James Burrows, co-creator of the hit sitcom Cheers and prolific TV director over 1,000 episodes, has died at the age of 85.
Burrows’ family announced the director’s death to People on Friday, adding that he “passed away peacefully today surrounded by his loving family.” No cause of death was provided.
“For more than five decades, Burrows was one of the most influential and beloved directors in television history,” Burrows’ family said in a statement. “As a legendary director, mentor, and creative force, he helped shape generations of comedy and brought immeasurable joy to audiences around the world.”
Burrows, the son of famed Broadway composer Abe Burrows, first worked in the theater in the Sixties, meeting actress Mary Tyler Moore on the 1967 play Holly Golightly; Moore would later enlist Burrows to direct episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Bob Newhart Show, as well as episodes of Moore Show spinoffs Rhoda and Phyllis.
In 1982, Burrows co-created Cheers with Glen and Les Charles, the brother duo who Burrows previously worked with on Taxi; Burrows is credited with directing over 75 episodes of Taxi, twice winning the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series on that series.
Burrows directed 240 of Cheers’ 275 episodes, and won the Outstanding Comedy Series Emmy in 1983 for the Boston-based barroom sitcom; a decade later, Burrows would win another Outstanding Director Emmy for his work on the Cheers spinoff Frasier.
Over the course of a career that spanned six decades, Burrows also helmed 15 episodes of Friends, as well as episodes of sitcoms like Will & Grace, 3rd Rock From the Sun, The Big Bang Theory, NewsRadio, The Millers, Superior Donuts and dozens more shows.
“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,” his family added in a statement.
“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 — who only directed one big screen movie, 1982’s Partners, during his showbiz career — was last credited with directing four episodes of the Frasier reboot and 10 episodes of the 2025 sitcom Mid-Century Modern.
