43rd Primetime Emmy Awards

43rd Primetime Emmy Awards
Date	August 25, 1991
Location	Pasadena Civic Auditorium, Pasadena, California
Presented by	Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
Hosted by	Dennis Miller
Highlights
Most awards	Cheers (4)
Most nominations	Cheers (10)
Outstanding Comedy Series	Cheers
Outstanding Drama Series	L.A. Law
Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special and Miniseries	Separate but Equal
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program	63rd Academy Awards
Television/radio coverage
Network	Fox
← 42nd Primetime Emmy Awards 44th →

The 43rd Primetime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday, August 25, 1991. The ceremony was broadcast on Fox from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California. The network TNT received its first major nomination at this ceremony.

For its ninth season, Cheers won Outstanding Comedy Series for the fourth time, tying All in the Family's record. Cheers' spinoff Frasier would later break this record, ultimately winning five in a row. Cheers also received the most major nominations (10) and major awards (4) during the ceremony. The drama field also saw a four-time winner crowned as L.A. Law won Outstanding Drama Series for the fourth time in five years. This tied the record set by Hill Street Blues whose four wins came consecutively. James Earl Jones joined an exclusive club, as he won two acting Emmys for his work on two different series.

John Gielgud's win made him the fourth person to become an EGOT.

Winners and nominees[]

^[1][2][3]

Programs[]

Outstanding Comedy Series	Outstanding Drama Series
Cheers, (NBC) Designing Women, (CBS) The Golden Girls, (NBC) Murphy Brown, (CBS) The Wonder Years, (ABC)	L.A. Law, (NBC) China Beach, (ABC) Northern Exposure, (CBS) Quantum Leap, (NBC) thirtysomething, (ABC)
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program	Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special and Miniseries[note 1][4]
The 63rd Annual Academy Awards, (ABC) In Living Color, (Fox) The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, (CBS) Late Night with David Letterman, (NBC) The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson, (CBS) The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, (NBC)	Separate but Equal, (ABC) Decoration Day, (NBC) The Josephine Baker Story, (HBO) Paris Trout, (Showtime) Sarah, Plain and Tall, (CBS) Switched at Birth, (NBC)

Acting[]

Lead performances[]

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Burt Reynolds as Wood Newton on Evening Shade (Episode: "A Day in the Life of Wood Newton"), (CBS) Ted Danson as Sam Malone on Cheers (Episode: "Bad Neighbor Sam"), (NBC) John Goodman as Dan Conner on Roseanne (Episode: "Her Boyfriends Back"), (ABC) Richard Mulligan as Dr. Harry Weston on Empty Nest (Episode: "The Mentor"), (NBC) Craig T. Nelson as Coach Hayden Fox on Coach (Episode: "The Break-Up"), (ABC)	Kirstie Alley as Rebecca Howe on Cheers (Episode: "The Days of Wine and Neuroses"), (NBC) Candice Bergen as Murphy Brown on Murphy Brown (Episode: "On Another Plane"), (CBS) Blair Brown as Molly Dodd on The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd (Episode: "Here's a Pregnant Pause"), (Lifetime) Delta Burke as Suzanne Sugarbaker on Designing Women (Episode: "The Bachelor Auction"), (CBS) Betty White as Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls (Episode: "Once, in St. Olaf"), (NBC)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
James Earl Jones as Gabriel Bird on Gabriel's Fire (Episode: "Pilot"), (ABC) Scott Bakula as Sam Beckett on Quantum Leap (Episode: "Shock Theater: October 3, 1954"), (NBC) Peter Falk as Columbo on Columbo (Episode: "Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star"), (ABC) Kyle MacLachlan as Special Agent Dale Cooper on Twin Peaks (Episode: "Episode 16"), (ABC) Michael Moriarty as Ben Stone on Law & Order (Episode: "Indifference"), (NBC)	Patricia Wettig as Nancy Krieger Weston on thirtysomething (Episode: "Guns and Roses"), (ABC) Dana Delany as Nurse Colleen McMurphy on China Beach (Episode: "Fever"), (ABC) Sharon Gless as Rosie O'Neill on The Trials of Rosie O'Neill (Episode: "When I'm 44"), (CBS) Angela Lansbury as Jessica Fletcher on Murder, She Wrote (Episode: "Thursday's Child"), (CBS)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Special
John Gielgud as Haverford Downs on Summer's Lease, (PBS) James Garner as Albert Sidney Finch on Decoration Day, (NBC) Dennis Hopper as Paris Trout on Paris Trout (Showtime) Sidney Poitier as Thurgood Marshall on Separate but Equal, (ABC) Christopher Walken as Jacob Witting on Sarah, Plain and Tall, (CBS)	Lynn Whitfield as Josephine Baker on The Josephine Baker Story, (HBO) Glenn Close as Sarah Wheaton on Sarah, Plain and Tall, (CBS) Barbara Hershey as Hanna Trout on Paris Trout, (Showtime) Suzanne Pleshette as Leona Helmsley on Leona Helmsley: The Queen of Mean, (CBS) Lee Purcell as Bessie Robertson on Long Road Home, (NBC)

Supporting performances[]

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Jonathan Winters as Gunny Davis on Davis Rules (Episodes: "Rules of the Game" + "Mission: Improbable"), (ABC) Charles Durning as Dr. Harlan Elldridge on Evening Shade (Episodes: "Whatever Happened to Clutch Newton?" + "The Baby Show"), (CBS) Woody Harrelson as Woody Boyd on Cheers (Episodes: "Veggie-Boyd" + "Woody Interruptus"), (NBC) Michael Jeter as Herman Stiles on Evening Shade (Episodes: "Chip Off the Old Brick" + "Sex Education"), (CBS) Jerry Van Dyke as Luther Van Dam on Coach (Episodes: "Cabin Fever" + "A Father and Son Reunion"), (ABC)	Bebe Neuwirth as Lilith Crane on Cheers (Episodes: "Veggie-Boyd" + "Rat Girl"), (NBC) Elizabeth Ashley as Freida Evans on Evening Shade (Episodes: "There Once Was a Boy Named Wood" + "Chip Off the Old Brick"), (CBS) Faith Ford as Corky Sherwood on Murphy Brown (Episodes: "Trouble in Sherwood-Forrest" + "Corky's Place"), (CBS) Estelle Getty as Sophia Petrillo on The Golden Girls (Episodes: "Ebbtide's Revenge" + "There Goes the Bride: Part 1"), (NBC) Rhea Perlman as Carla Tortelli on Cheers (Episodes: "Carla Loves Clavin" + "Pitch It Again, Sam"), (NBC)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Timothy Busfield as Elliot Weston on thirtysomething (Episodes: "Sifting the Ashes" + "Second Look"), (ABC) David Clennon as Miles Drentell on thirtysomething (Episodes: "Out the Door" + "A Stop at Willoughby"), (ABC) Richard Dysart as Leland McKenzie, Jr. on L.A. Law (Episodes: "The Beverly Hills Hangers" + "Mutinies on the Banzai"), (NBC) Jimmy Smits as Victor Sifuentes on L.A. Law (Episodes: "God Rest Ye Murray Gentleman" + "The Gods Must Be Lawyers"), (NBC) Dean Stockwell as Al Calavicci on Quantum Leap (Episodes: "The Leap Home: Part 2 (Vietnam) – April 7, 1970" + "Shock Theater: October 3, 1954"), (NBC)	Madge Sinclair as Empress Josephine on Gabriel's Fire (Episodes: "Tis the Season" + "The Great Waldo"), (ABC) Marg Helgenberger as on China Beach (Episodes: "History, Part II – She Sells More Than Sea Shells" + "100 Klicks Out"), (ABC) Piper Laurie as Catherine Martell on Twin Peaks (Episodes: "Episode 13" + "Episode 18"), (ABC) Melanie Mayron as Melissa Steadman on thirtysomething (Episodes: "Melissa and Men" + "Melissa in Wonderland"), (ABC) Diana Muldaur as Rosalind Shays on L.A. Law (Episodes: "He's a Crowd" + "The Beverly Hills Hangers"), (NBC)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Special
James Earl Jones as Junius Johnson on Heat Wave, (TNT) Rubén Blades as Count Giuseppe Pepito Abatino on The Josephine Baker Story, (HBO) David Dukes as Jo Bouillon on The Josephine Baker Story, (HBO) Richard Kiley as Chief Justice Earl Warren on Separate but Equal, (ABC) Leon Russom as Titus Wardlow on Long Road Home, (NBC)	Ruby Dee as Rowena on Decoration Day, (NBC) Olympia Dukakis as Katherine Campbell on Lucky Day, (ABC) Vanessa Redgrave as Empress Elizabeth on Young Catherine, (TNT) Doris Roberts as Mimi Finkelstein on American Playhouse, (PBS) Elaine Stritch as Rose on An Inconvenient Woman, (PBS)

Guest performances[]

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series	Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Jay Thomas as Jerry Gold on Murphy Brown (Episode: "Gold Rush"), (CBS) Sheldon Leonard as Sid Nelson on Cheers (Episode: "Grease"), (NBC) Alan Oppenheimer as Eugene Kinsella on Murphy Brown (Episode: "Strike Two"), (CBS) Tom Poston as Art Hibke on Coach (Episode: "Diamond's Are a Dentist's Best Friend"), (ABC) Danny Thomas as Dr. Leo Brewster on Empty Nest (Episode: "The Mentor"), (NBC)	Colleen Dewhurst as Avery Brown on Murphy Brown (Episode: "Bob And Murphy And Ted And Avery"), (CBS) Whoopi Goldberg as Professor Jordan on A Different World (Episode: "If I Should Die Before I Wake"), (NBC) Frances Sternhagen as Esther Clavin on Cheers (Episode: "Ma Always Liked You Best"), (NBC) Sada Thompson as Mama Lozupone on Cheers (Episode: "Honor Thy Mother"), (NBC) Brenda Vaccaro as Angela Petrillo on The Golden Girls (Episode: "Ebbtide's Revenge"), (NBC)
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series	Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
David Opatoshu as Max Goldstein on Gabriel's Fire (Episode: "A Prayer for the Goldsteins"), (ABC) Dabney Coleman as Hugh Creighton on Columbo (Episode: "Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star"), (ABC) Peter Coyote as Romney Penhallow on Road to Avonlea (Episode: "Old Quarrels, Old Love"), (Disney) John Glover as Dr. Paul Kohler on L.A. Law (Episode: "God Rest Ye Murray Gentleman"), (NBC)	Peggy McCay as Irene Hayes on The Trials of Rosie O'Neill (Episode: "State of Mind"), (CBS) Eileen Brennan as Margaret Weston on thirtysomething (Episode: "Sifting The Ashes"), (ABC) Colleen Dewhurst as Marilla Cuthbert on Road to Avonlea (Episode: "The Materializing of Duncan McTavish"), (Disney) Penny Fuller as Mary Margaret McMurphy on China Beach (Episode: "Fever"), (ABC)

Directing[]

Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series	Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series
James Burrows, for Cheers (Episode: "Woody Interruptus"), (NBC) Peter Baldwin for The Wonder Years (Episode: "The Ties That Bind"), (ABC) Tom Cherones, for Seinfeld (Episode: "The Pony Remark"), (NBC) Barnet Kellman for Murphy Brown (Episode: "On Another Plane"), (CBS) Jay Tarses for The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd (Episode: "Here's a Little Touch of Harry in the Night"), (Lifetime)	Thomas Carter for Equal Justice (Episode: "In Confidence"), (ABC) Gregory Hoblit for Cop Rock (Episode: "Pilot"), (ABC) Mimi Leder for China Beach (Episode: "You, Babe"), (ABC) Tom Moore for L.A. Law (Episode: "God Rest Ye Murray Gentleman"), (NBC)
Outstanding Directing in a Variety or Music Program	Outstanding Directing in a Miniseries or a Special
Hal Gurnee for Late Night with David Letterman, (NBC) Dwight Hemion for The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, (CBS) Jeff Margolis for The 63rd Annual Academy Awards, (ABC)	Brian Gibson for The Josephine Baker Story, (HBO) Gilbert Cates for Absolute Strangers, (CBS) Glenn Jordan for Sarah, Plain and Tall, (CBS) Robert Markowitz for Decoration Day, (NBC)

Writing[]

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series	Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series
Gary Dontzig, Steven Peterman for Murphy Brown (Episode: "Jingle Hell, Jingle Hell, Jingle All The Way"), (CBS) Larry David for Seinfeld (Episode: "The Deal"), (NBC) Larry David, Jerry Seinfeld for Seinfeld (Episode: "The Pony Remark"), (NBC) Diane English for Murphy Brown (Episode: "On Another Plane"), (CBS) Jay Tarses for The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd (Episode: "Here's a Little Touch of Harry in the Night"), (Lifetime)	David E. Kelley for L.A. Law (Episode: "On The Toad Again"), (NBC) Joshua Brand, John Falsey for Northern Exposure (Episode: "Pilot"), (CBS) Judith Feldman, Sarah Woodside Gallagher for L.A. Law (Episode: "Lie Harder"), (NBC) Ann Lewis Hamilton for thirtysomething (Episode: "Second Look"), (ABC) David E. Kelley, Patricia Green, Alan Brennert for L.A. Law (Episode: "Mutinies on the Banzai"), (NBC)
Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program	Outstanding Writing in a Miniseries or a Special
The 63rd Annual Academy Awards, (ABC) In Living Color, (Fox) Saturday Night Live, (NBC) The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson, (CBS) Late Night with David Letterman, (NBC)	Andrew Davies for House of Cards, (PBS) Peter Dexter for Paris Trout, (Showtime) Robert W. Lenski for Decoration Day, (NBC) Patricia MacLachlan for Sarah, Plain and Tall, (CBS) George Stevens Jr. for Separate but Equal, (ABC)

Most major nominations[]

By network ^{[note 2]}

• NBC – 46
• ABC – 36
• CBS – 31

By program

• Cheers (NBC) – 10
• L.A. Law (NBC) / Murphy Brown (CBS) – 9
• thirtysomething (ABC) – 7

Most major awards[]

By network ^{[note 2]}

• ABC – 10
• NBC – 8
• CBS – 5
• HBO / PBS – 2

By program

• Cheers (NBC) – 4
• Gabriel's Fire (ABC) / Murphy Brown (CBS) – 3

Notes

References[]

External links[]

• Emmys.com list of 1991 Nominees & Winners
• 43rd Primetime Emmy Awards at IMDb