Cheers Co-Creator James Burrows Dies at 85

Cheers co-creator and Friends manager James Burrows has died astatine 85.

The sitcom spearhead's household announced the quality with a connection sent to People. They confirmed that helium passed distant peacefully Friday, June 19, surrounded by loved ones. No further details were shared.

"We observe the bonzer beingness and enduring bequest of James 'Jimmy' Burrows, who passed distant peacefully contiguous surrounded by his loving family," the Burrows household said. "For much than 5 decades, Burrows was 1 of the astir influential and beloved directors successful tv history. As a legendary director, mentor, and originative force, helium helped signifier generations of drama and brought immeasurable joyousness to audiences astir the world."

James Burrows. Photo by Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images.

Burrows, an 11-time Emmy winner, was a elephantine successful the TV world. In summation to his relation arsenic writer, director, and shaper for the '80s tv classic, Cheers, helium also, arsenic noted by his family, directed much than 1,000 episodes of antithetic shows from the '70s to 2025.

His resume is longer than astir and includes extended enactment connected projects similar Taxi, Phyllis, The Betty White Show, Friends, Will & Grace, Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, and many, galore more. Most recently, helium directed a bid of episodes for the Frasier revival show. He besides directed the full archetypal play of Mid-Century Modern, starring Nathan Lane, which premiered successful 2025.

"Burrows understood that large drama was ne'er simply astir laughter," the connection from his household continued. "It was astir humanity, connection, and truth. That knowing became the instauration of a vocation that everlastingly changed television," his household wrote. "His power volition proceed to beryllium felt for generations done the countless artists helium inspired, the stories helium helped tell, and the millions of radical whose lives were brightened by his work."

Across his half-century vocation successful TV, Burrows has worked with a countless fig of names, large and small, crossed the industry. Many person already taken to societal media to stock memories of their clip with him.

"Time spent with Jimmy Burrows was clip worthy laughing about," Laverne and Shirley and Better Call Saul prima Michael McKean said. "A large drama feline and a precise bully man. RIP."

"Thank you Jimmy," Friends alum Lisa Kudrow said successful an Instagram Story. "I mean, for everything. I emotion you."

"Rest casual Boss. You gave america truthful much," The Class and Spider-Man: Brand New Day histrion Jon Bernthal said. "Raised truthful galore of america with wit and heart. A full generation. You gave maine my shot. I volition beryllium everlastingly grateful."

Photo by Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images.

Michael Cripe is simply a freelance writer with IGN. He's champion known for his enactment astatine sites similar The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be definite to springiness him a travel connected Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).