The 17th Daytime Emmy Awards were held on Thursday, June 28, 1990, on ABC, to commemorate excellence in American daytime programming from March 6, 1989-March 5, 1990. The event aired from 3-5 p.m. EST, live from the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. It preempted General Hospital.

Outstanding Drama Series

• All My Children
• Guiding Light
• Santa Barbara
• The Young and the Restless

Outstanding Lead Actor

• David Canary (Adam Chandler & Stuart Chandler, All My Children)
• Stephen Schnetzer (Cass Winthrop, Another World)
• A Martinez (Cruz Castillo, Santa Barbara)
• Peter Bergman (Jack Abbott, The Young and the Restless)
• Eric Braeden (Victor Newman, The Young and the Restless)

Outstanding Lead Actress

• Susan Lucci (Erica Kane, All My Children)
• Elizabeth Hubbard (Lucinda Walsh, As the World Turns)
• Finola Hughes (Anna Devane, General Hospital)
• Kim Zimmer (Reva Shayne, Guiding Light)
• Jeanne Cooper (Katherine Chancellor, The Young and the Restless)

Outstanding Supporting Actor

• Robert Gentry (Ross Chandler, All My Children)
• Kin Shriner (Scott Baldwin, General Hospital)
• Kristoff St. John (Adam Marshall, Generations)
• Jerry verDorn (Ross Marler, Guiding Light)
• Roscoe Born (Robert Barr, Santa Barbara)
• Henry Darrow (Rafael Castillo, Santa Barbara)
• Quinn Redeker (Rex Sterling, The Young and the Restless)

Outstanding Supporting Actress

• Julia Barr (Brooke English, All My Children)
• Mary Jo Catlett (Mary Finnegan, General Hospital)
• Lynn Herring (Lucy Coe, General Hospital)
• Michelle Forbes (Sonni Carrera, Guiding Light)
• Jess Walton (Jill Abbott, The Young and the Restless)

Outstanding Younger Actor

• Andrew Kavovit (Paul Ryan, As the World Turns)
• Bryan Buffington (Bill Lewis, Guiding Light)

Outstanding Younger Actress

• Cady McClain (Dixie Cooney, All My Children)
• Liz Vassey (Emily Ann Sago, All My Children)
• Charlotte Ross (Eve Donovan, Days of Our Lives)
• Kimberly McCullough (Robin Scorpio, General Hospital)

Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team

• All My Children
• Guiding Light
• One Life to Live
• Santa Barbara
• The Young and the Restless

Outstanding Drama Series Directing Team

• All My Children
• As the World Turns
• Santa Barbara
• The Young and the Restless

Outstanding Game Show

• Jeopardy! - A Production of Merv Griffin Enterprises (Syn. by KingWorld)
• The Price Is Right - A Mark Goodson Production for CBS
• Wheel of Fortune - A Merv Griffin Production for CBS (Syn. by KingWorld)
• Win, Lose or Draw - A Kilne & Friends Production for NBC (Syn. by Buena Vista)

Outstanding Game Show Host

TIE

• Alex Trebek (Jeopardy!/Classic Concentration)
• Bob Barker (The Price Is Right)
• Pat Sajak (Wheel of Fortune)

Outstanding Animated Program

• Patsy Cameron, Clive A. Smith, Tedd Anasti, Patrick Loubert, Michael Hirsh, David Geffen, Tim Burton, Stephen Hodgins, Robin Budd and Lenora Hume (Beetlejuice)
• Terence Harrison, Bruce Talkington, Carter Crocker, Ed Ghertner, Ken Kessel, Stephen Sustarsic, Karl Geurs and Mark Zaslove (The New Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh)
• Lane Raichert, Paul Sommer, Joseph Barbera, Don Lusk, Ray Patterson, Laren Bright, William Hanna and Bill Matheny (A Pup Named Scooby-Doo)
• Tad Stones, Alan Zaslove, Ken Koonce, John Kimball, Bob Zamboni, Rick Leon and Bryce Malek (Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers)

Outstanding Film Sound Editing

• Rich Harrison, Charlie King and Rick Hinson (DuckTales)
• Dean G. Manly, Jackson Schwartz, Ron Fedele, Al Breitenbach, Kenneth R. Burton and Steven D. Williams (Muppet Babies)
• Glenn A. Jordan, Greg Teall, John Walker, Steve Kirklys, Peter Cole and Ken Dahlinger (Pee-wee's Playhouse)
• Rob Kirkpatrick, Stephen Hudecki and Mac Holyoke (Beetlejuice)

Outstanding Children's Series

• Reading Rainbow

Lifetime achievement award

• Mark Goodson