Photo: Chris Haston/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
James Burrows, director of hundreds of classic sitcom episodes, died Friday. Immediately, the comedy world began pouring out tributes. NBC, the network that ran Burrows’ most significant series, issued a statement in honor of the man who made Thursdays Must-See: “Jimmy Burrows was the man behind the curtain. He knew how to make us laugh, what buttons to push and was the absolute master of getting the most out of every joke. His loss to the television comedy world is immeasurable. Every time you have a smile on your face watching The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Taxi, Cheers, Will & Grace, Friends and countless others, think of Jimmy and know he made all our lives funnier.”
Burrows was so beloved, the stars of his shows already gathered to honor his life a full decade before he died. That TV special saw the casts of his shows — everything from Taxi to The Big Bang Theory — come together to honor the quintessential sitcom director. Will & Grace star Eric McCormack paid tribute to the man who directed every episode of his show’s original run on Friday, writing “The 800 lb gorilla of television comedy for fifty years, he was beloved by everyone, and has left not a mark but a footprint.” Below are more remembrances of a titan of the four camera sitcom, James “Jimmy” Burrows.
Both DeVito and Perlman starred in Burrows sitcoms, DeVito as the cantankerous dispatcher Louie De Palma on Taxi and Pearlman the equally acerbic waitress Carla on Cheers. They issued a joint statement to press, writing “Rhea and I are deeply saddened by the passing of Jimmy Burrows. The entire DeVito family feels the loss of such an exceptional man, and we send our love to Debbie, Jimmy’s children, and all of his loved ones.
Jimmy guided Rhea and me through 16 seasons of television. He was the very best at his craft. His positive spirit, boundless energy, and tireless work defined what it takes to run a show and keep people laughing.
He will always be in our hearts.”
Cedric the Entertainer worked with Burrows on The Neighborhood, and the actor celebrated his director on Instagram. “He put the Direct in TV.,” he wrote. “The amount of laughs and joy his vision has brought into our homes is unmeasurable.”
McCormack worked closely with Burrows on all 11 seasons of Will & Grace, both original run and revival. “We lost a giant today, a mentor to me and a dear friend,” he wrote. “Jimmy, thank you for everything you gave us. I love you. And I send so much love to Debbie and your whole beautiful family.”
Aniston went from working opposite an evil Leprechaun to being America’s Sweetheart working with Burrows on Friends. “Thank you James Burrows, for the incredible impact you had on television and for helping create the magic of Friends and giving the world moments that continue to bring laughter, comfort, and connection decades later,” she wrote on Instagram. “Your vision and talent shaped one of the most beloved shows of all time and left an unforgettable mark on television history.”
Sean Hayes and his husband Scott Ignoble shared a tribute to Burrows on social media, writing “sending his incredible wife, Debbie, and his loving family all our love and support during this difficult time.” The tribute to Burrows in 2016 was Hayes’s idea, something Burrows thought would never make it to air. “I thought, ‘Give me some of the drug you’re taking,’” he told The Hollywood Reporter at the time. “I’m behind the scenes. People don’t know me.”
Burrows directed over 70 episodes of Taxi, which launched Tony Danza to stardom — something Danza knows all too well. “We have lost the greatest of all time,” Danza wrote. “I know I wouldn’t be here without him.”
We have lost the greatest of all time. Jimmy Burrows. I know I wouldn’t be here without him. My thoughts are with Debbie and the kids. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/hahaxUfD1t
— Tony Danza (@TonyDanza) June 19, 2026
Sign up for the Vulture Daily
An entertainment newsletter for the pop-culture obsessed.
Vox Media, LLC Terms and Privacy Notice
Related