Shortly before the weekend, former cast members of the comedy series Friends (1994–2004) overwhelmed by the sad news that James Burrows has passed away. The television maker directed episodes of the sitcom for years and was previously also at the helm Cheers (1982–1993). Jennifer Aniston is one of the former colleagues who shared a heartfelt tribute on her social media.
Long track record
Burrows lived to be 85 years old and directed much more than just fifteen episodes of Friends. The television maker was one of the inventors of Cheersof which he directed more than three-quarters and also worked on for many years Will & Grace (1998–2006). Not an episode went by that he had not contributed to, even when the thread was picked up again in 2017 after an eleven-year absence.
Still ‘Will & Grace’ via TMDb
Broken heart
On Instagram, Aniston, who played Rachel Green for many years, shares that her heart is broken by the news of Burrows’ passing:
He was a father figure to me, and was always concerned with how things were going (…) He taught us how important it was to look out for each other and show respect
Jennifer Aniston
Good memories
Also Will & Graceactress Debra Messing has fond memories of Burrows. “He had a dry sense of humor (…) and great confidence in his actors, which is rarer in television comedies.” Aniston’s former Friendscolleague David Schwimmer emphasizes that the director always brought out the best in his actors. Matt LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow also shared tributes on their social channels.
Image: Photo via depositphotos
