43rd Primetime Emmy Awards

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.

43rd Primetime Emmy Awards
DateAugust 25, 1991
LocationPasadena Civic Auditorium, Pasadena, California
Presented byAcademy of Television Arts and Sciences
Hosted byDennis Miller
Jamie Lee Curtis
Jerry Seinfeld
Highlights
Most awardsCheers (4)
Most nominationsCheers (9)
Outstanding Comedy SeriesCheers
Outstanding Drama SeriesL.A. Law
Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special and MiniseriesSeparate but Equal
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy ProgramThe 63rd Annual Academy Awards
Television/radio coverage
NetworkFox

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 (9) 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][4]

Programs
Programs
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program
  • Separate but Equal (ABC)
    • Decoration Day (NBC)
    • The Josephine Baker Story (HBO)
    • Paris Trout (Showtime)
    • Sarah, Plain and Tall (CBS)
    • Switched at Birth (NBC)

Lead performances
Acting

Supporting performances
  • Jonathan Winters as Gunny Davis in Davis Rules (ABC) (Episodes: "Rules of the Game" + "Mission: Improbable")
    • Charles Durning as Dr. Harlan Elldridge in Evening Shade (CBS) (Episodes: "Whatever Happened to Clutch Newton?" + "The Baby Show")
    • Woody Harrelson as Woody Boyd in Cheers (NBC) (Episodes: "Veggie-Boyd" + "Woody Interruptus")
    • Michael Jeter as Herman Stiles in Evening Shade (CBS) (Episodes: "Chip Off the Old Brick" + "Sex Education")
    • Jerry Van Dyke as Luther Van Dam in Coach (ABC) (Episodes: "Cabin Fever" + "A Father and Son Reunion")
  • Bebe Neuwirth as Lilith Crane in Cheers (NBC) (Episodes: "Veggie-Boyd" + "Rat Girl")
    • Elizabeth Ashley as Freida Evans in Evening Shade (CBS) (Episodes: "There Once Was a Boy Named Wood" + "Chip Off the Old Brick")
    • Faith Ford as Corky Sherwood in Murphy Brown (CBS) (Episodes: "Trouble in Sherwood-Forrest" + "Corky's Place")
    • Estelle Getty as Sophia Petrillo in The Golden Girls (NBC) (Episodes: "Ebbtide's Revenge" + "There Goes the Bride: Part 1")
    • Rhea Perlman as Carla Tortelli in Cheers (NBC) (Episodes: "Carla Loves Clavin" + "Pitch It Again, Sam")
  • Timothy Busfield as Elliot Weston in Thirtysomething (ABC) (Episodes: "Sifting the Ashes" + "Second Look")
    • David Clennon as Miles Drentell in Thirtysomething (ABC) (Episodes: "Out the Door" + "A Stop at Willoughby")
    • Richard Dysart as Leland McKenzie, Jr. in L.A. Law (NBC) (Episodes: "The Beverly Hills Hangers" + "Mutinies on the Banzai")
    • Jimmy Smits as Victor Sifuentes in L.A. Law (NBC) (Episodes: "God Rest Ye Murray Gentleman" + "The Gods Must Be Lawyers")
    • Dean Stockwell as Al Calavicci in Quantum Leap (NBC) (Episodes: "The Leap Home: Part 2 (Vietnam) – April 7, 1970" + "Shock Theater: October 3, 1954")
  • Madge Sinclair as Empress Josephine in Gabriel's Fire (ABC) (Episodes: "Tis the Season" + "The Great Waldo")
    • Marg Helgenberger as KC Kolowski in China Beach (ABC) (Episodes: "History, Part II – She Sells More Than Sea Shells" + "100 Klicks Out")
    • Piper Laurie as Catherine Martell in Twin Peaks (ABC) (Episodes: "Episode 13" + "Episode 18")
    • Melanie Mayron as Melissa Steadman in Thirtysomething (ABC) (Episodes: "Melissa and Men" + "Melissa in Wonderland")
    • Diana Muldaur as Rosalind Shays in L.A. Law (NBC) (Episodes: "He's a Crowd" + "The Beverly Hills Hangers")

Individual performances
Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program

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

Writing
Writing
  • Murphy Brown (CBS): "Jingle Hell, Jingle Hell, Jingle All The Way" – Gary Dontzig and Steven Peterman
    • The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd (Lifetime): "Here's a Little Touch of Harry in the Night" – Jay Tarses
    • Murphy Brown (CBS): "On Another Plane" – Diane English
    • Seinfeld (NBC): "The Deal" – Larry David
    • Seinfeld (NBC): "The Pony Remark" – Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld
Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series
  • L.A. Law (NBC): "On the Toad Again" – David E. Kelley
    • L.A. Law (NBC): "Lie Harder" – Judith Feldman and Sarah Woodside Gallagher
    • L.A. Law (NBC): "Mutinies on the Banzai" – David E. Kelley, Patricia Green and Alan Brennert
    • Northern Exposure (CBS): "Pilot" – Joshua Brand and John Falsey
    • Thirtysomething (ABC): "Second Look" – Ann Lewis Hamilton
Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program
  • The 63rd Annual Academy Awards (ABC)
    • In Living Color (Fox)
    • Late Night with David Letterman (NBC)
    • The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson (CBS)
    • Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Outstanding Writing in a Miniseries or a Special

Casting
Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries or Special
  • Alixe Gordin – Separate but Equal (ABC)

Editing
Outstanding Editing for a Series – Multi-Camera Production
  • Murphy Brown (CBS): "On Another Plane" – Tucker Wiard
    • Cheers (NBC): "The Days of Wine and Neuroses" – Andy Ackerman
    • Cheers (NBC): "Rat Girl" – Sheila Amos
    • Coach (ABC): "The Break-Up" – Andrew Chulack

Most major nominations
Networks with multiple major nominations[note 2]
Network No. of
Nominations
NBC 46
ABC 36
CBS 31
Programs with multiple major nominations
Program Category Network No. of
Nominations
Cheers Comedy NBC 9
L.A. Law Drama 8
Murphy Brown Comedy CBS 7
Thirtysomething Drama ABC 6
Decoration Day Miniseries/Special NBC 5
The Josephine Baker Story HBO
Sarah, Plain and Tall CBS
Separate but Equal ABC
The 63rd Annual Academy Awards Variety 4
China Beach Drama
Evening Shade Comedy CBS
In Living Color Variety Fox
Paris Trout Miniseries/Special Showtime
Coach Comedy ABC 3
The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd Lifetime
The Golden Girls NBC
Late Night with David Letterman Variety
Quantum Leap Drama
Seinfeld Comedy
Designing Women CBS 2
Gabriel's Fire Drama ABC
The Kennedy Center Honors Variety CBS
Long Road Home Miniseries/Special NBC
The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson Variety CBS
Northern Exposure Drama
Twin Peaks ABC
The Wonder Years Comedy

Most major awards
Networks with multiple major awards[note 2]
Network No. of
Awards
ABC 10
NBC 8
CBS 5
HBO 2
PBS
Programs with multiple major awards
Program Category Network No. of
Awards
Cheers Comedy NBC 4
The 63rd Annual Academy Awards Variety ABC 3
Gabriel's Fire Drama 2
The Josephine Baker Story Miniseries/Special HBO
L.A. Law Drama NBC
Murphy Brown Comedy CBS
Separate but Equal Miniseries/Special ABC
Thirtysomething Drama
Notes
  1. For this year only, the Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special and Outstanding Miniseries were combined so that TV Movies and Miniseries competed in the same category.
  2. "Major" constitutes the categories listed above: Program, Acting, Directing, and Writing. Does not include the technical categories.

Presenters

The awards were presented by the following people:[6]

Presenter(s)Award(s)
Burt Reynolds
Loni Anderson		Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
Victoria PrincipalOutstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
Jane Seymour
John Goodman		Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Corbin Bernsen
Christina Applegate		Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Craig T. Nelson
Jerry Van Dyke		Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
Beatrice Arthur
Betty White
Rue McClanahan
Estelle Getty		Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Kirk Cameron
Chelsea Noble		Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Special
Richard Mulligan
Park Overall		Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries or Special
Mary-Kate Olsen
Ashley Olsen
Bob Saget		Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries or Special
Crystal Bernard
Alan Thicke		Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Special
The cast of Designing WomenOutstanding Casting for a Miniseries or Special
Richard LewisOutstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program
Jimmy Smits
Susan Dey		Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Special
Sela Ward
Julianne Phillips
Fred Savage		Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Special
Gilbert GottfriedOutstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program
Rob Morrow
Jeannine Taylor		Outstanding Directing for a Variety or Music Program
Faith Ford
Mike Myers		Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program
Jason Priestley
Shannen Doherty
Luke Perry		Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Peter FalkOutstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Harry Hamlin
Nicolette Sheridan		Outstanding Drama Series
Sam KinisonOutstanding Editing for a Series – Multi-Camera Production
Keenan Ivory WayansOutstanding Drama/Comedy Special and Miniseries
Macaulay CulkinOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Marilu Henner
Carol Kane
Christopher Lloyd		Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Carol BurnettOutstanding Comedy Series

Tribute

A stand-alone tribute was presented to actor Michael Landon by his fellow Little House on the Prairie co-stars Melissa Gilbert and Merlin Olsen. Before the tribute, Gilbert briefy eulogized Lee Remick, Bert Convy, Harry Reasoner and Colleen Dewhurst.

References
  1. Emmys.com list of 1991 Nominees & Winners
  2. "Primetime Emmy Awards nominations for 1991". Emmys.com. Retrieved 2013-05-09.
  3. "1990–1991 Emmy Awards". infoplease.com. Retrieved 2013-05-09.
  4. King, Susan (2021-09-17). "1991 Emmys flashback: Black performers make history, 'Cheers' and 'L.A. Law' each win #4". GoldDerby. Retrieved 2022-06-18.
  5. "43rd Primetime Emmys Nominees and Winners". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 2014-12-01.
  6. "43rd Primetime Emmy Awards - 1991". YouTube. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
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