American Comedy Awards

The American Comedy Awards were a group of awards presented annually in the United States recognizing performances and performers in the field of comedy, with an emphasis on television comedy and comedy films. They began in 1987, billed as the "first awards show to honor all forms of comedy." In 1989, after the death of Lucille Ball, the statue was named "the Lucy" to honor the comic legend.

The awards ceased after 2001. NBC revived the awards for a single year in May 2014.

History
George Schlatter created and produced the American Comedy Awards that first aired on ABC, then on Comedy Central. Only the title was similar. It was a TV special honoring comedians. ABC had broadcast a similar awards program for two years in the 1970s; it was called the "American Academy of Humor" and was "founded" by Alan King.

The last ACA ceremony in 2001 was held under the auspices of the cable network Comedy Central; in 2003 that network replaced them with its own Commie Awards in what turned out to be a one-time replacement. In 2011 Comedy Central created a new annual awards show, The Comedy Awards, which first aired on April 10, 2011.

1987 awards
Creative Achievement Award
 * Norman Lear (Presented by Bea Arthur)

Lifetime Achievement Award

Presented for Woman by Walter Matthau, and for Man by Betty White

Special Appearance
 * Steve Allen
 * Woody Allen
 * Lucille Ball
 * Mel Brooks
 * Carol Burnett
 * George Burns
 * Sid Caesar
 * Bette Midler
 * Mary Tyler Moore
 * Lily Tomlin
 * Jonathan Winters


 * Lily Tomlin
 * Ed Begley Jr.
 * Shirley MacLaine
 * Whoopi Goldberg
 * Ellen Greene
 * George Carlin
 * Betty White
 * Ed McMahon
 * Steven Wright
 * Mark Russell

1988 awards
Creative Achievement Award
 * Blake Edwards

Lifetime Achievement Award
 * George Burns
 * Imogene Coca

1989 awards
Creative Achievement Award
 * Neil Simon

Lifetime Achievement Award
 * Katharine Hepburn
 * Red Skelton

1990 awards
Creative Achievement Award
 * Garry Marshall

Lifetime Achievement Award
 * Art Carney
 * Betty White

1991 awards
Creative Achievement Award
 * Carl Reiner

Lifetime Achievement Award
 * Doris Day
 * Jack Lemmon

1992 awards
Creative Achievement Award
 * Penny Marshall

Lifetime Achievement Award
 * Johnny Carson
 * Phyllis Diller

1993 awards
Creative Achievement Award
 * Billy Crystal

Lifetime Achievement Award
 * Shirley MacLaine
 * Richard Pryor

1994 awards
Creative Achievement Award
 * Mike Nichols

Lifetime Achievement Award
 * Dick Van Dyke
 * Elaine May

1995 awards
Creative Achievement Award
 * Rodney Dangerfield

Lifetime Achievement Award
 * Bob Hope
 * Audrey Meadows

1996 awards
Creative Achievement Award
 * James Burrows

Lifetime Achievement Award
 * Anne Bancroft
 * Milton Berle

1997 awards
Creative Achievement Award
 * Rob Reiner (Presented by Kathy Bates)

Lifetime Achievement Award


 * Walter Matthau
 * Debbie Reynolds (Presented by Carrie Fisher)

Special Appearances


 * David Alan Grier
 * Phil Hartman
 * Kathy Griffin
 * Kevin Meaney
 * Jonathan Winters
 * Sid Caesar

1998 awards
Creative Achievement Award
 * Frank Oz

Lifetime Achievement Award
 * Jerry Lewis

1999 awards
Creative Achievement Award
 * Barry Levinson

2000 Awards
Lifetime Achievement Award
 * Steve Martin

2001 awards
Lifetime Achievement Award
 * George Carlin