James Burrows Video Interview On 'Frasier' & More: Behind The Lens

If ever there was a person who deserves the word “legendary” in front of their name, it would be James Burrows, a TV icon who has directed most of the signature comedy series of the past half-century. He has won 11 Emmys on 47 nominations, five DGA Awards and received the 2015 Directors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award. NBC even devoted a primetime special to him on the occasion of his 1,000th episode in 2016.

Burrows, among many other distinctions, has directed more than 75 pilots, including those for the likes of Friends, 3rd Rock from the Sun, The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men and on and on and on. He directed every single episode of Will & Grace from 1998-2006 and then returned to do it again for its reboot from 2017-20. He co-created Cheers and directed 237 episodes, and then came back for its spinoff, Frasier, directing 32 episodes of it, along with 76 of Taxi. Among his earliest credits were such landmark series as The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Bob Newhart Show. His autobiography, Directed By James Burrows, came out in 2022.

Currently he is back behind the camera for the rebooted Frasier, directing the first two episodes of Season 1, and now just returned to do the first two episodes of Season 2 for the Paramount + comedy that again won has high praise, relocating its title star to Boston with a whole new supporting cast. Burrows joins me for this edition of my Deadline video series Behind the Lens to talk about it and his entire extraordinary career; He’s in his 80s now but shows no sign of walking away. And that is a very good thing for fans of quality television comedy.

To watch our conversation and to go “behind the lens” with James Burrows just click on the link above.

Join me every Friday and Monday during Emmy season for another episode of Behind The Lens.