James Burrows, the acclaimed television director and co-creator of Cheers, died in his sleep on Friday at age 85 following a brief illness.
The Burrows family announced his death in a statement, noting that he passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones. They highlighted his five-decade career directing more than 1,000 episodes and his role in shaping shows including Taxi, Frasier, Friends, Will & Grace, and Two and a Half Men.
Burrows began directing in the 1970s with episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Bob Newhart Show. He later directed 236 episodes of Cheers, which he co-created with Glen and Les Charles, and helmed pilots for Taxi, Two and a Half Men, and other series. He also directed all 10 episodes of the recent show Mid-Century Modern.
His family praised his kindness and ability to make colleagues feel valued. An NBC statement called him the man behind the curtain who knew how to make audiences laugh. Burrows earned 11 Primetime Emmy Awards out of 48 nominations and was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame.
