Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance

{{short description|List of film award recipients}}

{{Infobox award

| name = Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance

| awarded_for = Outstanding continuing or single voice-over performance in a series or special

| presenter = Academy of Television Arts & Sciences

| country = United States

| year = 1992

| year2 = 2013

| website = {{url|emmys.com}}

| main = Primetime Emmy Awards

}}

The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance was a Creative Arts Emmy Award given out by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. It was awarded to a performer for an outstanding "continuing or single voice-over performance in a series or a special." Prior to 1992, voice actors could be nominated for their performance in the live-action acting categories.{{cite news|title=Simpsons' Can't Compete For Emmy as Top Comedy |date=1990-08-02|page=L44|newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle|agency=Associated Press}} The award was first given in 1992 when six voice actors from The Simpsons shared the award. From 1992 to 2008, it was a juried award, so there were no nominations and there would be multiple or no recipients in one year. In 2009, the rules were changed to a category award, with five nominees.

Usually, winners would be voice actors from animated shows, but some narrators of live-action shows won such as Keith David in 2005 and 2008. No winner was named in 1996 or 2007.{{cite web |url=http://www.emmys.org/media/releases/2007/rel_pte07-juried2.php |title=Academy Of Television Arts & Sciences Announces Emmy Award Winners in costumes for a variety or music program and individual achievement in animation |publisher=Emmys.org |access-date=2008-08-20|date=2007-08-21}}

Nine voice actors from The Simpsons won a combined 14 Emmys in the category. Of those, Dan Castellaneta won four and Hank Azaria won three. Ja'net Dubois won two for The PJs, Keith David won two for his narration of various documentaries, and Maurice LaMarche won two for Futurama. Voice actors from shows on Fox won 17 of the 27 awards presented.

In 2014, the category was separated into two categories – Outstanding Narrator and Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance. This split acknowledged and accommodated a general industry uptrend in the distinctly different achievements that are voice-over narration and voice-over character performance.{{cite news|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|title=EMMYS: TV Academy Splits Best Miniseries & TV Movie, Reality Program & Voice-Over Categories, Expands Combined Longform Fields To 6 Nominees, Sets Possibility For 7 Best Drama & Comedy Series Nominees|url=https://deadline.com/2014/02/its-official-tv-academy-splits-best-miniseries-tv-movie-category-686953/|access-date=February 21, 2014|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=February 20, 2014}}

Rules

While most of the Primetime Emmy Awards choose winners from a group of nominees, the award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance was juried from 1992 to 2008. Each entrant was screened by a panel of Academy of Television Arts & Sciences members from the Animation branch as well as members of the Acting branch with voice-over credits. Potential nominees had to submit a DVD that contained an edited version of a single episode and a picture of the character(s) that were voiced. Submissions that were less than 30 minutes had to be edited to be shorter than five minutes; entries longer than 30 minutes were edited to be less than ten. Prior to 2007, the maximum edited lengths were ten and fifteen minutes respectively.{{cite news|url=http://www.emmys.org/downloads/PT_rules2006.pdf |title=58th Primetime Emmy Awards 2005–2006 Rules and Procedures |access-date=2008-08-20 |publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071129082944/http://www.emmys.org/downloads/PT_rules2006.pdf |archive-date=November 29, 2007 }} Each entrant with majority approval went on to a second panel. Emmy winners had to be unanimous choices of this second panel, except that for every 12 persons or fraction thereof on the panel, one "no" vote was allowed, except from the head of the panel.{{cite news|url=http://cdn.emmys.tv/downloads/2008/pte60_rulesandproced.pdf |title=60th Primetime Emmy Awards 2007–2008 Rules and Procedures |access-date=2008-08-20 |publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080910045225/http://cdn.emmys.tv/downloads/2008/pte60_rulesandproced.pdf |archive-date=September 10, 2008 }}

In 2009, the Academy changed the award from a "juried" award to a "category", with six nominees and one winner.{{cite news|url=http://cdn.emmys.tv/downloads/2009/pte61_rulesandproced.pdf |title=61st Primetime Emmy Awards 2008–2009 Rules & Procedures|publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences}}

Winners (1992–2008)

class="wikitable"
Year

! Winner

! Character(s)

! Series or special

! Network

! class="unsortable"| Ref.

style="text-align:center;" rowspan="6"|1992{{sortname|Nancy|Cartwright}}Bart SimpsonThe Simpsons: "Separate Vocations"Fox

| align=center|{{cite news|title=Briefing–'Simpsons' score big in Prime-Time Emmys|date=1992-08-03|page=L20|newspaper=Daily News of Los Angeles}}

{{sortname|Dan|Castellaneta}}Homer SimpsonThe Simpsons: "Lisa's Pony"Fox

| align=center|

{{sortname|Julie|Kavner}}Marge SimpsonThe Simpsons: "I Married Marge"Fox

| align=center|

{{sortname|Jackie|Mason}}Rabbi KrustofskiThe Simpsons: "Like Father, Like Clown"Fox

| align=center|

{{sortname|Yeardley|Smith}}Lisa SimpsonThe Simpsons: "Lisa the Greek"Fox

| align=center|

{{sortname|Marcia|Wallace}}Edna KrabappelThe Simpsons: "Bart the Lover"Fox

| align=center|

align=center | 1993{{sortname|Dan|Castellaneta}}Homer Simpson, Barney Gumble, Abraham Simpson and other charactersThe Simpsons: "Mr. Plow"Fox

| align=center|{{cite news|title=The Emmy Awards: The Complete List of Winners |date=1993-09-21|page=3D|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post|agency=Associated Press}}

align=center | 1994{{sortname|Christopher|Plummer}}NarratorMadelineFamily

| align=center|{{cite news|title=Who Won at the Emmy Awards |date=1994-09-12|page=10E|newspaper=The Plain Dealer|agency=Associated Press}}

align=center | 1995{{sortname|Jonathan|Katz}}Dr. KatzDr. Katz, Professional TherapistComedy Central

| align=center|{{cite news|title='ER' tops list of Emmy winners David Hyde Pierce was named best supporting actor in a comedy series for his work on "Frasier." |date=1995-09-12|page=10E|newspaper=The San Francisco Chronicle|agency=Associated Press}}

align=center | 1996

| colspan="5" style="text-align:center;"|No Emmy awarded in this category

style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|1997{{sortname|Jeremy|Irons}}Siegfried SassoonThe Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century: "War Without End"PBS

| align=center|

{{sortname|Rik|Mayall}}Mr. ToadThe Wind in the WillowsFamily

| align=center|{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-sep-09-ca-30178-story.html |title=NBC Takes Home 15 Emmys in Early Award Presentations |author=Brian Lowry|newspaper=Los Angeles Times |access-date=2008-08-20|date=1997-09-09}}

align=center | 1998{{sortname|Hank|Azaria}}Apu NahasapeemapetilonThe SimpsonsFox

| align=center|{{cite news|title=Emmy Prime-Time Award Winners|date=1998-09-14|page=E3|newspaper=The Seattle Times|agency=Associated Press}}

align=center | 1999{{sortname|Ja'net|Dubois}}Mrs. Florence AveryThe PJsFox

| align=center|{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/News/9908/06/showbuzz/#story2 |title='The PJs,' 'Animated Epics' win Emmys |publisher=CNN |access-date=2008-08-20 |date=1999-08-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061206144247/http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/News/9908/06/showbuzz/ |archive-date=December 6, 2006 }}

style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| 2000{{sortname|Seth|MacFarlane}}Stewie GriffinFamily GuyFox

| align=center|{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-aug-28-ca-11405-story.html |title=NBC Leads Tally of Early Emmys, Boosted by 'West Wing' |author=Brian Lowry|newspaper=Los Angeles Times |access-date=2008-08-20|date=2000-08-28}}

{{sortname|Julie|Harris|dab=American actress}}Susan B. Anthony

| style="width:300px;"| Not for Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony

PBS

| align=center|

style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| 2001{{sortname|Hank|Azaria}}Comic Book Guy, Apu, Carl Carlson, Lou, Chief Wiggum and Moe SzyslakThe Simpsons: "Worst Episode Ever"Fox

| align=center|{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-aug-14-ca-33997-story.html |title=Morning Report |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |author=Elaine Dutka|access-date=2008-08-20|date=2001-08-14}}

{{sortname|Ja'net|Dubois}}Mrs. Florence AveryThe PJs: "Let's Get Ready To Rumba"The WB

| align=center|

style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| 2002{{sortname|Peter|Macon}}NarratorAnimated Tales of the World: "John Henry, the Steel Driving Man"HBO

| align=center|

{{sortname|Pamela|Adlon}}Bobby Hill, Clark Peters and Chane WassanasongKing of the Hill: "Bobby Goes Nuts"Fox

| align=center|{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.org/downloads/images/2002emmys/2002caa-winners.pdf |title=Academy of television arts and sciences – 54th annual primetime Emmy Awards |publisher=Emmys.org |access-date=2008-08-20 |date=2002-09-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080910045225/http://www.emmys.org/downloads/images/2002emmys/2002caa-winners.pdf |archive-date=September 10, 2008 }}

align=center | 2003{{sortname|Hank|Azaria}}Moe Szyslak, Carl Carlson, Chief Wiggum, Apu, Johnny Tightlips, Bumblebee Man and CletusThe Simpsons: "Moe Baby Blues"Fox

| align=center|{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.org/primetime/2003/awards/2003creativevoanimation.php |title=Early Bird Emmys: Voice-Over, Animation |publisher=Emmys.org |access-date=2008-08-20 |date=2003-07-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071021014516/http://emmys.org/primetime/2003/awards/2003creativevoanimation.php |archive-date=October 21, 2007 }}

align=center | 2004{{sortname|Dan|Castellaneta}}Krusty the Clown, Homer Simpson, Abraham Simpson, Groundskeeper Willie, Sideshow Mel, Barney and ItchyThe Simpsons: "Today I Am A Clown"Fox

| align=center|{{cite magazine |url=https://variety.com/2004/scene/awards/hbo-takes-emmys-big-haul-1117910337/ |title=HBO takes Emmys big haul |magazine=Variety |author=Denise Martin and Justin Chang|access-date=2008-08-20|date=2004-09-12}}

align=center | 2005{{sortname|Keith|David}}NarratorUnforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack JohnsonPBS

| align=center|{{cite magazine |url=https://variety.com/2005/digital/awards/cartoon-net-draws-emmys-1117927646/ |title=Cartoon Net draws Emmys |author=Justin Chang |magazine=Variety |access-date=2008-08-20|date=2005-08-17}}

align=center | 2006{{sortname|Kelsey|Grammer}}Sideshow BobThe Simpsons: "The Italian Bob"Fox

| align=center|{{cite web |url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2006/outstanding-voice-over-performance |title=58th Emmy Awards Nominees and Winners (Outstanding Voice-Over Performance - 2006) |publisher=Emmys |access-date=December 12, 2015}}

align=center | 2007colspan="5" style="text-align:center;"|No Emmy awarded in this category
align=center | 2008{{sortname|Keith|David}}NarratorThe War: "A Necessary War"PBS

| align=center|{{cite web |url=http://cdn.emmys.tv/media/releases/2008/rel-pte60-jur.php |title=Academy Of Television Arts & Sciences Announces Emmy Award Winners in Outstanding Costumes For A Variety Or Music Program, Outstanding Voice Over and Outstanding Individual Achievement In Animation |publisher=Emmys.org |access-date=2008-08-20|date=2008-08-18}}

Winners and nominations (2009–2013)

Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger (‡).

class="wikitable" style="width:100%"
style="background:#bebebe;"

! style="width:5%;"| Year

! style="width:15%;"| Nominee

! style="width:33%;"| Character(s)

! style="width:21%;"| Series or Special

! style="width:21%;"| Episode

! style="width:5%;"| Network

rowspan=6 style="text-align:center" | 2009
(61st)
{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/13/AR2009091300092.html|author=Goodman, Dean|title=Tina Fey wins Emmy award for Sarah Palin spoof|date=2009-09-13|access-date=2009-09-13|newspaper=The Washington Post|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/66pvEYfch?url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/13/AR2009091300092.html|archive-date=2012-04-11}}{{cite web|url=http://cdn.emmys.tv/awards/2009ptemmys/61stemmys_noms.php |title=The 61st Primetime Emmy Awards and 2009 Creative Arts Emmy Awards Nominees are... |access-date=2009-07-16 |date=2009-07-16 |publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090718001718/http://cdn.emmys.tv/awards/2009ptemmys/61stemmys_noms.php |archive-date=July 18, 2009 }}

| style="background:#FAEB86"|Dan Castellaneta{{double dagger|alt=Winner}}

| style="background:#FAEB86"|Homer Simpson

| style="background:#FAEB86"|The Simpsons

| style="background:#FAEB86"|"Father Knows Worst"

| style="background:#FAEB86"|Fox

Ron Rifkin

| Narrator

| American Masters

| "Jerome Robbins: Something To Dance About"

| PBS

Seth Green

| Various

| Robot Chicken

| "Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II"

| Cartoon Network

Seth MacFarlane

| Peter Griffin

| Family Guy

| "I Dream of Jesus"

| rowspan="3"|Fox

Harry Shearer

| Mr. Burns, Smithers, Kent Brockman and Lenny

| rowspan="2"|The Simpsons

| "The Burns and the Bees"

Hank Azaria

| Moe Szyslak

| "Eeny Teeny Maya Moe"

rowspan=6 style="text-align:center" | 2010
(62nd)
{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/betty-white-lands-5th-emmy-1.898146|publisher=CBC News|title=Betty White lands 5th Emmy|date=2010-08-23|access-date=2010-09-07}}{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/sites/emmys.com/files/62ndemmys_noms.pdf |title=2010 Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations |access-date=2010-07-08 |publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110808202317/http://www.emmys.com/sites/emmys.com/files/62ndemmys_noms.pdf |archive-date=August 8, 2011 }}

| style="background:#FAEB86"|Anne Hathaway{{double dagger|alt=Winner}}

| style="background:#FAEB86"|Princess Penelope

| style="background:#FAEB86"|The Simpsons

| style="background:#FAEB86"|"Once Upon a Time in Springfield"

| style="background:#FAEB86"|Fox

H. Jon Benjamin

| Sterling Archer

| Archer

| "Mole Hunt"

| FX

Dave Foley

| Wayne

| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Prep & Landing

| ABC

Seth Green

| Cobra Commander, Movie Narrator and Robot Chicken Nerd

| Robot Chicken

| "Cannot Be Erased, So Sorry"

| Cartoon Network

Hank Azaria

| Apu and Moe Szyslak

| rowspan="2"|The Simpsons

| "Moe Letter Blues"

| rowspan="2"|Fox

Dan Castellaneta

| Grampa Simpson and Homer Simpson

| "Thursdays with Abie"

rowspan=6 style="text-align:center" | 2011
(63rd)
{{cite news|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/awards/2011/09/boardwalk-empire-rules-creative-arts-emmys.html|newspaper=L.A. Times|title=Boardwalk Empire' rules Creative Arts Emmys|date=2011-09-10|access-date=2010-09-11}}{{cite news|url=http://www.emmys.com/nominations/2011/Outstanding%20Voice-Over%20Performance|publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences|title=Primetime Emmy Awards nominations for 2011 - Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|access-date=2012-07-19}}

| style="background:#FAEB86"|Maurice LaMarche{{double dagger|alt=Winner}}

| style="background:#FAEB86"|Lrrr, Orson Welles

| style="background:#FAEB86"|Futurama

| style="background:#FAEB86"|"Lrrreconcilable Ndndifferences"

| style="background:#FAEB86"|Comedy Central

Bob Bergen

| Porky Pig

| The Looney Tunes Show

| "Jailbird And Jailbunny"

| Cartoon Network

Dan Castellaneta

| Homer Simpson, Krusty the Clown, Barney Gumble, Louie

| The Simpsons

| "Donnie Fatso"

| Fox

Seth Green

| Batman, Cobra Commander, Judge, Light Cycle Driver, Newscaster, Robot Chicken Nerd, Teenager, Venger

| Robot Chicken

| "Catch Me If You Kangaroo Jack"

| Cartoon Network

Christopher Plummer

| Narrator

| Moguls and Movie Stars

| "The Birth of Hollywood"

| TCM

Brenda Strong

| Mary Alice Young

| Desperate Housewives

| "Come on Over for Dinner"

| ABC

rowspan=6 style="text-align:center" | 2012
(64th)
{{cite news|url=http://www.emmys.com/sites/emmys.com/files/EmmyNoms64-Press-Release.pdf|publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences|title=Emmys Press Release|date=2012-07-19|access-date=2012-07-19}}

| style="background:#FAEB86"|Maurice LaMarche{{double dagger|alt=Winner}}

| style="background:#FAEB86"|Clamps, Donbot, Hyperchicken, Calculon, Hedonismbot, Morbo

| style="background:#FAEB86"|Futurama

| style="background:#FAEB86"|"The Silence of the Clamps"

| style="background:#FAEB86"|Comedy Central

Hank Azaria

| Moe Szyslak, Duffman, Mexican Duffman, Carl, Comic Book Guy, Chief Wiggum

| The Simpsons

| "Moe Goes from Rags to Riches"

| Fox

Dan Povenmire

| Doctor Doofenshmirtz

| colspan=2 style="text-align:center"| Disney Phineas And Ferb: Across The 2nd Dimension

| Disney

Rob Riggle

| Noel

| colspan=2 style="text-align:center"| Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice

| rowspan=2| ABC

Brenda Strong

| Mary Alice Young

| Desperate Housewives

| "Give Me the Blame" / "Finishing the Hat"

Kristen Wiig

| Lola

| The Looney Tunes Show

| "Double Date"

| Cartoon Network

rowspan=6 style="text-align:center| 2013
(65th)
{{cite news | title=Key Dates Announced for the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards | url=http://www.emmys.tv/awards/64th-primetime-emmy-awards | work=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences | date=December 1, 2012 | access-date=December 1, 2012}}

| style="background:#FAEB86"|Lily Tomlin{{double dagger|alt=Winner}}

| style="background:#FAEB86"|Narrator

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center; background:#faeb86;"| An Apology to Elephants

| style="background:#FAEB86"|HBO

Seth MacFarlane

| Brian Griffin, Stewie Griffin, Peter Griffin

| rowspan=2|Family Guy

| "Brian's Play"

| rowspan=2|Fox

Alex Borstein

| Lois Griffin and Tricia Takanawa

| "Lois Comes Out Of Her Shell"

Seth Green

| Abin Sur, Aquaman, Batman, Green Arrow, Martian Manhunter, Nerd and Robin

| rowspan=2|Robot Chicken

| "Robot Chicken DC Comics Special"

| rowspan=3|Cartoon Network

Sam Elliott

| Narrator

| "Hurtled From A Helicopter Into A Speeding Train"

Bob Bergen

| Porky Pig

| The Looney Tunes Show

| "We’re In Big Truffle"

Multiple wins

References

{{reflist|2}}