This Month, we will look back at Bryan Award winners from 2008 and 2004.
In August's BC Bulletin, we will take a look back at Bryan Award winners from last year, 2007, 2005, and 2002, and choose "winners" for 2000, 1997, 1995, 1992, 1990, 1986, 1984, 1981, 1977, 1975, 1971, 1969, 1966, 1963, 1961, 1958, 1957, 1955, and 1952.
(1983)
The 1982-83 was the era of a new day for NBC. In September 1982, NBC, in third place since the early 1970s launched a Thursday night lineup featuring Musical Drama Fame, Emmy-winning police drama Hill Street Blues, Emmy-winning sitcom Taxi (transplanted from ABC), and introduced a new sitcom, Cheers, set in a Boston Bar. Cheers (if the Bryan Awards were around in 1983) shared the honor with a fellow NBC freshman show set in Boston, St. Elsewhere, a low-rated medical drama set in a gloomy Boston hospital, which would also claim the Drama Series prize, among its 24 nominations. In Daytime, All My Children won most of the awards, however the top prize went to sister soap One Life to Live.
Comedy Series: Cheers (NBC)
Drama Series: St. Elsewhere (NBC)
Daytime Soap: One Life to Live (ABC)
Miniseries: (TIE) The Thorn Birds & Winds of War (ABC)
Made for TV Movie: Special Bulletin (NBC)
Variety Program: Motown 25- Yesterday. Today. Forever. (NBC)
New Series: (TIE) Cheers & St. Elsewhere (NBC)
Actor, Comedy: Alan Alda, M*A*S*H (CBS)
Actress, Comedy: Shelley Long, Cheers (NBC)
Supporting Actor, Comedy: Christopher Lloyd, Taxi (NBC)
Supporting Actress, Comedy: Carol Kane, Taxi (NBC)
Cast, Comedy: Cheers (NBC)
Actor, Drama: Ed Flanders, St. Elsewhere (NBC)
Actress, Drama: Linda Evans, Dynasty (ABC)
Supporting Actor, Drama: Bruce Weitz, Hill Street Blues (NBC)
Supporting Actress, Drama: Christina Pickles, St. Elsewhere (NBC)
Cast, Drama: Hill Street Blues (NBC)
Younger Actor: Gary Coleman, Diff'rent Strokes (NBC)
Younger Actress: Sarah Jessica Parker, Square Pegs (CBS)
Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Tommy Lee Jones, Executioner's Song (NBC)
Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Ann Margret, Who Will Love My Children? (ABC)
Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Richard Kiley, The Thorn Birds (ABC)
Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Jean Simmons, The Thorn Birds (ABC)
Cast, Miniseries or Movie: Nicholas Nickleby (Syndicated)
Actor, Daytime: Robert S. Woods, One Life to Live (ABC)
Actress, Daytime: Dorothy Lyman, All My Children (ABC)
Supporting Actor, Daytime: Darnell Williams, All My Children (ABC)
Supporting Actress, Daytime: Lois Kibbee, The Edge of Night (ABC)
Younger Actor, Daytime: Michael E. Knight, All My Children (ABC)
Younger Actress, Daytime: Kim Delaney, All My Children (ABC)
Cast, Daytime: All My Children (ABC)
(1982)
Comedy Series: Police Squad (ABC)
Drama Series: Hill Street Blues (NBC)
Daytime Soap: General Hospital (ABC)
Miniseries: Brideshead Revisited- Great Performances (PBS)
Made for TV Movie: Bill (CBS)
Variety Program: Night of 1,000 Stars (ABC)
New Series: Police Squad (ABC)
Actor, Comedy: Leslie Nielsen, Police Squad (ABC)
Actress, Comedy: Bonnie Franklin, One Day at a Time (CBS)
Supporting Actor, Comedy: Christopher Lloyd, Taxi (ABC)
Supporting Actress, Comedy: Loretta Swit, M*A*S*H (CBS)
Cast, Comedy: Taxi (ABC)
Actor, Drama: Daniel J. Travanti, Hill Street Blues (NBC)
Actress, Drama: Joan Collins, Dynasty (ABC)
Supporting Actor, Drama: Michael Conrad, Hill Street Blues (NBC)
Supporting Actress, Drama: Nancy Marchand, Lou Grant (CBS)
Cast, Drama: Hill Street Blues (NBC)
Younger Actor: Gary Coleman, Diff'rent Strokes (NBC)
Younger Actress: Valerie Bertinelli, One Day at a Time (CBS)
Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Mickey Rooney, Bill (CBS)
Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Ingrid Bergman, A Woman Called Golda (Syndicated)
Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Sir Laurence Olivier, Brideshead Revisited- Great Performances (PBS)
Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Claire Bloom, Brideshead Revisited- Great Performances (PBS)
Cast, Miniseries or Movie: Brideshead Revisited (PBS)
Actor, Daytime: Anthony Geary, General Hospital (ABC)
Actress, Daytime: Lisa Brown, Guiding Light (CBS)
Supporting Actor, Daytime: David Lewis, General Hospital (ABC)
Supporting Actress, Daytime: Jane Elliot, Guiding Light (CBS)
Cast, Daytime: General Hospital (ABC)
(1980)
In 1980, ABC's satire of soap operas, Soap took the Comedy prize for the third straight year. As for actual soap operas, CBS's Guiding Light would win for Best Daytime Drama. CBS's Lou Grant returned to the top of the Drama pile after taking home the honors in 1978.
Comedy Series: Soap (ABC)
Drama Series: Lou Grant (CBS)
Daytime Soap: Guiding Light (CBS)
Miniseries: Moviola (NBC)
Dramatic Special: All Quiet on the Western Front- Hallmark Hall of Fame (CBS)
Variety Program: The Lawrence Welk Show (Syndicated)
Actor, Comedy: Richard Mulligan, Soap (ABC)
Actress, Comedy: Cathryn Damon, Soap (ABC)
Supporting Actor, Comedy: Mike Farrell, M*A*S*H (CBS)
Supporting Actress, Comedy: Loretta Swit, M*A*S*H (CBS)
Cast, Comedy: M*A*S*H (CBS)
Actor, Drama: Larry Hagman, Dallas (CBS)
Actress, Drama: Barbara Bel Geddes, Dallas (CBS)
Supporting Actor, Drama: Patrick Duffy, Dallas (CBS)
Supporting Actress, Drama: Nancy Marchand, Lou Grant (CBS)
Cast, Drama: The White Shadow (CBS)
Younger Actor: Gary Coleman, Diff'rent Strokes (NBC)
Younger Actress: Melissa Gilbert, Little House on the Prairie (NBC)
Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Powers Boothe, Guyana Tragedy: The Jim Jones Story (CBS)
Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Patty Duke Astin, The Miracle Worker (NBC)
Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Ernest Borgnine, All Quiet on the Western Front- Hallmark Hall of Fame (CBS)
Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Patricia Neal, All Quiet on the Western Front- Hallmark Hall of Fame (CBS)
Cast, Miniseries or Movie: Moviola (NBC)
Actor, Daytime: Michael Zaslow, Guiding Light (CBS)
Actress, Daytime: Judith Light, One Life to Live (ABC)
Supporting Actor, Daytime: David Lewis, General Hospital (ABC)
Supporting Actress, Daytime: Jane Elliot, General Hospital (ABC)
Cast, Daytime: Guiding Light (CBS)
(1978)
If the Bryan Awards were around in 1978, All in the Family would have become the first series since I Love Lucy in 1953 to sweep all four regular acting categories at the Bryan Awards in one year.
Comedy Series: (TIE) All in the Family (CBS) & Soap (ABC)
Drama Series: Lou Grant (CBS)
Daytime Soap: Days of Our Lives (NBC)
Miniseries: Holocaust (NBC)
Dramatic Special: A Family Upside Down (NBC)
Variety Series: The Muppet Show (Syndicated)
Variety Special: The Second Barry Manilow Special (ABC)
New Series: Soap (ABC)
Actor, Comedy: Carroll O'Connor, All in the Family (CBS)
Actress, Comedy: Jean Stapleton, All in the Family (CBS)
Supporting Actor, Comedy: Rob Reiner, All in the Family (CBS)
Supporting Actress, Comedy: Sally Struthers, All in the Family (CBS)
Cast, Comedy: All in the Family (CBS)
Actor, Drama: Edward Asner, Lou Grant (CBS)
Actress, Drama: Sada Thompson, Family (ABC)
Supporting Actor, Drama: Mason Adams, Lou Grant (CBS)
Supporting Actress, Drama: Nancy Marchand, Lou Grant (CBS)
Cast, Drama: Lou Grant (CBS)
Younger Actor: Adam Rich, Eight is Enough (ABC)
Younger Actress: Melissa Sue Anderson, Little House on the Prairie (NBC)
Actor, Miniseries or Special: Derek Jacobi, I, Claudius (PBS)
Actress, Miniseries or Special: Meryl Streep, Holocaust (NBC) & An Uncommon Woman, Great Performances (PBS)
Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Special: Ossie Davis, King (NBC)
Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Special: Patty Duke Astin, A Family Upside Down (NBC)
Cast, Miniseries or Special: Holocaust (NBC)
Actor, Daytime: Martin Hulswit, Guiding Light (CBS)
Actress, Daytime: Beverlee McKinsey, Another World (NBC)
Supporting Actor, Daytime: Don Stewart, Guiding Light (CBS)
Supporting Actress, Daytime: Kate Mulgrew, Ryan's Hope (ABC)
Cast, Daytime: Ryan's Hope (ABC)
(1976)
In this Bicentennial Year, The Mary Tyler Moore Show would have won yet again in the Comedy races. In the Drama race, Upstairs, Downstairs would have prevailed again for the top prize. In the Miniseries race, Rich Man, Poor Man would have dominated in prizes. The newest soap opera on ABC, Ryan's Hope would have been named top soap, had the Bryan Awards existed in 1976.
Comedy Series: The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS)
Drama Series: Upstairs, Downstairs (PBS)
Daytime Soap: Ryan's Hope (ABC)
Miniseries: Rich Man, Poor Man (ABC)
Dramatic Special: Eleanor and Franklin (ABC)
Variety Series: NBC Saturday Night (NBC)
Variety Special: The Monty Python Show (ABC)
Actor, Comedy: Henry Winkler, Happy Days (ABC)
Actress, Comedy: Mary Tyler Moore, The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS)
Supporting Actor, Comedy: Ted Knight, The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS)
Supporting Actress, Comedy: Betty White, The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS)
Cast, Comedy: The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS)
Actor, Drama: Jim Hutton, Ellery Queen (NBC)
Actress, Drama: Angie Dickinson, Police Woman (NBC)
Supporting Actor, Drama: David Wayne, Ellery Queen (NBC)
Supporting Actress, Drama: Angela Baddeley, Upstairs, Downstairs (PBS)
Cast, Drama: The Waltons (CBS)
Younger Actor: John Travolta, Welcome Back, Kotter (ABC)
Younger Actress: Melissa Gilbert, Little House on the Prairie (NBC)
Actor, Miniseries or Special: Nick Nolte, Rich Man, Poor Man (ABC)
Actress, Miniseries or Special: Lee Remick, Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill- Great Performances (PBS)
Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Special: Ray Bolger, The Entertainer (NBC)
Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Special: Rosemary Murphy, Eleanor and Franklin (ABC)
Cast, Miniseries or Special: Rich Man, Poor Man (ABC)
Actor, Daytime: Bill Hayes, Days of Our Lives (NBC)
Actress, Daytime: Helen Gallagher, Ryan's Hope (ABC)
Supporting Actor, Daytime: Bernard Barrow, Ryan's Hope (ABC)
Supporting Actress, Daytime: Frances Heflin, All My Children (ABC)
Cast, Daytime: Days of Our Lives (NBC)
(1974)
Comedy Series: The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS)
Drama Series: Upstairs, Downstairs (PBS)
Daytime Soap: The Doctors (NBC)
Limited Series: QB VII (ABC)
Dramatic Special: The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (CBS)
Variety Series: The Carol Burnett Show (CBS)
Variety Special: The Shape of Things (CBS)
New Series: Upstairs, Downstairs (PBS)
Actor, Comedy: Redd Foxx, Sanford & Son (NBC)
Actress, Comedy: Mary Tyler Moore, The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS)
Supporting Actor, Comedy: McLean Stevenson, M*A*S*H (CBS)
Supporting Actress, Comedy: Valerie Harper, The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS)
Cast, Comedy: The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS)
Actor, Drama: Telly Savalas, Kojak (CBS)
Actress, Drama: Michael Learned, The Waltons (CBS)
Supporting Actor, Drama: Will Geer, The Waltons (CBS)
Supporting Actress, Drama: Ellen Corby, The Waltons (CBS)
Cast, Drama: The Waltons (CBS)
Young Performer: Ralph Carter, Good Times (CBS)
Actor, Miniseries or Special: Martin Sheen, The Execution of Private Slovik (NBC)
Actress, Miniseries or Special: Cicely Tyson, The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (CBS)
Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Special: Ned Beatty, The Execution of Private Slovik (NBC)
Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Special: Joanna Miles, The Glass Menagerie (ABC)
Cast, Miniseries or Special: QB VII (ABC)
Actor, Daytime: Macdonald Carey, Days of Our Lives (NBC)
Actress, Daytime: Mary Stuart, Search for Tomorrow (CBS)
(1973)
Although it's been almost 40 years since the show debuted, the show took place in an economic climate, much like the economic climate that the United States is in in the summer of 2010. The Waltons, if we did the Bryan Awards in 1973, would have taken home 11 Bryan Awards out of a hefty 20 Nominations, including Best Drama Series and Best New Series, for its realistic setting in the rural backdrop of Virginia during the Great Depression. In the Comedy race, The Mary Tyler Moore Show took home its first Comedy Series prize. PBS took top honors in the Limited Series and Dramatic Special races for respectively Vanity Fair, based on the novel, and Steambath, a controversial special set in a sauna in purgatory.
Comedy Series: The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS)
Drama Series: The Waltons (CBS)
Daytime Soap: The Edge of Night (CBS)
Limited Series: Vanity Fair- Masterpiece Theatre (PBS)
Dramatic Special: Steambath (PBS)
Variety Series: The Carol Burnett Show (CBS)
Variety Special: Singer Presents Liza with a 'Z' (NBC)
New Series: The Waltons (CBS)
Actor, Comedy: Jack Klugman, The Odd Couple (ABC)
Actress, Comedy: Beatrice Arthur, Maude (CBS)
Supporting Actor, Comedy: Ted Knight, The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS)
Supporting Actress, Comedy: Valerie Harper, The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS)
Cast, Comedy: The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS)
Actor, Drama: David Carradine, Kung Fu (ABC)
Actress, Drama: Michael Learned, The Waltons (CBS)
Supporting Actor, Drama: Will Geer, The Waltons (CBS)
Supporting Actress, Drama: Ellen Corby, The Waltons (CBS)
Cast, Drama: The Waltons (CBS)
Young Performer: Richard Thomas, The Waltons (CBS)
Actor, Miniseries or Special: Henry Fonda, The Red Pony (NBC)
Actress, Miniseries or Special: Lauren Bacall, Applause (CBS)
Cast, Miniseries or Special: Steambath (PBS)
Actor, Daytime: Macdonald Carey, Days of Our Lives (NBC)
Actress, Daytime: Mary Fickett, All My Children (ABC)
(1972)
Where were you in '72? On television, Sammy Davis Jr. kissed Archie Bunker, Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers' friendship was told, and King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I had their own miniseries. All in the Family reprised its 1971 Comedy Series win, as well as wins for Lead Actor and Actress Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton. The Drama Series favorite was Columbo, NBC's gumshoe. However, Columbo was upset in that race by NBC's freshman drama about paramedics, Emergency!, which also took acting prizes for co-stars and real-life married couple Julie London and Bobby Troup. Columbo's consolation prize was Best Actor for Peter Falk. The Best Dramatic Special went to Brian's Song, about the friendship of NFL running backs Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers. Best Limited Series, a new category this year, went to Elizabeth R, Masterpiece Theatre's six-part series about Queen Elizabeth. Best Variety Series went to The Lawrence Welk Show, a past winner, which was cancelled by ABC and then picked up in First-run Syndication, came back to pull off an upset win.
Comedy Series: All in the Family (CBS)
Drama Series: Emergency! (NBC)
Daytime Soap: Days of Our Lives (NBC)
Dramatic Special: Brian's Song (ABC)
Variety Series: The Lawrence Welk Show (Syndicated)
Variety Special: Jack Lemmon in 'S Wonderful, 'S Marvelous, 'S Gershwin (NBC)
Limited Series: Elizabeth R- Masterpiece Theatre (PBS)
Actor, Comedy: Carroll O'Connor, All in the Family (CBS)
Actress, Comedy: Jean Stapleton, All in the Family (CBS)
Supporting Actor, Comedy: Edward Asner, The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS)
Supporting Actress, Comedy: Valerie Harper, The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS)
Cast, Comedy: All in the Family (CBS)
Actor, Drama: Peter Falk, Columbo (NBC)
Actress, Drama: Julie London, Emergency! (NBC)
Supporting Actor, Drama: Bobby Troup, Emergency! (NBC)
Supporting Actress, Drama: Gail Fisher, Mannix (CBS)
Cast, Drama: Emergency! (NBC)
Actor, Special: Keith Michell, The Six Wives of Henry VIII (CBS & PBS)
Actress, Special: Glenda Jackson, Elizabeth R (PBS)
Supporting Actor, Special: Jack Warden, Brian's Song (ABC)
Supporting Actress, Special: Jenny Agutter, The Snow Goose (NBC)
Cast, Special: Brian's Song (ABC)
(1968)
If He & She debuted in 1970 or 1972, the show would have run for at least six, seven, or maybe even eight seasons, like many of the adult situation comedies that followed suit in the '70s, such as All in the Family, The Odd Couple, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and The Bob Newhart Show. But the show was a trail blazer of its time in 1967, lasting only one season. Former CBS Exec Mike Dann called He & She, "the smartest show (he) ever cancelled."
Comedy Series: He & She (CBS)
Drama Series: Mission: Impossible (CBS)
Dramatic Special: Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night, CBS Playhouse (CBS)
Variety Series: Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In (NBC)
Variety Special: Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In (NBC)
Actor, Comedy: Don Adams, Get Smart (CBS)
Actress, Comedy: Marlo Thomas, That Girl (ABC)
Supporting Actor, Comedy: Jack Cassidy, He & She (CBS)
Supporting Actress, Comedy: Marion Lorne, Bewitched (ABC)
Actor, Drama: Carl Betz, Judd, for the Defense (ABC)
Actress, Drama: Barbara Bain, Mission: Impossible (CBS)
Supporting Actor, Drama: Milburn Stone, Gunsmoke (CBS)
Supporting Actress, Drama: Barbara Anderson, Ironside (NBC)
Actor, Special: Melvyn Douglas, Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night, CBS Playhouse (CBS)
Actress, Special: Dame Judith Anderson, Elizabeth the Queen- Hallmark Hall of Fame (NBC)
(1967)
Comedy Series: Get Smart (NBC)
Drama Series: Star Trek (NBC)
Dramatic Special: Mark Twain Tonight (CBS)
Variety Series: The Lawrence Welk Show (ABC)
Variety Special: The Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, and Howard Morris Special (CBS)
Actor, Comedy: Don Adams, Get Smart (NBC)
Actress, Comedy: Marlo Thomas, That Girl (ABC)
Supporting Actor, Comedy: Hayden Rorke, I Dream of Jeannie (NBC)
Supporting Actress, Comedy: Frances Bavier, The Andy Griffith Show (CBS)
Actor, Drama: Martin Landau, Mission: Impossible (CBS)
Actress, Drama: Barbara Bain, Mission: Impossible (CBS)
Actor, Special: Ivan Dixon, The Final War of Olly Winter, CBS Playhouse (CBS)
Actress, Special: Shirley Booth, The Glass Menagerie (CBS)
(1964)
Comedy Series: The Dick Van Dyke Show (CBS)
Drama Series: Arrest & Trial (ABC)
Variety Series: The Lawrence Welk Show (ABC)
Actor, Series: David Janssen, The Fugitive (ABC)
Actress, Series: Mary Tyler Moore, The Dick Van Dyke Show (CBS)
Supporting Actor, Series: Jim Nabors, The Andy Griffith Show (CBS)
Supporting Actress, Series: Rose Marie, The Dick Van Dyke Show (CBS)
Cast: The Dick Van Dyke Show (CBS)
(1959)
Comedy Series: The Phil Silvers Show (CBS)
Drama Series: Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (CBS)
Dramatic Special: Little Moon of Alban- Hallmark Hall of Fame (NBC)
Variety Series: The Garry Moore Show (CBS)
Variety Special: An Evening with Fred Astaire (CBS)
Actor, Series: Robert Young, Father Knows Best (CBS)
Actress, Series: Jane Wyatt, Father Knows Best (CBS)
Supporting Actor, Series: Dennis Weaver, Gunsmoke (CBS)
Supporting Actress, Series: Amanda Blake, Gunsmoke (CBS)
Cast: The Phil Silvers Show (CBS)
Actor, Special: Christopher Plummer, Little Moon of Alban- Hallmark Hall of Fame (NBC) Actress, Special: Julie Harris, Little Moon of Alban- Hallmark Hall of Fame (NBC)
(1951)
This is where the Bryan Awards would have begun, if I were around in the dawn of the original "Golden Age" of Television. The 1950s were a beginning of an era in entertainment, as television was forming, and would eventually replace the radio in the form of household entertainment. Your Show of Shows, one of the first sketch comedies in television history, which introduced America to the likes of Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, and Carl Reiner, would have been crowned the first Best Comedy winner. Studio One, the anthology series, would have been chosen to be the first Best Drama winner.
Comedy: Your Show of Shows (NBC)
Drama: Studio One (CBS)
