James Burrows, the legendary television director and co-creator of the hit sitcom Cheersdied at the age of 85.
The 11-time Emmy winner, who directed more than 1,000 episodes of television and shaped generations of American comedy, died peacefully Friday, June 19 surrounded by his loved ones, his family confirmed.
In a statement announcing the news, his family celebrated his extraordinary life and enduring legacy, describing him as one of the most influential and beloved directors in television history.
They noted that as a creative force and mentor, he brought immeasurable joy to audiences around the world.
Beyond his impressive list of professional accomplishments, his family emphasized that he will be remembered for his kindness, generosity and rare ability to better everyone around him, remembering every person he met by name.
Born in Los Angeles in 1940, Burrows was the son of famous Broadway writer and composer Abe Burrows, who co-wrote the books of classics like Guys and dolls.
After studying at the Yale School of Drama, Burrows began his career in theater in the 1960s.
This was while he was working as an assistant director on the 1967 play Holly Golightly that he met actress Mary Tyler Moore.
This connection proved crucial; he then wrote to him asking for work and his production company hired him to direct episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show And The Bob Newhart Showlaunching his four-decade-long film career.
Burrows quickly became a master of the multi-camera sitcom format, a skill he attributes entirely to his theatrical roots.
He often describes himself as a “theater rat” rather than a director, explaining that his process involved putting on a short play each week and using his cameras to cover it.
His unique understanding of characters and comedic energy first brought him major industry recognition in sitcom. Taxiwhere he directed over 70 episodes and won his first two Emmy Awards.
Seeking more creative control, Burrows partnered with Taxi writers Glen and Les Charles to create Cheers in 1982.
The Boston-based bar sitcom became an unforgettable cultural phenomenon until 1993.
Burrows directed 240 of the series’ 275 episodes and won six Emmy Awards for his work on the series.
Reflecting on his enormous success, he once noted that although there were many shows about bars, Cheers succeeded simply because they did it better than anyone else.
His golden touch extended far beyond the barstool.
Burrows directed the pilot episode of Cheers spin-off Spawnwinning another Emmy, and went on to direct 32 episodes of the series.
He was also asked to direct Friends in 1994.
In his memoir, he recalls immediately falling in love with the script, taking the six young actors to Las Vegas before the premiere to warn them that it was their last chance at anonymity.
His talent for creating believable ensembles helped define the series’ early success.
Burrows later directed every episode of Will and grace over the course of its original eight-season run, serving as a producer and earning another Emmy win out of 12 nominations for the series.
He also directed the pilots of Two and a half men And The Big Bang Theory, and landed his historic 1,000th TV episode in 2015 while working on the sitcom Crowded.
Throughout his unprecedented career, he has racked up 46 Emmy Award nominations and received the Directors Guild of America’s inaugural Television Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014.
Although he spent his life making billions of people laugh, Burrows believed that great comedy was never just about jokes, but also about humanity, connection and truth.
He remained active in the industry late in his life, with his final directing credits including episodes of the Spawn reboot and the sitcom 2025 Mid-Century Modern.
He is survived by his wife, Debbie Easton, whom he married in 1997, his four daughters and his seven grandchildren.
