Television director known for his work on several long-running sitcoms, James Burrows, has died at the age of 85.
His family confirmed his death in a statement to People, saying he died peacefully surrounded by relatives.
They also noted his long career in television, describing him as a director, mentor, and creative figure who worked across several decades.
Burrows won 11 Emmy Awards during his career, including consecutive directing wins in 1980 and 1981 for the series “Taxi.”
He was also a co-creator of the NBC sitcom “Cheers,” alongside Glen and Les Charles. Over the years, he directed multiple pilots and episodes for several comedy series, including “Will & Grace,” which he worked on from 1998 to 2020.
He was widely recognised for his work on pilot episodes and for directing ensemble casts, including early episodes of “Friends,” where he worked with the show’s main cast at the start of the series.
In 2015, Burrows reached his 1,000th sitcom episode milestone while working on the NBC series “Crowded.” NBC later honoured him in a 2016 special event marking his career achievements, bringing together actors from various shows he had directed over the years.
