1978 marked the first time that the Daytime Emmys featured Supporting Actor and Actress categories. This was the first expansion of the Daytime Emmy ballot since the very first awards ceremony in 1973, when the ballot expanded to honor both actors and actresses in daytime drama series.
Winners are denoted by boldface type and a bullet (•).
OUTSTANDING DAYTIME DRAMA SERIES
All My Children
Days of our Lives
•
Ryan's Hope
The Young and the Restless
OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A DAYTIME DRAMA SERIES
Nicholas Benedict (Phillip Brent, All My Children)
Jed Allan (Doug Craig, Days of our Lives)
John Clarke (Mickey Horton, Days of our Lives)
Joel Crothers (Miles Cavanaugh, The Edge of Night)
•
Al Freeman, Jr. (Ed Hall, One Life to Live)
Michael Levin (Jack Fenelli, Ryan's Hope)
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A DAYTIME DRAMA SERIES
•
Irene Dailey (Liz Matthews, Another World)
Beverlee McKinsey (Iris Carrington, Another World)
Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie Williams, Days of our Lives)
Nancy Addison (Jillian Coleridge, Ryan's Hope)
Helen Gallagher (Maeve Ryan, Ryan's Hope)
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DAYTIME DRAMA SERIES
Joseph Gallison (Neil Curtis, Days of our Lives)
Mandel Kramer (Bill Marceau, The Edge of Night)
•
Peter Hansen (Lee Baldwin, General Hospital)
Bernard Barrow (Johnny Ryan, Ryan's Hope)
Ron Hale (Roger Colridge, Ryan's Hope)
Lewis Arlt (David Sutton, Search for Tomorrow)
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DAYTIME DRAMA SERIES
Frances Reid (Alice Horton, Days of our Lives)
•
Suzanne Rogers (Maggie Horton, Days of our Lives)
Lois Kibbee (Geraldine Whitney Saxon, The Edge of Night)
Rachel Ames (Audrey Hardy, General Hospital)
Susan Brown (Gail Adamson, General Hospital)
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION FOR A DAYTIME DRAMA SERIES
All My Children
Another World
Days of Our Lives
The Edge of Night
•
Ryan's Hope
The Young and the Restless
OUTSTANDING WRITING IN A DRAMA SERIES
All My Children
Days of our Lives
•
Ryan's Hope
The Young and the Restless
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE
•
The Edge of Night
OUTSTANDING DESIGN ACHIEVEMENT FOR A DRAMA SERIES
•
Love of Life
THE FINAL TALLY
Ryan's Hope: 3 wins (Directing, Writing and Series)
8 nominations
Another World: 1 win (1 acting)
3 nominations: 2 acting, plus Directing
Days of our Lives: 1 win (1 acting)
7 nominations: 4 acting, plus Directing, Writing and Series
General Hospital: 1 win (1 acting)
3 nominations: 3 acting
One Life to Live: 1 win (1 acting)
1 nomination: 1 acting
The Edge of Night: 1 win (1 technical)
5 nominations: 3 acting, 1 technical, plus Directing)
All My Children
4 nominations: 1 acting, plus Directing, Writing and Series)
Search for Tomorrow
1 nomination: 1 acting)
The Young and the Restless
3 nominations: Directing, Writing and Series
