Shelley Long facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shelley Long
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Long in 1982
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| Born | August 23, 1949 Fort Wayne, Indiana, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Northwestern University |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1971–2022 |
| Known for |
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| Spouse(s) |
Bruce Tyson
(m. 1981; div. 2004) |
| Children | 1 |
Shelley Long (born August 23, 1949) is an American actress, singer, and comedian. She is best known for playing the smart and funny waitress Diane Chambers on the popular TV show Cheers.
For her role on Cheers, Long won an Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards, which are major awards for television and movies. She later returned as Diane in a few episodes of the show Frasier. Long also played the fun-loving mom DeDe Pritchett on the comedy series Modern Family.
Besides television, Long has starred in many movies. Some of her most famous films include The Money Pit (1986), Outrageous Fortune (1987), Troop Beverly Hills (1989), and The Brady Bunch Movie (1995), where she played Carol Brady.
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Early Life and Education
Shelley Long was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on August 23, 1949. She was the only child of Ivadine, a teacher, and Leland Long, who also became a teacher after working in the rubber industry.
In high school, Long was a star on the speech team. She was so good at public speaking that she won a national championship in 1967. After high school, she went to Northwestern University to study drama.
Career
Getting Started in Acting
Long started her career in Chicago, where she performed with the famous comedy group The Second City. She also began appearing in TV commercials.
She soon moved on to guest star in popular TV shows like The Love Boat and M*A*S*H. In 1982, she starred in the comedy movie Night Shift with Henry Winkler and Michael Keaton. She became so busy that she had to turn down the role of the mother in the classic film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
Stardom with Cheers
In 1982, Shelley Long got the role that would make her a household name: Diane Chambers in the TV sitcom Cheers. The show was about the staff and customers at a friendly bar in Boston. Long's character, Diane, had a famous on-again, off-again romance with the bar owner, Sam Malone, played by Ted Danson.
Cheers became one of the most popular shows on television. Long won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1983 for her performance.
After five successful seasons, Long decided to leave Cheers in 1987. She said she wanted to spend more time with her young daughter and work on movies. She later said that working on Cheers was a "dream come true" and one of the best experiences of her life.
Movie Career
While she was on Cheers, Long also starred in several hit movies. She earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress for the 1984 film Irreconcilable Differences. She also starred in the popular comedies The Money Pit with Tom Hanks and Outrageous Fortune with Bette Midler.
After leaving Cheers, Long starred in more comedies. One of her most beloved roles was in Troop Beverly Hills (1989), where she played a rich mom who leads her daughter's Wilderness Girl troop.
Later Work and The Brady Bunch
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In the 1990s, Long continued to act in both movies and television. In 1993, she returned for the final episode of Cheers, which earned her another Emmy nomination. She also made guest appearances as Diane Chambers on the spin-off show Frasier.
In 1995, Long took on the iconic role of Carol Brady in The Brady Bunch Movie. The film was a funny tribute to the original 1970s TV show. She played the part again in the sequels A Very Brady Sequel (1996) and The Brady Bunch in the White House (2002).
From 2009 to 2018, she had a recurring role as DeDe Pritchett, the ex-wife of Jay Pritchett, on the hit ABC sitcom Modern Family.
Personal Life
Long was married to Ken Solomon, but they separated in the 1970s. In 1981, she married Bruce Tyson, and they had a daughter named Juliana. Long and Tyson separated in 2003.
Selected Filmography
Here are some of Shelley Long's most well-known movies and TV shows.
Film
- A Small Circle of Friends (1980)
- Caveman (1981)
- Night Shift (1982)
- Losin' It (1983)
- Irreconcilable Differences (1984)
- The Money Pit (1986)
- Outrageous Fortune (1987)
- Hello Again (1987)
- Troop Beverly Hills (1989)
- The Brady Bunch Movie (1995)
- A Very Brady Sequel (1996)
- Dr. T & the Women (2000)
- Different Flowers (2017)
Television
- The Love Boat (1978)
- M*A*S*H (1980)
- Cheers (1982–1987, 1993)
- Good Advice (1993–1994)
- Freaky Friday (1995)
- Frasier (1996, 2001)
- Kelly Kelly (1998)
- The Brady Bunch in the White House (2002)
- Boston Legal (2005)
- Modern Family (2009–2018)
- Holiday Engagement (2011)
- Switched at Birth (2012)
- Milo Murphy's Law (2017–2018)
See also
In Spanish: Shelley Long para niños
