Legendary ‘Cheers’ Creator Passes Away At 85
James Burrows, the television director and co-creator of the long-running sitcom “Cheers,” passed away on Friday, June 19 at the age of 85.
His family confirmed the death in a statement to People magazine. “We celebrate the extraordinary life and enduring legacy of James ‘Jimmy’ Burrows, who passed away peacefully today surrounded by his loving family,” the statement read in part.
“For more than five decades, Burrows was one of the most influential and beloved directors in television history. As a legendary director, mentor, and creative force, he helped shape generations of comedy and brought immeasurable joy to audiences around the world.”
A cause of death has not been publicly disclosed at this time.
James Burrows, the co-creator of “Cheers” who reigned as television’s preeminent sitcom director for more than 30 years, died on Friday. He was 85. https://t.co/drWXrDuZlE pic.twitter.com/OH9lxEfpFt
— Variety (@Variety) June 19, 2026
Burrows was born James Edward Burrows on December 30, 1940, in Los Angeles to a Jewish family. His father was the playwright, composer, and director Abe Burrows. He attended New York’s High School of Music & Art, earned a BA from Oberlin College, and received an MFA from Yale University.
He began his professional career in 1965 as a dialogue coach on the series “O.K. Crackerby!,” created by his father, and worked in theater before transitioning to television directing in 1974 with MTM Enterprises under the mentorship of Jay Sandrich.
Early in his television career, Burrows directed episodes of series including “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “The Bob Newhart Show,” “Rhoda,” “Phyllis,” and “Laverne & Shirley.” He became known for his precise comic timing, sophisticated blocking and lighting, and innovative use of a four-camera setup in multi-camera productions, expanding upon the standard three-camera format common in sitcoms at the time.
In 1982, Burrows co-created the NBC sitcom “Cheers” with Glen and Les Charles. He directed 237 of its 275 episodes across 11 seasons. The iconic series became a defining work in his career and in American television comedy.
He later directed 32 episodes of the “Cheers” spin-off “Frasier,” including its pilot “The Good Son,” for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series.
Burrows directed 15 episodes of “Friends” and helmed every episode of “Will & Grace” during its original run (1998–2006) and its 2017–2020 revival, totaling 246 episodes for that series. He also directed multiple episodes of “Taxi” (earning back-to-back Emmy Awards for directing in 1980 and 1981), “Mike & Molly,” “The Millers,” and “Man with a Plan,” among others.
All in all, Burrows directed pilots for more than 50 series that were picked up, including “Two and a Half Men” and “The Big Bang Theory.” By 2015 he had directed more than 1,000 episodes of television.