Jon Cryer Recalls James Burrows' Note That Made Him Feel Like He'd Finally Made It — and Fans Can't Get Enough

Actor Jon Cryer is remembering a behind-the-scenes moment with legendary director James Burrows that he says changed the trajectory of his career.

Burrows died on June 19 at age 85, and as tributes poured in, Cryer shared one of his own.

“There was a moment on a show I did with Jim called Partners where we realized the third act didn’t work so we had to, on the fly, completely rewrite and restage it in front of the audience,” Cryer wrote on Threads.

He continued, “As we threw out ideas he told me to ‘do a Newhart’ and I knew he meant for me to do those great perplexed stutters that Bob Newhart used to do and I realized I was getting shorthand from the greatest director of sitcoms to ever do it. He trusted me to give him what he knew would work.”

That’s when Cryer had his own career aha moment.

“I looked around the studio and realized I was where I always wanted to be,” he wrote. “And how lucky I was. I will never forget that feeling. Thank you, Jim. It was an honor to know you.”

Fans quickly responded to the post, with some highlighting Burrows’ influence on television comedy and his connection to Bob Newhart.

“I’m a huge fan of Bob Newhart’s stutters. I love this memory, and I’m grateful we had James [Burrows] in this world,” one person wrote.

Amid the flood of condolences, others remembered Burrows’ later work, including his appearance as himself on HBO’s The Comeback.

“What a massive loss for Hollywood and the rest of us — we all benefited from his expertise in comedic direction. His memorial/funeral is going to be massive with everyone he worked with — he seemed to be well loved and respected by so many actors. I just saw him on HBO’s The Comeback playing himself,” another commenter wrote.

Even the short-lived 1995 sitcomPartners got some love from fans.

“My condolences on the loss of your friend. I really enjoyed Partners, great show,” one person commented.

In addition to Partners, Cryer worked with Burrows on Two and a Half Men, plus Cryer was a guest star on the 2018 Will & Grace revival.