"Cheers" co-creator James Burrows has died at the age of 85.Burrows' attorney, Tom Hoberman, confirmed his death to USA TODAY on Friday, June 19. In addition to co-creating "Cheers," Burrows is known for working on some of the most famous sitcoms, including directing "Laverne & Shirley," "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," the original "Will & Grace" and many more.His family also addressed the loss in a statement to USA TODAY, in which they paid tribute to his lasting legacy: "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.""Over the course of his unparalleled career, Burrows directed more than 1,000 episodes of television and was instrumental in creating some of the most iconic series ever produced, including 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show,' 'Taxi,' 'Cheers,' 'Frasier,' 'Friends,' 'Will & Grace,' and 'The Big Bang Theory,' among many others," the statement continued.Beyond his career achievements, Burrows' family said he'll also be remembered for "his kindness, generosity, and unwavering belief in the people around him.""He possessed a rare ability to make everyone better and was known for remembering every person he met by name, making colleagues at every level feel seen, valued, and appreciated," their statement read. "Burrows understood that great comedy was never simply about laughter. It was about humanity, connection, and truth. That understanding became the foundation of a career that forever changed television. His influence will continue to be felt for generations through the countless artists he inspired, the stories he helped tell, and the millions of people whose lives were brightened by his work."Burrows is survived by his wife Debbie, whom he married in 1997, as well as his four daughters and seven grandchildren.A look back at James Burrows' careerIn 2015, Burrows opened up about his massively successful television career in an interview with USA TODAY. He explained that he landed his first directing gig on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" in 1974, teasing he was "a little pisher" at the time."The script was so bad, I said to [MTM Enterprises co-founder] Grant Tinker, 'In a sea of Danish, I get a bagel,'" Burrows recalled. “I put in some sight gags; I spent a lot of time blocking and trying to get the funniest positions to tell the jokes. I really worked hard. Just before we shot the show, Mary said to me, ‘I think our investment in you has worked out.’"He went on to co-create "Cheers," which premiered in 1982 and ran for 11 seasons before ending in 1993. In his 2015 interview, Burrows said the beloved series "is still my baby" and revealed one of his most memorable directing moments was the scene at the end of season 1 when Sam (Ted Danson) and Diane’s (Shelley Long) kiss.'Cheers' actor George Wendt dies at 76George Wendt earned six consecutive best supporting actor Emmy nominations playing Norm Peterson on NBC's "Cheers."Burrows directed 32 episodes of the "Cheers" spinoff "Frasier," 75 episodes of "Taxi," the entirety of "Will & Grace," and later, 16 episodes of "Friends."In the case of "Friends," which launched Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer to stardom, Burrows said he knew it was going to be a hit.“I got that script when I was already doing four pilots, and I said to my agent, ‘I have to do this script,'" he said. "So, we squeezed it in and it was a wonderful experience. For every pilot I do, I bring in a test audience [before shooting]. The audience went crazy and I knew.”Contributing: Bill Keveney, USA TODAY