People Who've Earned Multiple Tony Nominations, But Never Won

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 5/6/25 at 7:46pm

So I'm currently doing research for an article, and I thought I'd ask those around here. Is there an all-time list of people who were Tony nominated but did not win I can find somewhere? If not, we can try compiling one in this thread.

Updated On: 5/6/25 at 07:46 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/6/25 at 7:54pm

Elaine Stritch, as she technically wasn't eligible herself for At Liberty. 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 5/6/25 at 8:04pm

ljay889 said: "Elaine Stritch, as she technically wasn't eligible herself for At Liberty."


Who can confirm this? There are varying accounts online. I always thought of Stritch as a Tony winner.

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/6/25 at 8:09pm

TotallyEffed said: "ljay889 said: "Elaine Stritch, as she technically wasn't eligible herself for At Liberty."


Who can confirm this? There are varying accounts online. I always thought of Stritchas a Tony winner."

This is from IBDB:

Best Special Theatrical Event

2002 Winner ; Produced in association with  Dede Harris ,  Morton Swinsky ,  Cheryl Wiesenfeld and  The Joseph Papp Public Theater / New York Shakespeare Festival (George C. Wolfe: Producer; Rosemarie Tichler: Artistic Producer; Mark Litvin: Managing Director) 
Produced by  John Schreiber ,  Creative Battery and  Margo Lion 
Executive Producer:  Robert Cole

https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/elaine-stritch-at-liberty-13309#Awards

Updated On: 5/6/25 at 08:09 PM

[Fordham2015]

Posted: 5/6/25 at 8:09pm

Philip Seymour Hoffman, who should've won for Death of a Salesman

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 5/6/25 at 8:15pm

ljay889 said: "TotallyEffed said: "ljay889 said: "Elaine Stritch, as she technically wasn't eligible herself for At Liberty."


Who can confirm this? There are varying accounts online. I always thought of Stritchas a Tony winner."

This is from IBDB:

Best Special Theatrical Event

2002 Winner ;Produced in association withDede Harris,Morton Swinsky,Cheryl WiesenfeldandThe Joseph Papp Public Theater / New York Shakespeare Festival (George C. Wolfe: Producer; Rosemarie Tichler: Artistic Producer; Mark Litvin: Managing Director)
Produced byJohn Schreiber,Creative BatteryandMargo Lion
Executive Producer:Robert Cole

https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/elaine-stritch-at-liberty-13309#Awards"



But doesn’t Liza have a Tony for Liza’s at The Palace?

[pmensky]

Posted: 5/6/25 at 8:16pm

John McMartin, Laura Linney and Jan Maxwell were all nominated 5 times but never won.

[quizking101]

Posted: 5/6/25 at 8:25pm

Julie Andrews (3 nominations for Actress/Musical; 1 declined)

Laura Linney (5 nominations for Actress/Play)

Estelle Parsons (5 nominations - 4 for Actress/Play and 1 for Featured Actress/Play) 

Jeff Daniels (3 nominations for Actor/Play)

Brian d’Arcy James (5 nominations - 4 for Actor/Musical, 1 for Featured Actor/Musical)

Raul Julia (4 nominations for Actor/Musical)

Dana Ivey (5 nominations - 4 for Featured Actress/Play, 1 for Featured Actress/Musical)

Brandon Victor Dixon (3 nominations for Featured Actor/Musical - does have a Best Musical Tony for producing the HEDWIG revival)

Christopher Fitzgerald (3 nominations for Featured Actor/Musical)

Mary Testa (3 nominations for Featured Actress/Musical)

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/6/25 at 8:28pm

TotallyEffed said: "ljay889 said: "TotallyEffed said: "ljay889 said: "Elaine Stritch, as she technically wasn't eligible herself for At Liberty."


Who can confirm this? There are varying accounts online. I always thought of Stritchas a Tony winner."

This is from IBDB:

Best Special Theatrical Event

2002 Winner ;Produced in association withDede Harris,Morton Swinsky,Cheryl WiesenfeldandThe Joseph Papp Public Theater / New York Shakespeare Festival (George C. Wolfe: Producer; Rosemarie Tichler: Artistic Producer; Mark Litvin: Managing Director)
Produced byJohn Schreiber,Creative BatteryandMargo Lion
Executive Producer:Robert Cole

https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/elaine-stritch-at-liberty-13309#Awards"



But doesn’t Liza have a Tony for Liza’s at The Palace?"

The producers won for Best Special Theatrical Event, and Liza was awarded a "Special Tony."

Special Award

2009 | Recipient

Liza Minnelli ("a beloved musical theater icon, for her enduring career of sustained excellence, and her glorious performance in Liza's at the Palace")

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 5/6/25 at 8:31pm

How depressing. Thanks for the info.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 5/6/25 at 8:32pm

There's also...

Tom Aldredge - five noms

Graciela Daniele - 10 noms; received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021

Scott Ellis - 12 noms, including three this year for producing English, Pirates!, and Yellow Face

Rob Marshall - six noms

Martin McDonagh - five noms

Dan Moses Schreier - six noms, including one this year for Floyd Collins

George C. Scott - five noms

Stephen Schwartz - six noms; received the Isabelle Stevenson Award in 2015

Updated On: 5/6/25 at 08:32 PM

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 5/6/25 at 8:50pm

I have those:

Scott Ellis - 12 nominations
Graciela Daniele - 10 nominations
Onna White - 8 nominations
Paul Gallo - 8 nominations
Harold Wheeler - 7 nominations

6 nominations
Stephen Schwartz
Chad Beguelin
Rob Marshall
Dan Moses Schreier
Marshall W. Mason

5 nominations
Dana Ivey
Laura Linney
Estelle Parsons
Jan Maxwell
Brian d'Arcy James
George C. Scott
John McMartin
Tom Aldredge
Patricia Birch
Camille A. Brown
Michael Greif
Steven Hoggett
Donald McKayle
Douglas Carter Beane
Acme Sound Partners
Jonathan Deans
Martin Aronstein
Emilio Sosa
David Leveaux
 
I think Ellis is the most nominated person without a win still alive, or ever.

Updated On: 5/6/25 at 08:50 PM

[GirlFromOz68]

Posted: 5/6/25 at 11:49pm

Marin Mazzie, nominated three times never won, but got a Special Posthumous award.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 5/9/25 at 6:25am

The article I was doing research for is ready:

In my latest piece for Gold Derby, I dig into how after 12 career nominations, Scott Ellis could win his very first Tony this year for producing Yellow Face.
https://www.goldderby.com/article/2025/scott-ellis-tony-award-win-yellow-face/

[trentsketch]

Posted: 5/9/25 at 10:45am

Too late for the article, but Elizabeth Swados was nominated 4 times for her work on Runaways (as composer, book writer, director, and choreographer) and did not win.

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 5/9/25 at 2:21pm

''In my latest piece for Gold Derby, I dig into how after 12 career nominations, Scott Ellis could win his very first Tony this year for producing Yellow Face.''

Jeffrey, nice job of researching! I love Tony trivia like that. And I posted a link to your GoldDerby story on All That Chat.

But I have two questions: One, thanks for mentioning that Graciela Daniele (10 Tony nominations) and Harold Wheeler (7 Tony nominations) have Lifetime Achievement Tonys. But this kinda begs the question: Why don't Scott Ellis (12 Tony nominations) and Paul Gallo (8 Tony nominations) have Lifetime Achievement Tonys, too? Any speculation?

Two: Why do you shorten your name for your byline? It's not as if you have to fit it onto a theater marquee. Ha-ha!

Updated On: 5/9/25 at 02:21 PM

[OhBoy17]

Posted: 5/9/25 at 6:19pm

Judy Kuhn, 4 nominations and plainly robbed of the win her most recent time.