<div><p>There were lots of <a href="https://www.shared.com/12-90s-tv-show-families-we-all-wanted-to-be-a-part-of-1999272289/">great TV families</a> in the 80s, and one of the best was the Tanners. This happy family from San Fernando welcomed one of TV's favorite aliens into their home, setting the stage for one of the funniest comedies of the decade.</p><p>ALF (short for Alien Life Form) was a visitor from the planet Melmac with a taste for stray cats and a nose for trouble.</p><p>Over 4 seasons his hilarious adventures brought Willie a lot of headaches and his audience a lot of laughs, but there are some secrets about the show only the biggest ALF fans will know!</p><p></p><p><strong>1. He's even bigger in Germany</strong></p><p>While ALF has fans around the world, none are as passionate about this adorable alien as the Germans. Special merchandise, including ALF's rock album "Now I Sing," were only released in Germany.</p><p>The German town of Alf also had to stock up on extra signs, because ALF fans wouldn't stop stealing them.</p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/A1.JPG" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/A1_GH_content_550px.JPG 550w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><p><strong>2. The show's writers were music buffs</strong></p><p>The title of almost every episode of the show referenced a song, and normally one that related to the episode somehow. A few examples include "Wild Thing," "Take A Look At Me Now" and "Hit Me With Your Best Shot."</p><p>That may seem a little silly, but it's impressive when you remember ALF ran for 102 episodes! That's a lot of songs to come up with.</p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/22234930-1964-11e5-ae4d-53c06b2c9bf1_alf.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/22234930-1964-11e5-ae4d-53c06b2c9bf1_alf_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p></p><p><strong>3. A reboot could be in the works</strong></p><p>Nothing definite has been announced yet, but for years there have been rumors of ALF making his return to TV. ALF's creator Paul Fusco even had <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/sony-pictures-animation-alf-jordan-kerner-paul-fusco-360011">a CGI movie</a> planned with the space alien, but it seems like that's off the table now.</p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/alf.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/alf_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><p><strong>4. The set was a nightmare</strong></p><p>Paul Fusco, who was the show's creator and also ALF's puppeteer, was obsessed with keeping the show as "real" as possible.</p><p>To achieve this, he built a set four feet above the ground, full of holes and trap doors so the ALF puppet could interact naturally with the cast. Of course, a set with holes in it was totally unsafe, and it would sometimes take 18 hours to shoot one 30 minute episode.</p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/alfep221m.png" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/alfep221m_GH_content_550px.png 550w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><p><strong>Click the next page to learn what ALF is doing these days!</strong></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>5. There are actually 3 ALFs</strong></p><p>To make things easier on the cast and crew there were 2 ALF puppets, one that featured a full body and another from the chest up.</p><p>Sometimes a 3-foot-tall dwarf actor named Mihaly Meszaros would also suit up in an ALF costume. There was even an ALF puppet specifically for rehearsals named RALF (Rehearsal Alien Life Form).</p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/Mihaly-Meszaros-Alf-est-mort-a-l-age-de-76-ans_portrait_w674.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/Mihaly-Meszaros-Alf-est-mort-a-l-age-de-76-ans_portrait_w674_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/Mihaly-Meszaros-Alf-est-mort-a-l-age-de-76-ans_portrait_w674_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img><figcaption class="op-vertical-center">Meszaros in and out of costume.</figcaption></figure></div><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p></p><p><strong>6. The show's finale was controversial</strong></p><p>Fusco landed himself in hot water when he ended ALF's 4th season with a cliffhanger. The finale episode ended with ALF being catured by the US Army, a plot line that was supposed to be resolved in the next season. </p><p>Unfortunately ALF was cancelled, and fans had to wait 6 years to find out what happened to ALF in the (less popular) spinoff series <em>Project: ALF</em>.</p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/alf-finale-e1437435190653.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/alf-finale-e1437435190653_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/alf-finale-e1437435190653_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><p><strong>7. ALF's career is still going strong</strong></p><p>This alien is no one-hit-wonder. Along with his own show, he had guest appearances on <em>Matlock</em>, <em>Blossom</em> and <em>Hollywood Squares</em>.</p><p>He also hosted his own talk show on the TV Land network. His career isn't stopping either - he even appeared on <em>Mr. Robot</em> last year.</p><div><div><div><amp-youtube height="9" width="16" layout="responsive" data-videoid="11J4H7gXekA"></amp-youtube></div></div></div><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p></p><p><strong>8. He had his own spinoff cartoon</strong></p><p>Set before his home planet of Melmac exploded, <em>ALF: The Animated Series</em> explored the alien's life before he met the Tanner family.</p><p>If you remember anything about this show, it's probably this intro:</p><div><div><div><amp-youtube height="9" width="16" layout="responsive" data-videoid="03_NqJFVEOc"></amp-youtube></div></div></div><p><strong>9. Baby Eric was a surprise addition to the show</strong></p><p>In season 3, Mrs. Tanner (Anne Schedeen) got pregnant, giving birth to<strong> </strong>baby Eric, who became a regular character for the rest of the show's run.</p><p>But the writers didn't just come up with this idea. Schedeen actually got pregnant, leading them to write in Mrs. Tanner's pregnancy.</p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/ALF.JPG" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/ALF_GH_content_550px.JPG 550w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><p><strong>Share this post if you love ALF!</strong></p></div>
Retro | Television | Celebrity