He was called the 'Steven Spielberg of the sitcom world'. He passed away at the age of 85.
For more than half a century, he remained one of the most influential figures in American television.
The director was nominated for an Emmy Award 47 times, winning it 11 times. Six of those wins were in the category of 'Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series'. He won the Emmy twice in a row — in 1980 and 1981.
As noted by American television critics, his comedic instincts helped create more comedy hits than anyone else on television.
Among his most famous projects are 'Cheers', 'Taxi', 'Two Broke Girls', 'The Big Bang Theory', and 'Mike & Molly'. But the most famous series is 'Friends'.
In addition to television projects, Burrows directed the feature comedy 'Partners' with actors Ryan O'Neal and John Hurt. In 2016, a two-hour program honoring Burrows aired on American television featuring actors from 'Friends', 'Two and a Half Men', and 'The Big Bang Theory'.
James Burrows was in constant demand, often working on several series simultaneously. In total, he directed over a hundred sitcoms, which earned him more than half a billion dollars.
