Summary
- Being an EGOT winner is a rare and impressive feat, with only 19 people achieving this prestigious status.
- Richard Rodgers was the first EGOT winner in 1962, followed by talented individuals like Helen Hayes and Rita Moreno.
- Elton John is the latest addition to the EGOT club, earning his status in 2024 with his Emmy win for Outstanding Variety Special.
Being an EGOT winner is an incredibly impressive feat, and there are now a total of nineteen accomplished people in this exclusive club. EGOT stands for Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony, the most prestigious awards in their respective fields. It is very rare for a person to manage to snag one of each, which is why it has earned a specific title and is something that many creatives in the entertainment industry strive for.
The first EGOT winner was in 1962 and since then, there have only been eighteen more. This signifies how rare of an accomplishment this truly is and why it is such a big deal when someone manages to the lineup. The latest person to accomplish the feat is renowned composer and pianist, Elton John. Before him, though, came a number of extremely talented people who deserve to be recognized and have their major accomplishments acknowledged.
These 10 Actors Are One Award Away From An EGOT
Collecting the prized "EGOT" is one of the biggest honors of an actors career, and many hope for a full collection of an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony.
19 Richard Rodgers
Richard Rodgers made history in 1962 by becoming the first person to be awarded all four of the biggest entertainment awards. He won an Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composed, an Oscar for Best Song for "It Might as Well Be Spring", and two Grammys. He also has won five Tony awards, as well as a Pulitzer Prize which makes him a PEGOT winner. Rodgers' most well-known projects include The Sound of Music, South Pacific, The King and I, and Carousel.
18 Helen Hayes
Aptly dubbed the First Lady of American Theater, Helen Hayes became the first ever woman to the lineup of EGOT winners in 1947. She won an Emmy for Best Actress thanks to her role in Schlitz Playhouse of Stars: Not a Chance. She also won a Grammy for Best Spoken Word Recording in Great American Documents, an Oscar for Best Actress in The Sin of Madelon Claudet, and another Oscar for Best ing Actress in Airport. She earned two Tony Awards for Best Actress in Drama for Happy Birthday and Time ed.
17 Rita Moreno
Her Oscar is for Best ing Actress in West Side Story, which is arguably her most iconic and well-known role.
Rita Morena has been a household name for decades and is another accomplished EGOT winner. The Puerto Rican actress won an Emmy for Best ing Actress, Variety or Music thanks to The Muppet Show. She also won an Emmy for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy or Drama following her role in The Rockford Files. Her Grammy award is in the Best Recording for Children category for her work on "The Electric Company". Her Oscar is for Best ing Actress in West Side Story, which is arguably her most iconic and well-known role. Morena obtained the final award necessary to be labeled an EGOT winner, a Tony, in the category of Best ing Actress in a Play following her work in The Ritz.
10 People Who Need An Oscar To EGOT
Obtaining the EGOT has become an industry milestone. These individuals just need their Oscar to complete their collection.
16 John Gielgud
John Gielgud was the first openly LGBT individual to obtain EGOT status.
John Gielgud was a renowned British actor and theater director who became the first openly LGBT individual and the first non-American to obtain EGOT status. He won an Emmy for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Special for his work in Summer's Lease, a Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album for Ages of Man, and an Oscar for Best ing Actor in Arthur. He obtained not one, but two Tonys. One of which is for Outstanding Foreign Company thanks to The Importance of Being Earnest and Best Director of a Drama for Big Fish, Little Fish.
15 Audrey Hepburn
Audrey Hepburn has become incredibly well-known thanks to her roles in Sabrina, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and Roman Holiday. Her Oscar win came from Roman Holiday, and Hepburn ended up winning a Tony for Best Actress in one of her lesser-known films, Ondine. She won an Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement Informational Programming for her docies, Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn. The year after her Emmy win, she obtained a Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album for Children for Audrey Hepburn's Enchanted Tales.
14 Marvin Hamlisch
Marvin Hamslich is another PEGOT winner, having received a Pulitzer Prize in addition to an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. The famous composer won a total of four Emmys. Two of these came from his work on Barbra: The Concert, one came from AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies, and the final one was from Barbra Streisand: Timeless. He then received four total Grammys, one of which was Best New Artist. His Song of the Year and Best Album awards came from "The Way We Were". His Best Pop Instrumental Performance came from "The Entertainer". Hamslich has also won three Oscars, including Best Song for "The Way We Were" and a Tony for Best Musical Score in A Chorus Line.
13 Jonathan Tunick
Jonathan Tunick was a talented orchestrator, musical director, and composer. He achieved EGOT status in 1997 and earned an Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction for his involvement with Night of 100 Stars. His Academy Award is for the Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Adaptation Score following A Little Night Music. His Tony Award is for Best Orchestration for the play Titanic. His Grammy came from winning Best Instrumental Arrangement for "No One is Alone".
12 Mel Brooks
Mel Brooks has an incredibly impressive resume and boasts four Emmy Awards. These are for Best Writing in Variety for The Sid Caesar and three for Best Guest Actor in a Comedy for Mad About You. He has an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for The Producers, as well as three Grammys for Best Spoken Comedy Album for The 2000 Year Old Man in the Year 2000, Best Long-Form Music Video for Recording the Producers—A Musical Romp with Mel Brooks and Best Musical Show Album for The Producers. His Tony Award came for Best Musical, Original Score, and Book of a Musical for The Producers.
11 Mike Nichols
Mike Nichols' first major award was a Grammy for Best Comedy Performance for An Evening with Mike Nichols and Elaine May. He then switched his focus more to directing and won an Oscar for Best Director for The Graduate. He also won an Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special for Wit and went on to win four more. He has a total of nine Tonys for his work such as for Death of a Salesman and The Real Thing.
10 Whoopi Goldberg
Now most known for her work on The View, Whoopi Goldberg has impressive EGOT status in her arsenal. Her first major win was a Grammy for Best Comedy Recording for "Whoopi Goldberg -- Original Broadway Show Recording". She won an Oscar for Best ing Actress in Ghost and a Tony for producing the Best Musical for Thoroughly Modern Millie. She also obtained an Emmy for Outstanding Special Class Special thanks to Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel.
