Legendary TV director James Burrows dies at 85

Legendary director James Burrows has died, his agent confirmed to ABC News on Friday. He was 85.

Burrows is known for directing some of the most iconic shows on television, from Cheers and Taxi to Will & Grace and Frasier.

Throughout his illustrious career, Burrows won 11 Emmys and five Directors Guild of America Awards. The Directors Guild of America also honored Burrows in 2015 with a lifetime achievement award. He was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2006.

“Jimmy was the greatest comedic television director in the history of the medium,” his agent, Rick Rosen, said in a statement to ABC News. “He directed the most iconic, defining shows of generations. Always a gentleman, it was an absolute honor to represent him.”

Born on Dec. 30, 1940, Burrows made his mark across many television shows in the mid 1970s, directing episodes for several television series in 1975 including The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Phyllis and The Bob Newhart Show.

He also helmed episodes of Laverne & Shirley, The Betty White Show, Rhoda and more, before a long stint as director for the TV sitcom Taxi starting in 1978. Burrows directed the first four seasons of the series, which focused on the everyday lives of New York City taxi drivers.

While speaking to the Television Academy in 2025, Burrows said his job as a director on Taxi was to “mold” the actors “into an ensemble.”

“I’m not sure how much the actors learned from me, but I learned a lot about how to deal with people because of that show,” he said.

Following Taxi, Burrows directed several other TV shows as well as the 1988 television movie The Nerd, prior to directing Cheers starting in 1982. He was also a co-creator on the show, and directed 237 episodes.

In 2003, Burrows told Conan O’Brien that it was a “wonderful experience.”

“It was so smooth, it was scary, how the process went,” Burrows said about the writing, cast and crew.

The show won a total of 28 Primetime Emmy Awards, with Burrows winning two for directing.

Burrows went on to direct more television shows after Cheers, including Frasier, Will & Grace and Friends.

When asked in an interview in 2003 by the Television Academy about how he wanted to be remembered, Burrows said, “That every night forever you can tune in somewhere and there’ll be a show I did.”

 ABC News’ Andrea Dresdale contributed to this report.