Overview
- Burrows’ family confirmed Friday that James “Jimmy” Burrows passed away peacefully at 85 surrounded by loved ones and celebrated his five‑decade career.
- He directed more than 1,000 television episodes and co‑created Cheers while helming hundreds of episodes of landmark comedies such as Taxi, Frasier, Friends and Will & Grace.
- Burrows won 11 Emmy Awards and multiple Directors Guild of America honors, including a DGA lifetime achievement award and induction into the Television Hall of Fame.
- Networks, guilds and many former cast members paid public tribute to his mentorship and craft, with NBC calling him “the man behind the curtain.”
- Some outlets reported he “died in his sleep” after a brief illness, but the family’s statement did not disclose a cause or location of death; his methods of building ensemble chemistry continue to influence how sitcoms and pilots are made.