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Shelley Lee Long (born August 23, 1949 in Fort Wayne, Indiana) is an American television and movie actress. She is most famous and well-known for her five-year (1982-1987) portrayal of the academic-turned-waitress Diane Chambers of ''Series/{{Cheers}}''. She also starred in various films--typically romantic comedies--both before (''Film/{{Night Shift|1982}}'', ''Losin' It'') and during (''Film/IrreconcilableDifferences'', ''Film/TheMoneyPit'', ''Hello Again'') her time on the show, before she ultimately left the cast in 1987 to focus both on a film career and raising her daughter. Her most well-known work post-''Cheers'' includes ''Film/OutrageousFortune'' (in which she co-starred with Creator/BetteMidler), ''Film/TroopBeverlyHills'', and ''Film/TheBradyBunchMovie''.

As a rule, particularly in TheEighties, she's known for playing a NiceGirl, usually spoiled but nice or otherwise naive in the ways of the world (often a WideEyedIdealist), who can be expected to end up finding herself out of her league, but nonetheless has or eventually finds the [[PluckyGirl pluck]] to overcome the obstacles in her CharacterArc. (Think Creator/JimmyStewart crossed with Creator/AudreyHepburn, in the form of a pretty and highly feminine blue-eyed blonde woman...)

In 1993, she returned to television by guest-starring as Diane in the ''Cheers'' finale. Following this, she starred in a high-rated but short-lived (due to problems with Long's health) series ''Good Advice'', in which she played a marriage counselor with an office next to that of a divorce lawyer. She later had a recurring role as a jealous CloudCuckoolander ex-wife in ''Series/ModernFamily''.

!!Tropes relating to her career:
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* ActorAllusion: When she guest starred in a 1996 episode of ''Series/BostonCommon'', Boyd angrily remarks to her character, "You think you can just waltz right in here and everybody knows your name?!"
* BackForTheFinale: After six years away Long returned to play Diane Chambers in the last episode of ''Cheers'', "[[Recap/CheersS11E25OneForTheRoad One For The Road]]".
* IAmNotSpock: For a while post-''Cheers'', her roles seemed limited to [[{{Expy}} Expies]] of Diane Chambers, or at least plucky, eccentric heroines of romantic comedies. The [[MadeForTVMovie TV-movies]] ''Voices Within'' and ''A Message From Holly'' helped her out of that, a bit.
* MsFanservice: Even as late as ''2000'', in ''Film/DrTAndTheWomen''. Directors [[MaleGaze sure seemed to love emphasizing]] [[LegFocus her legs, in particular.]] Often seems to play an InnocentFanserviceGirl, especially in ''Night Shift'' and ''Film/TheMoneyPit''. ''Hello Again'' also shows her as a [[ReluctantFanserviceGirl "reluctant" type]].
* PlayingAgainstType:
** In ''Film/IrreconcilableDifferences'', which co-starred Creator/DrewBarrymore. As a rule, it's almost a given that Shelley's roles consist of sweethearted heroines in romantic comedies or generally lighthearted and heartwarming fair. This film seems to ''start off'' as such a romantic comedy...and then becomes a BlackComedy dealing with the dark side of the effects of stardom...and the tragic effects that spousal conflict can have on children (Shelley's the mother, Drew's the daughter). The film was OscarBait through and through--and both Shelley and Drew received nominations.
** In ''Film/{{Caveman}}'', where she plays...a cavewoman.
** In the ABC miniseries ''Voices Within: The Lives Of Truddi Chase'', she plays the title character--a [[RealLife real-life]] woman with over 90 multiple personalities brought on by a dark, traumatic childhood.
** An episode of ''Series/DiagnosisMurder'' guest-starred her as an AboveGoodAndEvil crime novelist who kills her agent--both because he's giving her a hard time over her writer's block...and in order to give herself some inspiration, as she watches Creator/DickVanDyke and company try and solve her perfect crime.
** She guest-starred on an episode of ''Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch''...as a wicked (yet lovely) witch living on top of a giant beanstalk. And she's BRUNETTE!
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: ''Good Advice'' was said to have been on the road to becoming a big sitcom success--and would have heralded Shelley's return to stardom after a series of ''minor'' movie hits ''at best'', flops at worst. Sadly, problems with her health ultimately led to the show being cancelled long before its time.
** According to Shelley herself, had the staff of ''Cheers'' agreed to have Sam and Diane marry by the end of Season 5, it probably would've convinced her to stay with the show.
** Shelley was actually offered the role of Elliot's mother in ''Film/ETTheExtraterrestrial''. Unfortunately, she had to turn it down as she had already signed on to do ''Film/{{Night Shift|1982}}'', and there would be scheduling conflicts.
** She was also considered for prominent roles in ''Film/WorkingGirl'', ''Film/JumpinJackFlash'' (for ''Creator/WhoopiGoldberg's'' [[RaceLift role, if you can believe it!]]) and ''Film/MyStepmotherIsAnAlien''.
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