Jim Henson, with the Emmy that he won for directing Dog City in 1989.
David Lazer, Dave Goelz, Jim Henson and Frank Oz with their Emmy Awards for The Muppet Show in 1978.
Emmy Awards and nominations that Jim Henson and the Muppets have received. Many appearances have been made by Muppet characters at the award ceremonies, as well. The following list is limited to those awards given at the prime-time ceremony, prior to or concurrent with the separate Daytime Emmy Awards, and also excludes the International Emmy Awards.
Various Sesame Street programs have won 12 Primetime Emmy Awards, and The Muppet Show has won four. The Muppets have also appeared at various Emmy Awards ceremonies.
In November 2020, it was announced the Primetime Emmy Awards will drop its Children's category next year due to the rise in streaming sites such as Netflix and Hulu which are becoming more popular with children. It will be consolidated into the Daytime Emmy Award categories.
- See also: Emmy (magazine), Television Academy and Emmy Awards Ceremony Appearances
1970[]
Sesame Street
Won:
- Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming - Program: David D. Connell, executive producer; Sam Gibbon, Jon Stone, Lutrelle Horne, producers
- Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming - Individual (Writing):
- Jon Stone, Jeff Moss, Ray Sipherd, Jerry Juhl, Dan Wilcox, Dave Connell, Bruce Hart, Carole Hart, and Virginia Schone, writers, "Sally Sees Sesame Street"
- Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming - Individual (Music):
- Joe Raposo, Jeffrey Moss, music and lyrics, This Way to Sesame Street
Nominated:
- Outstanding New Series: Connell, Gibbon, Stone, Horne
1971[]
Sesame Street
Won:
- Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming (Programs): David Connell, executive producer; Jon Stone, Lutrelle Horne, producers
Nominated: Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming (individuals): George W. Riesenberger, lighting director
1972[]
Sesame Street
Won:
- Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming (Programs): David D. Connell, executive producer; Jon Stone, producer
Nominated: Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming (individuals): George W. Riesenberger, lighting director
1973[]
Sesame Street
Won:
- Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming (Entertainment-Fictional): Jon Stone, executive producer, Bob Cunniff, producer
Nominated:
- Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming (individuals):
- Joe Raposo, music director
- Robert G. Myhrum, director
1977[]
Won:
- Outstanding Continuing or Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in Variety or Music: Rita Moreno (episode 105)
Nominations:
- Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Series
- Outstanding Writing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Series: Jack Burns, Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, and Marc London (for episode 108)
1978[]
The Muppet Show
Won:
- Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Series (YouTube)
Nominated:
- Outstanding Directing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Series: Peter Harris (for episode 214)
- Outstanding Writing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Series: Joseph Bailey, Jim Henson, Don Hinkley, and Jerry Juhl (for episode 211)
- Outstanding Continuing or Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in Variety or Music: Peter Sellers (episode 219)
- Outstanding Continuing or Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in Variety or Music: Bernadette Peters (episode 212)
1979[]
Christmas Eve on Sesame Street
Won:
- Outstanding Children's Program: Jon Stone, executive producer; Dulcy Singer, producer
Nominated:
- Outstanding Individual Achievement (children's program)
- Dave Clark and Tony Di Giroloma, lighting directors
- Gerri Brioso, graphic artist
The Muppet Show
Nominated:
- Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Program
Nominated:
- Outstanding Achievement in Choreography: Anita Mann
- Outstanding Achievement in Tape Sound Mixing: Ed Greene, sound mixer)
- Outstanding Video Tape Editing for a Limited Series: Darryl Sutton)
A Special Sesame Street Christmas Nominated:
- Outstanding Children's Program: Bob Banner, executive producer
1980[]
The Muppet Show
Won:
- Outstanding Video Tape Editing for a Series: John Hawkins (for episode 414)
Nominated:
- Outstanding Variety or Music Program
- Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program: Jim Henson, Don Hinkley, Jerry Juhl, David Odell (for episode 420)
- Outstanding Directing in a Variety or Music Program: Peter Harris (for episode 414)
- Outstanding Art Direction for a Variety or Music Program: Malcolm Stone (for episode 409)
- Outstanding Costume Design for a Series: Calista Hendrickson (for episode 409)
- Outstanding Individual Achievement -- Creative Technical Crafts (for episode 420)
- Outstanding Individual Achievement -- Creative Technical Crafts (for episode 410)
John Denver & the Muppets: A Christmas Together
Won:
- Outstanding Direction in a Variety or Music Program: Tony Charmoli
Nominations
- Outstanding Children's Program: Michael Cozell, producer; Al Hyslop, executive producer
- Outstanding Individual Achievement (children's program):
- Nat Mongioi, art director
- Ozzie Alfonso, director
1981[]
Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas
Nominated:
- Outstanding Children's Program: Jim Henson, producer; David Lazer, executive producer
- Oustanding Individual Achievement - Children's Programming: Calista Hendrickson
The Muppet Show
Won:
- Outstanding Writing in a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham, and David Odell (for episode 515)
Nominated:
- Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program
- Outstanding Art Direction for a Variety or Music Program: Malcolm Stone (for episode 506)
- Outstanding Video Tape Editing for a Series: John Hawkins (for episode 506)
1983[]
Won:
- Outstanding Children's Program: Jon Stone, Bao-Xiang Kuo, Ja-Cha Xu, David Liu
Nominated:
- Outstanding Video Tape Editing for a Limited Series or a Special: Ken Gutstein
Nominated:
- Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) for a Limited Series or Special: George Riesenberger
1984[]
Nominated:
- Outstanding Children's Program
1987[]
Won:
- Outstanding Children's Program (for "Hans My Hedgehog"): Jim Henson, executive producer; Mark Shivas, producer
Nominated:
- Outstanding Children's Program: Martin Baker, executive producer; Jim Henson, Diana Birkenfield, producers
1988[]
Nominated:
- Outstanding Children's Program
Nominated:
- Outstanding Children's Program (for "The Luck Child")
- Outstanding Children's Program (for "A Story Short")
1989[]
Nominated:
- Outstanding Children's Program (for episode 101)
Won:
- Outstanding Directing in a Variety or Music Program: Jim Henson for Dog City
Sesame Street: 20 and Still Counting
Nominated:
- Outstanding Special Event
- Outstanding Achievement in Music and Lyrics: Joe Raposo
1990[]
The Jim Henson Hour
Nominated:
- Outstanding Children's Program (for The Song of the Cloud Forest)
- Outstanding Directing in a Variety or Music Program (Jim Henson for The Song of the Cloud Forest)
Sing! Sesame Street Remembers Joe Raposo and His Music
Nominated:
- Outstanding Achievement in Choreography: Jacques d'Amboise
1991[]
Won:
- Outstanding Art Direction for a Series: John C. Mula, production designer; Kevin Pfeiffer, art director; Brian Savegar, set director
Nominated:
- Outstanding Editing for a Series (single camera): Marco Zappia
The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson
Won:
- Outstanding Editing for a Mini-Series or Special (multi-camera Production) - Girish Bhargava, David Gumpel
Nominated:
- Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program
- Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program: Jerry Juhl, Sara Lukinson, Bill Prady
- Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction: Larry Grossman, music director; James Lawrence, Paul McKibbins, and Torrie Zito, prinicipal arrangers
1994[]
Sesame Street Jam: A Musical Celebration
Nominated:
- Outstanding Children's Program: Arlene Sherman, executive producer
Stars and Street Forever: Franklin Getchell, co-executive producer; Marjorie Kalins, co-executive producer; Joel Lipman, coordinating producer; Marc Sachnoff, producer; Andrew Solt, executive producer; Emily Squires, co-producer; Victoria Strong, producer; Greg Vines, Supervising Producer
1996[]
Won:
- Outstanding Individual Achievement in Art Direction for a Variety or Music Program (for episode 106)
Nominated:
- Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series
- Outstanding Individual Achievement in Costume Design for a Variety or Music Program: Polly Smith (for episode 102)
- Outstanding Individual Achievement in Lighting Direction (Electronic) for a Drama Series, Variety Series, Miniseries or a Special: Olin Younger (for episode 106)
- Outstanding Technical Direction/Camera/Video for a Series (for episode 105)
Won:
- Outstanding Miniseries
- Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries or Special: Simon Moore
- Outstanding Art Direction for a Miniseries or Special: Frederic Evard, Portugal art director; John Fenner supervising art director; Roger Hall, production designer; Rosalind Shingleton, set decorator; Alan Tomkins, UK art director
- Outstanding Special Visual Effects: Tim Webber
- Oustanding Hairstyling for a Miniseries or Special: Aileen Seaton
Nominated:
- Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries or Special: Charles Sturridge
- Outstanding Supporting Actress for a Miniseries or Special: Alfre Woodard
- Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or Special: Howard Atherton, B.S.C.
- Oustanding Costume Design for a Miniseries or Special: Shirley Russell
- Outstanding Single Camera Editing for a Miniseries or Special: Peter Coulson
- Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Drama Miniseries or Special: Paul Hamblin and Clive Pendry, re-recording mixers; Simon Kaye, production mixer
1997[]
Muppets Tonight
Nominated:
- Outstanding Art Direction for a Variety or Music Program (for episode 108)
- Outstanding Technical Direction/Camera/Video for a Series (for episode 107)
Nominated:
- Outstanding Children's Program: Lou Berger, supervising producer; David Steven Cohen, Michael K. Frith, Brian Henson, executive producers; Lauren Gray and Jonathan Meath, producers; David Gumpel, co-producer
1998[]
Muppets Tonight
Won:
- Outstanding Children's Program
The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss
Nominated:
- Outstanding Children's Program: Lou Berger, supervising producer; David Steven Cohen, Michael K. Frith, Brian Henson, executive producers; Lauren Gray, Bob Stein, producers; David Gumpel, co-producer; Will Ryan, consulting producer
2002[]
Nominated:
- Outstanding Costumes for a Series: Lyn Askew (supervisor), Terry Ryan (designer)
It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie
Nominated:
- Outstanding Music and Lyrics: Desmond Child and Davitt Sigerson for "Everyone Matters"
2004[]
Nominations:
- Outstanding Children's Program: Dr. Lewis Bernstein, executive producer; Tim Carter, producer; Kevin Clash, co-executive producer; Melissa Dino, producer; Karen Ialacci, producer; Carol-Lynn Parente, producer
- Outstanding Music And Lyrics: Lou Berger, lyricist; Mike Renzi, composer
Sesame Street Play and Learn Channel Nominations:
- Outstanding Achievement in Interactive Television
- Outstanding Achievement in Advanced Media Technology for the Creation of Video Games
2005[]
Nominated:
- Outstanding Music and Lyrics: Michael Giacchino, Jeannie Lurie, Adam Cohen, Debra Frank, Steve L. Hayes for "When I'm With You"
Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars
Nominated:
- Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Miniseries, Movie or Special
Nominated:
- Outstanding Achievement for an Interactive Television Service
2007[]
Nominated:
- Outstanding Children's Program
2008[]
A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa
Nominated:
- Outstanding Music and Lyrics: Paul Williams for "I Wish I Could Be Santa Claus"
2009[]
61st Primetime Emmy Engineering Awards
- Henson Digital Puppetry Studio (Jim Henson's Creature Shop)
2010[]
62nd Primetime Emmy Awards
Nominated
- Outstanding Children's Nonfiction Program: When Families Grieve (Sesame Street Talk, Listen, Connect)
2012[]
64th Primetime Emmy Awards
Sesame Street
Won:
- Outstanding Children’s Nonfiction, Reality or Reality-Competition Program: Growing Hope Against Hunger (Sesame Street Food for Thought) (Carol-Lynn Parente, executive producer; Melissa Dino, supervising producer; Mason Rather, senior producer; Kevin Clash, producer)
Nominated:
- Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics: "I Can't Believe I'm Hosting SNL"; music by Eli Brueggemann, lyrics by Seth Meyers and John Mulaney
2016[]
68th Primetime Emmy Awards
Nominated:
- Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour or Less)
2017[]
69th Primetime Emmy Awards
Once Upon a Sesame Street Christmas
Won:
- Outstanding Children's Program
2018[]
70th Primetime Emmy Awards
Won
- Outstanding Children's Program
2019[]
71st Primetime Emmy Awards
Won
- Outstanding Children's Program
Nominated
- Outstanding Character Voice-over Performance (Eric Jacobson)
2020[]
72nd Primetime Emmy Awards
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance
Won
- Outstanding Children's Program
References[]
- In Episode 1710 of Sesame Street, as Big Bird receives a Camp Echo Rock award for Best Swimming, he comments, "This is better than an Emmy."
- In the special Elmopalooza, producer Prairie Dawn is among the show's crew trapped in the stuck dressing room. As Jon Stewart digs his way out off-screen, Prairie rants about how her plans have gone awry, "This was gonna be my masterpiece, this was gonna be the one they remembered me for, this was gonna be my EMMY!!!"
Sources[]
- Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Award search database.
- O'Neil, Thomas. The Emmys. Penguin Books: 1992.
- Primetime Emmys drop kids category.