Friends director James Burrows, who helmed the pilot in addition to many other episodes of the iconic sitcom, explains how he worked with the cast.
Legendary Friends director James Burrows has given some insight into how he managed the show’s iconic ensemble cast. Including the pilot, Burrows directed 15 episodes of the first four seasons of the sitcom, helping cement its status as one of the biggest shows on television. Friends, which ran for 10 seasons beginning in 1994, made superstars of its ensemble cast, which included Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and Courteney Cox.
The Guardian recently sat down for an interview with Burrows in honor of his return to sitcom directing on the upcoming Frasier reboot. However, the conversation eventually turned to his time on the unforgettable sitcom Friends, and Burrows shared his secret to working with the cast of up-and-coming stars. In addition to giving them the confidence to push moments to the limit, he hinted that he’s a “psychologist,” which gives him a unique skill when directing actors. Read his full quote below:
I give confidence to them and say, “Let’s try to go as far as we can with this piece of business.” I’m a psychologist too, you know. If I want to put in something that’s funny, I will make it seem like it was an actor’s idea.
James Burrows’ Career Extends Way Beyond Friends
It makes sense that Burrows was so confident in his ability to guide the Friends cast, who had become A-list talent by the time he left the sitcom. Before joining the show, he had already cut his teeth on a variety of comedy shows. His directing career, which began in 1975, includes legendary titles such as The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, Laverne & Shirley, Taxi, Night Court, and more than 200 episodes of Cheers, which he also co-created.
Burrows’ career extends far beyond the end of his tenure on Friends as well. Between then and the upcoming episodes of the Frasier reboot, he has helmed more than 400 episodes of television. This includes work on shows that would also become well-known titles such as Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, 2 Broke Girls, Mike & Molly, and Will & Grace (on which he helmed 246 episodes).
While Friends remains one of the titles he is most associated with, Burrows’ work has defined the medium time and again both before and after its run. However, his stint on the iconic sitcom is one of the best examples of how his work pays off. Because of how important each member of the tightly-knit ensemble was to the success of the show, helping them sharpen their comedy both individually and as a group was a tremendously important feat that needed to happen early on for Friends to become as unforgettable as it did.
