James Burrows, the co-executive producer of iconic American sitcoms, has died in the US at age 85. Over a career spanning more than half a century, he became one of the most influential directors in television comedy history, working on series such as 'Friends,' 'The Big Bang Theory,' 'Frasier,' 'Taxi,' and other popular projects. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
Burrows' death was announced by his agent Rick Rosen. The information was published by The New York Times.
Over decades of work, the director staged more than a thousand episodes of television comedies and directed about 75 pilot episodes, many of which later turned into successful long-running shows. His contribution to the development of the genre was repeatedly recognized by the professional community: Burrows was a winner of 11 Emmy Awards and was nominated for the award 47 more times.
In the television industry, James Burrows was often called 'the Steven Spielberg of sitcom creators.' He earned this comparison due to his ability to turn new projects into television hits, as well as to create strong acting ensembles and a special atmosphere on set.
The director's filmography includes work on such landmark series as 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show,' 'The Bob Newhart Show,' 'Cheers,' 'Taxi,' 'Frasier,' 'Friends,' and 'The Big Bang Theory.' Many of these projects became classics of American television and had a significant impact on the development of the sitcom genre.
James Burrows is considered one of the most decorated and successful directors in the history of television comedy, and his works remained among the most popular with viewers around the world for decades.