Cheers (1982 – 1993): Long vs. Cast
In 1982, America was introduced to a little Boston bar where everyone knew your name. Cheers climbed up the Nielsen ratings quickly. One of the central plot lines followed the romantic “will they or won’t they” between Sam Malone (played by Ted Danson), a former Boston Red Sox player who owned the bar, and stuffy intellectual wait staff Diane Chambers, played by Shelley Long. Long left the series at the end of its fifth season, publicly saying she wanted to move into film and spend more time with family. The romantic tension on screen hid the full-on tensions between Long, the cast, and crew off screen. Long was often late to the set, but she claimed it was due to wardrobe issues. Danson and Long never openly battled, but Danson grew irritated with Long’s frequent questions and suggestions for her character.