First awarded 1980 Country United States of America Currently held by Obba Babatundé | Official website emmyonline.org/daytime Instituted 1980 Category of Daytime Emmy Award | |
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Awarded for Outstanding Performance by a Guest Actor or Actress in a Drama Series Presented by National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Academy of Television Arts & Sciences People also search for Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series Directing Team Winners & Nominees Obba BabatundéThe Bold and the Beautiful, Obba Babatundé, Winner, Adam LeadbeaterDays of Our Lives, Adam Leadbeater, Nominee, Anna Maria HorsfordThe Bold and the Beautiful, Anna Maria Horsford, Nominee, Frank RunyeonThe Young and the Restless, Frank Runyeon, Nominee, Dee WallaceGeneral Hospital, Dee Wallace, Nominee, Fred WillardThe Bold and the Beautiful, Fred Willard, Winner, Ray WiseThe Young and the Restless, Ray Wise, Winner, Donna MillsGeneral Hospital, Donna Mills, Winner, Linda Elena TovarGeneral Hospital, Linda Elena Tovar, Nominee, Meredith BaxterThe Young and the Restless, Meredith Baxter, Nominee, Sally KellermanThe Young and the Restless, Sally Kellerman, Nominee, John Wesley ShippSanta Barbara, John Wesley Shipp, Winner, Pamela BlairAll My Children, Pamela Blair, Nominee, Celeste HolmLoving, Celeste Holm, Nominee, Terrence MannAs the World Turns, Terrence Mann, Nominee, Eileen HeckartOne Life to Live, Eileen Heckart, Nominee, Hugh McPhillipsDays of Our Lives, Hugh McPhillips, Winner, Kathryn HarrowThe Doctors, Kathryn Harrow, Nominee, Joan FontaineRyan's Hope, Joan Fontaine, Nominee, Eli MintzAll My Children, Eli Mintz, Nominee, Sammy Davis JrOne Life to Live, Sammy Davis Jr, Nominee | ||
The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Guest Performer in a Drama Series is an award presented annually by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) and Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It was first awarded at the 7th Daytime Emmy Awards in 1980, 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.
Originally referred to as the Outstanding Cameo Appearance in a Drama Series category, it was changed to Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series in 1987, when the category was re-introduced. It began using its current title in 2015 when the category marked its return after 28 years and it included a criterion that "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". The Emmy was named after an "Immy", an affectionate term used to refer to the image orthicon camera tube. The statuette was designed by Louis McManus, who modeled the award after his wife, Dorothy. The Emmy statuette is fifteen inches tall from base to tip, weighing five pounds and is composed of iron, pewter, zinc and gold.
The award was first presented to Hugh McPhillips for his role as Hugh Pearson on Days of Our Lives. Since its inception, the award has been given to six actors. The Bold and the Beautiful is the show with the most awarded actors, with a total of two. In 2015, Donna Mills, Fred Willard and Ray Wise made Daytime Emmy Award history when they tied in the category. As of the 2016 ceremony, Obba Babatundé is the most recent winner in this category for his portrayal of Julius Avant on The Bold and the Beautiful.
Winners and nominees
Listed below are the winners of the award for each year, as well as the other nominees.