James Burrows, the prolific comedy director James Burrows of 'Cheers' and 'Friends' fame, has died

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James Burrows, the 11-time Emmy-winning director who co-created “Cheers” and helped turn such long-running sitcoms as “Taxi,” “Friends,” “Will & Grace” and “The Big Bang Theory” into fan favorites, died on Friday.He was 85.“We celebrate the extraordinary life and enduring legacy of James ‘Jimmy’ Burrows, who passed away peacefully today surrounded by his loving family,” his family said in a statement to People.

“For more than five decades, Burrows was one of the most influential and beloved directors in television history.As a legendary director, mentor and creative force, he helped shape generations of comedy and brought immeasurable joy to audiences around the world.”A master of the multi-camera sitcom, Burrows started his career shooting episodes of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” in 1974 and “The Bob Newhart Show” in 1975.

He soon joined the quality-oriented production company MTM, which counted James L.Brooks, Steven Bochco and Gary David Goldberg among its alumni.“They were smart enough to know that it’s better to have a director who can talk to actors rather than a director who can move cameras.

You can’t really learn how to make something funny, but you can learn to move the cameras,” Burrows said in a 1995 interview with The Times.Burrows was born in Los Angeles and later moved with his family to New York 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.

He worked years as a stage manager with his father, a playwright and director, assisting on shows such as “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” starring Moore and Richard Chamberlain.Television Laughs flow from James Burrows’ directionHe solidified his name in television with “Cheers,” co-creating the lively Boston travern “where everybody knows your name” with Glen and...