Media Notes / The EGOTs

The Grand Slam of American Show Business

Chrissy Teigen: [John Legend]'s probably at home, polishing his EGOT.
Zach Galifianakis: ...Is that what he calls his penis?

— Between Two Ferns: The Movie

In the United States, the four most important entertainment awards are the Emmy Awards for television,^note There are two Emmy Awards, handed out by two separate organizations: the Primetime Emmys are handed out by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (ATAS); and the Daytime Emmys are handed out by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS). Yes, really. The two organizations were formerly united but separated in The '70s. It is generally agreed that winning either the Primetime or the Daytime Emmy "counts" for the purposes of the EGOT although the vast majority of the Emmy winners won Primetime Emmys; one of the three exceptions, Whoopi Goldberg, memorably defended her inclusion among the EGOT winners in an episode of 30 Rock the Grammy Awards for music, the Academy Awards or Oscars for film, and the Tony Awards for theater. People that have won at least one competitive (non-honorary) award at all four ceremonies are called EGOTs. The term was coined by actor Philip Michael Thomas in The '80s, at the height of his celebrity from Miami Vice. He was never nominated for any of these four awards. Lynn Redgrave is the only person in history to be nominated for all four awards and never win any of them.

As there are four distinct awards, completing the EGOT is also called a "grand slam". On a historiographical note: many older lists of EGOT winners will credit Helen Hayes as the first EGOT recipient, as her 1977 grand slam was recent and high-profile enough to be remembered in The '80s, when the term first became popular. It was subsequently discovered (long after his death) that Richard Rodgers was the first to complete an EGOT, long before anybody knew or cared what that was.

If a performer has won an Oscar, an Emmy, and a Tony, all in the field of acting, they are said to have won the Triple Crown of Acting. Since we have a category of near-misses (3 out of 4 category winners) below, we will also note all Triple Crown winners.

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4 competitive awards (grand slam):

The year in parentheses is when the grand slam was completed; the first time each recipient won their fourth award.

• Mel Brooks^note Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Variety Special for The Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris Special in 1967, followed by three more Emmys; Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for The Producers in 1968; Grammy for Best Spoken Comedy Album for The 2000 Year Old Man in the Year 2000 in... 1998, followed by two more Grammys; three Tonys, including Best Musical, for The Producers in 2001 (2001)
• Viola Davis ^note Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Play for King Hedley II in 2001; Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for How to Get Away with Murder in 2015; Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for Fences in 2017; Grammy for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording for Finding Me in 2023 (2023) (Triple Crown winner)
• John Gielgud^note Tony for Outstanding Foreign Company for The Importance of Being Earnest in 1948, followed by one more Tony plus an Honorary Award; Grammy for Best Spoken Word, Documentary or Drama Recording for Ages of Man in 1979; Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for Arthur in 1981; Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries of Special for Summer's Lease in 1991 (1991) (oldest EGOT winner at age 87, first LGBT winner, and first non-American)
• Whoopi Goldberg^note Grammy for Best Comedy Recording for Whoopi Goldberg: Original Broadway Show Recording in 1985; Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for Ghost (1990); Tony for Best Musical for Thoroughly Modern Millie in 2002; Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Special Class Special for Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel in 2002, followed by one more Emmy; also Special (Primetime) Emmy Award in 1997 (2002) (first Black EGOT; Daytime Emmy winner)
• Marvin Hamlisch^note three Oscars for two films, including Best Original Song for "The Way We Were" in... The Way We Were, in 1973; four Grammys, including Song of the Year for "The Way We Were" from the film of the same name, in 1974; Tony for Best Musical Score for A Chorus Line in 1976; two Primetime Emmys for Barbra: the Concert in 1995, followed by two more Emmys (1995) (Pulitzer Prize winner)
• Helen Hayes^note Oscar for Best Actress for The Sin of Madelon Claudet in 1932, followed by one more Oscar; Tony for Best Actress for Happy Birthday in 1947, followed by one more competitive Tony and a Special Award; Primetime Emmy for Best Actress for Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (episode "Not a Chance") in 1953; Grammy for Best Spoken Word Recording for Great American Documents in 1977 (1977) (longest timespan in winning all 4 awards—45 years; second-ever and first female EGOT; Triple Crown winner, all for lead roles)
• Audrey Hepburn^note Oscar for Best Actress for Roman Holiday in 1953, plus the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award; Tony for Best Actress in a Play for Ondine in 1954, plus a Special Achievement Award; Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement, Informational Programming for Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn in 1993; Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album for Children for Audrey Hepburn's Enchanted Tales in 1994 (1994) (Emmy and Grammy awarded posthumously, making her the first posthumous EGOT; first EGOT to receive only one award at all four ceremonies)
• Jennifer Hudson^note Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for Dreamgirls in 2007; Grammy for Best R&B Album for Jennifer Hudson in 2009, plus another in 2017; Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Interactive Media for a Daytime Program for Baba Yaga in 2021; Tony for Best Musical for A Strange Loop in 2022 (2022)
• Elton John^note Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "That's What Friends Are For" in 1987, followed by three more competitive Grammys and a Grammy Legend Award; Oscar for Best Original Song for "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" from The Lion King in 1995, followed by one more Oscar; Tony for Best Original Score for Aida in 2000; Emmy for Outstanding Variety Special for Elton John: Farewell from Dodger Stadium in 2023. (2024)
• John Legend^note Grammy for Best New Artist in 2006, followed by nine more Grammys; Oscar for Best Original Song for "Glory" from Selma in 2015; Tony for Best Revival of a Play in 2017, for Jitney; Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Live Variety Special for Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert in 2018, followed by one more Emmy (2018) (first black man to earn EGOT status, first to achieve the awards in four consecutive years, and first winner to be primarily a musician)
• Andrew Lloyd Webber^note Tony for Best Original Score for Evita in 1980, followed by five more Tonys and a Lifetime Achievement Award; Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album for Evita in 1981, followed by two more Grammys and a Grammy Legend Award; Oscar for Best Original Song for "You Must Love Me" from Evita in 1996, Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Live Variety Special for Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert in 2018 (2018)
• Robert Lopez^note Tony for Best Original Score for Avenue Q in 2004, followed by two more Tonys; Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Music Direction and Composition for Wonder Pets!, followed by two more Emmys; Grammy for Best Musical Theatre Album for The Book of Mormon in 2012, followed by two more Grammys; Oscar for Best Original Song for "Let It Go" from Frozen in 2014, followed by one more Oscar (2014) (first Asian EGOT; Daytime and Primetime Emmy winner; shortest timespan in winning all 4 awards by a person—9 years, 8 months; youngest EGOT winner at age 39; first person to win multiples of each award and thus the first-ever double EGOT)
• Alan Menken^note Oscar for Best Original Score for The Little Mermaid and Best Original Song for "Under the Sea" from that film in 1989, followed by seven more Oscars; Grammy for Best Recording for Children with The Little Mermaid Soundtrack in 1991, followed by ten more Grammys; Tony for Best Original Score for Newsies in 2012; Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Original Song in a Children's, Young Adult or Animated Program for Tangled: The Series; also received a Special Emmy for his involvement in Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue (2020) (most prolific winner, at 22 total awards received as of 2020; tied with Scott Rudin for most competitive awards, with 21; Daytime Emmy Winner; also a Razzie "winner",^note shared with Jack Feldman for Worst Original Song for "High Times, Hard Times" from Newsies making him the only competitive "REGOT" winner as The New York Times' Dave Itzkoff and Wikipedia calls it)
• Rita Moreno^note Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for West Side Story in 1961; Grammy for Best Recording for Children for The Electric Company (1971) in 1972; Tony for Best Supporting Actress in a Play for The Ritz in 1975; Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in Variety or Music for The Muppet Show in 1978, followed by one more Emmy (1978) (first Hispanic EGOT; Triple Crown winner, all for supporting roles; Peabody Award winner)
• Mike Nichols^note Grammy for Best Comedy Performance for An Evening with Mike Nichols and Elaine May in 1961; Tony for Best Director for Barefoot in the Park in 1964, followed by eight more Tonys; Oscar for Best Director for The Graduate in 1967; two Primetime Emmys, including Outstanding TV Movie, for Wit in 2001, followed by two more Emmys (2001) (Peabody Award winner)
• Tim Rice ^note  Tony for Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical for Evita in 1980, followed by one more Tony; Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album for Evita in 1981, followed by four more Grammys; Oscar for Best Original Song for "A Whole New World" from Aladdin in 1993, followed by two more Oscars; Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Live Variety Special for Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert in 2018 (2018)
• Richard Rodgers^note Three Tonys, including Best Musical, for South Pacific in 1950, followed by three more Tonys and three Special Tony Awards; Oscar for Best Song for "It Might as Well Be Spring" from State Fair in 1945; Grammy for Best Show Album (Original Cast) for The Sound of Music in 1960, followed by one more Grammy; Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Original Music for Winston Churchill: The Valiant Years in 1962 (1962) (first-ever EGOT; Pulitzer Prize winner)
• Scott Rudin^note Primetime Emmy for He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin' in 1984; Tony for Best Musical for Passion in 1994, followed by seventeen more Tonys; Oscar for Best Picture for No Country for Old Men in 2007; Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album for The Book of Mormon in 2012 (2012) (tied with Alan Menken for most total competitive awards with 21; winner of the most of any one award among the EGOT winners—18 Tonys)
• Jonathan Tunick^note Oscar for Best Original Score for A Little Night Music in 1977; Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction for Night of the 100 Stars in 1982; Grammy for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocals for "No One is Alone" in 1988; Tony Award for Best Orchestrations for Titanic in 1997 (1997)

3 out of 4 competitive awards (near-misses):

For extra fun, * marks creators who have been nominated for the missing award.

Alive

• Adele (missing a Tony)
• Kristen Anderson Lopez* (missing a Tony)
• Julie Andrews* (missing a Tony)
• Alan Bergman (missing a Tony)
• Jon Blair (missing a Tony)
• Ellen Burstyn* (missing a Grammy; Triple Crown winner)
• Cher (missing a Tony)
• Common (missing a Tony)
• André De Shields (missing an Oscar)
• Eminem (missing a Tony)
• Rob Epstein (missing a Tony)
• Cynthia Erivo* (missing an Oscar)
• Anne Garefino (missing an Oscar; Peabody Award winner)
• James Gay Rees (missing a Tony)
• Michael Giacchino (missing a Tony)
• Alex Gibney (missing a Tony)
• Alex Gibson (missing a Tony)
• Ludwig Göransson (missing a Tony)
• Brian Grazer* (missing a Tony)
• Hildur Guðnadóttir (missing a Tony)
• HER (missing a Tony)
• Ron Howard (missing a Tony)
• Jeremy Irons* (missing a Grammy; Triple Crown winner)
• Hugh Jackman* (missing an Oscar)
• James Earl Jones* (received honorary Oscar)
• Quincy Jones* (received honorary Oscar)
• Rachel Bay Jones (missing an Oscar)
• John Kander* (missing an Oscar)
• Tom Kitt (missing an Oscar; Pulitzer Prize winner)
• Alex Lacamoire (missing an Oscar)
• Jessica Lange (missing a Grammy; Triple Crown winner)
• Stan Lathan (missing an Oscar; Peabody Award winner)
• Cyndi Lauper (missing an Oscar)
• Katrina Lenk (missing an Oscar)
• Audra McDonald (missing an Oscar)
• Frances McDormand (missing a Grammy; Triple Crown winner)
• Paul McCartney (missing a Tony)
• Bette Midler* (missing an Oscar)
• Liza Minnelli* (received honorary Grammy; Razzie "winner")
• Lin-Manuel Miranda* (missing an Oscar; Pulitzer Prize winner and MacArthur "genius grant" recipient)
• Helen Mirren (missing a Grammy; Triple Crown winner)^note Is the only person to win both the American and British Triple Crowns, as she won the Olivier Award and BAFTAs for both film and television. The "British Triple Crown" is shared with six other actors, but Mirren is the first to win both Crowns.
• James Moll (missing a Tony; Peabody Award Winner)
• Morgan Neville (missing a Tony)
• Randy Newman (missing a Tony)
• Cynthia Nixon (missing an Oscar)
• Al Pacino* (missing a Grammy; Triple Crown winner)
• Trey Parker and Matt Stone* (missing an Oscar; Peabody Award winner)^note Parker received a Student Oscar.
• Benj Pasek and Justin Paul* (missing an Emmy)
• Ben Platt (missing an Oscar)
• Billy Porter (missing an Oscar)
• Vanessa Redgrave (missing a Grammy; Triple Crown winner)
• Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (missing a Tony)
• Caitrin Rogers (missing a Tony)
• Geoffrey Rush (missing a Grammy; Triple Crown winner)
• Martin Scorsese (missing a Tony)
• Marc Shaiman* (missing an Oscar)
• Bill Sherman (missing an Oscar)
• Dame Maggie Smith (missing a Grammy; Triple Crown winner)
• Ari'el Stachel (missing an Oscar)
• Ringo Starr (missing a Tony)
• Barbra Streisand* (received honorary Tony; Peabody Award winner)
• Charles Strouse (missing an Oscar; Peabody Award winner)
• Lily Tomlin* (missing an Oscar; Peabody Award winner)
• Dick Van Dyke (missing an Oscar)
• John Williams (missing a Tony)
• Kate Winslet (missing a Tony)
• David Yazbek (missing an Oscar)

Deceased

• John Addison (missing a Tony)
• Jack Albertson (missing a Grammy; Triple Crown winner)
• Burt Bacharach* (missing a Tony)
• Anne Bancroft (missing a Grammy; Triple Crown winner)
• Harry Belafonte (received honorary Oscar)
• Ingrid Bergman (missing a Grammy; Triple Crown winner)
• Marilyn Bergman (missing a Tony)
• Leonard Bernstein* (missing an Oscar)
• Jerry Bock (missing an Oscar; Pulitzer Prize winner)
• Shirley Booth (missing a Grammy; Triple Crown winner)
• George Burns (missing a Tony)
• Ralph Burns (missing a Grammy)
• Martin Charnin (missing an Oscar; Peabody Award winner)
• Cy Coleman* (missing an Oscar)
• Melvyn Douglas (missing a Grammy; Triple Crown winner)
• Fred Ebb* (missing an Oscar)
• Henry Fonda* (missing an Emmy)
• Bob Fosse (missing a Grammy)^note Although he is the only person to win an Oscar, Emmy, and Tony in the same year.
• George Grizzard (missing an Oscar)
• Oscar Hammerstein II (missing an Emmy; Pulitzer Prize winner)
• Julie Harris* (missing an Oscar)
• Glenda Jackson (missing a Grammy; Triple Crown winner)
• Alan Jay Lerner (missing an Emmy)
• Frank Loesser (missing an Emmy; Pulitzer Prize winner)
• Thomas Mitchell (missing a Grammy; Triple Crown winner)
• Christopher Plummer* (missing a Grammy; Triple Crown winner)
• Sid Ramin (missing a Tony)
• Jason Robards (missing a Grammy; Triple Crown winner)
• Paul Scofield (missing a Grammy; Triple Crown winner)
• Stephen Sondheim (missing an Emmy; Pulitzer Prize winner)
• Maureen Stapleton (missing a Grammy; Triple Crown winner)
• Jule Styne (missing an Emmy)
• Jessica Tandy (missing a Grammy; Triple Crown winner)
• Peter Ustinov* (missing a Tony)
• Tony Walton (missing a Grammy)^note The only set designer to win an Oscar, Emmy, and Tony. No Grammys for set design, alas.
• James Whitmore* (missing an Oscar)
• Robin Williams (missing a Tony)

Appearances in Fiction

Films — Live Action

• When Zach interviews Chrissy Teigen on Between Two Ferns: The Movie, she mentions that her husband John Legend is probably "at home, polishing his EGOTs".
  Zach: Is that what he calls his penis?
• Tár: Classical music luminary Lydia Tár is mentioned in the opening list of her accomplishments to be an EGOT.

Live-Action TV

• 30 Rock gives Tracy a storyline where he attempts to complete the EGOT and seeks out Whoopi Goldberg for advice (and attempts to steal one of her trophies). When Tracy tries to nitpick that Goldberg received a Daytime Emmy, she retorts that an Emmy is an Emmy, regardless of what type^note A dig at Philip Michael Thomas as he'd specified that the "E" in "EGOT" should be a Primetime Emmy. He definitively wins an Oscar, with the fate of his quest ultimately left unknown.
• Girls5eva: The ever-ambitious Wickie had EGOT awards made out of Lego as a child.
• Sherman's Showcase has John Legend brag about his EGOT status and sees Common (who, in real life, is missing a Tony) try to be one by writing a Stylistic Suck musical.

Web Video

• Honest Trailers's trailer for Encanto features a parody of "Surface Pressure" from the film, which jokes that its songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda is feeling the pressure and just wants an EGOT.

Western Animation

• In one Breaking the Fourth Wall Cold Open of Harley Quinn (2019), Frank the Plant recaps the plot and campaigns for Harley to EGOT (using the real website, egotforharley.com).

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