Mostly clear this evening. Increasing clouds with thunderstorms developing after midnight. Very warm. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%..
Tonight
Mostly clear this evening. Increasing clouds with thunderstorms developing after midnight. Very warm. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%.
{span}James Burrows, who has directed more than 1,000 episodes of sitcom television, shares a behind-the-scenes look at his legendary career in his autobiography, “Directed by James Burrows.” {/span}
{span}James Burrows, who has directed more than 1,000 episodes of sitcom television, shares a behind-the-scenes look at his legendary career in his autobiography, “Directed by James Burrows.” {/span}
One of my favorite moments of my all-time favorite TV show, “Friends,” comes in the season two episode, “The One With the Prom Video.” Earlier in the episode, Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) had made it clear to Ross (David Schwimmer) that they were never going to be a couple. But then, after watching a home movie, she discovered that Ross was willing to step in as her high school prom date when she thought she was being stood up. Rachel, moved by Ross’ actions, slowly walks across the room to Ross, grabs his face and kisses him. It’s become one of the most iconic moments of the series.
But that classic scene was not what was written on the page. The slow walk across the room was the brainchild of the episode’s director, James Burrows. Having directed more than 1,000 episodes of sitcom television, Burrows has been responsible for creating numerous iconic TV moments. And now we get to relive many of them in his autobiography, “Directed by James Burrows.”
Burrows takes us behind the scenes as he puts his stamp on some of the most popular sitcoms in TV history. As a co-creator of “Cheers,” he shares how the characters came together and how the show withstood the departure of Shelley Long, becoming more successful than ever. He goes in depth on the creation of “Frasier,” and why it became one of the best spin-offs of all time. Burrows also shares how he helped the “Friends” cast become a family and the awareness and understanding “Will & Grace” created for the LGBTQ+ community.
If you’re looking for juicy gossip, you’re going to be disappointed, as Burrows is very diplomatic, even when discussing actors we already know were difficult, like Long. There are still plenty of interesting stories, like why Jay Thomas was fired from “Cheers” and a doozy of a moment from Andy Kaufman on “Taxi.” But the real appeal of “Directed” is going in depth to uncover the small choices a director makes that can affect a whole episode, or even an entire series. The Oreo moment between Ross and Rachel in the “Friends” pilot? Burrows. The duct tape on Martin Crane’s Barcalounger on “Frasier”? Burrows. Woody jumping over the bar on “Cheers”? Yep, Burrows. So many small moments that added up to major success. It’s pretty mindboggling and unbelievably fascinating.
If you didn’t already know Burrows was a creative genius, this book will definitely tell you. His instincts are unparalleled, which explains his 11 Emmy Awards and five Directors Guild of America awards.
But it’s his respectful treatment of the casts he works with that may be his true legacy, as it has resulted in not only good television, but also close friendships with many of TV’s top actors.
If you’re interested in seeing how the sausage gets made by one of the top sausage makers in the business, “Directed by James Burrows” is a must read. It’s available now, wherever books are sold, from Ballantine Books.
Angela Henderson-Bentley writes about television for The Herald-Dispatch. Contact her at ahenderson-bentley@hotmail.com.
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