Directed by James Burrows by James Burrows

From the director of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Taxi, Cheers, Frasier, and Will & Grace comes an insightful and nostalgic behind-the-scenes memoir that’s “as difficult to put down as a Friends marathon is to turn off” (The Washington Post).

Legendary sitcom director James Burrows has spent five decades making America laugh. Here readers will find never-revealed stories behind the dozens of great sitcoms he directed, exploring how these shows were created, how they got on the air, and how the cast and crew continued to develop and grow. Burrows also examines his own challenges, victories, and defeats, and provides advice for aspiring directors, writers, and actors. All this from the man who helped launch the careers of Ted Danson, Kelsey Grammer, Woody Harrelson, Jennifer Aniston, Debra Messing, and Melissa McCarthy, to name a few. 

Burrows talks fondly about the inspiration he found during his childhood and young adult years, including his father, legendary playwright and Broadway director Abe Burrows. From there he goes on to explain his rigorous work ethic, forged in his early years in theater, where he did everything from stage managing to building sets to, finally, directing. Transitioning to television, Burrows locked into a coveted job with The Mary Tyler Moore Show, where he started to apply his craft. Next he directed most of the episodes of Taxi, where he worked closely with writers/producers Glen and Les Charles. The three formed a remarkable creative partnership that helped Burrows achieve his much sought-after goal of ownership and agency over a project, which came with the creating and directing of the beloved hit Cheers. Burrows has directed more than seventy-five pilots that have gone to series and over a thousand episodes, more than any other director in history.

Directed by James Burrows is a heart-and-soul master class in sitcom, revealing what it truly takes to get a laugh.

Story Locale: Hollywood/New York

Publication History: Ballantine HC (6/22)

James Burrows has directed more than one thousand episodes of television and has earned eleven Emmy Awards and five Director Guild of America Awards. He is the co-creator of the beloved show Cheers, and has directed an incredible list of sitcoms that includes The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, Laverne & Shirley, Taxi, Frasier, Friends, Will & Grace, and The Big Bang Theory, where he has nurtured and mentored some of television’s biggest stars.

Author Residence: Los Angeles

Author Hometown: New York