James Burrows , the legendary TV director, died on Friday at the age of 85. Many from across the industry have issued statements paying tribute to him . Below, you can read a longer personal remembrance provided exclusively to The Hollywood Reporter by Warren Littlefield , who became an executive at NBC in 1979 and served as president of NBC Entertainment from 1991 through 1998, encompassing its fabled Must See TV era.

America’s greatest and most prolific exporter of the world of laughter and joy was and is Jimmy Burrows.

Jimmy’s brilliance revealed itself in a number of ways. In casting sessions that included showrunners, writers, studio reps and network execs, the voice everyone listened to the most was Jimmy’s. He directed actors by gaining their trust so that without fear, they would take risks beyond their comfort zone. He had a wickedly funny mind, but also a very kind soul. Uniquely, he also directed writers, telling them what he needed to take their material to another level.…