Legendary television director and producer James Burrows, best known for co-creating the hit sitcom Cheers, has died at the age of 85. Attorney Tom Hoberman confirmed Burrows’ death to CBS News.

In a statement shared with People magazine, his family said, “We celebrate the extraordinary life and enduring legacy of James 'Jimmy' Burrows, who passed away peacefully today surrounded by his loving family.

“For more than five decades, Burrows was one of the most influential and beloved directors in television history. As a legendary director, mentor, and creative force, he helped shape generations of comedy and brought immeasurable joy to audiences around the world”.

Born in Los Angeles in 1940, Burrows spent much of his childhood in New York and later attended the graduate programme at the Yale School of Drama, where he gained his first experience in directing.

After working behind the camera for several years, he co-created Cheers with brothers Glen and Les Charles. The sitcom went on to become one of the defining television successes of the 1980s.

In a career spanning more than five decades, Burrows directed more than 1,000 episodes of popular comedy series including Friends, The Big Bang Theory and Will & Grace. He won 11 Emmy Awards and five Directors Guild of America Awards.

The Directors Guild of America, which presented Burrows with a lifetime achievement award in television direction in 2015, described him as “an incredibly generous colleague” who shared his “wisdom, and warm humor with his fellow Guild members and all he worked with”.

Tributes poured in from actors and colleagues following news of his death. Actor Eric McCormack, who starred as Will in Will & Grace, said Burrows left “an incredible legacy”.

Actress Beth Behrs, who worked with Burrows on 2 Broke Girls, recalled fond memories of the director, while Friends star Lisa Kudrow wrote on Instagram: “Thank you Jimmy. I mean, for everything”.

A spokesperson for NBC, which aired many of Burrows’ shows, described him as “the man behind the curtain” and said his loss to the television and comedy world would be “immeasurable”.