What Happened To The Cast Of Alf?

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On September 22, 1986, NBC viewers were introduced to an extraterrestrial character in a titular sitcom who would be parodied, referenced, and even featured in many future series and movies: ALF, which stands for Alien Life Form — a nickname given to one Gordon Shumway, a short, furry creature with an anteater-like nose. He was self-serving, loud-mouthed, sarcastic, and because of his eight stomachs, he was perpetually hungry for pizza and cats. Younger and older audiences alike loved him and collected related merchandise for many years, such as plush toys, T-shirts, lunchboxes, caps, pins, stickers, and posters.

This fuzzy extraterrestrial fled the nuclear destruction of his home planet, Melmac, only to crash-land on the suburban property of the Tanner family, in San Fernando Valley, California. The Tanners would soon adopt him and shield his real identity from nosy visitors, whether they were relatives, annoying neighbors (an inevitable trope in '80s and '90s sitcoms), or acquaintances.

"ALF" ran for four seasons until March 24, 1990. Its main and secondary characters were played by both little-known and seasoned actors, who took on different projects afterward. Some found even more success, while others changed career paths. One of them even wrote a juicy memoir about her brief relationship with James Dean. Another weathered addiction and mental disorders. A third went on to play Jerry's mom on "Seinfeld." Many of them have passed away in recent years. So, let's delve into these actors' most important milestones following the conclusion of "ALF."

Paul Fusco is the co-founder of Alien Productions, the co-creator of "ALF," and the voice and puppeteer of the titular character. He was also responsible for two spin-offs: "ALF: Animated Adventures" (1987-1989), a prequel about Gordon Shumway on the planet Melmac that won Daytime Emmys for outstanding film sound editing and sound mixing; and "ALF Tales" (1988-1990), a quirky retelling of famous fairy and folk tales like "Cinderella" and "Robin Hood." There was even a seven-episode show in 2004, "ALF's Hit Talk Show," which welcomed guests such as Bryan Cranston, Joan Rivers, and Eric Roberts. Basically, Fusco was and still is involved in any production or platform where the beloved character makes an appearance (or is voiced), including "Good Morning America," "Young Sheldon," "Mr. Robot," "The Simpsons," "Impractical Jokers," and the satirical comedy flick "Donald Trump's The Art of the Deal: The Movie."

As far as Fusco's private life is concerned, he's been married to actress and writer Linda Fusco since October 13, 1978. Together, they have one son, Christopher.

While Paul Fusco created and voiced ALF, it was Hungarian-born Michu Meszaros who donned the full-body ALF suit — mainly because he was the only adult who could. Indeed, because he was only 33 inches tall, Meszaros was billed as the smallest man in the world. His career didn't only span movies and TV shows, though: He also performed in circuses and held private shows for U.S. presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. The Telegraph also reported that he was good friends with pop star Michael Jackson and often visited his famous Neverland ranch.

After "ALF" concluded, Meszaros' unique build, features, and voice landed him various minor but scene-stealing roles in sitcoms and comedy, horror, and supernatural movies. For instance, he played Hans, the henchman of the evil owner of a wax museum in the cult film "Waxwork" as well as Andy, a traveling circus performer in "Big Top Pee-wee." He was also cast as Mishka in an episode of the sitcom "Dear John" and Augusto in "Warlock: The Armageddon." His last known role was a leprechaun in the 2015 short "Death to Cupid."

Meszaros died from a stroke on June 12, 2016, at the age of 76.

Meet William "Willie" Tanner, the family patriarch on "ALF." He is a social worker and a caring and responsible husband and father whose patience is often tried by ALF, their unexpected long-term guest. That steadfast, dependable character, whose two biggest hobbies are shortwave radio and model train sets, was played by Max Wright, a seasoned stage, TV, and film actor.

Some of Wright's film roles following the show included a health inspector in the romantic comedy "Grumpier Old Men," Robin Starveling in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (alongside Kevin Kline, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Rupert Everett), Horace Whaley in the legal drama "Snow Falling on Cedars," and Zaddock Pratt in the 2002 indie comedy "Easter." You might have also spotted him on hit shows like "Quantum Leap," "Murphy Brown," "Friends," "Mad About You," "The Drew Carey Show," and "The Norm Show." His last two appearances were in the 2005 TV movie "Back to Norm" and in a 2007 production of "The Merchant of Venice."

Wright married Linda Ybarrondo in 1965, and they stayed together until she died of cancer in 2017. Sadly, having already battled lymphoma himself in 1995, the veteran actor relapsed in 2019 and passed away in his Hermosa Beach home at the age of 75. The Wrights are survived by two children: Ben and Daisy.

Willie Tanner is married to Kate, a pragmatic, patient, and sarcastic art history graduate with two main sources of annoyance and frustration: her unfulfilled career ambitions and ALF. That moody but caring and well-meaning wife and mother is played by Anne Schedeen, who appeared in the 1970s on shows like "Emergency," "The Bionic Woman," "Three's Company."

Kate in "ALF" was definitely the actress' big break and most memorable role, and it also scored her a nomination for favorite TV actress at the 1988 Kids' Choice Awards. Her career didn't end there, though. She was also cast in the TV film "Perry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobster," the made-for-TV thriller "Praying Mantis," and Dthree episodes of "Judging Amy." Her last role was in 2014, in an episode of the young adult comedy "Tiny Nuts."

On a more personal note, Schedeen, whose current net worth is $1 million (according to Celebrity Net Worth), has been married to Christopher Barrett since 1984. They have one daughter, Taylor, born in 1989.

Andrea Elson, a beloved teen heartthrob in the 1980s, was cast in "ALF" as Lynn, the eldest child in the Tanner household. Donning big hair and cute outfits, Lynn was shy, optimistic, and indulgent with ALF — in fact these two were a little too close, according to Kate. Most of all, at the time, she was relatable as a teenager.

After the show concluded, Elson didn't exactly land major roles, but she did guest star on various widely successful TV shows, such as "Married ... With Children," "Mad About You," "Step by Step," and "The Young and the Restless."

The actress married Scott Hopper on May 31, 1993, and she quit the industry altogether in 1997, right after giving birth to their daughter, Claire. She currently resides in Los Angeles, where she owns a yoga studio. According to The Biography, her net worth is close to $1 million.

Before Kate got pregnant and gave birth to a baby boy, Eric, in Season 3, it was Brian who was the youngest member of the Tanner family. Caring and gullible, he was ALF's best friend and biggest supporter — except when it concerned the family's cat, Lucky, whom ALF was always trying to eat.

Brian was played by Benji Gregory. Born Benjamin Gregory Hertzberg, he started acting in commercials at an early age. After the show, he appeared in an episode of "Murphy Brown," in the made-for-TV drama film "Never Forget" opposite Leonard Nimoy, and the 1993 animated film "Once Upon a Forest." When he was in his 20s, he quit acting and joined the Navy as a weatherman on an aircraft carrier, before receiving an honorable medical discharge in 2005. Apparently, he struggled with alcoholism, drugs, depression, insomnia, bipolar disorder, and a sleep disorder. In 2006, he tied the knot with Sarah Gregory, but their marriage was short-lived.

Fast-forward to June 13, 2024, when Gregory was found in his car with his service dog, Hans. Both had died from heatstroke. His sister Rebecca Hertzberg-Field would later share on Facebook, "It is with a heavy heart my family has suffered a loss way too early. Ben was a great son, brother, and uncle. He was fun to be around and made us laugh quite often."

One of the characters who bickered with ALF the most was Dorothy Halligan Deaver, Kate's mother. She was bossy, critical, sarcastic, and strongly opinionated, and she loved knitting as much as betting on horses. That scene-stealing character was portrayed by Anne Meara, who, throughout her prolific career, managed to score more than 101 acting and writing credits, having risen to fame as a comedian in the 1960s alongside her husband, Jerry Stiller. Yes, this means that Ben Stiller and Amy Stiller are her children, and they got to see both their parents get awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007.

After "ALF," Meara's supporting roles in TV included "All My Children," "Reality Bites," "Zoolander," "The King of Queens," and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit." She also appeared in the films "Reality Bites" and "Zoolander."

Following a long, fulfilling, and well-respected career, she passed away on May 23, 2015, at the age of 85.

Jim J. Bullock played a secondary character on "ALF": Neal Tanner, Willie's younger brother who moved in with the family for a while after his divorce. Neal was a handyman, and he even let ALF stay at his apartment when the latter had a falling out with Willie — a generous act he'd soon come to regret.

Bullock's next notable TV role was in 1994 on the sitcom "Boogies Diner." Moreover, he appeared on "Roseanne" in 1996 and co-hosted "The Jim J. and Tammy Faye Show," before lending his voice to the 2000 adult animated series "Queer Duck." You might also recognize him as Mr. Monroe in the Nickelodeon sitcom "Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide," which aired from 2004 to 2007. Meanwhile, in 1999, the actor was arrested for crystal meth possession in West Hollywood. He was released under probation soon afterward.

According to an interview with The Caftan Chronicles (via POZ) in 2022, Bullock lives in Palm Springs and mostly does volunteer work in between plays at a cat shelter and a homeless feeding program. He has a current net worth of $2 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Most sitcoms in the '80s and the '90s featured annoying next-door neighbors who would barge in uninvited and meddle in the main characters' affairs. In "ALF," this trope was represented by Trevor and Raquel Ochmonek. Trevor, played by John LaMotta, was a nosy, loud-mouthed, rude, and stingy war veteran with a pronounced New York accent. Lacking manners, he couldn't care less how early or how late it was in the day every time he dropped by the Tanner home. Back in 2010, the actor made a surprising statement to TMZ in which he admitted he hated the sitcom and that role, saying, "I thought the show 'ALF' was a piece of s*** ... worst work I ever did." Ouch. 

He was cast in many supporting roles after "ALF," including in "Frasier" and "Cagney & Lacey," not to mention films like "Vampire in Brooklyn."

LaMotta passed away in Los Angeles on January 29, 2014.

For her part, Liz Sheridan played the irritated (and irritating) neighbor Raquel Ochmonek, who constantly bickered with her husband and once suspected him of infidelity with a widow. ALF, for one, found their antics quite entertaining. As memorable as Raquel was, though, it wasn't Sheridan's most famous role. Indeed, she was renowned worldwide for playing Jerry's mom on the award-winning sitcom "Seinfeld," which aired on NBC from 1989 to 1998. As for her film credits after "ALF," they included "Forget Paris" and the TV movie "The Rooneys."

In 2000, Sheridan published "Dizzy & Jimmy: My Life With James Dean: A Love Story." Set in New York City in the early 1950s, this memoir revolves around her passionate romance with Dean when they were still struggling artists.

The actress was married to jazz musician William Dale Wales, with whom she had a daughter and who passed away in 2003. She died of natural causes on April 15, 2022.

Josh Blake, also known as Josh Buxbaum, played Jake Ochmonek, the neighbors' nephew, on the show. Not only did the character have to put up with his relatives' difficult characters, but he also had to deal with a mother who was a kleptomaniac, a father who was a convicted felon, and a brother and a cousin who were both in jail. As a result, Jake had to vent his frustration somehow, not only by exhibiting rude behavior but also by regularly putting the moves on Lynn. Meanwhile, he found out about ALF when the latter stopped him from robbing the Tanners, and he soon befriended the furry alien and the Tanner kids.

Blake remained active in the industry until 2006, appearing in the sitcom "The Famous Teddy Z" opposite John Cryer and Alex Rocco, the fantasy comedy show "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," the comedy adventure film "Just for Kicks" alongside Dylan Sprouse and Cole Sprouse, and the tech soap opera "Spyder Games."

According to IMDb, he currently works as a successful real estate agent in Downtown Los Angeles. An interview posted on the YouTube channel "Lighting the Educational Flame" in 2021 revealed that he's also a strong advocate for children's fundamental rights, which include enjoyable and safe summer camps.

Portrayed by Bill Daily, Dr. Larry Dykstra was yet another unforgettable recurring character on "ALF." He was Willie's good friend and a discrete, calm, and standout psychologist who often provided sound advice to the Tanners.

Daily had already forged quite a reputation in comedy on widely successful shows like "I Dream of Jeannie" and "The Bob Newhart Show." After "ALF," he stayed active throughout the 1990s before taking a well-deserved break. Some of his notable appearances from that period include "Alligator II: The Mutation," "The Naked Truth," and the sitcom "Caroline in the City." Following that period, Daily semi-retired from the screen in Albuquerque, where he directed plays and hosted a local morning radio show from 2006 to 2009. His final role was voicing GrandPa in "Horrorween" (2011) alongside William Shatner and Jenna Jameson as themselves.

The actor and comedian married his third wife, Becky, in 1993 and remained with her until her death in 2010. He died of natural causes on September 4, 2018, shortly after his 91st birthday.