Although Santa Barbara usually received low television ratings during its run in the U.S., it was always highly praised by the critics. The numerous awards and nominations listed here include three consecutive Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Drama Series from 1988 to 1990.

The Daytime Emmy Awards are given by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. The Soap Opera Awards are nominated by the editors of Soap Opera Digest and the winners are chosen by the fans. The Most Valuable Player Awards are given by the editors of Soap Opera Update.

Please help me complete this list by sending me e-mail with any additions.

Santa Barbara Awards

1985

Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Graphics and Title Design
Santa Barbara

1986

Soap Opera Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress
Harley Kozak (Mary Duvall)
Soap Opera Award for Outstanding Villainess
Linda Gibboney (Gina Capwell)

1987

Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Performer
John Wesley Shipp (Martin Ellis)
Daytime Emmy Award for Music Composition
Rick Rhodes, musical director

1988

Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor
Justin Deas (Keith Timmons)
Daytime Emmy Award for Music Composition
Liz Lachman, musical director; Dominic Messinger, composer; Rick Rhodes, principal arranger
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series
Jill Farren Phelps, Bridget Dobson, executive producers; Steven Kent, supervising producer; Leonard Friedlander, Julie Hanan, producers
Soap Opera Award for Outstanding Hero
A Martinez (Cruz Castillo)
Soap Opera Award for Outstanding Heroine
Robin Wright (Kelly Capwell)
Soap Opera Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor
Nicholas Coster (Lionel Lockridge)
Soap Opera Award for Outstanding Villian
Justin Deas (Keith Timmons)

1989

Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress
Marcy Walker (Eden Capwell Castillo)
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress
Nancy Lee Grahn (Julia Wainwright)
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor
Justin Deas (Keith Timmons)
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Juvenile Male
Justin Gocke (Brandon Capwell)
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series
Jill Farren Phelps, executive producer; Steven Kent, senior supervising producer; Charlotte Savitz, supervising producer; Julie Hanan Carruthers, Leonard Friedlander, producers
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing Team
Charles Pratt, Jr., Anne Howard Bailey, head writers; Robert Guza, Jr., Courtney Simon, Lynda Myles, Patrick Mulcahey, Gary Tomlin, script writers; Josh Griffith, Jane Atkins, breakdown/script writer; Don Harary, breakdown writer
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Makeup
Santa Barbara
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Hairstyling
Santa Barbara
Soap Opera Award for Outstanding Heroine
Marcy Walker (Eden Capwell Castillo)
Soap Opera Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor
Justin Deas (Keith Timmons)
Soap Opera Award for Outstanding Comic Actress
Robin Mattson (Gina Timmons)
Soap Opera Award for Makeup
Carlos Yeaggy, John Maldonado, Dawn Marando

1990

Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor
A Martinez (Cruz Castillo)
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor
Henry Darrow (Rafael Castillo)
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series
John Conboy, senior executive producer; Jill Farren Phelps, executive producer; Steve Kent, senior supervising producer; Charlotte Savitz, supervising producer; Julie Hanan Carruthers, producer
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing Team
Michael Gliona, Rick Bennewitz, Robert Schiller, directors; Pamela Fryman, Jeanine Guarneri-Frons, associate directors
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lighting Direction
Brian McRae, Ted C. Polmanski
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lighting Direction
Santa Barbara
Soap Opera Award for Outstanding Daytime Soap
Santa Barbara
Soap Opera Award for Outstanding Lead Actor
A Martinez (Cruz Castillo)
Soap Opera Award for Outstanding Lead Actress
Marcy Walker (Eden Castillo)
Soap Opera Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress
Jane Rogers (Heather Donnelly)
Soap Opera Award for Outstanding Supercouple
Marcy Walker and A Martinez (Eden and Cruz Castillo)
Soap Opera Award for Outstanding Comic Actor
Joe Marinelli (Bunny Tagliatti)
Soap Opera Award for Outstanding Comic Actress
Robin Mattson (Gina Timmons)
Soap Opera Award for Outstanding Storyline
Eden's rape

1991

Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing Team
Rick Bennewitz, Peter Brinckerhoff, Michael Gliona, Robert Schiller, directors; Jeanine Guarneri-Frons, Pamela Fryman, Robin Raphaelian, associate directors
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing Team
Chuck Pratt, Jr., head writer; Sheri Anderson, Sam Ratcliffe, Maralyn Thoma, co-head writers; Josh Griffith, Robert Guza, associate head writers; Linda Hamner, breakdown writer; Lynda Myles, Frank Salisbury, script writers; Richard Culliton, script writer/editor
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Hairstyling
Janet Medford, Valerie Scott
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lighting Direction
Brian McRae, Ted C. Polmanski
Soap Opera Award for Outstanding Lead Actor
A Martinez (Cruz Castillo)

1992

Soap Opera Award for Best Death Scene
Eden Capwell Castillo

1993

Daytime Emmy Award for Music Composition
Rick Rhodes, musical director

Santa Barbara Nominations

Note: Some of the nominations listed here are marked with an asterisk (*). These are the MVP award nominations from Soap Opera Update. The award is given to one male and one female actor for each show. However, I do not have any information about who the winners of the MVP awards were.