James Burrows facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Burrows
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|---|---|
| Born | December 30, 1940 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Other names | Jim Burrows Jimmy Burrows |
| Education | Oberlin College (BA) Yale University (MFA) |
| Occupation | Television director |
| Years active | 1965–present |
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Notable work
|
Cheers Friends Will & Grace The Mary Tyler Moore Show Taxi |
| Spouse(s) |
Linda Solomon
(m. 1981; div. 1993)Debbie Easton
(m. 1997) |
| Children | 4 |
| Parent(s) |
|
| Joint venture | |
| Industry | Television production |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Founder | James Burrows and NBC Productions |
| Divisions | 3 Princesses and a P |
James Burrows (born December 30, 1940) is a famous American television director. He is sometimes called Jim "Jimmy" Burrows. He has won many awards, including 11 Primetime Emmy Awards and five Directors Guild of America Awards. In 2015, he received a special Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2016, NBC honored him with a TV special called Must See TV: An All-Star Tribute to James Burrows.
Burrows began his career in 1974 with The Mary Tyler Moore Show. He has directed over 50 TV pilot episodes. He also helped create the popular TV series Cheers (1982–1993). He co-founded 3 Sisters Entertainment, a company that makes TV shows with NBC. James Burrows is well-known for directing many episodes of beloved comedy shows. These include The Bob Newhart Show, Taxi, Frasier, Friends, Will & Grace, and 3rd Rock from the Sun.
He also helped produce special live TV shows that recreated classic sitcoms. These include Live in Front of a Studio Audience in 2019 and 2021. He directed episodes for the new versions of Will & Grace (2017–2020) and Frasier (2023–2024).
Contents
Early Life and Education
James Burrows was born in Los Angeles, California. His family was Jewish. His father, Abe Burrows, was a famous composer, director, and writer. James has a sister named Laurie Burrows Grad. When James was young, his family moved to New York. He went to New York's High School of Music & Art. Later, he studied at Oberlin College and the Yale School of Drama.
What is James Burrows Known For?
James Burrows is famous for his unique directing style in comedy shows. He is known for his excellent "comic timing." This means he knows how to make jokes land perfectly. He also uses complex "blocking" for actors. This is how actors move around the set. He was one of the first directors to use four cameras instead of three for sitcoms. This helped capture more of the action.
How Did James Burrows Start His Career?
After finishing school, Burrows went back to California. He worked as a dialogue coach for a TV series called O.K. Crackerby!. His father, Abe, created this show. Then, James worked as an assistant stage manager for a play. This play introduced him to actress Mary Tyler Moore. He also worked on other plays on Broadway.
Directing TV Shows: The Early Years
In 1974, James Burrows got a job at MTM Enterprises. This was a production company owned by Mary Tyler Moore and her husband. He directed episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Bob Newhart Show. Another director, Jay Sandrich, helped mentor Burrows. During this time, Burrows directed many other shows. These included Phyllis, Rhoda, and Laverne & Shirley.
Creating Cheers and Other Hits
James Burrows helped create the show Cheers with brothers Glen and Les Charles. They all wanted to have more control over their work. Cheers first aired on NBC in 1982. It became a huge success, running for 11 seasons. Burrows directed almost all of its 275 episodes. Before Cheers, he also directed 76 episodes of Taxi. While working on Cheers, he also directed episodes for shows like The Hogan Family and Night Court.
After Cheers, Burrows directed the popular sitcom Frasier. This show was a spin-off from Cheers. He won an Emmy Award for the pilot episode in 1993. He directed 32 episodes of Frasier between 1993 and 1997.
Burrows also directed 15 episodes of another hit NBC sitcom, Friends. He was nominated for an Emmy for the episode "The One with the Blackout" in 1994. He also directed pilot episodes for 3rd Rock from the Sun and Dharma & Greg. Other shows he directed during this time include Wings and NewsRadio.
Directing Will & Grace and More
From 1998 to 2006, James Burrows directed many episodes of Will & Grace. He directed every single episode during its first eight years! He won an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2000 for his work on the show. He was nominated for directing several episodes of Will & Grace.
He also directed episodes of The Big Bang Theory (2006–2007) and Two and a Half Men (2003–2006). These were both popular shows on CBS. Other shows he directed include The Class and Gary Unmarried.
Recent Work and Special Honors
In the 2010s, Burrows continued to direct many well-known sitcoms. These include Mike & Molly (2010–2016) and The Millers (2013–2015). He worked again with actor Matt LeBlanc on Man with a Plan (2016–2020). He also directed B Positive (2020–2022).
By 2012, Burrows had directed over 50 pilot episodes for TV series. In November 2015, he reached a huge milestone: directing over 1,000 episodes of television! NBC celebrated this achievement with a special tribute show in February 2016. It featured cast reunions from many of his famous shows like Cheers, Friends, and Will & Grace. In 2020, he won a Directors Guild of America Award for his work on the Live in Front of a Studio Audience special.
He directed episodes for the return of Will & Grace (2017–2020). He was nominated for an Emmy for the episode "We Love Lucy." In 2023, he directed the first two episodes of the new Frasier series on Paramount+.
James Burrows on Screen
James Burrows has also appeared in some of the shows he directed. In the first season of Friends, he played a director in the episode "The One with the Butt." He also played himself as a TV director named Jimmy in the 2005 HBO series The Comeback. An episode of Scrubs even had a character named Charles James, honoring Burrows and the creators of Cheers.
Personal Life
James Burrows is married to Debbie Easton, who is a hairstylist. They live in Manhattan. He was previously married to Linda Solomon. James Burrows has three daughters and one stepdaughter.
Filmography
Acting Roles
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Rhoda | Agent | Episode: "The Lady in Red" |
| 1994 | Friends | Director | Episode: "The One with the Butt" |
| 2005, 2014 | The Comeback | Himself | Recurring role |
| 2020 | Will & Grace | Himself | Episode: “Filthy Phil, Part II” |
Directing Roles
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | More Than Friends | Director | Comedy film |
| 1982 | Partners | Comedy film |
Television
| Year | Title | Notes | Refs. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974–76 | The Mary Tyler Moore Show | 4 episodes | |
| 1975–77 | The Bob Newhart Show | 11 episodes | |
| 1976–77 | Laverne & Shirley | 8 episodes | |
| 1978–82 | Taxi | 75 episodes | |
| 1982–93 | Cheers | Co-creator and director of 237 episodes | |
| 1993–97 | Frasier | 32 episodes | |
| 1994–98 | Friends | 15 episodes | |
| 1996 | 3rd Rock from the Sun | 2 episodes | |
| 1998–2006, 2017–20 |
Will & Grace | Director; also executive producer | |
| 2003–06 | Two and a Half Men | Episode: "Pilot" | |
| 2006–07 | The Big Bang Theory | 2 episodes: "The Pilot" & the Unaired Pilot | |
| 2010–16 | Mike & Molly | 48 episodes; also executive producer | |
| 2013–15 | The Millers | 32 episodes | |
| 2016–17 | Man with a Plan | 9 episodes; also executive producer | |
| 2019 | Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons" |
Segment director; Television special | |
| 2023–24 | Frasier | 4 episodes |
Awards and Nominations
James Burrows has been nominated for many awards throughout his career. He has received 15 Directors Guild of America nominations. He was nominated for an Emmy Award every year from 1980 to 2005, except for 1997. Burrows has won 11 Emmy Awards and five Directors Guild of America Awards. In 2013, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences honored his 40-year career.
See also
In Spanish: James Burrows para niños
