James Burrows

James Burrows directed more than one thousand episodes of sitcom television and earned eleven Emmy Awards and five Directors Guild of America Awards. His five-decade career began in theater, stage managing on Broadway and directing regional theater. In 1974, he began his television career directing episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, and Laverne & Shirley. He became the resident director on Taxi, then co-created the beloved classic Cheers, directing 243 of the 273 episodes, as well as all 246 episodes of Will & Grace. He directed the pilots and multiple episodes of Frasier, Friends, Mike & Molly, the pilots of Two and a Half Men and The Big Bang Theory, and hundreds of other shows, where he nurtured and mentored some of television’s biggest stars. He passed away in June 2026.