The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series is an award presented annually by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It was first awarded at the 7th Daytime Emmy Awards in 1980,[1] and is given to honor an actor/actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a guest role while working within the daytime drama industry.
| Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series | |
|---|---|
.jpg) The 2025 recipient: Alley Mills | |
| Awarded for | Outstanding Performance by a Guest Actor or Actress in a Drama Series |
| Country | United States |
| Presented by | |
| First award | 1980 |
| Currently held by | Alley Mills, General Hospital (2025) |
| Website | theemmys.tv/daytime |
Originally introduced as the Outstanding Cameo Appearance in a Drama Series category, it was later renamed Outstanding Guest Star in a Drama Series in 1987, when the award was re-introduced after a brief absence.[2] After being retired again for several decades, the category returned in 2015 under the new title of Outstanding Special Guest Performer in a Drama Series. This reintroduction, which came 28 years after its last presentation, established a stricter eligibility requirement: "the performer's character must have premiered in the current eligibility (calendar) year, and have made a limited number of appearances in a significant role".[3]
In 2018, the award adopted its current title, Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series. At the same time, the eligibility criteria were broadened, permitting submissions from actors "playing characters they either played before, or are newly cast," thus opening the category to both returning veterans and fresh additions to the cast.[4]
The award was first presented to Hugh McPhillips for his role as Hugh Pearson on Days of Our Lives.[1] Since its inception, the award has been given to twelve actors. General Hospital is the program with the most awarded actors, with five. In 2015, Donna Mills, Fred Willard, and Ray Wise made Daytime Emmy Award history by tying in the category, marking the first three-way tie in its history. In 2024, Dick Van Dyke became the oldest performer to win a Daytime Emmy Award when he won for his role as Mystery Man/Timothy Robicheaux on Days of Our Lives at 98 years old. As of the 2025 ceremony, Alley Mills is the most recent winner in this category for her role as Heather Webber on General Hospital, becoming the first performer to win the award twice.
Winners and nominees
editListed below are the winners of the award for each year, as well as the other nominees.
| ‡ | Indicates the winner |
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1980s
edit| Year | Performer | Program | Role | Network | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 (7th) |
Hugh McPhillips ‡ | Days of Our Lives | Hugh Pearson | [1] | |
| Sammy Davis Jr. | One Life to Live | Chip Warren | [5] | ||
| Joan Fontaine | Ryan's Hope | Page Williams | ABC | ||
| Kathryn Harrow | The Doctors | Pat Reyerson | ABC | ||
| Eli Mintz | All My Children | Locksmith | ABC | ||
| 1987 (14th) |
John Wesley Shipp ‡ | Santa Barbara | Martin Ellis | [6] | |
| Pamela Blair | All My Children | Maida Andrews | ABC | ||
| Eileen Heckart | One Life to Live | Ruth Perkins | ABC | ||
| Celeste Holm | Loving | Clara and Lydia Woodhouse | ABC | ||
| Terrence Mann | As the World Turns | Jester | CBS |
2010s
edit2020s
editPerformers with multiple wins
edit- 2 wins
- Alley Mills
Performers with multiple nominations
edit- 3 nominations
- Alley Mills
- 2 nominations
- Linden Ashby
Series with most awards
edit- 5 wins
- General Hospital
- 4 wins
- The Bold and the Beautiful
- 3 wins
- Days of Our Lives
- 2 wins
- The Young and the Restless
Network with most awards
edit- 6 wins
- CBS
- 4 wins
- ABC
- 3 wins
- NBC
References
edit- 1 2 3 "1980 Emmy Winners & Nominees". Soap Opera Digest. New York City. Archived from the original on August 18, 2004. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ↑ Lewis, Errol (November 6, 2014). "ON THE RECORD: David Michaels Talks New Daytime Emmy Categories, Overall Changes and That Red Carpet Situation!". Soap Opera Network. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
- ↑ "The 42nd Annual Daytime Entertainment Emmy Award – Supporting Material: What's New" (PDF). New York City: emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. October 30, 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 23, 2015. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
- ↑ "The 47th Annual Daytime Emmy Award General Rules and Procedures" (PDF). New York City: emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. March 31, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 30, 2020. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
- ↑ Hirsch, Lynda (May 14, 1980). "More soap than substance in daytime Emmy nominations". St. Petersburg Times. St. Petersburg, Florida. Associated Press. p. 72. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
- ↑ "Oprah leads Daytime Emmys". Lodi News-Sentinel. New York City, New York: Marty Weybret. July 1, 1987. p. 7. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
- ↑ "The 42nd Annual Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Award Winners" (PDF). National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. emmyonline.org. April 24, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
- ↑ "The 42nd Annual Daytime Emmy Award Nominations" (PDF). New York City: emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. March 31, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
- ↑ "The 43rd Annual Daytime Emmy Award Winners" (PDF). Los Angeles: emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. May 1, 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 15, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
- ↑ "The 43rd Annual Daytime Emmy Award Nominations" (PDF). New York City: emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. March 24, 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 17, 2016. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
- ↑ "The 44th Annual Daytime Emmy Award Winners" (PDF). Los Angeles: emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. April 30, 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 25, 2017. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
- ↑ "The 44th Annual Daytime Emmy Award Nominations" (PDF). New York City: emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. March 22, 2017. Retrieved March 22, 2017.
- ↑ Nordyke, Kimberly (April 29, 2018). "Daytime Emmys: The Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter. New York City. Archived from the original on May 2, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
- ↑ "The 45th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards Nominations" (PDF). New York: emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 22, 2018. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
- ↑ "The 46th Annual Daytime Emmy Award Winners" (PDF). Los Angeles: emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. May 5, 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 20, 2021. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
- ↑ "The 46th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards Nominations" (PDF). New York: emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 10, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
- ↑ "The 47th Annual Daytime Emmy Award Winners" (PDF). New York: emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. June 26, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
- ↑ "The 47th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards Nominations" (PDF). New York: emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. 2020. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
- ↑ "The 48th Annual Daytime Emmy Award Winners" (PDF). New York: emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. June 25, 2021. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
- ↑ "The 48th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards Nominations". New York: emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. 2020. Archived from the original on March 2, 2022. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
- ↑ "The 49th Annual Daytime Emmy Creative and Lifestyle Arts Award Winners" (PDF). New York: emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. June 18, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
- ↑ "The 49th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards Nominations" (PDF). New York: emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
- ↑ "The 50th Annual Daytime Emmy Award Telecast Winners" (PDF). New York: emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. December 15, 2023. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
- ↑ "The 50th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards Nominations" (PDF). New York/Los Angeles: emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. 2023. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
- ↑ "The 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Award Telecast Winners" (PDF). Los Angeles: emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. June 7, 2024. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
- ↑ "The 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards Nominations" (PDF). New York/Los Angeles: emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. 2024. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
- ↑ "The 52nd Annual Daytime Emmy Award Telecast Winners" (PDF). Los Angeles: emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. October 17, 2025. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
- ↑ "The 52nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards Nominations" (PDF). New York/Los Angeles: emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. 2025. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
External links
edit- Daytime Emmy Awards at the IMDb