Burrows, James 1940- (Jim Burrows, Jimmy Burrows)

PERSONAL

Full name, James Edward Burrows; born December 30, 1940, in Los Angeles, CA; son of Abe (a writer and director) and Ruth (maiden name, Levinson) Burrows; married Linda Solomon, July 17, 1981 (divorced, 1993); married Debbie Easton, 1997; children: three, including Ellie. Education: Oberlin College, B.A., 1962; Yale University, M.F.A., 1965.

Addresses:

Agent—Robert Broder, International Creative Management, 10250 Constellation Way, 9th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90067.

Career:

Director and producer. Worked as stage manager for his father, Abe Burrows; Arlington Park Theatre, Arlington Park, IL, stage director, 1970s; Charles Burrows Charles Productions, Los Angeles, cofounder, 1982; Three Sisters Entertainment, producer.

Awards, Honors:

Emmy Awards, outstanding directing in a comedy series, 1980, 1981, Emmy Award nomination, outstanding directing in a comedy series, 1982, and Directors Guild of America Award nomination, outstanding directing in a comedy series, 1982, all for Taxi; Emmy Awards, outstanding directing in a comedy series, 1983, 1991, and outstanding comedy series (with others), 1983, 1984, 1989, 1991, Emmy Award nominations, outstanding directing in a comedy series, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, and outstanding comedy series (with others), 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993, Directors Guild of America Awards, outstanding directing in a comedy series, 1984, 1991, and Directors Guild of America Award nominations, outstanding directing in a comedy series, 1990, 1992, 1993, all for Cheers; Emmy Award nomination (with others), outstanding informational special, 1990, for Cheers: Special 200th Episode Celebration; Directors Guild of America Award (with others), outstanding directing in a comedy series, 1994, for Frasier; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding directing in a comedy series, 1995, and Directors Guild of America Award nomination, outstanding directing in a comedy series, 1996, both for Friends; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding directing in a comedy series, 1996, for 3rd Rock from the Sun; Creative Achievement Award, American Comedy Awards, 1996; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding directing in a comedy series, and Directors Guild of America Award nomination, outstanding directing in a comedy series, both 1998, for Dharma & Greg; Emmy Award (with others), outstanding comedy series, 2000, Emmy Award nominations, outstanding directing for a comedy series, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, and outstanding comedy series (with others), 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, Directors Guild of America Award (with others), outstanding directing in a comedy series, 2001, Directors Guild of America Award nominations, outstanding directing in a comedy series, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, and Golden Laurel Award nominations (with others), television producer of the year in episodic category, Producers Guild of America, 2003, 2004, all for Will & Grace; Special Lifetime Achievement Award, Banff Television Festival, 2003; Career Tribute Award, U.S. Comedy Festival, 2006; inducted into Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame, 2006.

CREDITS

Television Producer; Series:

(With others; and cocreator) Cheers, NBC, 1982-84.

Television Executive Producer; Series:

(With others) Cheers, NBC, 1984-93.

All Is Forgiven, NBC, 1986.

The Tortellis, NBC, 1987.

(With others) Flesh ‘n’ Blood, NBC, 1991.

The Secret Lives of Men, 1998.

Will & Grace, NBC, 1999-2006.

The Class, CBS, 2006-2007.

Television Director; Series:

The Bob Newhart Show, CBS, 1975-77.

Laverne & Shirley (also known as Laverne & Shirley & Company and Laverne & Shirley & Friends), ABC, 1976-77.

Taxi, ABC, 1978-82, then NBC, 1982-83.

Cheers, NBC, 1982-93.

Frasier, NBC, 1993-97.

Friends, NBC, between 1994 and 1998.

NewsRadio (also known as The Station), NBC, 1995-96.

Will & Grace, NBC, 1998-2006.

The Class, CBS, 2006-2007.

Television Director; Episodic:

The Mary Tyler Moore Show, CBS, 1970-77.

Friends and Lovers (also known as Paul Sand in "Friends and Lovers"), CBS, 1974-75.

The Tony Randall Show, ABC, 1976.

Busting Loose, CBS, 1977.

"John's Mother," The Betty White Show, CBS, 1977.

"The Job," Rhoda, CBS, 1977.

"One Is a Number," Rhoda, CBS, 1977.

Szysznyk, CBS, 1977.

"Christmas," Lou Grant, CBS, 1977.

"Ida Alone," Rhoda, CBS, 1978.

"All Work and No Play," Rhoda, CBS, 1978.

We've Got Each Other, CBS, 1978.

"Play Misty for John," The Betty White Show, CBS, 1978.

On Our Own, CBS, 1978.

Free Country, ABC, 1978.

Husbands, Wives and Lovers, CBS, 1978.

"I Do," A New Kind of Family, 1979.

"Punt, Pass, and Kick," The Stockard Channing Show, CBS, 1980.

Good Time Harry, NBC, 1980.

"All You Need Is Love," Night Court, NBC, 1984.

Premiere episode, All Is Forgiven, NBC, 1986.

Premiere episode, The Hogan Family (also known as The Hogans, Valerie, and Valerie's Family), NBC, 1986.

Premiere episode, The Marshall Chronicles, ABC, 1990.

Flying Blind, Fox, 1992.

Partners, Fox, 1995-96.

The Preston Episodes, 1995.

"Brains and Eggs," 3rd Rock from the Sun (also known as 3rd Rock and Life as We Know It), NBC, 1996.

"See Dick Run," 3rd Rock from the Sun (also known as 3rd Rock and Life as We Know It), NBC, 1996.

Chicago Sons, 1997-98.

George & Leo, CBS, 1997-98.

"The Audition," Union Square, NBC, 1997.

Conrad Bloom, 1998.

The Secret Lives of Men, 1998.

Ladies Man, CBS, 1999.

Cursed (also known as The Weber Show), NBC, 2000.

The Stones, CBS, 2004.

"Everything I Know About Men," Courting Alex, CBS, 2006.

"Substitute, Teachers, NBC, 2006.

Also directed episodes of The Associates; Best of the West; Cafe Americain; Dharma & Greg, ABC; Fay, NBC; Jesse, NBC; Men Behaving Badly (also known as It's a Man World), NBC; Phyllis, CBS; and The Ted Knight Show, CBS.

Television Director; Pilots:

Bumpers, NBC, 1977.

Calling Dr. Storm, M.D., NBC, 1977.

Roosevelt and Truman, CBS, 1977.

The Plant Family, CBS, 1978.

Your Place or Mine?, CBS, 1978.

Butterflies, NBC, 1979.

Best of the West, ABC, 1981.

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.

The Tortellis, NBC, 1987.

Dear John, 1988.

Channel 99, NBC, 1988.

Down Home, NBC, 1990.

Wings, NBC, 1990.

The Boys Are Back (also known as The Fanelli Boys), 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.

Pearl, 1996.

The Nerd, NBC, 1996.

Fired Up, 1997.

Veronica's Closet, NBC, 1997.

Will & Grace, NBC, 1998.

Stark Raving Mad, NBC, 1999.

Madigan Men, ABC, 2000.

Cursed (also known as The Weber Show), NBC, 2000.

Dexter Prep, ABC, 2002.

Good Morning, Miami, NBC, 2002.

Bram and Alice, CBS, 2002.

Two and a Half Men, CBS, 2003.

Beverly Hills S.U.V., NBC, 2004.

Four Kings, NBC, 2006.

The Class, CBS, 2006.

Back to You, Fox, 2007.

Traveling in Packs, ABC, 2007.

The Mastersons of Manhattan, NBC, 2007.

The Rich Inner Life of Penelope Cloud, CBS, 2007.

The Big Bang Theory, CBS, 2007.

Television Executive Producer; Pilots:

Tikiville, NBC, 2001.

Last Dance, NBC, 2001.

Television Director; Specials:

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," Disneyland (also known as Disney's Wonderful World, The Disney Sunday Movie, The Magical World of Disney, Walt Disney, Walt Disney Presents, Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color, and The Wonderful World of Disney), NBC, 1990.

(And executive producer) Cheers: Special 200th Episode Celebration, NBC, 1990.

Television Director; Movies:

(As Jim Burrows) More than Friends (also known as Love Me and I'll Be Your Best Friend), ABC, 1978.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Cheers: Special 200th Episode Celebration, NBC, 1990.

Intimate Portrait: Lea Thompson, Lifetime, 1998.

The "Frasier" Story, 1999.

Influences: From Yesterday to Today, CBS, 1999.

Ted Danson: One Lucky Guy, Arts and Entertainment, 2000.

Inside TV Land: The Pitch, TV Land, 2001.

Cheers, Arts and Entertainment, 2001.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Agent, "The Lady in Red," Rhoda, CBS, 1974.

Maintenance man, "Halls of Hartley," The Bob Newhart Show, CBS, 1976.

Guest, The Midnight Special, 1981.

(Uncredited) Man who knocks, "One for the Road," Cheers, NBC, 1993.

(Uncredited) Film director, "The One with the Butt," Friends, NBC, 1994.

Inside the Actors Studio, Bravo, 2003.

(As Jimmy Burrows) "Valerie Bonds with the Cast," The Comeback, HBO, 2005.

(As Jimmy Burrows) "Valerie Shines under Stress," The Comeback, HBO, 2005.

Television Appearances; Pilots:

(As Jimmy Burrows) The Comeback, HBO, 2005.

Television Appearances; Awards Presentations:

The 43rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards Presentation, Fox, 1991.

The 10th Annual American Comedy Awards, ABC, 1996.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

TV Land Moguls, TV Land, 2004.

The 100 Most Memorable TV Moments, TV Land, 2004.

Stage Work:

Assistant stage manager, Holly Golightly, 1967.

Stage manager, Forty Carats, Morosco Theatre, New York City, 1968-70.

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 Barbican Theatre, London, both 1998.

Also directed off-Broadway dinner theatre productions.

Major Tours:

Stage manager for a touring production of Cactus Flower, U.S. cities.

Film Director:

Partners (also known as Zwei irre typen auf heisser spur), Paramount, 1982.

Film Appearances:

Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age (documentary; also known as B.G.A. 2 and Broadway: The Golden Age Two), Second Act Productions, 2007.

WRITINGS

Television Series:

Cheers, NBC, 1982-93.

OTHER SOURCES

Books:

Newsmakers, Issue 3, Thomson Gale, 2005.

Periodicals:

Broadcasting and Cable, May 22, 1995, p. 30; January 24, 2005, p. 4A.

Entertainment Weekly, March 26, 2004, pp. 30-36.

Newsweek, September 11, 1995, p. 73.