James Burrows, co-creator of ‘Cheers’ and director of ‘Will & Grace,’ dies at 85

James Burrows, a major force in television comedy who co-created “Cheers” and directed every episode of the first run of “Will and Grace,” has died, his attorney told NBC News. He was 85. His formidable career spanned entire generations of television viewers, in which he worked on many of the most memorable sitcoms from the 1970s through the 1990s, including “Friends,” “Frasier,” “Taxi” and “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” where he got his start in 1974. Mostly recently, he appeared alongside “Friends” alum Lisa Kudrow in the “Comeback” on HBO Max. His numerous accolades include 11 Primetime Emmys and five Directors Guild of America awards. Burrows was born in Los Angeles into a creative family that had already cemented its hold on the entertainment industry. His father, writer and composer Abe Burrows, co-wrote “Guys and Dolls” and “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” People reported. He attended the High School of Music & Art in New York after his family relocated to the East Coast and graduated from Oberlin College before receiving a master’s degree from Yale School of Drama.