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

by James Burrows

I got to meet George Kaufman. He was very tall, surly, and acerbically witty. For over a decade he was the drama editor for The New York Times, while his shows ran simultaneously on Broadway. He avoided a conflict of interest by not having his shows reviewed by the Times. According to legend, a press agent once asked, “How do I get our leading lady’s name in the Times?” Kaufman replied, “Shoot her.” He hated love scenes and would exit the theater during the scenes in Guys and Dolls between Sky Masterson and Sarah Brown, leaving Dad to direct them. Kaufman was known for being blunt. During that show’s run, he once wrote a note to Stubby Kaye, who was overdoing his scenes: “I’m watching your performance in the back of the theater. Wish you were here.”