James Burrows Biography (1940-)

Born December 30, 1940, in Los Angeles, CA; son of Abe (a writer, composer, and director) and Ruth (maiden name, Levinson) Burrows; married Katherine (divorced); married Debbie; children: Ellie. Addresses: Office: Charles-Burrows-Charles, 5555 Melrose Ave., Ball 203, Los Angeles, CA 90038-3197.; Agent: Broder Kurland Webb Uffner, 9242 Beverly Blvd., Suite 200, Beverly Hills,CA 90210-3731.

Nationality: American
Gender: Male
Occupation: Director, producer, series creator
Birth Details: December 30, 1940; Los Angeles, California, United States

Famous Works

CREDITS
Television Work
Series
Creator (with Glen Charles and Les Charles) and producer (with Glen Charles, Les Charles, Ken Levine, and David Isaacs), Cheers, NBC, 1982-84
Executive producer (with Glen Charles and Les Charles), Cheers, NBC, 1984-93
Executive producer, All Is Forgiven, NBC, 1986
Executive producer, The Tortellis, NBC, 1987
Executive producer (with Glen Charles and Les Charles) and consultant, Flesh n Blood, NBC, 1991
Television Director
Episodic
The Mary Tyler Moore Show, CBS, 1970-77
The Bob Newhart Show, CBS, 1972-78
Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers, CBS, 1974-75
Rhoda, CBS, 1974-78
Fay, NBC, 1975-76
Phyllis, CBS, 1975-77
The Tony Randall Show, ABC, 1976-77, then CBS, 1977-78
Laverne & Shirley, ABC, 1976-83
Busting Loose, CBS, 1977
We've Got Each Other, CBS, 1977-78
The Betty White Show, CBS, 1977-78
On Our Own, CBS, 1977-78
Szysznyk, CBS, 1977-78
Lou Grant, CBS, 1977-82
Free Country, ABC, 1978
Husbands, Wives and Lovers, CBS, 1978
The Ted Knight Show, CBS, 1978
Taxi, ABC, 1978-82, then NBC, 1982-83
The Associates, ABC, 1979-80, then TEC, 1982
The Stockard Channing Show, CBS, 1980
Good Time Harry, NBC, 1980
Best of the West, ABC, 1981-82
Cheers, NBC, 1982-93
Night Court, NBC, 1984-?
All Is Forgiven, NBC, 1986
The Hogan Family (also known as Valerie and Valerie's Family), NBC, 1986-90, then CBS, 1990
The Tortellis, NBC, 1987
Dear John, NBC, 1988-?
The Marshall Chronicles, ABC, 1990
Wings, NBC, 1990-?
The Fanelli Boys (also known as The Boys Are Back), NBC, 1990
Flying Blind, 1992
Frasier, NBC, 1993-
Friends, NBC, 1994-
NewsRadio (also known as The Station), NBC, 1995-99
Partners, Fox, 1995-96
Hudson Street, ABC, 1995-96
Caroline in the City (also known as Caroline), NBC, 1995-?
The Preston Episodes, 1995-?
3rd Rock from the Sun (also known as 3rd Rock and Life As We Know It), NBC, 1996-2000

Pearl, 1996
Men Behaving Badly (also known as It's a Man World), NBC, 1996-98
Chicago Sons, 1997-98
George & Leo, CBS, 1997-98
Dharma & Greg, ABC, 1997-
Veronica's Closet, NBC, 1997-2000
Union Square, NBC, 1997-98
Conrad Bloom, 1998
Jesse, NBC, 1998-2000
The Secret Lives of Men, 1998
(And producer) Will & Grace, NBC, 1998-
Ladies Man, CBS, 1999-
Stark Raving Mad, NBC, 1999-2000
Madigan Men, ABC, 2000
Cursed (also known as The Weber Show), NBC, 2000
Television Director, Except Where Indicated
Pilots
Bumpers, NBC, 1977
Calling Dr. Storm, M.D., NBC, 1977
Roosevelt & Truman, CBS, 1977
The Plant Family, CBS, 1978
Your Place or Mine? CBS, 1978
Butterflies, NBC, 1979
Every Stray Dog and Kid, NBC, 1981
Goodbye Doesn't Mean Forever, NBC, 1982
At Your Service, NBC, 1984
P.O.P., NBC, 1984
"In the Lions Den," CBS Summer Playhouse, CBS, 1987
(And executive producer) The Tortellis, NBC, 1987
Dear John, 1988
Channel 99, NBC, 1988
Down Home, NBC, 1990
Wings, NBC, 1990
Roc, Fox, 1991
Flesh n Blood, NBC, 1991
Pacific Station, NBC, 1991
Frasier, NBC, 1993
Friends, NBC, 1994
NewsRadio (also known as The Station), NBC, 1995
Partners, Fox, 1995
Caroline in the City (also known as Caroline), NBC, 1995
Hudson Street, ABC, 1995
Fired Up, 1997
Will & Grace, NBC, 1998
Stark Raving Mad, NBC, 1999
Madigan Men, ABC, 2000
Cursed (also known as The Weber Show), NBC, 2000
Television Work
Specials
Director, Big Shots in America, NBC, 1985
Segment director, Time Warner Presents the Earth Day Special, ABC,1990
Segment director, "Cheers," Disneyland's 35th Anniversary Celebration, NBC, 1990
Director and executive producer, Cheers: Special 200th Episode Celebration, NBC, 1990
Television Director
Movies
(As Jim Burrows) More Than Friends, ABC, 1978
Television Appearances
Episodic
Maintenance man, "Halls of Hartley," The Bob Newhart Show, 1976
(Uncredited) Film director, "The One with the Butt," Friends, NBC,1994
Specials
The 43rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards Presentation, Fox, 1991
Himself, Intimate Portrait: Lea Thompson, Lifetime, 1998
Stage Work
Assistant stage manager, Holly Golightly, 1967
Director, The Castro Complex, Stairway Theatre, 1970
Director, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Arlington Park Theatre, Arlington Heights, IL, 1972-73
Director, Goodbye, Charlie, Arlington Park Theatre, 1972-73
Director, Charley's Aunt, Arlington Park Theatre, 1972-73
Director, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Steppenwolf Theatre Company,Chicago, IL, then Barbicon Theatre, London, both 1998
Also worked as stage manager for Cactus Flower, U.S. cities, and for Forty Carats, Broadway production; also directed off-Broadway dinner theatre productions.
Film Director
Partners (also known as Zwei irre Typen auf heisser Spur),Paramount, 1982

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals

Broadcasting and Cable, May 22, 1995, p. 30.
Newsweek, September 11, 1995, p. 73.

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