James Burrows is an American television director who has been working in television since the 1970s.
Burrows has directed over 50 television pilots and co-created the long-running television series Cheers.
While working as a stage manager and director in theater, Burrows wrote to Mary Tyler Moore and her then husband Grant Tinker seeking a job at their production company, MTM Enterprises. In 1974, Tinker hired Burrows as a director for MTM Enterprises where he directed episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Bob Newhart Show.
Tinker asked director Jay Sandrich, known for his work directing The Mary Tyler Moore Show and later The Cosby Show and The Golden Girls, to serve as a mentor to Burrows.
Burrows has directed hundreds of episodes of television series, including Laverne & Shirley, Night Court, Wings, Frasier, Friends, NewsRadio, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Pearl, Dharma & Greg, Will & Grace, Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, Mike & Molly, 2 Broke Girls, Superior Donuts, and the 2017 revival of Will & Grace.
James Burrows was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2006.
