James Burrows, acclaimed television director and co-creator of Cheers, has died

James Burrows, the Emmy-winning television director whose work helped define the modern sitcom and whose credits included Cheers, Friends, Will & Grace, Frasier, and The Big Bang Theory, has died at the age of 85. His family said he died peacefully on June 19, surrounded by loved ones.

Over a career spanning more than five decades, Burrows directed more than 1,000 television episodes and earned 11 Emmy Awards from 46 nominations. He became one of the medium’s most influential figures, known for shaping ensemble casts and refining the multi-camera sitcom format.

Born in Los Angeles in 1940, Burrows was the son of writer and composer Abe Burrows. After studying at Oberlin College and the Yale School of Drama, he began his television career directing episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Bob Newhart Show.

He went on to direct more than 70 episodes of Taxi before teaming with Glen and Les Charles to create Cheers, the Boston bar comedy that ran from 1982 to 1993. Burrows directed nearly all of the show’s 275 episodes and won six Emmys for his work.

His influence extended far beyond Cheers. He directed the pilot episodes of Frasier, Friend, Two and a Half Men, and The Big Bang Theory, and directed every episode during the original run of Will & Grace from 1998 to 2006. He also worked on Night Court, Dharma & Greg, Mike & Molly, and 3rd Rock from the Sun.

Burrows was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 2006 and received the inaugural Directors Guild of America Lifetime Achievement Award for television in 2014. In 2016, NBC honored him with a special tribute featuring casts from several of his most successful series.

He is survived by his wife, Debbie, four daughters and seven grandchildren. His family said his legacy will live on through the generations of artists he inspired and the millions who laughed at the characters and stories he helped bring to life.

Source: People