Who’s Still Alive From ‘ALF’?
When ALF premiered in 1986, it gave viewers one of the decade’s strangest sitcom premises. A furry alien from Melmac crash-landed in a suburban family’s garage, moved in with the Tanners, and spent the next four seasons causing trouble, cracking jokes, and trying to eat the family cat.
With the recent death of Anne Schedeen, who played Kate Tanner, fans may be wondering who from ALF is still alive today. Among the actors who played the Tanner family, Andrea Elson is now the only surviving main human cast member. Paul Fusco, who co-created, voiced, and operated ALF, is also still alive, along with several recurring cast members from the series. Let’s find out who is still around and what they’re up to decades later.
Paul Fusco (73)
ALF/Gordon Shumway, co-creator, voice, and puppeteer
Alien Productions/Everett Collection
Paul Fusco was the man behind ALF’s voice and most famous one-liners. He co-created the series with Tom Patchett and helped turn the alien life form into one of the most recognizable TV characters of the 1980s. Fusco continued to keep ALF alive after the original sitcom ended. The character later appeared in other TV projects and pop culture, making Fusco one of the most important surviving names associated with the show. He most recently brought the character to the show Impractical Jokers in 2024.
Andrea Elson (57)
Lynn Tanner
Alien Productions/Everett Collection
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Andrea Elson played Lynn Tanner, the teenage daughter of Willie and Kate Tanner. Before ALF, Elson starred on Whiz Kids. After ALF ended, she made appearances on shows including Married… with Children, Mad About You, and The Young and the Restless before stepping away from acting. She married former ALF stage manager Scott Hopper in 1993, and they have two children.
As of 2016, she reportedly owned and operated a yoga studio.
Jim J. Bullock (71)
Neal Tanner
Charles Bush/Fox Labs/Everett Collection
Jim J. Bullock joined ALF later in the show’s run as Neal Tanner, Willie’s younger brother. His arrival gave ALF another adult family member to annoy. Bullock was already known to TV audiences from Too Close for Comfort and Hollywood Squares. After ALF, he continued working in television and theater, including later roles on Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide and in stage productions.
He most recently appeared in the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful.
Josh Blake (51)
Jake Ochmonek
Columbia Pictures Televison/Everett Collection
Josh Blake played Jake Ochmonek, the nephew of Trevor and Raquel Ochmonek. Jake became one of the few people outside the Tanner family who knew ALF’s secret. Blake was a teen actor during his time on the series. He later appeared in other shows, including Full House, The Wonder Years, and Home Improvement, but seemingly stepped away from acting in the early 2000s.
Paul Dooley (98)
Whizzer Deaver
Michael Desmond/Lifetime TV/Everett Collection
Paul Dooley appeared on ALF as Whizzer Deaver, Dorothy’s boyfriend and later husband. His character connected the show to Kate’s extended family and brought another veteran comic actor into ALF’s orbit. Dooley had a long career before and after ALF. His credits include Breaking Away, Sixteen Candles, Popeye, and voice work as Sarge in the Cars films. Even in his late 90s, he still voices the iconic Disney character.
Jerry Stahl (72)
Staff writer
Stahl is a provocative author, journalist, and screenwriter whose exploits on ALF became the best-selling comedic 1995 memoir Permanent Midnight, which later became a movie starring Ben Stiller. Stahl has written acclaimed novels like I, Fatty, worked as a consultant for CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and penned the screenplay for Bad Boys II.
In Memoriam
Max Wright played the father, Willie Tanner. Wright died on June 26, 2019, at age 75, after a battle with lymphoma.
Anne Schedeen played the mother, Kate Tanner. Schedeen’s death was announced on June 14, 2026; she was 77, and no cause of death was publicly provided.
Benji Gregory played Brian Tanner, the youngest Tanner child. Gregory died on June 13, 2024, at age 46, and his death was ruled accidental from environmental heat exposure in the setting of hepatic cirrhosis.
Mihaly “Michu” Meszaros, who wore the full ALF costume for some scenes, died in June 2016 at age 76 after health complications following a stroke.
John LaMotta played nosy neighbor Trevor Ochmonek. He died on January 29, 2014, at age 75.
Liz Sheridan played Trevor’s wife, Raquel Ochmonek, before later becoming even better known as Helen Seinfeld on Seinfeld. Sheridan died on April 15, 2022, at age 93, of natural causes.
Anne Meara played Dorothy Halligan, Kate’s mother. Meara was a celebrated American actress and comedian who, alongside her husband Jerry Stiller, formed the famed 1960s comedy duo Stiller and Meara. She was also the mother of actor and director Ben Stiller. Meara died on May 23, 2015, at age 85, of natural causes.
Bill Daily appeared as Dr. Lawrence “Larry” Dykstra, ALF’s psychiatrist. Daily died on September 4, 2018, at age 91, of natural causes.
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’80s Where Are They Now
March 2023
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