Comedy Director James Burrows, Master of Sitcom, Dies at 85
James Burrows, legendary director of Cheers, Friends, and Will & Grace, died at 85.
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James Burrows Death
James Burrows, acclaimed television director known for directing over 1,000 episodes of classic comedies including Cheers, Friends, Taxi, Frasier, and Will & Grace, died at age 85. He won 11 Emmy Awards and received numerous honors including Television Hall of Fame induction.
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2026-08-16 to 2026-11-13 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 20 Jun, 06:03 UTC
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James Burrows, legendary TV comedy director, dies at age 85
James Burrows, the acclaimed director of over 1,000 episodes of classic television comedies, died on June 19 at age 85. He passed away peacefully surrounded by his family. No cause of death was disclosed.
James Burrows directed iconic television series including Cheers, Friends, and Will & Grace
James Burrows directed more than 1,000 episodes across multiple acclaimed television series throughout his career spanning over five decades. His directing credits include The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Taxi, Cheers (275 episodes), Frasier (32 episodes), Friends, Will & Grace (every episode from 1998-2006), The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, Mike & Molly, and others.
James Burrows receives 11 Emmy Awards and 46 Emmy nominations throughout career
James Burrows won 11 Emmy Awards out of 46 nominations during his career. His work on Cheers earned him six Emmy Awards. In 2006, he was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame, and in 2014 he received the inaugural Directors Guild of America Lifetime Achievement Award for television.
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