ALF (TV series)

This article is about the sitcom. For the two animated series based on the sitcom, see ALF: The Animated Series and ALF Tales.

ALF
Title card
Genre
Created by
Directed by
Starring
Theme music composer
ComposerAlf Clausen
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons4
No. of episodes99 (original run)
102 (syndication) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
ProducerPaul Fusco
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time24 minutes
Production companyAlien Productions
Original release
NetworkNBC[2]
ReleaseSeptember 22, 1986 (1986-09-22) –
March 24, 1990 (1990-03-24)
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

ALF is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC from September 22, 1986, to March 24, 1990.

The titular character, ALF, an acronym for "Alien Life Form", but whose real name is Gordon Shumway, crash-lands in the garage of the suburban middle-class Tanner family.[3] The series stars Max Wright as father Willie Tanner, Anne Schedeen as mother Kate Tanner, and Andrea Elson and Benji Gregory as their children, Lynn and Brian Tanner. ALF was performed by puppeteer Paul Fusco, who co-created the show with Tom Patchett.[4] However, in scenes where he appeared in full body, he was performed by Michu Meszaros, who was uncredited in the role.

Produced by Alien Productions, ALF ran for four seasons and 99 episodes, including four one-hour episodes ("Try to Remember", "ALF's Special Christmas", "Someone to Watch Over Me" and "Tonight, Tonight"). These episodes were divided into two parts for syndication, for a total of 102 episodes. The series ended in an unresolved cliffhanger, but a television film, Project: ALF, was later made and served as a series finale for the franchise.

In August 2018, Warner Bros. Television announced the development of an ALF reboot, which was later canceled in November of that year. In February 2022, it was announced that Shout! Studios had acquired distribution rights to the ALF titles, and would "develop new ALF-related content",[5] with the company Maximum Effort subsequently joining in July 2023 to develop new material as well.[6]

  1. ^ O'Connor, John J. (September 22, 1986). "TV reviews; "Together we stand" and "ALF"". The New York Times. Retrieved August 10, 2010.
  2. ^ Weinstein, Steven (December 23, 1987). "Alf: The Star Trek of NBC's Furry Resident Alien: How a Wisecracking Puppet Toddled Into the Hearts of Viewers". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  3. ^ Broeske, Pat H. (August 14, 1988). "Ain't Nothin' but an ALF". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  4. ^ Worrell, Denise; Henry, William A. III (March 21, 1988). "Show Business: Stranger in a Strange Land". Time. Archived from the original on November 26, 2010. Retrieved November 7, 2010.
  5. ^ Hayes, Dade (February 24, 2022). "'ALF' Distribution Rights Are Acquired By Shout! Factory, Which Plans New Wave Of "Pop Culture Content" Tied To 1980s Sitcom". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  6. ^ "Ryan Reynolds is Bringing Alf Back for His Maximum Effort Channel". MovieWeb. July 24, 2023.