James Burrows, 'Cheers' co-creator and sitcom director, dies at 85
James Burrows, one of the most prolific and influential directors in American television, died on June 19 at age 85, surrounded by family. He co-created NBC’s “Cheers” with Glen and Les Charles and directed across five decades on shows including “Taxi,” “Frasier,” “Friends,” “Will & Grace” — every episode of which he directed — “The Big Bang Theory” and dozens more, passing 1,000 sitcom episodes in 2015.
His influence ran deeper than the credits suggest: Burrows helped standardize the multi-camera sitcom format, including adding a fourth camera to the traditional three-camera setup, shaping how a generation of comedies were shot and paced. He won 11 Emmy Awards, was nominated for a record 22 Directors Guild Awards and received the DGA’s lifetime achievement award in 2014. He is survived by his wife, Debbie Easton, and three children.