This is a list of awards and nominations received by American television director James Burrows. Burrows has received numerous accolades including 11 Primetime Emmy Awards and five Directors Guild of America Awards. He was honored with the Directors Guild of America Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015 and the NBC special Must See TV: An All-Star Tribute to James Burrows in 2016.
Burrows started his career with The Mary Tyler Moore Show. He since has directed over 50 television pilots and co-created the television series Cheers (1982–1993). He is also known for directing numerous episodes of comedy shows such as The Bob Newhart Show, Taxi, Frasier, Friends, Will & Grace, 3rd Rock from the Sun, and The Big Bang Theory. He executive produced the Emmy Award-winning ABC specials Live in Front of a Studio Audience including Norman Lear's "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons" in 2019, "All in the Family" and "Good Times" in 2019, and "The Facts of Life" and "Diff'rent Strokes" in 2021. He directed episodes for the revivals of the NBC sitcom Will & Grace (2017–2020) and the Paramount+ Frasier.
Major associations Emmy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref.Primetime Emmy Award1980 Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Taxi: "Louie and the Nice Girl" 1981 Taxi: "Elaine's Strange Triangle" 1982 Taxi: "Jim the Psychic" 1983 Outstanding Comedy Series Cheers Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Cheers: "Showdown, Part 2" 1984 Outstanding Comedy Series Cheers Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Cheers: "Old Flames" 1985 Outstanding Comedy Series Cheers Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Cheers: "Cheerio, Cheers" 1986 Outstanding Comedy Series Cheers Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Cheers: "The Triangle" 1987 Outstanding Comedy Series Cheers Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Cheers: "Chambers vs. Malone" 1988 Outstanding Comedy Series Cheers Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Cheers: "Backseat Becky, Up Front" 1989 Outstanding Comedy Series Cheers Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Cheers: "The Visiting Leecher" 1990 Outstanding Comedy Series Cheers Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Cheers: "The Improbable Dream, Part 1" 1991 Outstanding Comedy Series Cheers Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Cheers: "Woody Interruptus" Outstanding Informational Series Cheers: The 200th Anniversary Special 1992 Outstanding Comedy Series Cheers Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Cheers: "An Old Fashioned Wedding" 1993 Outstanding Comedy Series Cheers Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Cheers: "One for the Road" 1994 Frasier: "The Good Son" 1995 Friends: "The One with the Blackout" 1996 3rd Rock from the Sun: "Brains and Eggs" 1998 Dharma & Greg: "Pilot" 1999 Will & Grace: "Pilot" 2000 Outstanding Comedy Series Will & Grace Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Will & Grace: "Homo for the Holidays" 2001 Outstanding Comedy Series Will & Grace Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Will & Grace: "Lows in the Mid-Eighties" 2002 Outstanding Comedy Series Will & Grace Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Will & Grace: "A Chorus Lie" 2003 Outstanding Comedy Series Will & Grace Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Will & Grace: "24" 2004 Outstanding Comedy Series Will & Grace 2005 Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Will & Grace: "It's a Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad World" 2019 Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons" 2020 Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Will & Grace: "We Love Lucy" Outstanding Variety Special (Live) Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "Good Times" 2021 Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series B Positive: "Pilot" 2022 Outstanding Variety Special (Live) Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "The Facts of Life" and "Diff'rent Strokes" 2025 Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Mid-Century Modern: "Here's to You, Mrs. Schneiderman"
Directors Guild of America Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 1981 Outstanding Directing - Comedy Series Taxi: "Jim the Psychic" 1982 Cheers: "Sam at Eleven" 1983 Cheers: "Showdown, Part 2" 1984 Cheers: "I Call Your Name" 1985 Cheers: "Birth, Death, Love and Rice" 1986 Cheers: "Tan 'N' Wash" 1987 Cheers: "Home Is the Sailor" 1989 Cheers: "Sisterly Love" 1990 Cheers: "Woody Interruptus" 1991 Cheers: "Days of Wine & Neurosis" 1992 Cheers: "An Old-Fashioned Wedding" 1993 Frasier: "The Good Son" 1994 Frasier: "The Matchmaker" 1995 Friends: "The One with the Birth" 1997 Dharma & Greg: "Pilot" 1998 Will & Grace: "Pilot" 1999 Will & Grace: "Yours, Mine or Ours" 2000 Will & Grace: "Lows in the Mid-Eighties" 2001 Will & Grace: "Bed, Bath, and Beyond" 2002 Will & Grace: "Marry Me a Little" 2003 Will & Grace: "Last Ex to Brooklyn" 2005 Will & Grace: "Alive and Schticking" 2014 Directors Guild of America Lifetime Achievement Award – Television 2020 Outstanding Directing - Variety Specials Live in Front of a Studio Audience
Producers Guild of America Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref.2003 Outstanding Producer of Episodic Comedy Will & Grace 2004 2005
Miscellaneous accolades American Comedy Awards 1996 - Creative Achievement Award - Winner
Costume Designers Guild Awards 2009 - Distinguished Collaborator Award - Winner
Television Critics Association 2014 - Career Achievement Award - Winner
Online Film & Television Awards 2000 - OFTA Hall of Fame - Winner
References