Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series

It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a guest starring role on a television drama series for the primetime network season.

It has undergone several name changes, originally honoring leading and supporting actors in single appearances on drama and comedy series through 1978.

The award was reintroduced at the 38th Primetime Emmy Awards under the name Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series, honoring actors and actresses in guest starring roles on television drama series.

Beginning with the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, performers are no longer eligible in guest acting categories if they were previously nominated for a lead or supporting award for playing the same character role in the same series.

Charles S. Dutton, John Lithgow, Ron Cephas Jones and Patrick McGoohan have won the most awards in this category with two each.

Patrick McGoohan was the first recipient of the award for his guest performance on Columbo: By Dawn's Early Light .
Louis Gossett Jr. won the award in 1977 for his work on Roots .
Ed Asner won the award in both lead and supporting actor categories for his work on Rich Man, Poor Man (1976) and Roots (1977).
Will Geer received nominations in both categories in 1978 for his performances on Love Boat and Eight is Enough .
Barnard Hughes won the award in 1978 in the lead actor category for his guest appearance on Lou Grant .
David Opatoshu won the 1991 award for his guest role on Gabriel's Fire .
Laurence Fishburne won the award for his work on Tribeca .
John Glover received two nominations in the category for his work on L.A. Law and Crime & Punishment .
Richard Kiley won in 1994 for his guest appearance on Picket Fences .
Peter Boyle won the award for his role as Clyde Bruckman on The X-Files .
John Larroquette won the 1998 award for his guest performance on The Practice .
James Whitmore won in 2000 for his guest appearance on The Practice .
Charles S. Dutton won in 2002 for his appearance on The Practice , the fifth consecutive win for the program in this category, and in 2003 for his performance on Without a Trace .
William Shatner 's 2004 win gave The Practice its sixth win in the category.
Ray Liotta won in 2005 for his guest performance on ER .
John Goodman won the award for his guest role as Judge Robert Bebe on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip .
Glynn Turman won in 2008 for his guest appearance on In Treatment .
Out of seven nominations, the most within the category, Michael J. Fox won the 2009 award for his performance on Rescue Me .
Ted Danson received two nominations in this category for his performance on Damages .
John Lithgow tied with Charles S. Dutton and Patrick McGoohan for the most awards in the category, winning twice for his performances on Amazing Stories and Dexter .
Jeremy Davies won the 2011 award for his guest role on Justified .
Joe Morton won the award for his portrayal of Rowan Pope on Scandal .
Hank Azaria won in 2016 for his performance on Ray Donovan .