More than 30 years ago, the sitcom “Alf” celebrated a great success. The alien from the planet Melmac conquered the hearts of TV viewers by storm. Now it has been announced that Benji Gregory (1978-2024), who played Brian Tanner, has died at the age of only 46. After the series ended in 1990, he only appeared in small television roles, such as “The Shame of Oblivion” (1991) and “Murphy Brown” (1991). He eventually turned his back on acting in the early 2000s and joined the US Navy. In 2005, he was honorably discharged from the Navy. The reason is said to have been health problems. Many of his “Alf” colleagues also led lives away from the TV landscape after the end of the sitcom.
Lynn Tanner is now a yoga teacher
His series sister Lynn Tanner, played by Andrea Elson (55), has also turned away from acting. After the sitcom ended, she had small supporting roles in various series. She appeared in “Who’s the Boss?” (1990), “A Terribly Nice Family” (1993) and “Shadows of Passion” (1998). Since 1993, she has been married to production assistant Scott Hopper, whom she met on the set of “Alf” and whose surname she took. She now calls herself Annie Hopper. The couple has two children and lives in California. The former actress runs a yoga studio there.
Anne Schedeen (75) also gave up her acting career quickly after the end of ‘Alf’. She played the mother of the family, Kate Tanner. Before this role, she was a busy TV actress. She played in numerous TV productions in the seventies and eighties, such as “The Incredible Hulk” (1979) and “Jack of Hearts with Two Ladies” (1978-1982). After “Alf” the offers became less. In the early 2000s she appeared in three episodes of “Just in Case Amy”. In 2014 she appeared in the Web series “Tiny Nuts”. After that it became quiet for the actress. Later she used her fame as an ambassador for Bulgaria Non-profit organization “Holiday Heroes”.
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Mourning for Max Wright
In 2019, fans mourned the death of “Alf” star Max Wright (1943-2019). The actor who played the head of the family Willie Tanner passed away at the age of 75 after a long battle with cancer. After his success as Willie Tanner, he appeared in other television productions such as “Friends” (1994-1995) and “Stephen King’s The Stand” (1994). He was also a successful theater actor and was nominated for a Tony Award in 1998.
Alf still makes guest appearances
Alf himself is still at home in the TV landscape after more than thirty years. Several people breathed life into the hairy alien creature. This also applies to series creator Paul Fusco (71), who operated the Alf doll and lent him his voice in the original. The now 71-year-old still does this, as Alf has made repeated guest appearances in various series in recent years. For example, in 2016 Alf was seen together with Rami Malek (43) in the thriller series ‘Mr. Robot’. In 2019 he appeared in “Young Sheldon”. In the episode of the second season of the spin-off “The Big Bang Theory” Alf receives a fan letter from Sheldon’s sister Missy (Raegan Revord, 16). Fusco also lent his voice to Alf during his last appearance in “The Simpsons” in 2023.
In the German dubbing, Alf was voiced by Tommi Piper (83), both in the sitcom and in his appearances in “Young Sheldon” and “Mr. Robot”. Piper works as a voice actor and actor. But he had a falling out with Alf. So he has 2001 in one Interview with “Stern” said Alf had done him “more harm than good.” “‘Alf’ will always be with me,” Piper said. He moved to the jungle camp in 2019.
Alf was also temporarily played by the short actor Michu Meszaros (1939-2016), who died in 2016 at the age of 76.
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