1950s
- 1952
- Best British Actor – Ralph Richardson – The Sound Barrier
- Laurence Olivier – Carrie
- Alastair Sim – Folly to Be Wise
- Jack Hawkins – Mandy
- James Hayter – The Pickwick Papers
- Nigel Patrick – The Sound Barrier
- Best Foreign Actor – Marlon Brando – Viva Zapata!
- Humphrey Bogart – The African Queen
- Fredric March – Death of a Salesman
- Pierre Fresnay – Dieu a besoin des hommes
- Francesco Golisano – Miracolo a Milano
- Best British Actor – Ralph Richardson – The Sound Barrier
- 1953
- Best British Actor – John Gielgud – Julius Caesar
- Jack Hawkins – The Cruel Sea
- Kenneth More – Genevieve
- Trevor Howard – The Heart of the Matter
- Duncan Macrae – The Kidnappers'
- Best Foreign Actor – Marlon Brando – Julius Caesar
- Spencer Tracy – The Actress
- Claude Laydu – Journal d'un curé de campagne
- Marcel Mouloudji – Nous sommes tous des assassins
- Eddie Albert – Roman Holiday
- Gregory Peck – Roman Holiday
- Van Heflin – Shane
- Best British Actor – John Gielgud – Julius Caesar
- 1954
- Best British Actor– Kenneth More – Doctor in the House
- David Niven – Carrington V.C.
- John Mills – Hobson's Choice
- Robert Donat – Lease of Life
- Maurice Denham – The Purple Plain
- Donald Wolfit – Svengali
- Best Foreign Actor – Marlon Brando – On the Waterfront
- José Ferrer – The Caine Mutiny
- Fredric March – Executive Suite
- James Stewart – The Glenn Miller Story
- Neville Brand – Riot in Cell Block 11
- Best British Actor– Kenneth More – Doctor in the House
- 1955
- Best British Actor – Laurence Olivier – Richard III
- Alfie Bass – The Bespoke Overcoat
- Kenneth More – The Deep Blue Sea
- Michael Redgrave – The Night My Number Came Up
- Alec Guinness – The Prisoner
- Jack Hawkins – The Prisoner
- Best Foreign Actor – Ernest Borgnine – Marty
- James Dean – East of Eden
- Jack Lemmon – Mister Roberts
- Frank Sinatra – Not as a Stranger
- Toshirô Mifune – Shichinin no samurai
- Takashi Shimura – Shichinin no samurai
- Best British Actor – Laurence Olivier – Richard III
- 1956
- Best British Actor – Peter Finch – A Town Like Alice
- Jack Hawkins – The Long Arm
- Kenneth More – Reach for the Sky
- Best Foreign Actor – François Périer – Gervaise
- Karl Malden – Baby Doll
- Pierre Fresnay – Le Défroqué
- Frank Sinatra – The Man with the Golden Arm
- Spencer Tracy – The Mountain
- William Holden – Picnic
- James Dean – Rebel Without a Cause
- Gunnar Björnstrand – Sommarnattens leende
- Best British Actor – Peter Finch – A Town Like Alice
- 1957
- Best British Actor – Alec Guinness – The Bridge on the River Kwai
- Trevor Howard – Manuela
- Laurence Olivier – The Prince and the Showgirl
- Michael Redgrave – Time Without Pity
- Peter Finch – Windom's Way
- Best Foreign Actor – Henry Fonda – 12 Angry Men
- Sidney Poitier – Edge of the City
- Ed Wynn – The Great Man
- Robert Mitchum – Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison
- Pierre Brasseur – Porte des Lilas
- Tony Curtis – Sweet Smell of Success
- Richard Basehart – Time Limit
- Jean Gabin – La Traversée de Paris
- Best British Actor – Alec Guinness – The Bridge on the River Kwai
- 1958
- Best British Actor – Trevor Howard – The Key
- I.S. Johar – Harry Black
- Anthony Quayle – Ice Cold in Alex
- Laurence Harvey – Room at the Top
- Donald Wolfit – Room at the Top
- Michael Craig – Sea of Sand
- Terry-Thomas – tom thumb
- Best Foreign Actor – Sidney Poitier – The Defiant Ones
- Paul Newman – Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
- Tony Curtis – The Defiant Ones
- Curd Jürgens – The Enemy Below
- Curd Jürgens – The Inn of the Sixth Happiness
- Spencer Tracy – The Last Hurrah
- Glenn Ford – The Sheepman
- Victor Sjöström – Smultronstället
- Charles Laughton – Witness for the Prosecution
- Marlon Brando – The Young Lions
- Best British Actor – Trevor Howard – The Key
- 1959
- Best British Actor – Peter Sellers – I'm All Right Jack
- Laurence Olivier – The Devil's Disciple
- Laurence Harvey – Expresso Bongo
- Richard Burton – Look Back in Anger
- Peter Finch – The Nun's Story
- Stanley Baker – Yesterday's Enemy
- Gordon Jackson – Yesterday's Enemy
- Best Foreign Actor – Jack Lemmon – Some Like It Hot
- James Stewart – Anatomy of a Murder
- Takashi Shimura – Ikiru
- Jean Desailly – Maigret tend un piège
- Jean Gabin – Maigret tend un piège
- Zbigniew Cybulski – Popiól i diament
- Best British Actor – Peter Sellers – I'm All Right Jack
Read more about this topic: BAFTA Award For Best Actor In A Leading Role, Winners and Nominees