James Burrows

James Edward Burrows (born December 30, 1940) is an American television director who has been working in television since the 1970s.^[1]

Biography

Burrows was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Ruth Levinson and Abe Burrows, who was a well-known composer, director and writer.^[2] Burrows is a graduate of Oberlin College. He also went to the Yale School of Drama.

Burrows' style is best known for his comic timing, complex blocking for actors, and incorporating more sophisticated lighting in television studio shoots. He is also credited for expanding the typical multi-camera television shoot from three to four cameras.

Burrows has directed for many shows, including:

• 1970s - The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, Rhoda, Laverne & Shirley, Taxi, The Associates
• 1980s - Cheers (which he also co-created), The Hogan Family, Dear John
• 1990s - Wings, Frasier, Friends, NewsRadio, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Dharma & Greg, Caroline in the City, Will & Grace, George & Leo
• 2000s - The Class, Courting Alex, Two and a Half Men, Back to You, The Big Bang Theory, Gary Unmarried

Burrows directed all 194 episodes of the NBC sitcom Will & Grace, which is a directing record.

Burrows has had cameo appearances in several of the shows for which he has directed. He also appears as a television director in the 2005 HBO series The Comeback. Burrows played himself on the series. Burrows has been nominated for fifteen Directors Guild of America awards, and for an Emmy Award every year since 1980, excluding 1997.

Burrows directed the first episodes of such shows as The Big Bang Theory, Two and Half Men, Friends, Veronica’s Closet, Caroline in the City, Frasier, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Newsradio, Wings, Dear John, Taxi, and Cheers.

An episode of Scrubs, "My Life in Four Cameras", had a character named "Charles James" in honor of Cheers creators Burrows and Glen and Les Charles.

References

1. ^ Stated in interview on Inside the Actors Studio
2. ^ James Burrows Biography (1940-)

External links

• James Burrows at the Internet Movie Database

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