TV Series (Leading Role) – Network, Cable or Syndication | Garry Shandling | It's Garry Shandling's Show | |
| Funniest Female Performer in a TV Series (Leading Role) – Network, Cable or Syndication | Tracey Ullman | The Tracey Ullman Show |
Creative Achievement Award
Lifetime Achievement Award
1989 awards
| Category | Winner | Work | Nominees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Funniest Actor in a Motion Picture (Leading Role) | Tom Hanks | Big | Kevin Kline – A Fish Called Wanda Robert De Niro – Midnight Run John Cleese – A Fish Called Wanda Leslie Nielsen – The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! |
| Funniest Actress in a Motion Picture (Leading Role) | Bette Midler | Big Business | Lily Tomlin – Big Business Susan Sarandon – Bull Durham Jamie Lee Curtis – A Fish Called Wanda Melanie Griffith – Working Girl |
| Funniest Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture | Arsenio Hall | Coming to America | |
| Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture | Joan Cusack | Working Girl | |
| Funniest Female Stand-Up Comic | Roseanne Barr | ||
| Funniest Male Stand-Up Comic | Robin Williams | ||
| Comedy Club Stand-Up Comic – Female | Paula Poundstone | ||
| Comedy Club Stand-Up Comic – Male | Bobby Slayton | ||
| Funniest Female Performer in a TV Special – Network, Cable or Syndication | Tracey Ullman | Tracey Ullman: Backstage | |
| Funniest Supporting Male Performer in a TV Series | Dana Carvey | Saturday Night Live | |
| Funniest Male Performer in a TV Special – Network, Cable or Syndication | David Letterman | Late Show with David Letterman: 6th Anniversary Special | |
| Funniest Supporting Female Performer in a TV Series | Rhea Perlman | Cheers | |
| Funniest Male Performer in a TV Series (Leading Role) – Network, Cable or Syndication | John Goodman | Roseanne | Ted Danson – Cheers |
| Funniest Female Performer in a TV Series (Leading Role) – Network, Cable or Syndication | Roseanne Barr | Roseanne | Candice Bergen – Murphy Brown Kirstie Alley – Cheers |
Creative Achievement Award
Lifetime Achievement Award
1990 awards
Creative Achievement Award
Lifetime Achievement Award
1991 awards
| Category | Winner | Work | Nominees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Funniest Actor in a Motion Picture (Leading Role) | Macaulay Culkin | Home Alone | Gerard Depardieu – Green Card Johnny Depp – Edward Scissorhands Marlon Brando – The Freshman Robin Williams – Cadillac Man |
| Funniest Actress in a Motion Picture (Leading Role) | Meryl Streep | Postcards From The Edge | Mia Farrow – Alice Andie MacDowell – Green Card Julia Roberts – Pretty Woman Tracey Ullman – I Love You To Death |
| Funniest Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture | Al Pacino | Dick Tracy | Alan Arkin – Edward Scissorhands Hector Elizondo – Pretty Woman Dustin Hoffman – Dick Tracy Joe Pesci – Home Alone |
| Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture | Whoopi Goldberg | Ghost | Julie Kavner – Alice Shirley MacLaine – Postcards From The Edge Laura San Giacomo – Pretty Woman Dianne Wiest – Edward Scissorhands |
| Funniest Female Stand-Up Comic | Ellen DeGeneres | ||
| Funniest Male Stand-Up Comic | Dennis Wolfberg | ||
| Funniest Female Performer in a TV Special – Network, Cable or Syndication | Lily Tomlin | An Evening With... Friends of the Environment | Meryl Streep – An Evening with... |
| Funniest Supporting Male Performer in a TV Series | Dana Carvey | Saturday Night Live | |
| Funniest Male Performer in a TV Special – Network, Cable or Syndication | Jonathan Winters | Jonathan Winters and His Traveling Road Show | |
| Funniest Supporting Female Performer in a TV Series | Estelle Getty | The Golden Girls | |
| Funniest Male Performer in a TV Series (Leading Role) – Network, Cable or Syndication | Ted Danson | Cheers | John Goodman – Roseanne |
| Funniest Female Performer in a TV Series (Leading Role) – Network, Cable or Syndication | Tracey Ullman | The Tracey Ullman Show | Candice Bergen – Murphy Brown Kirstie Alley – Cheers Roseanne Barr – Roseanne |
Creative Achievement Award
Lifetime Achievement Award
1992 awards
| Category | Winner | Work | Nominees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Funniest Actor in a Motion Picture (Leading Role) | Billy Crystal | City Slickers | Albert Brooks – Defending Your Life Kevin Kline – Soapdish Steve Martin – L.A. Story Robin Williams – The Fisher King |
| Funniest Actress in a Motion Picture (Leading Role) | Lily Tomlin | The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe | Geena Davis – Thelma & Louise Sally Field – Soapdish Whoopi Goldberg – Soapdish Susan Sarandon – Thelma & Louise |
| Funniest Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture | Jack Palance | City Slickers | Daniel Stern – City Slickers Bruno Kirby – City Slickers |
| Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture | Mercedes Ruehl | The Fisher King | Cathy Moriarty – Soapdish Jessica Tandy – Friend Green Tomatoes |
| Funniest Female Stand-Up Comic | Cathy Ladman | ||
| Funniest Male Stand-Up Comic | Bill Engvall | ||
| Funniest Female Performer in a TV Special – Network, Cable or Syndication | Tracey Ullman | Funny Women of Television | |
| Funniest Supporting Male Performer in a TV Series | Jason Alexander | Seinfeld | |
| Funniest Male Performer in a TV Special – Network, Cable or Syndication | Billy Crystal | The 63rd Annual Academy Awards | |
| Funniest Supporting Female Performer in a TV Series | Estelle Getty | The Golden Girls | |
| Funniest Male Performer in a TV Series (Leading Role) – Network, Cable or Syndication | Jerry Seinfeld | Seinfeld | John Goodman – Roseanne |
| Funniest Female Performer in a TV Series (Leading Role) – Network, Cable or Syndication | Candice Bergen | Murphy Brown | Roseanne Barr – Roseanne |
Creative Achievement Award
Lifetime Achievement Award
1993 awards
Creative Achievement Award
Lifetime Achievement Award
1994 awards
Creative Achievement Award
Lifetime Achievement Award
1995 awards
Creative Achievement Award
Lifetime Achievement Award
1996 awards
Creative Achievement Award
Lifetime Achievement Award
1997 awards
Creative Achievement Award
- Rob Reiner (Presented by Kathy Bates)
Lifetime Achievement Award
- Walter Matthau
- Debbie Reynolds (Presented by Carrie Fisher)
Special Appearances
1998 awards
| Category | Winner | Work | Nominees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Funniest Actor in a Motion Picture (Leading Role) | Jack Nicholson | As Good as It Gets | |
| Funniest Actress in a Motion Picture (Leading Role) | Helen Hunt | As Good as It Gets | |
| Funniest Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture | Rupert Everett | My Best Friend's Wedding | |
| Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture | Joan Cusack | In & Out | |
| Funniest Female Stand-Up Comic | Mary Ellen Hooper | ||
| Funniest Male Stand-Up Comic | Jeff Dunham | ||
| Funniest Female Performer in a TV Special – Network, Cable or Syndication | Bette Midler | Bette Midler in Concert: Diva Las Vegas | |
| Funniest Supporting Male Performer in a TV Series | David Hyde Pierce | Frasier | |
| Funniest Male Performer in a TV Special – Network, Cable or Syndication | George Carlin | George Carlin: 40 Years of Comedy | |
| Funniest Supporting Female Performer in a TV Series | Julia Louis-Dreyfus | Seinfeld | |
| Funniest Male Performer in a TV Series (Leading Role) – Network, Cable or Syndication | Garry Shandling | The Larry Sanders Show | |
| Funniest Female Guest Appearance in a TV Series | Carol Burnett | Mad About You | |
| Funniest Female Performer in a TV Series (Leading Role) – Network, Cable or Syndication | Tracey Ullman | Tracey Takes On... | Helen Hunt – Mad About You Kirstie Alley – Veronica's Closet Ellen DeGeneres – Ellen Rosie O'Donnell – The Rosie O'Donnell Show |
| Funniest Male Guest Appearance in a TV Series | Jerry Stiller | Seinfeld |
Creative Achievement Award
Lifetime Achievement Award
1999 awards
Creative Achievement Award
2000 Awards
Lifetime Achievement Award
2001 awards
Lifetime Achievement Award
2014 awards
| Category | Winner | Work | Nominees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Funniest Motion Picture | This Is the End | — | Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues The Heat Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa Nebraska |
| Comedy Actor – Film | Will Ferrell | Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues | Bruce Dern – Nebraska Johnny Knoxville – Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa Simon Pegg – The World's End Seth Rogen – This Is the End |
| Comedy Actress – Film | Melissa McCarthy | The Heat | Lake Bell – In a World... Sandra Bullock – The Heat Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Enough Said Kristen Wiig – The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty |
| Comedy Supporting Actor – Film | Louis C.K. | American Hustle | Steve Carell – Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues Will Forte – Nebraska Jonah Hill – This Is the End Danny McBride – This Is the End |
| Comedy Supporting Actress – Film | Jennifer Lawrence | American Hustle | Scarlett Johansson – Her June Squibb – Nebraska Emma Watson – This Is the End Kristen Wiig – Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues |
| Comedy Director – Film | Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen | This Is the End | Paul Feig – The Heat Spike Jonze – Her Alexander Payne – Nebraska Edgar Wright – The World's End |
| Comedy Screenplay | Katie Dippold | The Heat | Spike Jonze – Her Bob Nelson – Nebraska Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen – This Is the End Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg – The World's End |
| Comedy Series | Parks and Recreation (NBC) | — | Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox) Modern Family (ABC) Saturday Night Live (NBC) Veep (HBO) |
| Alternative Comedy Series | Key & Peele (Comedy Central) | — | Archer (FX) Drunk History (Comedy Central) Kroll Show (Comedy Central) Portlandia (IFC) |
| Late Night Talk Show | The Colbert Report The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central) |
— | Conan (TBS) Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC) Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (NBC) |
| Comedy Actor – TV | Andy Samberg | Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox) | Fred Armisen – Portlandia (IFC) Jason Bateman – Arrested Development (Netflix) Keegan-Michael Key – Key & Peele (Comedy Central) Jordan Peele – Key & Peele (Comedy Central) |
| Comedy Actress – TV | Amy Poehler | Parks and Recreation (NBC) | Zooey Deschanel – New Girl (Fox) Lena Dunham – Girls (HBO) Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Veep (HBO) Amy Schumer – Inside Amy Schumer (Comedy Central) |
| Comedy Supporting Actor – TV | Bill Hader | Saturday Night Live (NBC) | Aziz Ansari – Parks and Recreation (NBC) Will Arnett – Arrested Development (Netflix) Ty Burrell – Modern Family (ABC) Tony Hale – Veep (HBO) |
| Comedy Supporting Actress – TV | Kate McKinnon | Saturday Night Live (NBC) | Vanessa Bayer – Saturday Night Live (NBC) Julie Bowen – Modern Family (ABC) Allison Janney – Mom (CBS) Aubrey Plaza – Parks and Recreation (NBC) |
| Comedy Writing – TV | Modern Family (ABC) | — | Arrested Development (Netflix) The Colbert Report (Comedy Central) Key & Peele (Comedy Central) Parks and Recreation (NBC) |
| Comedy Directing – TV | Peter Atencio | Key & Peele (Comedy Central) | Arrested Development (Netflix) Eastbound & Down (HBO) Modern Family (ABC) Parks and Recreation (NBC) |
| Comedy Special of the Year | Louis C.K. | Oh My God | Aziz Ansari: Buried Alive Kristen Schaal – Live at the Fillmore Mike Birbiglia – My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend Patton Oswalt – Tragedy Plus Comedy Equals Time Sarah Silverman – We Are Miracles |
| Best Club Comic | Maria Bamford | — | Bill Burr Jerrod Carmichael Ron Funches Kyle Kinane Sebastian Maniscalco Sean Patton Brian Regan Rory Scovel Doug Stanhope |
Ratings
| Year | Time slot | Air date | Network | Household rating | Viewers (millions) |
Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | Share | ||||||
| 1987 | Tuesday 9:00 p.m. | May 19 | ABC | 16.7 | 27 | — | |
| 1988 | May 19 | 16.8 | 28 | — | |||
| 1989 | May 23 | 11.2 | 17 | 15.50 | |||
| 1990 | Monday 9:00 p.m. | March 19 | 14.1 | 23 | 20.90 | ||
| 1991 | Wednesday 9:00 p.m. | April 3 | 14.0 | 24 | 20.60 | ||
| 1992 | May 20 | 11.6 | 20 | 15.80 | |||
| 1993 | March 3 | 15.8 | 26 | 22.50 | |||
| 1994 | Monday 9:00 p.m. | May 23 | 11.9 | 18 | 16.50 | ||
| 1995 | March 6 | 13.0 | 21 | 19.60 | |||
| 1996 | Wednesday 8:00 p.m. | March 6 | 11.8 | 18 | 16.40 | ||
| 1997 | Monday 9:00 p.m. | February 17 | 8.8 | 14 | 12.16 | ||
| 1998 | Tuesday 8:00 p.m. | March 17 | Fox | 4.8 | 8 | 6.46 | |
| 1999 | Monday 8:00 p.m. | March 15 | 5.8 | 9 | 8.27 | ||
| 2000 | Thursday 8:00 p.m. | March 23 | 3.9 | 6 | 5.42 | ||
| 2001 | Wednesday 8:00 p.m. | April 25 | Comedy Central | — | — | — | |
| 2014 | Thursday 9:00 p.m. | May 8 | NBC | — | — | 3.15 | |
See also
- Canadian Comedy Awards
- The Comedy Awards
- Mark Twain Prize for American Humor
- BBC Radio New Comedy Awards
- Robert Benchley Society Award for Humor
References
- ^ "Bette Midler Wins 4 Comedy Awards". The New York Times. 1987-05-21. Archived from the original on 2012-11-08. Retrieved 2008-09-10.
- "NBC Revives American Comedy Awards (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. 2013-10-23. Archived from the original on 2016-01-18. Retrieved 2013-10-24.
- Some Interesting & Creative Things We've Done Archived 2008-11-21 at the Wayback Machine from the website of the public relations firm of Barbara Meltzer & Associates
- "American Comedy Awards, USA". The Internet Movie Database. 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-07-23. Retrieved 2008-09-10.
- "Viewers' verdict: Perry is a hit". USA Today. 1987-05-28. p. 3D. ProQuest 305873124.
- "Nielsen ratings". USA Today. 1988-05-25. p. 3D. ProQuest 306046196.
- "Steven leads NBC sweep". USA Today. 1989-06-01. p. 3D. ProQuest 306225180.
- "Fox builds Sunday strength". USA Today. 1990-03-28. p. 3D. ProQuest 306312728.
- Sloan, Eugene (1991-04-10). "Cheers, NBC rack up wins". USA Today. p. 3D.
- Gable, Donna (1992-05-28). "NBC wins week and sweeps". USA Today. p. 3D.
- Gable, Donna (1993-03-10). "CBS holds steady at No. 1". USA Today. p. 3D.
- DeRosa, Robin (1994-06-04). "ABC's clean sweeps". USA Today. p. 3D.
- "Nielsen ratings". USA Today. 1995-03-15. p. 3D.
- "Nielsen ratings". USA Today. 1996-03-13. p. 3D.
- "Primetime TV rate race". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 345, no. 20. 1997-02-26. pp. 36–37. ProQuest 2469235673.
- "National Nielsen viewership". Los Angeles Times. 1997-02-26. p. F13 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Primetime TV rate race". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 351, no. 43. 1998-03-25. pp. 24–25. ProQuest 2362059879.
- "National Nielsen viewership". Los Angeles Times. 1998-03-25. p. F11 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Primetime TV rate race". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 357, no. 3. 1999-03-24. pp. 32–33. ProQuest 2469268721.
- "National Nielsen viewership". Los Angeles Times. 1999-03-24. p. F10 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Nielsen ratings: March 23–29". Variety. Vol. 378, no. 7. 2000-04-03. p. 68. ProQuest 1286202355.
- "National Nielsen viewership". Los Angeles Times. 2000-03-29. p. F13 – via Newspapers.com.
- Written at Los Angeles, California. "American Comedy Award leaders". The Pantagraph. Bloomington, Illinois. 2001-03-03. p. B9 – via Newspapers.com.
- Kondolojy, Amanda (2014-05-09). "Thursday Final Ratings: Grey's Anatomy, The Big Bang Theory & Black Box Adjusted Up; The Millers Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on 2014-05-11.