James Burrows has directed more than one thousand episodes of sitcom television and has earned eleven Emmy Awards and five Directors Guild of America Awards. His five-decade career began in theater, stage managing on Broadway and directing regional theater. In 1974, he began his television career directing episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, and Laverne & Shirley. He became the resident director on Taxi, then co-created the beloved classic Cheers, directing 243 of the 273 episodes, as well as all 246 episodes of Will & Grace. He has directed the pilots and multiple episodes of Frasier, Friends, Mike & Molly, the pilots of Two and a Half Men and The Big Bang Theory, and hundreds of other shows, where he has nurtured and mentored some of television's biggest stars.
“Great binge reading for comedy buffs and aficionados of Must
See TV. It’s as difficult to put down as a Friends
marathon is to turn off.”—The Washington Post
“If this book were a television show, it would fall squarely in
the workplace-comedy category.…[Burrows is] a lucky,
hard-working guy with some great stories to tell.”—The Wall
Street Journal
“A side-splittingly hilarious tell-all that is part
memoir and part master class on working in television . . . A
treasure trove of brilliant advice, stories and uproarious
routings from classic TV shows.”—Shelf Awareness (starred
review)
“Being directed by the Jimmy Burrows, while on Friends, was like
hitting the jackpot. He’s directed some of the greatest television
shows in history, and I’m grateful for having had the chance to
work with him. I’m delighted that everyone can now share in his
incredible insight with this book. He’s an American treasure and a
living legend who will forever be part of my family.”—Jennifer
Aniston
“As we pursued parallel careers during the ’70s and ’80s, I could
not have admired Jim Burrows more. There has not been a more
efficient, effective, creative, and admirable television director’s
career than the one established by Jim Burrows. Recently and for
the first time, I have finally been working with him and consider
myself a lucky dude.”—Norman Lear
“Jimmy directs with the skill of a legendary conductor. More than
anyone else, he listens to the musicality of the comedy and
understands the power of movement in escalating the poignancy of
the moment. How wonderful that we now get a look behind the
proverbial curtain; to hear, from a true master of his craft,
stories and insights from a lifetime of iconic television
creation.”—Debra Messing
“Jim Burrows could stage the Nuremberg Trials and find more laughs
there than most directors could in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. If
you have owned a television in the last fifty years, this man has
brought joy to your life; we all owe him a happy debt.”—Christopher
Lloyd
“Jimmy hears the music.”—Chuck Lorre
“In this dazzling tell-all, director Burrows takes
readers on a rollicking our through the hardworking world of
sitcoms . . . Fans will relish the intricate breakdowns of
movements, lines, and characters, as much as they will Burrows’s
infectious passion for his craft. . . . This delivers on all
counts.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“In this absolutely essential book, [Burrows] takes us
through his career. . . . A wonderful book about the world of
television.”—Booklist (starred review)
“A love letter to the art of TV comedy and a how-to guide for
aspiring writers, directors, and actors. . . . Infused with classic
scenes and memorable lines form his many shows, Burrows’s writing
is funny, self-effacing, and nostalgic. [His] insights will
delight fans and inspire ambitious artists.”—Library Journal
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