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After appearances in such films as Caveman, Losin' It and Irreconcilable Differences, she was cast as the vain waitress Diane Chambers on the series Cheers. The series started out slowly but soon became one of the most popular shows on the air. From there she became a sought-after comedic actress, starring in films like Outrageous Fortune and The Money Pit . In 1987 she left Cheers and many speculated that the decision would harm both her career and the future of Cheers. One of her first major post-Cheers films, Hello Again, garnered hostile reviews and poor box-office. As Cheers continued to thrive, Long was derided for giving up a safe show in favor of a non-starter film career, and for decades afterwards was lumped in with similar actors such as David Caruso. Long continued to appear in films and television, reprising her Diane Chambers role for Cheers 1993 series finale (and again several times on the spinoff Frasier). Long finally scored something of a comeback in the late 90's with her starring role as Carol Brady in the surprise hit The Brady Bunch Movie , as well as it's followup sequels.
On November 26, 2004, depressed over the breakup of her marriage, Long overdosed on painkillers and was admitted to hospital.