‘Cheers’ Vet Shelley Long Joins ‘Modern Family’

Very nice casting news here. TV Guide Magazine reports that Cheers alumna Shelley Long has landed a recurring role on ABC’s highly anticipated upcoming sitcom Modern Family.

Long will play Dede Pritchett, the former wife of Ed O’Neill‘s (Married with Children) lead character Jay. Described as somewhat “fragile” and “searching for herself in the world,” Dede will arrive in town when Jay marries his much hotter and much younger new wife Gloria (The Knights of Prosperity‘s Sofía Vergara), a native of Colombia.

According to Modern Family executive producers, although Dede’s original intentions are to right a wrong she committed before leaving the picture, she’ll instead make a huge scene at Jay’s nuptials after downing a little booze. And then I assume much hilarity will ensue.

Incidentally, the Modern Family gig will be Long’s first continuing sitcom role since her work on Frasier, which ended in 2001, and a couple of appearances on the short-lived 2004–2005 ABC comedy Complete Savages. I’m sure many fans will be thrilled to have her back in form, in the genre, and on the small screen.

And, yes — I reckon that’s Scrubs star John C. McGinley standing behind Long to the left in the photo above. They were attending NBC’s 75th Anniversary celebration in 2002, back when Scrubs was still an NBC series. Now both will be on ABC sitcoms, so isn’t that swell?