ALF (1986 – 1990): Show Cast vs. Alien Puppet
In the wake of movie E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial’s 1982 worldwide success, ALF fulfilled the “alien befriends normal family” market. It quickly became one of the most popular sitcoms of the late 1980s, and a merchandising machine. But for the cast, ALF was a nightmare. They quickly resented having to work around puppet logistics. The set was dangerous; there were trap doors for the puppeteer, creating a virtual land mine situation for the cast. The puppeteer was a perfectionist, keeping the cast and crew on set much longer than the average length of time for a sitcom of the era. Cast member Max Wright, who played father Willie Tanner, lashed out, “We’re all puppets here!” When the show ended, he gathered his things, high-tailed it to his car, and disappeared. In an interview with People magazine, Wright called his time on the show, “hard work and very grim.”