James Burrows

Burrows isn’t quite a household name, though he probably deserves to be one. The Los Angeles native, 81, first achieved Hollywood prominence in the 1970s by directing episodes of the “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” He became one of the most prolific television staples in history, directing episodes of everything from “Laverne & Shirley,” “Taxi” and “Dear John” to “Two and a Half Men,” “Friends” and “The Big Bang Theory.” However, he’s perhaps best known for directing every episode of “Will & Grace” during its initial eight-year run, and for helping to create “Cheers” — one of the most successful sitcoms of all time. (Burrows directed nearly all of the 275 “Cheers” episodes, naturally.) Over the course of his 50-year career, Burrows has directed more than 1,000 TV show episodes and won 11 Emmy Awards. Today, Burrows and his longtime wife Debbie primarily reside in L.A.’s Bel Air neighborhood but also have homes in LaQuinta and Laguna Beach California - as well as Wellington Florida.