ALF

Alf, center, with Garfield and Baby Kermit in Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue

Alf in the Muppet Show Comic Book.

CTW's acknowledgement in the pilot episode

ALF, an acronym for Alien Life Form, was the name of an NBC sitcom, which ran from 1986 until 1990, and of its title character. ALF was a wise-cracking, cat-eating puppet alien, stranded on Earth. In 1987, he received a spin-off, an animated series based on the character's life on his home planet of Melmac, under his given name of Gordon Shumway. A second series, Alf Tales, followed in 1989, adapting fairy tales and classic literature featuring the alien characters. The puppet version would later be revived, in the 1996 TV movie Project: ALF and the 2004 TV Land series Alf's Hit Talk Show.

In his biography Where Did I Go Right?, executive producer Bernie Brillstein reveals that David Lazer once told him that Jim Henson was not happy that Brillstein was executive producer and part owner of the show. Brillstein felt that the situation of him representing two very different puppets was reminicisent of an earlier situation between two shows Brillstein was heavily involved with, Saturday Night Live and Fridays. Henson did have a sense of humor about the situation however, as evidenced by his cracking a joke about booking Miss Piggy and Kermit on ALF, during a roast of Brillstein.

Appearances

ALF appeared with Baby Kermit, Baby Piggy, and Baby Gonzo in the 1990 animated television special Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue. Amongst other contributions, ALF threatened to eat Garfield and startled Baby Gonzo by demolishing the Berlin Wall.

References

• A spoof of Alf is seen in The Muppet Show Comic Book: Pigs in Space.

Muppet Mentions

• In the first episode of the live-action series, which aired on September 22, 1986, Alf and young Brian Tanner are watching Sesame Street; a variation of "One of These Things" can be heard. ALF is rather critical of the series.

Brian: Do you get Sesame Street where you live?

ALF: No, and frankly I don't get it here either.

TV Voice: If you said it was the cow riding on the subway, you're absolutely right!

ALF: Brilliant. This and the letter I in one day.

• The 22nd episode of the first season is titled "It Isn't Easy... Bein' Green."

Connections

Several crew members and performers associated with the Muppets and Henson worked on the series and its spin-offs.

• Bernie Brillstein was executive producer
• Lisa Buckley puppeteered on the series, credited as "personal assistant to ALF"
• Dan Castellaneta played Steve Michaels in the episode "Stayin' Alive" (1990)
• Paul Dooley played Whizzer in three episodes
• Paulina Gillis voiced Augie and Rhoda on the animated ALF and ALFTales.
• John Lovelady was technical supervisor
• Anne Meara played Dorothy Halligan in seven episodes
• Thad Mumford served as creative consultant
• Joe Namath played himself in "Jump" (1986)
• Stephen Ouimette provided additional voices on the animated ALF and ALFTales
• Tom Patchett was co-creator, producer, writer, and director
• Joshua Rudoy played Spencer Kadish in the episode "It Isn't Easy... Bein' Green" (1987)
• John Stocker provided additional voices on the animated ALF and ALFTales
• Thick Wilson voiced dad Bob Shumway and Larson Petty on the animated ALF and ALFTales.
• Michael Laskin played Unermeyer in Project ALF

External links

• Puppet Wiki: ALF
• ALF TV | The Official Unofficial ALF Fan Site!
• ALFanatic
• BringBackALF.com