• 1971: Flip Wilson, The Flip Wilson Show
• 1972: Carroll O'Connor, All in the Family
• 1973: Redd Foxx, Sanford and Son
• 1974: Jack Klugman, The Odd Couple
• 1975: Alan Alda, M*A*S*H
• 1976: Alan Alda, M*A*S*H
• 1977: Henry Winkler, Happy Days
• 1978: Ron Howard, Happy Days; Henry Winkler, Happy Days
• 1979: Robin Williams, Mork and Mindy
• 1980: Alan Alda, M*A*S*H
• 1981: Alan Alda, M*A*S*H
• 1982: Alan Alda, M*A*S*H
• 1983: Alan Alda, M*A*S*H
• 1984: John Ritter, Three's Company

• 1985
  • Bill Cosby - The Cosby Show as "Cliff Huxtable"
  • Ted Danson - Cheers as "Sam Malone"
  • Robert Guillaume - Benson as "Benson DuBois"
  • Sherman Hemsley - The Jeffersons as "George Jefferson"
  • Bob Newhart - Newhart as "Dick Loudon"

• 1986
  • Bill Cosby - The Cosby Show as "Cliff Huxtable"
  • Tony Danza - Who's the Boss? as "Tony Micelli"
  • Michael J. Fox - Family Ties as "Alex P. Keaton"
  • Bob Newhart - Newhart as "Dick Loudon"
  • Bruce Willis - Moonlighting as "David Addison"

• 1987
  • Bruce Willis - Moonlighting as David Addison
  • Bill Cosby - The Cosby Show as "Cliff Huxtable"
  • Ted Danson - Cheers as "Sam Malone"
  • Tony Danza - Who's the Boss? as "Tony Micelli"
  • Michael J. Fox - Family Ties as "Alex P. Keaton"

• 1988
  • Dabney Coleman - The Slap Maxwell Story as "'Slap' Maxwell"
  • Michael J. Fox - Family Ties as "Alex P. Keaton"
  • John Ritter - Hooperman as "Harry Hooperman"
  • Alan Thicke - Growing Pains as "Dr. Jason Seaver"
  • Bruce Willis - Moonlighting as "David Addison"

• 1989
  • Michael J. Fox - Family Ties as "Alex P. Keaton"
  • Judd Hirsch - Dear John as "John Lacey"
  • Richard Mulligan - Empty Nest as "Harry Weston"
  • Ted Danson - Cheers as "Sam Malone"
  • John Goodman - Roseanne as "Dan Conner"

1990s

• 1990
  • Ted Danson - Cheers as "Sam Malone"
  • John Goodman - Roseanne as "Dan Conner"
  • Judd Hirsch - Dear John as "John Lacey"
  • Richard Mulligan - Empty Nest as "Harry Weston"
  • Fred Savage - The Wonder Years as "Kevin Arnold"

• 1991
  • Ted Danson - Cheers as "Sam Malone"
  • John Goodman - Roseanne as "Dan Conner"
  • Richard Mulligan - Empty Nest as "Harry Weston"
  • Burt Reynolds - Evening Shade as "Wood Newton"
  • Fred Savage - The Wonder Years as "Kevin Arnold"

• 1992
  • Burt Reynolds - Evening Shade as "Wood Newton"
  • Ted Danson - Cheers as "Sam Malone"
  • Neil Patrick Harris - Doogie Howser, M.D. as "Doogie Howser"
  • Craig T. Nelson - Coach as "Coach Hayden Fox"
  • Ed O'Neill - Married… with Children as "Al Bundy"

• 1993
  • John Goodman - Roseanne as "Dan Conner"
  • Tim Allen - Home Improvement as "Tim Taylor"
  • Ted Danson - Cheers as "Sam Malone"
  • Craig T. Nelson - Coach as "Coach Hayden Fox"
  • Ed O'Neill - Married… with Children as "Al Bundy"
  • Burt Reynolds - Evening Shade as "Wood Newton"
  • Will Smith - The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as "Will Smith"

• 1994
  • Jerry Seinfeld - Seinfeld as "Jerry Seinfeld"
  • Tim Allen - Home Improvement as "Tim Taylor"
  • Kelsey Grammer - Frasier as "Frasier Crane"
  • Craig T. Nelson - Coach as "Coach Hayden Fox"
  • Will Smith - The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as "Will Smith"

• 1995
  • Tim Allen - Home Improvement as "Tim Taylor"
  • Kelsey Grammer - Frasier as "Frasier Crane"
  • Craig T. Nelson - Coach as "Coach Hayden Fox"
  • Paul Reiser - Mad About You as "Paul Buchman"
  • Jerry Seinfeld - Seinfeld as "Jerry Seinfeld"
  • Garry Shandling - The Larry Sanders Show as "Larry Sanders"

• 1996
  • Kelsey Grammer - Frasier as "Frasier Crane"
  • Tim Allen - Home Improvement as "Tim Taylor"
  • Paul Reiser - Mad About You as "Paul Buchman"
  • Jerry Seinfeld - Seinfeld as "Jerry Seinfeld"
  • Garry Shandling - The Larry Sanders Show as "Larry Sanders"

• 1997
  • John Lithgow - 3rd Rock from the Sun as "Dick Solomon"
  • Tim Allen - Home Improvement as "Tim Taylor"
  • Michael J. Fox - Spin City as "Mike Flaherty"
  • Kelsey Grammer - Frasier as "Frasier Crane"
  • Paul Reiser - Mad About You as "Paul Buchman"

• 1998
  • Michael J. Fox - Spin City as "Mike Flaherty"
  • Kelsey Grammer - Frasier as "Frasier Crane"
  • John Lithgow - 3rd Rock from the Sun as "Dick Solomon"
  • Paul Reiser - Mad About You as "Paul Buchman"
  • Jerry Seinfeld - Seinfeld as "Jerry Seinfeld"

• 1999
  • Michael J. Fox - Spin City as "Mike Flaherty"
  • Thomas Gibson - Dharma & Greg as "Greg Montgomery"
  • Kelsey Grammer - Frasier as "Frasier Crane"
  • John Lithgow - 3rd Rock from the Sun as "Dick Solomon"
  • George Segal - Just Shoot Me! as "Jack Gallo"

2000s

• 2000: Michael J. Fox - Spin City as "Mike Flaherty"
  • Thomas Gibson - Dharma & Greg as "Greg Montgomery"
  • Eric McCormack - Will & Grace as "Will Truman"
  • Ray Romano - Everybody Loves Raymond as "Ray Barone"
  • George Segal - Just Shoot Me! as "Jack Gallo"

• 2001: Kelsey Grammer - Frasier as "Frasier Crane"
  • Ted Danson - Becker as "John Becker"
  • Eric McCormack - Will & Grace as "Will Truman"
  • Frankie Muniz - Malcolm in the Middle as "Malcolm Wilkerson"
  • Ray Romano - Everybody Loves Raymond as "Ray Barone"

• 2002: Charlie Sheen - Spin City as "Charlie Crawford"
  • Tom Cavanagh - Ed as "Ed Stevens"
  • Kelsey Grammer - Frasier as "Frasier Crane"
  • Eric McCormack - Will & Grace as "Will Truman"
  • Frankie Muniz - Malcolm in the Middle as "Malcolm Wilkerson"

• 2003: Tony Shalhoub - Monk as "Adrian Monk"
  • Larry David - Curb Your Enthusiasm as "Larry David"
  • Matt LeBlanc - Friends as "Joey Tribbiani"
  • Bernie Mac - The Bernie Mac Show as "Bernie McCullough"
  • Eric McCormack - Will & Grace as "Will Truman"

• 2004: Ricky Gervais - The Office as "David Brent"
  • Matt LeBlanc - Friends as "Joey Tribbiani"
  • Bernie Mac - The Bernie Mac Show as "Bernie McCullough"
  • Eric McCormack - Will & Grace as "Will Truman"
  • Tony Shalhoub - Monk as "Adrian Monk"

• 2005: Jason Bateman - Arrested Development as "Michael Bluth"
  • Zach Braff - Scrubs as "John "J.D." Dorian"
  • Larry David - Curb Your Enthusiasm as "Larry David"
  • Matt LeBlanc - Joey as "Joey Tribbiani"
  • Tony Shalhoub - Monk as "Adrian Monk"
  • Charlie Sheen - Two and a Half Men as "Charlie Harper"

• 2006: Steve Carell - The Office as "Michael Scott"
  • Zach Braff - Scrubs as "John "J.D." Dorian"
  • Larry David - Curb Your Enthusiasm as "Larry David"
  • Jason Lee - My Name Is Earl as "Earl Hickey"
  • Charlie Sheen - Two and a Half Men as "Charlie Harper"

• 2007: Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock as "Jack Donaghy"
  • Zach Braff - Scrubs as "John "J.D." Dorian"
  • Steve Carell - The Office as "Michael Scott"
  • Jason Lee - My Name Is Earl as "Earl Hickey"
  • Tony Shalhoub - Monk as "Adrian Monk"

• 2008: David Duchovny - Californication as "Hank Moody"
  • Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock as "Jack Donaghy"
  • Steve Carell - The Office as "Michael Scott"
  • Ricky Gervais - Extras as "Andy Millman
  • Lee Pace - Pushing Daisies as "Ned"