1980s
- 1980 (7th) - Douglass Watson as Mac Cory, Another World
- John Gabriel as Seneca Beaulac, Ryan's Hope
- Michael Levin as Jack Fenelli, Ryan's Hope
- Franc Luz as John Bennett, The Doctors
- James Mitchell as Palmer Cortlandt, All My Children
- William Mooney as Paul Martin, All My Children
- 1981 (8th) - Douglass Watson as Mac Cory, Another World
- Larry Bryggman as John Dixon, As the World Turns
- Henderson Forsythe as David Stewart, As the World Turns
- Anthony Geary as Luke Spencer, General Hospital
- James Mitchell as Palmer Cortlandt, All My Children
- 1982 (9th) - Anthony Geary as Luke Spencer, General Hospital
- Larry Bryggman as John Dixon, As the World Turns
- Stuart Damon as Alan Quartermaine, General Hospital
- James Mitchell as Palmer Cortlandt, All My Children
- Richard Shoberg as Tom Cudahy, All My Children
- 1983 (10th) - Robert S. Woods as Bo Buchanan, One Life to Live
- Peter Bergman as Cliff Warner, All My Children
- Stuart Damon as Alan Quartermaine, General Hospital
- Anthony Geary as Luke Spencer, General Hospital
- James Mitchell as Palmer Cortlandt, All My Children
- 1984 (11th) - Larry Bryggman as John Dixon, As the World Turns
- Joel Crothers as Miles Cavanaugh, The Edge of Night
- Stuart Damon as Alan Quartermaine, General Hospital
- Terry Lester as Jack Abbott, The Young and the Restless
- Larkin Malloy as Schuyler Whitney, The Edge of Night
- James Mitchell as Palmer Cortlandt, All My Children
- 1985 (12th) - Darnell Williams as Jesse Hubbard, All My Children
- Larry Bryggman as John Dixon, As the World Turns
- David Canary as Adam Chandler/Stuart Chandler, All My Children
- Terry Lester as Jack Abbott, The Young and the Restless
- James Mitchell as Palmer Cortlandt, All My Children
- 1986 (13th) - David Canary as Adam Chandler/Stuart Chandler, All My Children
- Scott Bryce as Craig Montgomery, As the World Turns
- Larry Bryggman as John Dixon, As the World Turns
- Nicolas Coster as Lionel Lockridge, Santa Barbara
- Terry Lester as Jack Abbott, The Young and the Restless
- Robert S. Woods as Bo Buchanan, One Life to Live
- 1987 (14th) - Larry Bryggman as John Dixon, As the World Turns
- Eric Braeden as Victor Newman, The Young and the Restless
- Scott Bryce as Craig Montgomery, As the World Turns
- Terry Lester as Jack Abbott, The Young and the Restless
- A Martinez as Cruz Castillo, Santa Barbara
- 1988 (15th) - David Canary as Adam Chandler/Stuart Chandler, All My Children
- Larry Bryggman as John Dixon, As the World Turns
- Robert Gentry as Ross Chandler, All My Children
- A Martinez as Cruz Castillo, Santa Barbara
- Stephen Nichols as Steve "Patch" Johnson, Days of our Lives
- 1989 (16th) - David Canary as Adam Chandler/Stuart Chandler, All My Children
- Larry Bryggman as John Dixon, As the World Turns
- A Martinez as Cruz Castillo, Santa Barbara
- James Mitchell as Palmer Cortlandt, All My Children
- Douglass Watson as Mac Cory, Another World
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