James Burrows poses at the premiere of a TV show in March 2025. He was a co-creator of Cheers and directed 243 of the series’ 273 episodes.Chris Pizzello/Associated Press
James Burroughs, who provided tons of laughs as the director of more than 1,000 episodes of classic TV comedies such as “Cheers,” “Taxi,” “Friends” and “Will & Grace,” died Friday. He was 85 years old.
His family confirmed his death in a statement to People magazine, saying, “He passed away peacefully today surrounded by his family.” The place and cause of death have not been disclosed.
Burrows spent his career behind the camera specializing in situation comedies. Few viewers recognized him or knew his name other than seeing the name flash rapidly on the screen during the opening credits. But they knew his work.
Burroughs began her television career relatively late, in 1974 at the age of 35, directing episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, and Laverne & Shirley.
He co-created Cheers and directed 243 of its 273 episodes and all 246 episodes of Will & Grace.
He also helmed multiple episodes of hits such as “Frasier,” “Friends,” “Mike & Molly,” and pilots for “Two and a Half Men” and “The Big Bang Theory.”
“When directing a television show, I try to hit that sweet spot where the best writing, the best performances, and the best chemistry between the cast meets,” Burrows wrote in his 2022 memoir, “Director James Burrows.” “When these elements come together to capture the exact moment, they create the sweetest and most lasting laughs.”
“Burroughs understood that great comedy was never just about laughs. It was about humanity, connection, and truth, and that understanding was the foundation of a career that changed television forever,” his family said.
“But beyond his remarkable accomplishments, Mr. Burroughs will be remembered for something even greater: his kindness, generosity, and unwavering belief in those around him. He had the rare ability to make everyone better, and was known for remembering everyone he met by name, making colleagues at every level feel recognized, valued, and appreciated,” the family statement said.
Born James Edward Burroughs on December 30, 1940 in Los Angeles, he moved to New York at the age of five. He spent five years in the Metropolitan Opera Children’s Choir before his voice began to change. He attended LaGuardia High School of Music and Arts.
His father is writer, director, and producer Abe Burrows, whose Broadway hits include Guys and Dolls and Can Can. The elder Burrows was also a mentor to Larry Gelbart, who later became the creator and producer of the television show “M*A*S*H.”
Young Burroughs spent many hours of his youth watching his father work in theaters and studios, dining with him at famous New York hangouts such as Sardi’s and Gallagher’s, and meeting celebrities who attended his father’s New Year’s Eve parties.
After earning his bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College, Burroughs attended the graduate program at Yale School of Drama, where his classmates included actor and comedian Robert Kline, playwright John Guare, and director John Badham.
At Yale University, he was required to take a directing class and was hooked.
Burroughs’ first sitcom experience was as dialogue coach for Burl Ives on OK Crackerby!. The film, directed by his father, aired for one season on ABC in 1965.
From there, he served as an assistant on The Patty Duke Show. He returned to New York and worked for Broadway producers Lee Guber, Frank Ford, and Shelley Gross. He first met the actor Moore while working on Holly Golightly, a Broadway production of Breakfast at Tiffany’s directed by his father.
Burrows eventually worked as a stage manager for various road productions, where he met actors such as Hugh O’Brien, Zsa Zsa Gabor, and Julie Harris.
By 1974, after working in dinner theaters and summer stock, he turned on the television to watch Moore’s TV show of the same name. According to his memoirs, he wrote a letter to her production company asking if they had any vacancies “in any capacity.”
Moore’s husband and business partner, Grant Tinker, invited Burroughs to Los Angeles to direct an episode of the comedy. He apprenticed at MTM Enterprises, which was airing four sitcoms at the same time.
Burroughs cited his background in theater, where he learned how to direct actors and block scenes. He is known as one of the first sitcom directors to increase the typical multi-camera television shoot from three to four cameras.
A common thread in Burroughs’ shows was the bond between friends and unrelated family members, whether it was the motley crew of patrons at Cheers’ bar, the taxi drivers trying to make a better living, or the 20-somethings sharing an apartment in Friends.
“The best sitcoms reach beyond the screen and grab the audience’s throats and hearts,” Burroughs wrote in his memoirs.
He enjoyed discovering new acting talent while directing over 75 pilots that were adapted into series.
“Having directed over 1,000 shows means I can almost always turn on the TV or go on the Internet and find a show I directed. I’m very proud of that,” he wrote in his memoir.
In 2019, Burroughs served as an executive producer on live productions of All in the Family and The Jeffersons, which recreated episodes of the 1970s comedy with famous actors.
Burrows married Debbie Easton in 1997, whom he met while working as a hairstylist on Frasier. Daughters Kat Schatzow, Ellie Gluck, and Maggie Burrows followed in their father’s footsteps as directors. The three are daughters from his first marriage to Linda Solomon, who died in 2004. His stepdaughter Paris is his wife’s daughter from a previous marriage. He is survived by a sister, Laurie Burrows Glad, and seven grandchildren.
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