| | 1971: Gail Fisher, Mannix |
| | 1972: Sue Ane Langdon, Arnie |
| | 1973: Ruth Buzzi, Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In |
| | 1974: Ellen Corby, The Waltons |
| | 1975: Betty Garrett, All in the Family |
| | 1976: Hermione Baddeley, Maude |
| | 1977: Josette Banzet, Rich Man, Poor Man |
| | 1979: Polly Holliday, Alice |
| | 1980: Polly Holliday, Alice |
| | 1981: Diane Ladd, Alice and Valerie Bertinelli, One Day at a Time (tie) |
| | 1982: Valerie Bertinelli, One Day at a Time |
| | 1983: Shelley Long, Cheers |
| | 1984: Barbara Stanwyck, The Thorn Birds |
| | 1985: Faye Dunaway, Ellis Island |
| | 1986: Sylvia Sidney, An Early Frost |
| | 1987: Olivia de Havilland, Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna |
| | 1988: Claudette Colbert, The Two Mrs. Grenvilles |
| | 1989: Katherine Helmond, Who's the Boss |
| | 1990: Amy Madigan, Roe vs. Wade (film) |
| | 1991: Piper Laurie, Twin Peaks |
| | 1992: Amanda Donohue, L.A. Law |
| | 1993: Joan Plowright, Stalin |
| | 1994: Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, Seinfeld |
| | 1995: Miranda Richardson, Fatherland |
| | 1996: Shirley Knight, Indictment: The McMartin Trial |
| | 1997: Kathy Bates, The Late Shift |
| | 1998: Angelina Jolie, George Wallace |
| | 1999: Faye Dunaway, Gia and Camryn Manheim, The Practice (tie) |
| | 2000: Nancy Marchand, The Sopranos |
| | 2001: Vanessa Redgrave, If These Walls Could Talk 2 |
| | 2002: Rachel Griffiths, Six Feet Under |
| | 2003: Kim Cattrall, Sex and the City |
| | 2004: Mary-Louise Parker, Angels in America |
| | 2005: Anjelica Huston, Iron Jawed Angels |
| | 2006: Sandra Oh, Grey's Anatomy |
| | 2007: Emily Blunt, Gideon's Daughter |