A sad disappearance. James Burrows, great director since the 1980s, died this Friday, June 19, 2026. For more than five decades, “James Burrows was one of the most influential directors and the most beloved in television history”can we read in the press release written by his loved ones and shared in People Magazine. The man who directed more than 1,000 episodes of series was 85 years old. As a reminder, it is to James Burrows that we owe all the episodes of the original version of Will & Gracebetween 1998 and 2006, or even the pilot of the very famous series Friends.
Death of James Burrows, actors pay tribute to him
Between 1994 and 1998, James Burrows made 15 episodes of the series Friends. Since the announcement of his disappearance, many actors paid tribute to the director. “Jimmy, words cannot describe the impact and influence you had on us and those who were lucky enough to know you.”shared Matt LeBlanc, who plays the character of Joey in the sitcom, on Instagram.
For her part, Lisa Kudrow, who played the character of Phoebe, published a photo of the director in an Instagram story. Without forgetting David Schwimmer, the timeless Ross in Friendsqui a commenté : “Jimmy Burrows brought out the best in everyone he worked with and made every show he did great, always funnier and more moving than expected. Jimmy, I already miss you and am forever grateful. “
Throughout his career, James Burrows has accompanied numerous productions, thus establishing strong links with the various actors in these series. Debra Messing, who starred in Will & Gracea salué “a legend and an icon”. “He brought laughter and love to more homes than any other director in the world”added the actress.
For his part, Eric McCormack believes that the disappearance of James Burrows is “the loss of a giant, a mentor and a dear friend.” In addition to the successes of Will & Grace et FriendsJames Burrows a also participated in the production of 75 episodes of Taxi, a few episodes of 2 Broke Girls or the series Cheers.
