The Golden Globes is an accolade bestowed by the members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign. The annual formal ceremony and dinner at which the awards are presented is a major part of the film industry's awards season, which culminates each year with the Academy Awards.
The 1st Golden Globe Awards were held in January 1944 at the 20th Century Fox studios in Los Angeles. The 68th Golden Globe Awards, honoring the best in film and television for 2010, were presented on January 16, 2011, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, where they have been held annually since 1961.
History
The first Golden Globe Awards were held in 1944, at the 20th Century Fox studios. Subsequent ceremonies would be held at various venues throughout the next decade, including the Beverly Hills Hotel, and the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.
In 1950, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association made the decision to establish a special honorary award to recognize outstanding contributions to the entertainment industry. Recognizing its subject as an international figure within the entertainment industry, the first award was presented to director and producer, Cecil B. DeMille. The official name of the award thus became the Cecil B. DeMille Award.
In 1963, the Miss Golden Globe concept was introduced. In its inaugural year, two Miss Golden Globes were named, one for film and one for television. The two Miss Golden Globes named that year were Eva Six (of the films Operation Bikini and Beach Party) and Donna Douglas (of television's The Beverly Hillbillies), respectively.
Revenues generated from the annual ceremony have enabled the Hollywood Foreign Press Association to donate millions of dollars to entertainment-related charities, as well as funding scholarships and other programs for future film and television professionals. The most prominent beneficiary being the Young Artist Awards, presented annually by the Young Artist Foundation, established in 1978 by long-standing Hollywood Foreign Press member, Maureen Dragone to recognize and award excellence of young Hollywood performers under the age of 18, and to provide scholarships for young artists who may be physically and/or financially challenged.
Ceremony
The broadcast of the Golden Globe Awards, telecast to countries worldwide, generally ranks as the third most-watched awards show each year, behind only the Oscars and the Grammy Awards. Until Ricky Gervais hosted the 67th annual Golden Globe Awards Ceremony in 2010, the award ceremony was one of two major Hollywood award ceremonies (the other being the Screen Actors Guild Awards) that did not have a regular host; every year a different presenter introduced the ceremony at the beginning of the broadcast.
Categories
Motion picture awards
Best Motion Picture – Drama: since 1943 (separated genre in 1951)
Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy: since 1951
Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language: since 1948
Best Motion Picture – Animated: since 2006
Best Cinematic and Box Office Achievement – Motion Picture: since 2024
Best Director – Motion Picture: since 1943
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama: since 1943 (separated genre in 1951)
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy: since 1951
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama: since 1943 (separated genre in 1951)
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy: since 1951
Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture: since 1943
Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture: since 1943
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture: since 1947
Best Score – Motion Picture: since 1947
Best Song – Motion Picture: since 1961
Cecil B. DeMille Award for Lifetime Achievement in Motion Pictures: since 1951
Television awards
Best Television Series – Drama: since 1961
Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy: since 1961
Best Miniseries or Motion Picture – Television: since 1971
Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama: since 1961
Best Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy: since 1961
Best Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture – Television: since 1981
Best Actress in a Television Series – Drama: since 1961
Best Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy: since 1961
Best Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture – Television: since 1981
Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television: since 1970
Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television: since 1970
Best Stand-Up Comedy Performance – Television: since 2024
Carol Burnett Award for Lifetime Achievement in Television: since 2018
Audio awards
Best Podcast: since 2026[
Source and additional information: Golden Globe Awards
