TV comedy’s secret weapon: James Burrows, co-creator of Cheers, dies at 85

If you’ve spent any time parked in front of the telly over the last fifty years—even if you claim you haven’t—you’ve seen the fingerprints of John Burrows, whether you realised it or not. The legendary sitcom director, who had a hand in practically every era-defining American comedy you could name, has died aged 85. According to reports, Burrows died peacefully in his sleep on the morning of 19 June, after a short illness.

From Mary Tyler Moore to, well... nearly everything else

Burrows’s career reads like a greatest hits playlist of TV comedy. He got his proper start on The Mary Tyler Moore Show (which, if you’ve never gone back, is much sharper than people give it credit for). From there it’s basically a conga line of classic sitcoms: directing on The Bob Newhart Show and Laverne & Shirley, before moving to bigger things. Honestly, it’s easier to list the sitcoms of his era he didn’t touch.

And not just directing random episodes—Burrows was the pilot guy for the most iconic sitcoms out there. Take a breath:

• Directed the very first episodes of Taxi, Cheers, Frasier, Friends, Will & Grace, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Two and a Half Men, Mike & Molly, and The Big Bang Theory. Every single one went on to become a mega-hit.
• He didn’t just dabble—he practically set up camp. 246 episodes of Will & Grace, 236 of Cheers, 75 of Taxi, 49 of Mike & Molly, 36 of Frasier, and 15 of Friends were all helmed by Burrows. Makes most directors look positively part-time.

Shaping comedy, and stacking the trophy shelf

It wasn’t just about shouting ‘Action!’ and turning actors into household names—though frankly, he did plenty of that too. Burrows had a knack for finding and nurturing the sort of ensemble casts other shows would kill for. If you’re wondering why the casts of Taxi, Cheers, Friends, Frasier, etc. all feel so effortless and lived-in, there’s a very good chance it’s down to the bloke behind the camera.

He also collected Emmys like some people collect biscuit tins: 11 wins in total, several for Outstanding Comedy Series (including Cheers and Will & Grace).

Even when he wasn’t directing, he kept busy as an executive producer on Cheers, Will & Grace, Mike & Molly, and a stack of others—you get the idea.

A lasting influence

It’s easy to forget sometimes just how much these shows shaped the landscape. Whether you’re into the retro magic of Taxi (which, yes, introduced the world to Danny DeVito and Christopher Lloyd in prime form) or the almost mathematical polish of Friends and Frasier, you’re feeling the aftershocks of Burrows’s style. Reining in those egos and hitting that mix of warmth and barbed one-liners wasn’t luck—by all accounts, Burrows simply knew what he was doing.

'Sometimes, we don’t realise how important someone is to our television history until they're gone.'

He leaves behind a back catalogue most directors would swap their BAFTA nominations for. If you ever found yourself glued to any of those shows, you’ve almost certainly got John Burrows to thank.