Shelley Long

Shelley Long is a renowned American actress, singer, and comedian. She gained remarkable fame for her role as Diane Chambers on the hit sitcom Cheers, for which she garnered five Emmy nominations. She notably won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1983. In addition, she also took home two Golden Globe Awards for the same role. Long showed her versatility by revisiting her role as Diane Chambers in three episodes of the sitcom's spin-off Frasier, earning her another guest star Emmy nomination. As of 2009, she appeared in her recurring role as DeDe Pritchett on the ABC comedy series Modern Family. In addition to her prestigious TV roles, Long featured in several films such as Night Shift (1982), 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), and Dr. T & the Women (2000).

Born on August 23, 1949, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, she is the only child of Ivadine and Leland Long. Shelley was raised in the Presbyterian faith and was active on her high school speech team. She had a flair for drama and, following her high school graduation, pursued a degree in the same at Northwestern University. However, she left before completing her degree to focus on acting and modeling. Long began her acting career by featuring in local commercials for Homemakers furniture store in Chicago. Later, she joined The Second City comedy troupe in Chicago, and in 1975, she began writing, producing, and co-hosting the television program Sorting It Out. The show won her three Regional Emmys.