Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special

This is a list of the winners of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special.

Chronology of categories

Over the years, the scope of this award has evolved and the name with which it has been presented reflects those changes.

* 1975-1975 Director Of The Year - Special
* 1976-1976 Outstanding Directing in a Special Program - Drama Or Comedy
* 1977-1977 Outstanding Directing in a Special Program
* 1978-1979 Outstanding Directing in a Special Program 19 Drama Or Comedy
* 1980-1986 Outstanding Directing in a Limited Series Or A Special
* 1987-1992 Outstanding Directing in a Miniseries Or A Special
* 1993-1996 Outstanding Individual Achievement In Directing for a Miniseries Or A Special
* 1997-1998 Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries Or A Special
* 1999-2000 Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries Or A Movie
* 2001-2002 Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie Or A Special
* 2003-2007 Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie Or A Dramatic Special

Award winners

;1970s
*1976: Daniel Petrie – "Eleanor And Franklin ABC Theatre"
*1977: Daniel Petrie – ""
*1978: David Lowell Rich – "The Defection Of Simas Kudirka"
*1979: David Greene – "Friendly Fire"

;1980s
*1980: Marvin J. Chomsky – "Attica"
*1981: James Goldstone – "Kent State"
*1982: Marvin J. Chomsky – "Inside the Third Reich"
*1983: John Erman – "Who Will Love My Children?"
*1984: Jeff Bleckner – "Concealed Enemies American Playhouse"
*1985: Lamont Johnson – ""
*1986: Joseph Sargent – "Love Is Never Silent Hallmark Hall Of Fame"
*1987: Glenn Jordan – "Promise Hallmark Hall Of Fame"
*1988: Lamont Johnson – "Gore Vidal's Lincoln"
*1989: Simon Wincer – "Lonesome Dove"

;1990s
*1990: Joseph Sargent – "Caroline? Hallmark Hall Of Fame"
*1991: Brian Gibson – "The Josephine Baker Story"
*1992: Joseph Sargent – "Miss Rose White Hallmark Hall Of Fame"
*1993: James Sadwith – "Sinatra"
*1994: John Frankenheimer – "Against The Wall"
*1995: John Frankenheimer – "The Burning Season"
*1996: John Frankenheimer – "Andersonville"
*1997: Andrei Konchalovsky – "The Odyssey"
*1998: John Frankenheimer – "George Wallace"
*1999: Allan Arkush – "The Temptations"

=2000s=

;2000

* Martha Coolidge - Introducing Dorothy Dandridge
* Charles S. Dutton – The Corner
* Stephen Frears and Martin Pasetta - Fail Safe
* Rob Marshall - Annie
* Benjamin Ross - RKO 281

;2001

* Robert Allan Ackerman -
* Billy Crystal - 61*
* Robert Dornhelm -
* Mike Nichols - Wit
* Frank Pierson - Conspiracy

;2002

* Phil Alden Robinson, David Frankel, Tom Hanks, David Leland, Richard Loncraine, David Nutter, Mikael Salomon, and Tony To – Band of Brothers
* John Frankenheimer - Path to War
* Moisés Kaufman - The Laramie Project
* Richard Loncraine - The Gathering Storm
* Mark Rydell - James Dean

;2003

* Robert Allan Ackerman - The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone
* Mick Jackson - Live from Baghdad
* Richard Loncraine - My House in Umbria
* Frank Pierson - Soldier's Girl
* Steven Schachter - Door To Door

;2004

* Robert Harmon -
* Tom Hooper -
* Andrei Konchalovsky - The Lion in Winter
* Mike Nichols - Angels in America
* Joseph Sargent - Something the Lord Made

;2005

* Stephen Hopkins - The Life and Death of Peter Sellers
* Joseph Sargent - Warm Springs
* Fred Schepisi - Empire Falls
* George C. Wolfe - Lackawanna Blues

;2006

* Justin Chadwick - Bleak House
* Tom Hooper – Elizabeth I
* Peter Markle - Flight 93
* Phyllis Nagy - Mrs. Harris
* Kenny Ortega - High School Musical
* David Yates - The Girl in the Cafe

;2007

* Walter Hill - Broken Trail
* Philip Martin -
* Bharat Nalluri -
* Yves Simoneau - Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
* Susanna White - Jane Eyre

;2008
* Bob Balaban - Bernard and Doris
* Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant -
* Tom Hooper - John Adams
* Jay Roach - Recount
* Mikael Salomon - The Company