James Burrows, the legendary television director who co-created "Cheers" and spent five decades shaping the most beloved comedies in American broadcasting history, died Friday at the age of 85. His agent, Rick Rosen, confirmed the death to ABC News.
A representative for the Burrows family said the director "passed away peacefully today surrounded by his loving family." He is survived by his wife Debbie, four daughters, and seven grandchildren.
Burrows directed more than 1,000 television episodes across a career that began in the mid-1970s and stretched into the 2020s. He won 11 Emmy Awards and five Directors Guild of America Awards. His name appeared in the credits of nearly every sitcom that defined American popular culture over the last half-century, from "Taxi" and "Cheers" to "Frasier," "Friends," "Will & Grace," and "The Big Bang Theory."
Born December 30, 1940, Burrows got his start directing episodes of "Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers," "Phyllis," "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," and "The Bob Newhart Show" in 1975. He moved on to "Laverne & Shirley," "The Betty White Show," and "Rhoda" before landing a long stint on "Taxi" beginning in 1978, where he directed the first four seasons of the show about the everyday lives of New York City cab drivers.
That early run on "Taxi" shaped his approach to the craft. Speaking to the Television Academy in 2025, Burrows reflected on his role with characteristic modesty:
"I'm not sure how much the actors learned from me, but I learned a lot about how to deal with people because of that show."
His job on "Taxi," as he described it, was to "mold" the cast "into an ensemble." That instinct, building chemistry among performers rather than chasing individual star power, became the signature of his entire career.
In 1982, Burrows co-created "Cheers," the Boston bar comedy that would become one of the most honored programs in television history. He directed 237 of its episodes. Breitbart reported the total at 243 of 273 episodes, and the show itself collected 28 Primetime Emmy Awards over its run. Burrows personally won two Emmys for his directing work on the series.
In a 2003 appearance with Conan O'Brien, Burrows described the creative process on "Cheers" with a simplicity that belied the show's craft:
"It was so smooth, it was scary how the process went."
After "Cheers" ended, Burrows kept working at a pace few directors in any medium could match. He directed episodes of "Frasier" and then took on "Will & Grace," directing all 246 episodes of that series. He also helmed the pilots for "Two and a Half Men" and "The Big Bang Theory", launches that helped define a new generation of network comedy, as the Associated Press noted in its obituary.
The entertainment world has lost several beloved figures in recent months, including soap opera and '90s film star Patrick Muldoon, who died at 57 after a sudden heart attack.
NBC issued a statement mourning Burrows' passing. Newsmax quoted the network as saying: "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." The network added that "his loss to the television comedy world is immeasurable."
His agent, Rick Rosen, offered his own tribute:
"Jimmy was the greatest comedic television director in the history of the medium. He directed the most iconic, defining shows of generations. Always a gentleman, it was an absolute honor to represent him."
The industry recognized Burrows repeatedly throughout his career. The Television Academy inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2006. Nine years later, in 2015, the Directors Guild of America presented him with its Lifetime Achievement Award, a fitting capstone for a body of work that touched virtually every major sitcom franchise of the modern era.
As recently as March 25, 2025, Burrows attended a premiere in Los Angeles, and he sat for an interview with the Television Academy that same year. He remained engaged with the craft and the community that grew up around it.
The recent deaths of well-known television personalities, including Darrell Sheets of "Storage Wars", have reminded audiences how deeply TV figures become part of the fabric of daily American life. Burrows occupied a different tier, not a face on screen, but the hand that guided dozens of faces Americans invited into their living rooms every week for decades.
His family captured that distinction in a statement released Friday. "Burrows understood that great comedy was never simply about laughter," the family said. "It was about humanity, connection, and truth. That understanding became the foundation of a career that forever changed television."
The statement continued:
"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."
No cause of death was disclosed. Fox News Radio confirmed the passing and noted Burrows' work spanned multiple decades of American television history.
The entertainment world has seen a number of notable losses in recent times, including singer Claudine Longet, who died at 84.
In a 2003 interview with the Television Academy, Burrows was asked how he hoped future generations would think of him. His answer was as unpretentious as the man himself:
"That every night forever you can tune in somewhere and there'll be a show I did."
Turn on any television in America tonight, flip through the reruns, and that wish still holds. It probably will for a long time. In an industry that chases trends, James Burrows built things that lasted, and that kind of craftsmanship doesn't come around twice.
