Who could forget the lovable, huggable, red-haired cat lover from Melmac? Of course, we are talking about Gordon Shumway, aka ALF, whose hilarious antics started over 33 years ago, in 1986. Thirty years for a Melmacian is nothing but a fart in the wind, so ALF didn’t change much. But what happened to the actors who starred in the series? It’s time to find out.
1. Michu Meszaros – ALF (full-size)
This Hungarian circus performer played ALF whenever the show needed to show him in all his 88cm glory. Because of the actor’s accent, the character was voiced by Paul Fusco – the creator of the puppet and one of the producers. Meszaros appeared in all 102 episodes of the show wearing that furry costume, but only a few fans have seen his true face. It is known that in the last years of his life, Meszaros was seriously ill and stopped working. The actor died on June 12, 2016, at the age of 76.
2. Paul Fusco – ALF (voice)
Sadly we don’t know where the original ALF puppet is today, we do know what Paul Fusco has been up to. He was the guy who brought ALF to life as the puppeteer, producer, director, and writer. Paul has always had a special spot in his heart for ALF and was the only returning main cast member in Project: ALF movie. After that there was the ALF’s Hit Talk Show and lots of funny cameos on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Love Boat Wave, Mr. Robot, and Young Sheldon.
3. Anne Schedeen – Kate
Ann Schedeen, who played Kate Tanner, also almost disappeared from television after the series finale. Over the past 28 years, she has appeared in only three shows in small roles. In 1989, Anne gave birth to a daughter and decided to devote more time to her family. She is now 74 and gives acting lessons to comedians.
4. Max Wright – Willy
The story of Max Wright, who played Willy, had mostly episodic roles after ALF was over. For example, he played Terry, who manages the Central Perk cafe in Friends. Max also appeared in the screen adaptation of Stephen King’s novel The Stand. After ALF, his most notorious role was in The Norm Show’s sitcom, where he appeared in 49 episodes. In the 2000s, he was arrested twice for driving while intoxicated. In addition, in 2001, tabloids circulated footage from a video recording of a person who looked like Max Wright taking drugs in the company of two hALF-naked men. On June 27, 2019, Max Wright died at the age of 75 after a long battle with lymphoma.
5. Benji Gregory – Brian
Benji Gregory is now known as Ben Hertzberger. After the series ended, he starred in three TV movies, after which he was done with acting. Rumor has it that he is currently working for the US Navy.
6. Andrea Elson – Lynn
In 1993, Andrea Elson married assistant director Scott Hopper who was the same guy who brought her scripts for new episodes of ALF. She played several small roles in various TV series, like “Married… with Children”. In 1997, the actress gave birth to a daughter and stopped acting. Now she works as a yoga instructor.
7. John LaMotta – Trevor
John LaMotta played Trevor Okmonek, the Tanners’ grumpy neighbor who often visited them. After the series ended, he continued to appear in films, although his last known project dates back to 2004. LaMotta considered ALF to be one of the worst roles in his career. On January 29, 2014, John passed away in Los Angeles at the age of 75.
8. Liz Sheridan – Raquel
Liz Sheridan continued her film career after the series finale and played small roles in various TV shows. The latest project in her filmography is the 2010 movie Trim.
In 1985, Liz got married and remained married until her husband died in 2003. On April 15, 2022, Liz passed away at the age of 92.
9. Josh Blake – Jake
Josh Blake played the Ochmonek’s nephew Jake, who moved in with them after his father went to prison. Currently, the actor is 48 years old, and his career has been quite successful. Josh has 27 roles on IMDb and several albums. Oh, did we forget to mention that Blake became a hip-hop artist? Well, he did.
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