Aticineto
02-21-2018, 02:05 PM
Since getting hooked on Cheers (via Netflix), I have been reading a lot of background information on the show, and I can't help but feel bad for Shelley Long. If I am understanding everything correctly, she was a perfectionist on the set, very meticulous in regard to the scripts, shooting the scenes, her hair and makeup, etc. You can't blame her, as she, and Ted Danson were the main focus of the show.
Unfortunately, her perfectionism, especially talking over every line with the writers (thus making the shooting schedule hours longer) , insisting on a hair and makeup redo after each wardrobe change, caused the major rift between her and the rest of the cast (except Nicholas Colasanto). They were more laid back about she show, and her perfectionism drove them crazy, and they came to dislike her deeply.
I know Shelley was criticized for leaving when she did, but I think that was unfair. McLean Stevenson left MASH aster 3 years, stating that he wanted to be "one of one, not one of six." He wasn't bashed for that, probably because he was more down to earth, and he was on good terms with his cast mates. Don Knotts had left the Andy Griffith Show after 5 years to try his hand at movies, which failed, but he was never criticized either. I think Shelley's reasons for leaving was twofold, she truly felt that she could be a success in movies, and, probably the animosity from the rest of the cast influenced her decision as well. Its funny - she drove them crazy with her perfectionism, and then they were mad that she was leaving, perhaps feeling that the show would not survive.
She did make some good movies, nut really great ones, and that's a shame, as she was/is very talented. Then in 2004 her divorce, and the painkiller overdose, and later, her estrangement from her daughter, its like she can't catch a break. A lot of people did like her recurring role on Modern Family, so that was good. I hope she can come back with a great, successful show in the future.
In recent years, Shelley says she doesn't regret leaving when she did, as she didn't want to keep doing the same story over and over. A decade later, "Friends" did well with the on again/off again Ross and Rachel story for that show's 10 year run, I think Cheers could have done that as well. I do think that Shelley was wrong in not liking the introduction of Frazier, though. Any on going story needs complications, and Kelsey Gramer was great as Frazier.
To her credit, she has never, to my knowledge at least, ever bad mouthed the cast. She did say that one time Ted Danson got angry enough to tell her something, and she wished she had told her sooner. Ted Danson now credits her with putting Cheers on the map, so it is nice to see that she is ongood terms with him and most of the rest of her former cast mates. On the subject of former cast mates, some people rolled their eyes with a statement Rhea Perman made a few years ago when asked about the difficulties on the show. She said it wasn't something she could talk about, and would rather not go there, and that it wasn't worth getting into it at this point. I took that as her being diplomatic about it - that its way in the past, and their is no point in rehashing it.
Just my two cents worth.
Unfortunately, her perfectionism, especially talking over every line with the writers (thus making the shooting schedule hours longer) , insisting on a hair and makeup redo after each wardrobe change, caused the major rift between her and the rest of the cast (except Nicholas Colasanto). They were more laid back about she show, and her perfectionism drove them crazy, and they came to dislike her deeply.
I know Shelley was criticized for leaving when she did, but I think that was unfair. McLean Stevenson left MASH aster 3 years, stating that he wanted to be "one of one, not one of six." He wasn't bashed for that, probably because he was more down to earth, and he was on good terms with his cast mates. Don Knotts had left the Andy Griffith Show after 5 years to try his hand at movies, which failed, but he was never criticized either. I think Shelley's reasons for leaving was twofold, she truly felt that she could be a success in movies, and, probably the animosity from the rest of the cast influenced her decision as well. Its funny - she drove them crazy with her perfectionism, and then they were mad that she was leaving, perhaps feeling that the show would not survive.
She did make some good movies, nut really great ones, and that's a shame, as she was/is very talented. Then in 2004 her divorce, and the painkiller overdose, and later, her estrangement from her daughter, its like she can't catch a break. A lot of people did like her recurring role on Modern Family, so that was good. I hope she can come back with a great, successful show in the future.
In recent years, Shelley says she doesn't regret leaving when she did, as she didn't want to keep doing the same story over and over. A decade later, "Friends" did well with the on again/off again Ross and Rachel story for that show's 10 year run, I think Cheers could have done that as well. I do think that Shelley was wrong in not liking the introduction of Frazier, though. Any on going story needs complications, and Kelsey Gramer was great as Frazier.
To her credit, she has never, to my knowledge at least, ever bad mouthed the cast. She did say that one time Ted Danson got angry enough to tell her something, and she wished she had told her sooner. Ted Danson now credits her with putting Cheers on the map, so it is nice to see that she is ongood terms with him and most of the rest of her former cast mates. On the subject of former cast mates, some people rolled their eyes with a statement Rhea Perman made a few years ago when asked about the difficulties on the show. She said it wasn't something she could talk about, and would rather not go there, and that it wasn't worth getting into it at this point. I took that as her being diplomatic about it - that its way in the past, and their is no point in rehashing it.
Just my two cents worth.