Abeloved ’80s sitcom,ALFcame to an end in 1990, leaving many viewers to wonder what the cast has been up to since. Premiering in 1986,ALFcenters on the titular alien, who crash-lands on Earth and befriends the Tanners, a middle-class family in California. The fish-out-of-water story delivered a lot of laughs as ALF tries — and often hilariously fails — to understand human life while the Tanners try to keep him away from the cat.
ThoughALFdidn’t snatch up awards like its contemporaries, its unique premise left an indelible mark on TV, influencing future series like the'90s sitcom,3rd Rock from the Sun. Of course,ALFwould never have worked if it wasn’t for the show’s committed cast. Though severalALFactors also showcased their talent in other projects, most have since left the business, and some have sadly passed away. So,
Paul Fusco As ALF
Continues To Voice ALF In Other Movies & TV Shows
Character:Writer, producer, and co-creator of the series, Paul Fusco provided the voice of ALF and did the puppeteering. An alien from the planet Melmac, ALF crash-landed his spaceship on Earth and into the garage of the Tanner house. The extra-terrestrial with a taste for consuming felines made a home with the Tanners, becoming a part of the family. ALF’s name is an acronym for “alien life form,” which was given to him by Willie Tanner. It’s later revealed that ALF’s real name is Gordon Shumway.
The Simpsons(2023)
ALF
Where Are They Now:SinceALF’sfinal season in 1990,Fusco has voiced or performed ALF in guest spots on shows likeYoung Sheldon, Impractical Jokers,andThe Simpsons.In 2012,THRbroke the story that Sony Productions had bought the rights toALFwith intentions to make a CGI-animated feature film. However, with no recent updates, it seems that plans for anALFmovie comeback have fallen through.
Max Wright As Willie Tanner
Passed Away In 2018
Character:The patriarch of the Tanner family, Willie is played by Max Wright. Though Willie can sometimes be high-strung, he is a loving husband and father. Despite often butting heads with the hairy space traveler, he welcomes ALF into his home and protects him from the government’s Alien Task Force.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream(1999)
Robin Starveling
Where Are They Now:AfterALFended in 1990, Max Wright continued to make regular TV and movie appearances.He had guest spots in episodes ofQuantum Leap, Murphy Brown,andFriends,and also featured in the filmsThe Shadow, Grumpier Old Men,andA Midsummer Night’s Dream. From 1999 to 2001, Wright was a regular on the showNormas Max Denby. In 2019, Wright died at the age of 75 from cancer complications.
Anne Schedeen As Kate Tanner
Left Acting & Became A Charity Ambassador
Character:Anne Schedeen plays Kate Tanner inALF,the wife of Willie and mother to Lynn and Brian. When she isn’t taking care of house and home, Kate keeps the peace between ALF and her husband.
Judging Amy(2001)
Det. Peggy Fraser
Where Are They Now:Schedeen did a few acting projects afterALF,including the TV moviePerry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobsterand a small role in the movieHeaven’s Prisoners.In 2001,Schedeen appeared in three episodes of the TV seriesJudging Amyas Detective Peggy Fraser. It seems that Schedeen has since taken a step back from acting, and the last known news from 2019 states that she became an ambassador the charity organizationHoliday Heroes.
Andrea Elson As Lynn Tanner
Retired From Acting & Married ALF’s Stage Manager
Character: The teenager of the family, Lynn Tanner was played by Andrea Elson. Like so many stereotypical teen girls on ‘80s TV, Lynn deals with things like grades, dating, and fashion. In the season 1 episode“Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue,”ALF gets a crush on Lynn and tries to woo her away from her boyfriend.
Joanne
Where Are They Now:Elson was 17 years old in the first season ofALF,and about 21 when it ended in 1990. Shewent on to make guest appearances in TV shows likeWho’s The Boss?, Married… With Children,andMen Behaving Badly.She retired from acting in 1996, and hasn’t been seen or spoken of in the public eye for years. Elson reportedly marriedALFset manager Scott Hopper in 1993, and at one time she had her own yoga studio (viaX).
Benji Gregory As Brian Tanner
Passed Away In 2024
Character:Played by Benji Gregory,Brian started out as the youngest member of the Tanner family until his baby brother, Eric, joined the Tanners in season 4. Although ALF can sometimes be a negative influence on Brian, the two become very close friends.
Once Upon a Forst(1983)
Edgar
Where Are They Now:Starting his career at just six years old, Benji Gregory joined the cast ofALFwhen he was eight. AfterALF’s final season, Gregory did some work in voice animation, with credits such asBack to the Future: The Complete Animated Series,and the 1993 feature filmOnce Upon A Forest.Retired from acting,Gregory joined the U.S. Navy in 2003, and was honorably discharged due to a medical issue in 2005. On June 15, 2025, Gregory was found dead in his car in Peoria, Arizona due to heat stroke (viaPeople). He was 46 years old.
John LaMotta As Trevor Ochmonek
Passed Away In 2014
Character:The next-door neighbor of the Tanners, Trevor Ochmonek was played by John LaMotta. Having no clue about their alien visitor, Trevor would often burst into the Tanner home uninvited, causing havoc when the family had to hide ALF from view. His wife Raquel often spied on the family and suspected something strange was going on, but he never believed her.
Vampire in Brooklyn(1995)
Lizzy
Where Are They Now:Veteran actor John LaMotta continued to work consistently following the cancelation ofALF.He hadguest spots on popular TV shows such asNorthern Exposure, ER, The Nanny,andFrasier.He also had supporting roles in the moviesVampire in Brooklyn, The Scout, The Godson,andFive Aces,which was his final feature film. His last acting creit was in 2004. LaMotta died in 2014 in Los Angeles at 75 years old.
Liz Sheridan As Raquel Ochmonek
Passed Away In 2022
Character:Liz Sheridan playedthe Tanners’ nosy and antagonistic neighbor, Raquel Ochmonek, inALF.She would often spy on the Tanners, suspicious that they were hiding something, but never learned they were harboring an alien life form. As the wife of Trevor Ochmonek, the two often argued with one another and Raquel once kicked him out of the house.
Play the Game(2009)
Edna Gordon
Where Are They Now:Following her role onALF,Liz Sheridan acted in several movies and TV shows in the ‘90s and 2000s.Most remember herfromSeinfeldas Jerry’s mother, Helen. Sheridan also guest-starred in shows likeBlossom, Cleghorne!,andNumb3ers,and had roles in the filmsForget Paris, Just Add Water,andNow You Know.Her final acting credit was for the 2010 indie filmTrim.Sheridan died in 2022 at age 93 (viaEntertainment Weekly).
Did The Cast Really Hate Working With Alf Himself?
The Set Up For The Puppet Led To 18-Hour Shooting Days
It’s hard enough when human actors don’t get along with each other, but what happens when an actor doesn’t get along with a puppet? SinceALFleft the airways, there have been numerous rumors and reports that members of the cast would often get frustrated with their fabricated co-star.
The truth is thatit wasn’t necessarily the puppet itself that the human actors were impatient with, but with the time-consuming setup needed for the puppeteer’s performance. According toPeople,the soundstage was so elaborately constructed that shooting sometimes took 18 hours, which had to be exhausting for the cast. Max Wright confessed that by the show’s final episode, he was “eager to have it over with.” Co-star Anne Schedeen stated that she witnessed Wright walking off the set and leaving without a word once filming had wrapped. It seemed that Wright was clearly over and done by that point.
The actors' frustration likely led to the show ending in a massive cliffhanger. (There was a TV film in 1996 that offered a resolution, but Paul Fusco was the only main cast member to take part). While it definitely sounds likeALFwas more demanding to film than the average multi-cam sitcom, the cast’s chemistry and onscreen charisma made them one of the most underrated of their time.
Cast
ALF is a television series that debuted in 1986, featuring a wisecracking alien named ALF who becomes part of a suburban family after crash-landing in their garage. The show mixes science fiction with domestic comedy as the family navigates the challenges of hiding their extraterrestrial guest.
