‘Cheers’ Creator James Burrows Dies At 85

Factual coreconfirmed by several independent voices

• 'Cheers' Co-Creator James Burrows Dies at 85.

  reliability high13/15 sources

• Burrows was born in Los Angeles and later moved to New York with his family where he attended the High School of Music Art. He graduated from Oberlin College and completed a graduate program at the Yale School of Drama.

  reliability high5/5 sources

• Burrows was also asked to direct the pilot for Friends.

  reliability moderate2/2 sources

• Burrows, who was married to hairstylist Debbie Easton, also leaves behind three daughters and one stepdaughter.

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• "But beyond his remarkable achievements, Burrows will be remembered for something even greater: his kindness, generosity, and unwavering belief in the people around him," his family said in its statement.

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• For more than five decades, Burrows was one of the most influential and beloved directors in television history.

  reliability moderate2/2 sources

• Burrows' first sitcom experience was as Burl Ives' dialogue coach on "O.K. Crackerby!" which was directed by his father and ran for one season on ABC in 1965.

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• In 2019, Burrows was an executive producer on live productions of "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons" with famous actors re-creating episodes of those 1970s comedies.

  reliability moderate2/2 sources

Reported detailssecondary facts, each attributed to its source

• Read Full Bio Updated on: June 19, 2026 / 6:04 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google James Burrows, the co-creator of "Cheers" and prolific television director who worked on hits including "Will Grace," "Frasier" and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," has died.

  according to CBS News — Latest

• In 2013, he was honored by the Television Academy, and, in 2016, he celebrated directing his 1,000th episode of television programming, crossing the milestone with an episode of “Crowded.” NBC marked the milestone with “Must See TV: An All-Star Tribute” special.

  according to The Seattle Times

• Ninety-five percent of the original pilot script made it to air.” Burrows went on to direct more than 1,000 television episodes.

  according to Hindustan Times - World News

• Over its 11 seasons on the air, Burrows directed 237 of its 275 episodes, emerging as a behind-the-scenes comedy legend. “You bring ‘em in, you sit ‘em down and they talk.

  according to The Seattle Times

• His attorney, Tom Hoberman, confirmed the news to USA TODAY on June 19.

  according to Hindustan Times - World News

• Director James Burrows attends the "Will Grace" start of production kick off event and ribbon cutting ceremony at Universal City Plaza on August 2, 2017 in Universal City, California.

  according to NPR — News

• His most recent Emmy win was in 2020, when he was awarded the Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (Live).

  according to CBS News — Latest

• ‘Absolute master’: Legendary TV sitcom creator dies aged 85.

  according to Stuff

• The TV legend had a decades-long career that saw him take the helm behind the camera on shows like Friends , Frasier and Taxi.

  according to Metro

• His lasting legacy in the world of sitcoms can be seen by the introduction of a four-camera setup, as oppose to three, for which he is credited.

  according to Metro

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• His influence will continue to be felt for generations through the countless artists he inspired, the stories he helped tell, and the…

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• He famously took the cast of Friends to Las Vegas and paid them each $200 to gamble.

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• Burrows' first sitcom experience was as Burl Ives' dialogue coach on "O.K. Crackerby!" which was directed by his father and ran for one…

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• In 2019, Burrows was an executive producer on live productions of "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons" with famous actors re-creating…

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• By 1974, after working in dinner theater and summer stock, he turned on his television and saw Moore's eponymous TV show.

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