If you’ve ever watched an episode of Cheers, Will & Grace, Friends, or Frasier, there’s a good chance you’ve seen the work of James Burrows.
For more than five decades, Burrows directed over 1,000 episodes of some of America’s most beloved sitcoms, bringing laughter into homes around the world.
Born in Los Angeles to a Jewish family in 1940, Burrows moved to NYC at age 5. He attended Oberlin College and the Yale School of Drama before going on to shape generations of television comedy. A master of the multi-camera sitcom, he won 11 Emmy Awards and earned 47 nominations over the course of his prolific career.
When asked about the role his Jewish identity played in his life, he answered: “I’m proud of my Jewish heritage…it certainly helped with the humor.” Burrows didn’t consider himself spiritual, but he lit Shabbat candles each week to feel a connection to those who came before him.
As the co-creator of Cheers, he gave us the bar where everybody knows your name. Now it’s time everybody knows his.
James Burrows.
May his memory be a blessing.
Source: Jill Goltzer
