Franklin J. Schaffner – Patton

• Robert Altman – M*A*S*H
• Arthur Hiller – Love Story
• David Lean – Ryan's Daughter
• Bob Rafelson – Five Easy Pieces

Lamont Johnson – My Sweet Charlie

• Robert Day – The Bold Ones: The Senator for "A Continual Roar of Musketry"
• Walter Grauman – The Old Man Who Cried Wolf
• Stan Harris – Jack Benny's 20th Anniversary Special
• Dwight Hemion – Kraft Music Hall for "Mr. Anthony Quinn and Miss Peggy Lee"
• Buzz Kulik – A Storm in Summer
• Delbert Mann – David Copperfield
• Barry Shear – The Name of the Game for "The Enemy Before Us"
• Paul Wendkos – The Brotherhood of the Bell