Editing Rebecca Howe (section)

== Creation and casting ==
[[File:KirstieAlley1994.jpg|right|upright|thumb|Kirstie Alley debuted as Rebecca Howe in 1987 after Shelley Long left the show as Diane Chambers.]]

When Shelley Long decided to leave the show in 1987, ending the five-year [[Sam and Diane]] storyline, the creators wanted a new female lead and decided that she would not have blonde hair, would not resemble Long, and would be unknown to television viewers.<ref name="Long departed">"[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ilkiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VKgFAAAAIBAJ&dq=sam%20diane%20cheers&pg=6797%2C3514391 Serve it yourself, Sam: Diane on her way out from Cheers]." ''[[The Gazette (Montreal)|The Gazette]]'' [Montreal] December 17, 1986. ''Google News''. Web. January 27, 2012.</ref> Kirstie Alley, one of the first actresses to audition for the role of Rebecca Howe, was championed by casting director Jeff Greenberg and seemed to be the ideal choice.<ref name="UCTV"/> Other actresses who auditioned for Rebecca included [[Sharon Stone]], [[Marg Helgenberger]], and [[Kim Cattrall]].<ref name="UCTV">{{cite video| url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u3ZezDvv4U |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/0u3ZezDvv4U |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live| title=The 30th Anniversary of Cheers| author=University of California Television (UCTV)| publisher=YouTube.com| date=2014-01-13| access-date=2020-06-09}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Although Alley met all the criteria, the producers continued auditioning actresses for the part but none improved on Alley's portrayal of the character.<ref name="Harmetz 1C">Harmetz, Alijean (September 23, 1987). "[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=g79OAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7PsDAAAAIBAJ&dq=sam%20diane%20cheers&pg=1701%2C3967090 Changes on tap at 'Cheers']". ''[[The Ledger]]'' (Lakeland, FL): p.&nbsp;1C+.</ref><ref name="gqraftery201210">{{cite news | url=https://www.gq.com/entertainment/movies-and-tv/201210/cheers-oral-history-extended?printable=true | title=The Best TV Show That's Ever Been | work=GQ | date=October 2012 | access-date=September 27, 2012 | author=Raftery, Brian}}</ref> The main reservation on the part of the network and producers was whether Alley would be funny enough to play the role, since she had a dramatic acting background rather than one in comedy.<ref>{{Cite news| url=https://ew.com/tv/2017/05/24/modern-family-casting-director-jeff-greenberg-brad-pitt/| title=Brad Pitt auditioned for Cheers and Other Tales from a Casting Director| author=Dan Snlerson| publisher=Entertainment Weekly| date=2017-05-24| access-date=2020-06-10}}</ref> Greenberg continued to advocate for her, and the Charles brothers were able to watch a clip from a comedy Alley had just completed, ''[[Summer School (1987 film)|Summer School]]'', and consult the director [[Carl Reiner]], to judge Alley's comic skills. Reiner praised Alley and assured Glen and Les Charles that she was the right choice.<ref name="UCTV"/>

According to ''Cheers''{{'}} co-creator and executive producer [[James Burrows]], Diane Chambers, Rebecca Howe's predecessor, was conceived as an executive businesswoman.<ref name="Dusty Saunders 1987">Saunders, Dusty. "[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wfJJAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6YQMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1028%2C6034731 Many changes in store for `Cheers']." ''[[The Vindicator]]'' [Youngstown, OH] July 31, 1987, Mahoning Columbiana ed: 12. ''Google News''. Web. January 30, 2012.</ref> Eventually, Diane evolved into a pretentious, college-educated waitress. After Long's departure, the producers created Rebecca Howe as the businesswoman.<ref name="Cheers toast Howe">"[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TOZVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gOEDAAAAIBAJ&dq=sam%20diane%20cheers&pg=5563%2C1118776 Crowd at `Cheers' toasts new season with new boss]." ''[[The Register-Guard]]'' [Eugene, OR], ''TV Week'': 13. ''Google News''. Web. January 27, 2012.</ref><ref name="Kathryn Baker">Baker, Kathryn. "[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1LIjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TyUEAAAAIBAJ&dq=sam%20diane%20cheers&pg=5187%2C718316 Long's departure has `Cheers' cast on edge]." ''[[Times-News (Hendersonville, North Carolina)|Times-News [Hendersonville, NC]]]'' September 5, 1987. ''Google News''. Web. January 27, 2012.</ref>

Despite concerns about losing Long, ratings rose after Alley's debut.{{r|gqraftery201210}} Rebecca began as a martinet and a "smart, tough businesswoman". However, the writers were not thrilled with the character and did not find her funny. Writer [[Ken Levine (screenwriter)|Ken Levine]] said, "In one episode though, she had to fall apart for some reason and was hysterical. We realized that the more neurotic, insecure, and sexually frustrated she was—the funnier she was. So the character evolved in that direction."<ref>{{cite web|date=July 8, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130121110517/http://kenlevine.blogspot.com/2011/07/my-favorite-kirstie-alley-scene.html|author=Levine, Ken|url=http://kenlevine.blogspot.com/2011/07/my-favorite-kirstie-alley-scene.html|archive-date=January 21, 2013|url-status=live|access-date=July 21, 2012|work=...by Ken Levine|author-link=Ken Levine (TV personality)|title=My favorite Kirstie Alley scene}}</ref>

{{blockquote|1=Rebecca has made a lot of mistakes in the corporate structure. She's going to be fired by the corporation, unless she handles Sam's bar correctly. She's not a ditz, but she has a neurotic side. She's volatile and eccentric, so when she loses it emotionally, she really loses it. She's either strong and in control or way out there.<ref name=sanello1987>Sanello, Frank. "[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FYIyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=y-YFAAAAIBAJ&dq=cheers%20kirstie-alley&pg=5435%2C4304352 Cover Story: Kirstie Alley]." ''[[Lawrence Journal-World]] TV Update'' [Lawrence, KS] 19 September 1987: 3. ''[[Google News]]''. Web. 8 May 2012.</ref>|2=Kirstie Alley|3=''Lawrence Journal-World'', 1987}}