Shelley Long

“Cheers” is one of the greatest sitcoms in television history, and Shelley Long’s portrayal of Diane Chambers was an essential part of this classic television show. The show launched in 1982 and became a massive hit after the first season, with the sexual tension between Shelley’s Diane character and Ted Danson’s Sam Malone as a central component. The chemistry between them was palpable and their interactions were hilarious.

Shelley stayed on the show for five seasons, and then left to pursue movie projects. Kirstie Alley replaced her in Season 6 as Rebecca Howe, and the show continued to thrive, though many will argue that the Diane years produced the best material.

Shelley went on to have a successful movie career, appearing in a variety of films including “Irreconcilable Differences” (1984), “The Money Pit” (1986) opposite Tom Hanks, “Outrageous Fortune” (1987), “Hello Again” (1987), “Troop Beverly Hills” (1989), “The Brady Bunch Movie” (1995) and “A Very Brady Sequel” (1996). Still, her best film was probably “Night Shift” which was released in 1982, the same year that “Cheers” premiered. She stars opposite Henry Winkler and Michael Keaton and plays Belinda, a beautiful and good-natured prostitute. Her underwear scene is quite memorable!

In 1993, she returned to “Cheers” for its series finale which was seen by over 42 million people, making it the second most-watched season finale behind “M.A.S.H.”

Iconic Character – Diane Chambers on “Cheers”

For most fans, Shelley’s role as Diane on “Cheers” will always be a favorite. We highlighted this character in our “TV Girlfriends” feature in the “High Maintenance Hotties” category. Here’s what we said about the Diane character:

The blonder, female half of TV comedy’s ultimate on-again-off-again couple is a perpetual grad student with enough pretentious intellectual snobbery and over-the-top political correctness to drive nearly anyone to distraction, especially a shallowly womanizing “man’s man” like bartender/ex-baseball star Sam Malone. Still, even as she eventually finds – and dumps – a man who actually loves her more for her posturing in Dr. Frasier Crane, it’s hard not to sympathize a little with the author of the perpetually unfinished Jocasta’s Conundrum. Diane may be insufferable, but she’s also an adorable slave to her emotions; we’d have a hard time getting her out of our hair, too.