EGOT Winners 1962-2002 Trivia Quiz

The first person to win all four EGOT awards was Richard Rodgers (1902-1979), an American composer from Queens, New York. Known for his prolific output in musical theatre, Rodgers collaborated with lyricists Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II to create some of the most enduring works in Broadway history. Between 1946 and 1979, Rodgers won a total of 10 competitive awards, including an Oscar, a Tony, a Grammy and an Emmy, establishing his legacy as a pioneering figure in American music.

Academy Award (1946): Rodgers won his first EGOT in 1946 when he won the Oscar for Best Original Song for "It Might as Well Be Spring". The song, which was featured in the film "State Fair" (1945), was written in collaboration with Hammerstein. Its lyrical beauty and melodic sophistication caught the Academy's attention and marked Rodgers' success in the film industry. This Oscar win demonstrated his ability to create music that worked not only on stage but also in the world of film.

Tony Award (1950): In 1950, Rodgers won the Tony Award for Best Musical for "South Pacific", a groundbreaking work co-written with Hammerstein. Based on James A. Michener's "Tales of the South Pacific", the musical explored themes of cultural conflict and racism against the backdrop of World War II. Its innovative integration of story and music set new standards for Broadway productions. Songs such as "Some Enchanted Evening" and "You've Got to Be Carefully Taught" became instant classics, and the production earned Rodgers critical acclaim as a leading figure in American theatre.

Grammy Award (1960): Rodgers won his Grammy Award in 1960 for the original cast recording of "The Sound of Music". This recording brought the beloved songs from the Broadway production, such as "My Favorite Things" and "Edelweiss", to a worldwide audience. The cast album was both a commercial and critical success, remaining on the Billboard charts for years. Rodgers' work on "The Sound of Music" helped solidify the Grammy as a platform for recognising excellence in theatrical recording.

Emmy Award (1962): Rodgers completed his EGOT in 1962 by winning the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition for "Winston Churchill - The Valiant Years". The documentary series chronicled the life and career of the British wartime leader. Rodgers' dramatic score, with its evocative themes and sophisticated orchestration, brought him recognition in the burgeoning field of television music. This Emmy win showcased his adaptability and mastery across multiple media platforms.

Often referred to as the "First Lady of the American Theatre", Helen Hayes (1900-1993) was the first woman and the first performer to achieve EGOT status. Between 1932 and 1980, Hayes won six competitive awards during her illustrious career. She was also the first person to win the "Triple Crown of Acting", with individual acting awards in the Emmy, Oscar and Tony categories. Her EGOT achievement spanned an unprecedented 45 years, from her first Oscar in 1932 to her last Grammy in 1977.

Academy Award (1932): Hayes' first EGOT came in 1932 when she won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in "The Sin of Madelon Claudet". Hayes portrayed a woman whose sacrifices for her son's future come at great personal cost. This early career win established her as one of Hollywood's most talented dramatic actresses and laid the foundation for her future accolades.

Tony Award (1947): In 1947, Hayes won her first Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for "Happy Birthday". In this light-hearted comedy, Hayes demonstrated her versatility as an actress, excelling in both comedic and dramatic roles. This recognition underscored her continued dominance on the stage and reinforced her nickname as the "First Lady of the American Theatre".

Emmy Award (1953): Hayes won her Emmy Award for Best Actress in a Series in 1953 for her performance in the television adaptation of "Schlitz Playhouse of Stars: Not a Chance". Her win marked a significant milestone, as she became the first person to complete the Triple Crown of Acting by winning individual acting awards in film, theatre and television.

Grammy Award (1977): Hayes completed her EGOT in 1977 when she won the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Recording for "Great American Documents". This award recognised her contribution to the preservation and celebration of America's historical and cultural heritage. Her distinctive voice brought these iconic texts to life, earning her a place in the annals of Grammy history.

Rita Moreno (born 1931) is a Puerto Rican actress, dancer and singer who was the first Latina to achieve EGOT status. Between 1961 and 1978, Moreno won a total of five competitive awards, completing her EGOT in 1977. She was also the first winner to receive a Grammy as her second award. She is the second person and the first Hispanic actress to win the "Triple Crown of Acting" (individual acting awards in the Emmy, Oscar and Tony categories).

Academy Award (1961): Moreno's EGOT journey began with her Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Anita in "West Side Story". Her dynamic performance, combining both acting and dancing, captivated audiences and made her a standout in this iconic film adaptation of the Broadway musical. Moreno's Oscar win marked a significant milestone for Latina representation in Hollywood.

Grammy Award (1972): Moreno's second award came a decade later when she won the Grammy for Best Children's Album for "The Electric Company Album", based on the popular educational television series. Moreno's work on the series showcased her versatility, combining acting, singing and a commitment to educating young audiences.

Tony Award (1975): In 1975, Moreno won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performance in "The Ritz". In this farcical comedy, she played Googie Gomez, a flamboyant singer with dreams of stardom. The role allowed Moreno to showcase her comedic talents and earned her critical acclaim.

Emmy Award (1977): Moreno completed her EGOT in 1977 by winning the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program for her appearance on "The Muppet Show". Her charismatic and energetic performance on this popular series brought her talents to television audiences and secured her place in EGOT history.

English actor and theatre director John Gielgud (1904-2000) was the first male performer, the first LGBT person and the first non-American to achieve EGOT status. Between 1948 and 1991, Gielgud won a total of five competitive awards and received his EGOT at the age of 87, making him the oldest winner in history. Gielgud's career spanned nearly eight decades and he was celebrated for his work in theatre, film and television. He was also the first EGOT winner to start with a Tony Award rather than an Oscar.

Tony Award (1948): Gielgud started his path to the EGOT with a Tony Award for Best Director for "The Importance of Being Earnest". This production of Oscar Wilde's classic comedy was staged in New York and marked Gielgud's Broadway directorial debut.

Grammy Award (1979): Gielgud won a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Recording for "Ages of Man", a one-man show of selections from the works of William Shakespeare. This performance demonstrated Gielgud's ability to bring Shakespeare's language to life and consolidated his reputation as one of the Bard's foremost interpreters.

Academy Award (1981): Gielgud won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Hobson, the loyal and sardonic butler in "Arthur". His witty and endearing performance provided a memorable counterpoint to Dudley Moore's title character and earned him widespread acclaim and recognition from the Academy.

Emmy Award (1991): Gielgud completed his EGOT in 1991 with a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Special for his role in "Summer's Lease". In the miniseries, based on the novel by John Mortimer, Gielgud played Haverford Downs, an eccentric and enigmatic art collector. At the age of 87, Gielgud became the oldest EGOT winner.

British actress and humanitarian Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993) became the fifth person, and the first to achieve EGOT status posthumously, in 1994. Between 1954 and 1994, she won a total of four competitive awards, one in each category, making her the only EGOT winner without multiple awards in any field. She was also the first to win two of her awards at consecutive ceremonies, with her Emmy in 1993 followed by her posthumous Grammy in 1994.

Academy Award (1954): Hepburn won the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in "Roman Holiday" (1953). She played Princess Ann, a European royal who escapes her duties to explore Rome. The film, directed by William Wyler, co-starred Gregory Peck and marked Hepburn's Hollywood debut. Her Oscar win established her as a leading actress and made her one of the youngest winners in the category at the time.

Tony Award (1954): Later that year, Hepburn received the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for "Ondine". The Broadway production, directed by Alfred Lunt, starred Hepburn as a water sprite who falls in love with a mortal knight played by Mel Ferrer. The production ran for over 150 performances and was Hepburn's first major stage success.

Emmy Award (1993): Hepburn earned her Emmy Award for hosting "Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn", a PBS documentary series that explored the history, culture and design of famous gardens. The series featured gardens from countries such as Italy, Japan and the Netherlands, and linked their unique styles to the surrounding cultures. The Emmy was awarded posthumously, as the series aired just months before her death in early 1993.

Grammy Award (1994): Hepburn completed her EGOT posthumously with a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children for "Audrey Hepburn's Enchanted Tales". The audiobook, recorded in collaboration with her long-time friend and producer Michael Tilson Thomas, featured musical accompaniment and narration of classic fairy tales. Released in 1992, it highlighted her commitment to children's education and literacy, in line with her role as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

American composer and conductor Marvin Hamlisch (1944-2012) became an EGOT winner in 1995, following on from his Emmy Award. He won a total of 12 competitive awards between 1974 and 2001. Hamlisch held the distinction of having the most Oscars among EGOT winners (three) until Alan Menken joined the group in 2020. He was also the first EGOT winner to win multiple competitive awards for the same work, winning both an Oscar and a Grammy for the song "The Way We Were".

Academy Awards (1974): Hamlisch won three Oscars in a single night at the 1974 Academy Awards. He received Best Original Score for "The Sting" and two awards for "The Way We Were": Best Original Song and Best Original Dramatic Score. "The Sting", a crime comedy starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford, featured Hamlisch's adaptation of Scott Joplin's ragtime music. His work on "The Way We Were", a romantic drama starring Barbra Streisand, produced one of the most iconic songs of the era, co-written with Alan and Marilyn Bergman.

Grammy Awards (1974): In the same year, Hamlisch won two General Field Grammys: Song of the Year for "The Way We Were" and Best New Artist. These wins made him the first EGOT winner to win these major Grammy awards. In addition, his Grammy success highlighted his ability to create music that resonated with both critics and the public.

Tony Award (1976): Hamlisch won his Tony Award for Best Original Score for "A Chorus Line", a groundbreaking Broadway musical about dancers auditioning for a show. Working with lyricist Edward Kleban, Hamlisch created a score that included such hits as "One" and "What I Did for Love". The production was a critical and commercial success and ran for 15 years, becoming one of Broadway's longest-running shows.

Emmy Awards (1995): Hamlisch completed his EGOT with two Emmy Awards in 1995. He was recognised for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Music Direction and Outstanding Music and Lyrics for "Barbra: The Concert", a television special featuring Barbra Streisand. These wins underscored his enduring collaboration with Streisand and his ability to adapt his talents for television audiences.

American orchestrator, musical director and composer Jonathan Tunick (born 1938) completed his EGOT with a Tony Award in 1997, making him the first EGOT winner to achieve this feat with a Tony as his final award. He has won a total of five competitive awards between 1977 and 2024. Known for his extraordinary contributions to musical theatre and film, Tunick is also the first EGOT winner to win an Emmy as his second award.

Academy Award (1977): Tunick began his journey to the EGOT with an Oscar for Best Original Score and Adaptation for "A Little Night Music". The film, based on Stephen Sondheim's Broadway musical, was praised for its orchestration, with Tunick's contributions preserving the character of the original work while adapting it to a cinematic format.

Emmy Award (1982): Tunick received his second award, an Emmy, for Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction for "Night of 100 Stars". This production was a large-scale televised gala celebrating the centennial of the Actors' Fund of America and featured extensive musical arrangements to accompany the many performers.

Grammy Award (1988): Tunick won his Grammy for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s) for "No One Is Alone", performed by Cleo Laine. The piece was a new arrangement of a song from Sondheim's Into the Woods and was notable for its careful balance of orchestral and vocal elements.

Tony Award (1997): Tunick completed his EGOT with a Tony Award for Best Orchestrations for "Titanic". The score by Maury Yeston, orchestrated by Tunick, featured a full orchestra of 26 players, making it one of the largest Broadway orchestras at the time and earning recognition for its size and complexity.

American actor, comedian and filmmaker Mel Brooks (born 1926) completed his EGOT with a Tony Award in June 2001, becoming one of the few people to receive this honour. Between 1968 and 2002, Brooks received a total of 11 competitive awards. He was the first EGOT winner to start with an Emmy and is still the only one to have won an Oscar for screenwriting.

Emmy Award (1967): Brooks' first EGOT win came with the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in Variety for "The Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris Special". This programme marked a reunion of the team behind Your Show of Shows, for which Brooks had previously written.

Academy Award (1968): Brooks won his Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for "The Producers". The film, a satirical comedy about a scheme to stage a deliberately offensive Broadway show, showcased Brooks' sharp wit and talent for creating absurd, memorable characters.

Grammy Award (1998): Brooks won his Grammy for Best Spoken Comedy Album for "The 2000 Year Old Man in the Year 2000", a collaboration with Carl Reiner. This recording was a continuation of their long-standing comedic partnership and was based on their improvised comedy sketches about an ancient man discussing modern society.

Tony Award (2001): Brooks completed his EGOT with three Tony Awards for "The Producers", a stage adaptation of his 1968 film. The production won Best Musical, Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical, with Brooks personally credited as writer and composer. This achievement was part of a historic night in which the show won a record-breaking 12 Tony Awards.

American film and theatre director, producer, actor and comedian Mike Nichols (1931-2014) completed his EGOT with an Emmy Award in November 2001. Between 1961 and 2012, Nichols won a total of 15 competitive awards, spanning 51 years - the longest streak among EGOT winners when all wins are considered. Nichols was the first EGOT winner to win a Grammy as his first award, and the first to win multiple awards for directing.

Grammy Award (1961): Nichols won his first EGOT with a Grammy for Best Comedy Album for "An Evening with Mike Nichols and Elaine May". The album, recorded at the Blue Angel nightclub in New York City, featured sketches from their critically acclaimed comedy routines that satirised modern relationships and social norms. It was a huge success.

Tony Award (1964): Nichols won his first Tony Award for best director of a play for "Barefoot in the Park". Written by Neil Simon, the romantic comedy was one of the outstanding Broadway hits of the 1960s, running for more than 1,500 performances. Nichols' direction brought Simon's witty dialogue to life, using innovative rehearsal techniques that emphasised comic timing and authentic performances.

Oscar (1968): Nichols won the Academy Award for Best Director for "The Graduate". The film, adapted from Charles Webb's novel, became an iconic portrayal of generational disillusionment in 1960s America. Nichols' choice of Dustin Hoffman, a relatively unknown actor at the time, was a conscious decision to challenge Hollywood's conventional notions of leading men, which contributed greatly to the film's impact.

Emmy Award (2001): Nichols completed his EGOT with a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special for "Wit". The production, an adaptation of Margaret Edson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, aired on HBO and was widely acclaimed for its powerful exploration of mortality and compassion.

American actress, comedian and author Whoopi Goldberg (born 1955) received her fourth individual award in 2002. She won a total of five competitive awards between 1985 and 2009. Goldberg became the first African-American to achieve EGOT status, winning her Oscar as her second award. She is also the third individual, following Audrey Hepburn (1954) and Marvin Hamlisch (1974), to earn two qualifying awards in the same year-securing both her Tony and her first competitive Emmy in 2002.

Grammy Award (1985): Goldberg won her first Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album for "Whoopi Goldberg: Direct from Broadway". The album was a live recording of her one-woman show, which had been a huge success on Broadway. Goldberg's performance combined humour with powerful storytelling that resonated with audiences and critics alike. This Grammy win marked her first major recognition in the industry.

Academy Award (1991): Goldberg won her Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 1991 for her performance in "Ghost". She portrayed Oda Mae Brown, a medium who helps a murdered man communicate with his girlfriend. "Ghost" was a huge commercial and critical success, and her performance earned her widespread acclaim. Goldberg became the second African-American woman in history to win an acting Oscar, after Hattie McDaniel in 1939.

Tony Award (2002): Goldberg won a Tony Award as producer of "Thoroughly Modern Millie", a Broadway musical that won six Tony Awards, including Best Musical. She became one of the few EGOT winners to win a Tony for production rather than performance. This marked her successful expansion into theatre production and showcased her diverse talents in the entertainment world.

Emmy Award (2002): Goldberg won her first competitive Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host for "The Whoopi Goldberg Show". She was the third person to win two competitive awards in the same year, following Audrey Hepburn (1954) and Marvin Hamlisch (1974). Goldberg's Emmy win recognised her success in television and her ability to excel in a variety of entertainment formats, including hosting.