James Burroughs, an 11-time Emmy Award winner and prolific television director known for his Midas touch when it comes to sitcoms, has died. He was 85 years old.
Burroughs, who co-created Cheers He directed all 246 episodes Will & Grace His family confirmed in a statement that he died during his two tours on Friday the people: “We celebrate the extraordinary life and lasting legacy of James “Jimmy” Burroughs, who passed away peacefully today surrounded by his loving family. For more than five decades, Burroughs was one of the most influential and beloved directors in the history of television. As a legendary director, mentor and creative force, he helped shape generations of comedy and brought immeasurable joy to audiences around the world.”
A master of comic timing, Burroughs was an expert at eliciting laughter from his performers and the material on the page. For more than 40 years, his talents have made him one of the most in-demand directors in Hollywood. If you’re making a half-hour comedy series for television, you want Jim Burroughs to be the one calling the shots.
“My mind is never empty,” Burroughs said. New York Times in a 1995 interview. “If something’s not funny, I’ll try nine ways to make it funny. I won’t just stop. I’ll change the line to get more ideas or find a funny situation for the actors.”
Producers initially sought to work with Burroughs. He is credited with directing over 50 sitcom pilots, eventually becoming a hit as friends, Big bang theory, Freezer, taxi, Night court, wings, Two and a half men, Caroline is in town, The third rock from the sun, Mike and Molly and Two broken girls Off on the right foot.
“Jimmy was the greatest television comedy director in the history of the medium,” said his longtime agent, Rick Rosen of WME. “He directed the most iconic and memorable shows for generations. He was always a gentleman, and it was an absolute honor to perform with him.”
In a 2016 interview with Kate Stanhope of Hollywood ReporterBurroughs pondered the secret of his success.
“I am not a martinet or a dictator,” he said. “I don’t come to rehearsal day knowing where the actors will be on stage. I sit with the actors and talk to them about their characters. I try to make them like each other, because if they do, it will show on screen. So I’ll try to have lunch together. Sometimes I bring them here for a party, which I did with them.” Mike and Molly. with friends Kids, I took them to Vegas.”
He added that he learned kindness from his father, Tony Award-winning comedy and playwright Abe Burroughs, who is best known for… Guys and dolls.
Directing pilots was just one aspect of Burroughs’ multi-talented career. In addition to creating Cheers With brothers Glen Charles and Les Charles (who directed the lion’s share of its 278 episodes), he was executive producer of the series Will & Grace He directed all 198 installments of the original season, which ran for eight seasons. When the series returned in September 2017 after an 11-year absence, it returned as well.
Burroughs also received production credit Mike and Molly, Gary is not married, A man with a plan and Superior donutAnd manage multiple episodes for them as well.
He got his start in the 1974 part of Mary Tyler Moore A show titled “Neighbors”—the show in which Lou moves into Rhoda’s old apartment in Mary’s building—Burroughs went on to helm more than a thousand episodes of the show. In the 1970s, he worked continuously for MTM Enterprises while also directing Laverne and Shirley, Tony Randall Show, fi and Loose rags.
In addition CheersThe 1980s found him behind the camera Partners, taxi and Dear John. face to News Radio, Partners, Men behaving badly and Caught In the 1990s, Teachers, the chapter and Back to you In the 2000s, and Romantic challenge, A man with a plan and Mills In the decade that followed.
He has received over 40 Emmy Award nominations and has received four DGA Awards. The union honored him with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.
However, not everything Burroughs touched was successful in comedy. Among his scattered credits are pilots for such forgotten efforts as Vanille boys, Pacific station, Chicagoans, The secret life of men, Screaming, raving madness, Bram and Alice and Four kings.
James Edward Burroughs was born in Los Angeles on December 30, 1940, to Ruth and Abby Burroughs. When he was young, the family moved to the West Side of Manhattan. He grew up hanging backstage in theaters, watching the actors Guys and dolls, Maybe can and How to succeed in business without really trying Preparing for their Broadway debut.
In elementary school, Burroughs was a member of the Metropolitan Opera Boys’ Chorus, where he would spend Saturdays learning the songs “Carmen” and “Tosca.” “We were running around the old subway and playing hide-and-seek in the booths,” he said at the conference. times interview.
Burroughs attended the city’s High School of Music and Arts, but was learning just as much by working in his father’s shows. “I was suggesting jokes all the time,” he said. “Abe would be very nice and say, ‘I’ll think about it.’
Burroughs said he initially resisted the obvious choice of a show business career, fearing he would get lost in his father’s shadow. But after earning his undergraduate degree at Oberlin College in Ohio, he went on to earn a graduate degree at Yale School of Drama. He did it as a service to his father.
Then he started directing and realized he was a natural at it. It didn’t hurt that when he started selling his summer stock, his father’s business became a staple. “Abe came and saw a production Guys and dolls I did it with two pianos, and he really liked it.
One of his first jobs on Broadway was as assistant director of the 1966 musical version of the play Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Named Holly Golightly During pre-Broadway tryouts, it was canceled by producer David Merrick during previews and never officially opened. However, the young Burroughs did get to meet the star of the show, Mary Tyler Moore.
Several years later, Burroughs was watching an episode of Moore’s series and said he came to two conclusions. The first is that the sitcom is, at its core, a 22-minute play. The second is that if he can direct two-hour plays in summer stock, he can handle TV comedies.
Burroughs Moore wrote and got a job at MTM, and it was only a matter of time before he got the chance to direct her show. He went on to do three more. The company also keeps him busy with tasks Paul Sands in Friends and Lovers, Phyllis, Rhoda, The Bob Newhart Show, The Betty White Show and Lou Grant.
During his career, Burroughs also directed more than 20 television films, but only one was a comedy Partners (1982), starring Ryan O’Neal and John Hurt.
Sometimes a bearded Burroughs would pose in front of the camera, capturing bits of the screen Rhoda, Phyllis, The Bob Newhart Show and Cheers. He played the director in the classic 1994 episode “The One With the Butt.” friends Where Joey gets the job of Al Pacino in a dual role. He appeared as himself in six episodes of the series Returnwho shined friends alum Lisa Kudrow.
He talked about his life and career with THR’Scott Feinberg for the 2019 episode of Awards talks.
In 2023 he returned to Freezer To direct the first episode of the Paramount+ reboot, then handle the other parts.
Burroughs was married to Linda Solomon, an associate producer on Partnersfrom From 1981 to 1993, they had three daughters. In 1997, he married Debbie Easton, a hairdresser who worked with him Roseanne, Caroline is in town and friends.
