At the age of 85, American director and producer James Burrows has passed away – one of the key figures in the history of the television sitcom. His death was confirmed by his family and his agent. According to his relatives, he «passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family». The cause of death has not been disclosed.

Burrows leaves behind one of the most extensive careers in television history: he worked on iconic projects such as «Friends», «The Big Bang Theory», «Frasier», «Taxi», «Cheers», «Will & Grace» and «The Mary Tyler Moore Show». Over more than half a century in the industry, he directed more than a thousand television episodes and became one of the most influential directors of the so-called golden era of American sitcoms from the 1980s to the 2000s.

Throughout his career, Burrows was nominated for 46 Emmy Awards and won 11 of them. Among his most notable achievements were his work on «Taxi» and «Cheers», where he directed a significant number of episodes. In 2006, he was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame, and in 2014 he received the Directors Guild of America Award for his outstanding contribution to television.

A special place in his creative legacy belongs to «Friends». In 1994, Burrows worked on the show’s pilot episode and played a key role in shaping its future ensemble cast. He brought together the six then-unknown actors – Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer and Matthew Perry – and organized a joint trip to Las Vegas to help the cast bond before filming began.

Colleagues and friends note that Burrows was not only a director but also a mentor who significantly influenced the development of the sitcom genre and helped shape an entire generation of comedy actors. Jennifer Aniston, in particular, described him as a father figure who supported her at the most important moments of her career.

After his passing, the actress publicly honored the director’s memory, remembering him as someone who believed in her from the very beginning: «I miss your voice. I miss your laughter. I miss your genius».

James Burrows is survived by his wife Debbie Easton, his children and grandchildren.

Photo: Instagram @_schwim_, @jenniferaniston