Directed by James Burrows: Five Decades of Stories from the Legendary Director of Taxi, Cheers, Frasier, Friends, Will & Grace, and More

In this dazzling tell-all, director Burrows takes readers on a rollicking tour through the hardworking world of sitcoms, “the best, most enduring, and most resilient form of comedy.” The son of Broadway director Abe Burrows, James tumbled onto the sitcom scene in his 30s in the 1970s, where he created stories that would become the pulsating plot of the next 50 years of his life. Offering a lively jaunt behind the scenes of his oeuvre, he unpacks the brilliance of Frasier, whose protagonist “loved fully, wholly, deeply”; reveals that Cheers was originally pitched as “a light-beer commercial” (“The network loved it”); and recounts producer Chuck Lorre’s astonishment upon being surprised by Bruce Springsteen backstage at Mike & Molly (“It was the only time I’d ever seen him speechless”). He’s also frank about his missteps, including his decision to leave Friends after the second season: “One of my few regrets in my career is that I didn’t stay with those six kids.” Fans will relish the intricate breakdowns of movements, lines, and characters (“The center is the least crazy person in the room”), as much as they will Burrows’s infectious passion for his craft: “Where in other workplaces familiarity may breed contempt, our familiarity bred even more affection.” This delivers on all counts. (June)