Matt LeBlanc is remembering James Burrows with a rare public tribute after the legendary television director’s death at 85.
People reported that Burrows’ family confirmed he died Friday, June 19, surrounded by loved ones.
The 11-time Emmy winner helped shape modern sitcom history through his work on Friends, Will & Grace, Cheers, Taxi, Frasier, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Big Bang Theory.
LeBlanc Called Burrows a “True Icon”
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LeBlanc shared his tribute on Instagram on June 19. People reported that the Friends star wrote, “Jimmy, words cannot describe the impact and influence you had on us and everyone who was lucky enough to have known you.”
LeBlanc called Burrows a “true icon” and wished him well in his “next act.” He also wrote that Burrows would be missed.
His Friends Castmates Also Honored Him
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LeBlanc was not the only Friends star to remember Burrows. David Schwimmer and Lisa Kudrow also shared tributes, reflecting the director’s deep connection to the cast and the show’s early success. People reported that Schwimmer called Burrows another father figure and wrote that the director made actors feel safe, like family, on and off camera.
Kudrow posted a photo of herself with Burrows on her Instagram Stories and thanked him “for everything,” according to People.
Burrows directed the Friends pilot and 15 episodes overall. In his 2022 memoir, People reported, he wrote that he “fell in love with these six kids on the page immediately” and knew he had to direct the pilot.
Stars From Several Sitcom Eras Shared Tributes
The reaction stretched far beyond Friends.
TV Insider reported that stars including Debra Messing, Eric McCormack, Tony Danza, Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman, Ted Danson, Alyssa Milano, Beth Behrs, Kat Dennings and Cedric the Entertainer also shared tributes.
Messing and McCormack had an especially direct connection to Burrows through Will & Grace. People reported that Messing said the cast had lost its “TV dad,” while McCormack called Burrows a singular talent and a revolutionary figure in television.
Burrows Helped Define the Modern Sitcom
Burrows directed more than 1,000 television episodes during his career. His family’s statement to People said he helped create some of the most iconic series in television history, including The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Taxi, Cheers, Frasier, Friends, Will & Grace and The Big Bang Theory.
He co-created Cheers with Glen Charles and Les Charles. People reported that Burrows directed all but 35 of the show’s 275 episodes and earned six Emmys for his work on the series.
Burrows also directed every episode of the original Will & Grace run and later returned to work on the revival. People reported that he received 46 Emmy nominations across his career and won 11 times.
In 2006, he was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame. In 2014, he received the Directors Guild of America’s inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award for television.
His Legacy Lives Through the Shows He Shaped
Burrows’ family remembered him as a director, mentor and creative force who helped shape generations of comedy. The statement also described him as someone who made colleagues at every level feel seen, valued and appreciated.
That description matched the response from actors who worked with him across multiple sitcom eras, from Cheers and Taxi to Friends and Will & Grace.
Burrows’ final major television work included directing and executive producing Hulu’s Mid-Century Modern, which premiered in 2025. His career ended the same way it had run for decades: behind a sitcom ensemble, shaping timing, rhythm and character on a soundstage.