Jennifer Aniston posted a heartfelt tribute to her longtime "Friends" director James Burrows, who died on Friday at 85 years old. "Papa Burrows. The hardest thing about writing this is that you spent a lifetime making people feel loved,

James Burrows, known for co-creating "Cheers" and directing sitcoms like "Friends," and "Will & Grace," died at 85, his attorney confirmed on June 19.

James Burrows, the director behind iconic TV comedies like "Cheers," "Taxi," “Friends” and "Will and Grace," has died

Friends cast members honored James Burrows, who died on Friday at 85. Burrows directed the pilot episode for the hit NBC series, plus 14 other episodes. Jennifer Aniston described him as a "father figure" who taught the cast "how important it is to love and respect one another.

Best-known as co-creator of sitcom Cheers, Burrows directed more than 1,000 episodes of other classics including the Big Bang Theory and Will and Grace.

Burrows spent his career behind the camera specializing in situation comedies. Few viewers recognized him or knew his name, other than to see it flash quickly on the screen in the opening credits. But they knew his work.

But Burrows was more than a little well known. If you sat through the opening credits of “Taxi,” whose pilot he directed along with 74 other episodes — and why wouldn’t you, with its pleasing Bob James theme and Checker Cab crossing the Queensboro Bridge — you would have seen his name for weeks on end.

The many TV stars Burrows directed shared their condolences and fondest memories of working with the sitcom legend.