Chances are if anyone has a favorite sitcom, director James Burrows deserves their thanks for helping to bring that show to brilliant life during his iconic five-decade career in television.
We learned this week, sadly, that Burrows died at age 85 on Friday, which his family confirmed to People, in an exclusive piece:
"We celebrate the extraordinary life and enduring legacy of James 'Jimmy' Burrows, who passed away peacefully today surrounded by his loving family," the Burrows family shared in a statement to PEOPLE on June 19. "For more than five decades, Burrows was one of the most influential and beloved directors in television history. As a legendary director, mentor, and creative force, he helped shape generations of comedy and brought immeasurable joy to audiences around the world.
"Over the course of his unparalleled career, Burrows directed more than 1,000 episodes of television and was instrumental in creating some of the most iconic series ever produced, including The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Taxi, Cheers, Frasier, Friends, Will & Grace, and The Big Bang Theory, among many others," the statement continued.
"But beyond his remarkable achievements, Burrows will be remembered for something even greater: his kindness, generosity, and unwavering belief in the people around him. He possessed a rare ability to make everyone better and was known for remembering every person he met by name, making colleagues at every level feel seen, valued, and appreciated."
"Burrows understood that great comedy was never simply about laughter. It was about humanity, connection, and truth. That understanding became the foundation of a career that forever changed television," his family wrote. "His influence will continue to be felt for generations through the countless artists he inspired, the stories he helped tell, and the millions of people whose lives were brightened by his work."
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Here's part of Burrows' biography, from the People obituary piece linked above:
Burrows was born in Los Angeles in 1940. His father, Abe Burrows, was a writer and composer, best known for co-writing the books for the musicals Guys and Dolls and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. When Burrows was young, the family moved to New York, where he attended the High School of Music & Art. He graduated from Oberlin College and then completed a graduate degree from Yale School of Drama.
Burrows returned to California, where he worked as an assistant stage manager for the 1967 play Holly Golightly, where he met Mary Tyler Moore. He eventually began directing plays across the country, and in 1970 he directed the short-lived Broadway play The Castro Complex.
Burrows wrote to Moore to ask if she had any work for him, and her production company MTM Enterprises hired him to direct episodes of Mary Tyler Moore and The Bob Newhart Show and assigned him a mentor. He quickly found success and also directed shows like Phyllis, Rhoda and Laverne & Shirley, becoming a master of the multi-camera sitcom genre
Entertainment industry outlet Variety reported on his over 50-year-career of making sitcom magic, spanning from the 1970s to 2010s. It's hard to fathom how many individual lives he touched and careers where, in some cases, he helped spark them, by directing of many of the most influential cultural landmarks of our times—The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, Cheers, Frasier, Taxi, and Friends, to name just a handful. Here's one remembrance:
Tony Danza, who worked with Burrows on 75 episodes of the ABC comedy series “Taxi,” paid tribute to his longtime director on Friday afternoon. He wrote on X, “We have lost the greatest of all time. Jimmy Burrows. I know I wouldn’t be here without him. My thoughts are with Debbie and the kids.”
We have lost the greatest of all time. Jimmy Burrows. I know I wouldn’t be here without him. My thoughts are with Debbie and the kids. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/hahaxUfD1t
— Tony Danza (@TonyDanza) June 19, 2026
Burrows also co-created "Cheers," notably, with brothers Glen and Les Charles. And throughout his career, he garnered 11 Emmy awards.
Here's a mind-boggling list of just a sampling of the dozens of TV shows he directed, via the Variety piece linked above:
“The Bob Newhart Show,” “Rhoda,” “The Betty White Show,” “Laverne & Shirley,” “Lou Grant,” “The Tony Randall Show,” “The Associates,” “The Stockard Channing Show,” “The Hogan Family,” “Night Court,” “Dear John,” “Ladies Man,” “Wings,” “Frasier,” “NewsRadio,” “Third Rock from the Sun,” “Pearl,” “Dharma & Greg,” “Caroline in the City,” “George & Leo,” “The Class,” “Courting Alex,” “Back to You,” “Two and a Half Men,” “The Big Bang Theory,” “Hank,” “Up All Night,” “Better with You,” “$#*! My Dad Says,” “2 Broke Girls,” “Partners,” “Mike & Molly” and “The Millers.”
NBC released a statement on Burrows' passing, calling his loss "immeasurable":
“Jimmy Burrows was the man behind the curtain. He knew how to make us laugh, what buttons to push and was the absolute master of getting the most out of every joke. His loss to the television comedy world is immeasurable. Every time you have a smile on your face watching ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show,’ ‘Taxi, ‘Cheers,’ ‘Will & Grace,’ ‘Friends’ and countless others, think of Jimmy and know he made all our lives funnier.”
The family's statement ended with a reminder of what's important "above all else" - the uncalculable millions of "lives he touched" with the gift of laughter:
"Above all else, Burrows was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He is survived by his beloved wife, Debbie, his four daughters, and his seven grandchildren. He will be profoundly missed and forever remembered. Our thoughts are with Debbie, his children and grandchildren, his family, friends, collaborators, and all those whose lives he touched. May his memory be a blessing."
Rest in peace, James.
Updated [5:22 PM Eastern]: I nearly forgot to include this special treat. In Apr. 2025, Burrows reunited with former Cheers stars Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson, for a chat on the actors' podcast called, appropriately, "Where Everybody Knows Your Name." You can listen to it here. Enjoy.
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