Primetime Emmy Awards 1987
The 39th Primetime Emmy Awards · Held September 20, 1987 · 28 categories · everything in 1987
Outstanding Drama Series
- Winner L.A. Law · Scott Goldstein, Ellen S. Pressman, Steven Bochco
- Nominee Cagney & Lacey
- Nominee Moonlighting · Karen Hall
- Nominee Murder, She Wrote
- Nominee St. Elsewhere
Outstanding Comedy Series
- Winner The Golden Girls · Mort Nathan, Barry Fanaro, Winifred Hervey
- Nominee Cheers
- Nominee Family Ties · Marc Lawrence
- Nominee Night Court
- Nominee The Cosby Show · Gary Kott
Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series
- Winner A Year in the Life · Joshua Brand, John Falsey
- Nominee Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna · Marvin J. Chomsky
- Nominee Nutcracker: Money, Madness and Murder · William Hanley
- Nominee Out on a Limb · Colin Higgins
- Nominee The Two Mrs. Grenvilles · John Erman
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
- Winner Bruce Willis · Moonlighting
- Nominee Corbin Bernsen · L.A. Law
- Nominee Ed Flanders · St. Elsewhere
- Nominee William Daniels · St. Elsewhere
- Nominee Edward Woodward · The Equalizer
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
- Winner Sharon Gless · Cagney & Lacey
- Nominee Tyne Daly · Cagney & Lacey
- Nominee Susan Dey · L.A. Law
- Nominee Jill Eikenberry · L.A. Law
- Nominee Angela Lansbury · Murder, She Wrote
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
- Winner Michael J. Fox · Family Ties
- Nominee Ted Danson · Cheers
- Nominee Bob Newhart · Newhart
- Nominee Harry Anderson · Night Court
- Nominee Bronson Pinchot · Perfect Strangers
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
- Winner Rue McClanahan · The Golden Girls
- Nominee Jane Curtin · Kate & Allie
- Nominee Blair Brown · The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd
- Nominee Bea Arthur · The Golden Girls
- Nominee Betty White · The Golden Girls
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
- Winner James Woods · Promise
- Nominee Louis Gossett Jr. · A Gathering of Old Men
- Nominee Alan Arkin · Escape from Sobibor
- Nominee James Garner · Hallmark Hall of Fame
- Nominee Randy Quaid · LBJ: The Early Years
- Nominee James Garner · Promise
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
- Winner Gena Rowlands · The Betty Ford Story
- Nominee Lee Remick · Nutcracker: Money, Madness and Murder
- Nominee Ellen Burstyn · Pack of Lies
- Nominee Ann-Margret · The Two Mrs. Grenvilles
- Nominee Alfre Woodard · Unnatural Causes
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
- Winner John Hillerman · Magnum, P.I.
- Nominee John Karlen · Cagney & Lacey
- Nominee Michael Tucker · L.A. Law
- Nominee Jimmy Smits · L.A. Law
- Nominee Ed Begley Jr. · St. Elsewhere
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
- Winner Bonnie Bartlett · St. Elsewhere
- Nominee Betty Thomas · Hill Street Blues
- Nominee Susan Ruttan · L.A. Law
- Nominee Allyce Beasley · Moonlighting
- Nominee Christina Pickles · St. Elsewhere
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
- Winner John Larroquette · Night Court
- Nominee George Wendt · Cheers
- Nominee Woody Harrelson · Cheers
- Nominee Tom Poston · Newhart
- Nominee Peter Scolari · Newhart
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
- Winner Jackée Harry · 227
- Nominee Rhea Perlman · Cheers
- Nominee Justine Bateman · Family Ties
- Nominee Julia Duffy · Newhart
- Nominee Estelle Getty · The Golden Girls
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
- Winner Dabney Coleman · Sworn to Silence
- Nominee Eli Wallach
- Nominee Laurence Olivier · Lost Empires
- Nominee John Glover · Nutcracker: Money, Madness and Murder
- Nominee Stephen Collins · The Two Mrs. Grenvilles
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
- Winner Piper Laurie · Promise
- Nominee Christine Lahti · Amerika
- Nominee Olivia de Havilland · Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna
- Nominee Elizabeth Wilson · Nutcracker: Money, Madness and Murder
- Nominee Claudette Colbert · The Two Mrs. Grenvilles
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
- Winner Gregory Hoblit · Pilot from L.A. Law
- Nominee Will Mackenzie · Atomic Shakespeare from Moonlighting
- Nominee Allan Arkush · I Am Curious ... Maddie from Moonlighting
- Nominee Donald Petrie · The Venus Butterfly from L.A. Law
- Nominee Sharron Miller · Turn, Turn, Turn - Part II from Cagney & Lacey
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
- Winner Terry Hughes · Isn't It Romantic? from The Golden Girls
- Nominee Will Mackenzie · A, My Name is Alex from Family Ties
- Nominee James Burrows · Chambers vs. Malone from Cheers
- Nominee Jay Sandrich · I Know That You Know from The Cosby Show
- Nominee Jack Shea · The Beauty Contest from Designing Women
Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Dramatic Special
- Winner Glenn Jordan · Promise
Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series
- Winner Don Mischer · Kennedy Center Honors
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
- Winner Steven Bochco · The Venus Butterfly from L.A. Law
- Nominee Tom Fontana, John Tinker, John Masius · Afterlife from St. Elsewhere
- Nominee Jeff Reno, Ron Osborn · Atomic Shakespeare from Moonlighting
- Nominee David Milch · Hill Street Blues
- Nominee Karen Hall, Charles H. Eglee, Glenn Gordon Caron · I Am Curious ... Maddie from Moonlighting
- Nominee Jeffrey Lewis, David Milch, John Romano · It Ain't Over Till It's Over from Hill Street Blues
- Nominee William M. Finkelstein · Sidney, the Dead-Nosed Reindeer from L.A. Law
- Nominee Georgia Jeffries · Turn, Turn, Turn (Part 1) from Cagney & Lacey
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
- Winner Gary David Goldberg · A, My Name is Alex from Family Ties
- Nominee Janet Leahy · Abnormal Psychology from Cheers
- Nominee David Mirkin · Co-Hostess Twinkie from Newhart
- Nominee Jay Tarses · Here's Why Cosmetics Should Come in Unbreakable Bottles from The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd
- Nominee Jeffrey Duteil · Isn't It Romantic? from The Golden Girls
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
- Winner John Cleese · Cheers
- Nominee Art Carney · The Cavanaughs
- Nominee Lois Nettleton · The Golden Girls
- Nominee Herb Edelman · The Golden Girls
- Nominee Nancy Walker · The Golden Girls
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
- Winner L.A. Law
- Nominee Steve Allen · St. Elsewhere
- Nominee Jayne Meadows · St. Elsewhere
- Nominee Edward Herrmann · St. Elsewhere
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
- Winner Alfre Woodard · L.A. Law
- Nominee Steve Allen · St. Elsewhere
Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program
- Winner Robin Williams · Carol, Carl, Whoopi and Robin
- Nominee Billy Crystal
- Nominee Jon Lovitz · Saturday Night Live
- Nominee The 41st Annual Tony Awards
- Nominee Julie Kavner · The Tracey Ullman Show
Outstanding Variety Special (Live)
- Winner The 41st Annual Tony Awards
- Nominee Late Night with David Letterman
- Nominee Liberty Weekend
- Nominee The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
- Nominee The Tracey Ullman Show
Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Dramatic Special
- Winner Ken Blackwell, Richard Friedenberg · Promise
- Nominee Reginald Rose · Escape from Sobibor
- Nominee Hugh Whitemore · Pack of Lies
- Nominee William Hanley · Part II from Nutcracker: Money, Madness and Murder
- Nominee Joshua Brand, John Falsey · The First Christmas from A Year in the Life