After her husband left their 22-year marriage, Shelley Long fell into a deep depression and came dangerously close to passing away. Since then, their daughter has carried on her mother’s legacy.
Due to the popularity of her role on the sitcom “Cheers,” which attracted sizable audiences, American actress Shelley Long rose to fame.
Surprisingly, the actress made the decision to leave the sitcom at the height of her career and its rising popularity. After that, the Emmy Award winner struggled to maintain her profession and was unable to save her long-term marriage from disintegrating.
Long gained notoriety when she was cast as Diane Chambers in the 1982 comedy “Cheers.” One of the most intriguing stories on the show was the friendship between her character and Sam Malone, who was portrayed by actor Ted Danson.
The program became one of the most well-liked of its time, and Shelley and Danson were hailed as one of the greatest sitcom pairings ever.
But only five years into the series, Long abruptly announced she would be quitting, much to the dismay of the creators and viewers.
There were numerous factors that led to her choice, one of which being a history of animosity with her co-stars over the actress’s actions.
Long would depart for her dressing room during lunch to meditate, which annoyed her coworkers who preferred that she stay with them.
Additionally, she spent many hours discussing her character with the authors throughout the fifth season to the point that they could no longer bear it.
The actress felt that the authors were just sticking with the love plotline between her character Diane and Sam, without giving her character Diane enough opportunities to develop.
While working on “Cheers,” Long also signed a contract with Disney, and he wanted to continue his collaboration with them.
The other reason she wanted to quit was so she could spend more time with Juliana, the toddler she and her husband, Bruce Tyson, welcomed during the first few seasons of the show.
The “Cheers” producers were worried that Long’s departure would have repercussions and put everyone’s livelihood and career in peril.
Thankfully, after actress Kirstie Alley took over for Long, the show was able to flourish and achieve its highest-ever ratings. After quitting the program, Long struggled to get any significant roles since the producers were uninterested in hiring her.
In 1979, Long went on a blind date and ended up marrying Bruce Tyson. After beginning a romantic relationship, the couple married two years later. It was the actress’s second marriage, and Juliana, their daughter, was born not long after their union.
Sadly, Tyson, the president of an investing company by the name of Weston Capital Management, left their marriage after 22 years.
Long had to leave their Hollywood home after their divorce when it was sold, and she then started living alone. She lost her appetite after her marriage broke up and spent a lot of time in bed.
The actress frequently told her companion she had nothing left to live for, which led to her attempt at suicide on November 16, 2004, when she overdosed on opioids.
Long was transported to UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, where she received care before being released once she had healed.
Speaking about the incident with The Post, Tyson said he anticipated his ex-wife would live through it and then get over her suicide intentions. Although he was hopeful for the mother of his daughter’s longer future, he declined to talk about it any more.
Long struggled to repeat her popularity on “Cheers” in her other efforts after leaving the show in 1987.
The actress’s 1989 film “Troop Beverly Hills” did not revive her faltering career. Subsequently, in 1995, she played Carol Brady in “The Brady Bunch Movie,” and then, in 1996, she appeared in “A Very Brady Sequel.”
Following that, she primarily appeared in guest parts on television. On the “Frasier” spin-off from “Cheers,” she did, however, reprise her part as Diane Chambers for four episodes in 1994, 1996, and twice in 2001.
The role of DeDe Pritchett on the television show “Modern Family” was one of Long’s most recent on-screen appearances. Long does not look back on how she departed “Cheers” or how her reputation as a very difficult person to work with hurt her career. She uttered:”
“People weren’t nearly ready to hire me in any other capacity than Diane Chambers, but I don’t regret my choice.”
As she became older, the actress tended to avoid the spotlight more, but she was recently seen out and about in Los Angeles with her Chihuahua.
Long was seen wearing a blue shirt, a grey jacket, long socks, and cuffed grey pants in addition to Nike sneakers. She was also wearing her chic clear-rimmed spectacles. The seasoned actor, who is rarely seen out, currently resides in a $1.3 million estate in Los Angeles’ Pacific Palisades.
Juliana Tyson, Long’s daughter, adopted the performing arts as her lifelong passion. She performed in a number of parts while attending the University of Southern California’s theater program, including Elizabeth Proctor in the faculty production of “The Crucible” and Boquicia in the original musical “Invasion!”
She made her television debut in 2009 in the series “Privileged” as Victoria Taylor. She is also a founder member of Boom Kat Dance Theatre, a Los Angeles-based dance theater company.
She wed Ryan Kissick, a management consultant with a Stanford education, on September 29, 2015. Since then, the two have started a family.
Call 1-800-273-8255 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. You can find more foreign suicide hotlines at befrienders.org.
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