James Burrows

James Edward Burrows (born December 30 1940) is an American television director who has been working in television since the 1970s.Stated in interview on "Inside the Actors Studio"]

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. [ [http://www.filmreference.com/film/71/James-Burrows.html James Burrows Biography (1940-) ] ] He is the second cousin to the contemporary artist Jordan Wolfson. 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"
*1980s - "Cheers" (which he also co-created), "The Hogan Family"
*1990s - "Wings", "Frasier", "Friends", "NewsRadio", "Caroline in the City", "Will & Grace"
*2000s - "The Class", "Two and a Half Men", "Back to You", "The Big Bang Theory", "Single White Millionaire"

Burrows directed all 194 episodes of the NBC sitcom "Will & Grace", which is a directing record. [ [http://www.tvseriesfinale.com/2006/05/will_grace_the_big_finale_is_full_of_surprises_1.html Will & Grace Finale] ]

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.

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

External links

*imdb|0123273