Overview
- Television director James Burrows died on Friday, June 19, 2026, a loss widely reported this week and remembered across the industry.
- His TV career spanned more than five decades, beginning with four episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show in 1974 and continuing through work as recently as 2025.
- Reports agree he directed a very large number of episodes and pilots but differ on the exact total, citing figures of over 1,000 on some outlets and over 1,200 on others.
- Burrows co‑created Cheers, helmed hundreds of episodes of major sitcoms and was a longtime director and executive producer on Will & Grace, with awards that include 11 Emmys and multiple DGA honors.
- Colleagues paid public tribute at his funeral, noting his role in shaping ensemble casting and the pilot process, and he is reported to be survived by his wife Debbie, four daughters and seven grandchildren.