ALF Star Michu Meszaros Passes Away at Age 76
By: Caryn Robbins
TMZ reports that Michu Meszaros, best known as the actor who played ALF on the NBC sitcom, has passed away at age 76. The 2-foot-9-inch star was discovered unresponsive at his home over a week ago and had been in a coma.
Meszaros wore the costume for four seasons of ALF in the 1980's. The alien character was voiced by puppeteer/creator Paul Fusco. A native of Hungary, the actor began his career in 1973 as a member of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, where he was advertised as "the smallest man on earth."ALF aired on NBC from September 22, 1986 to March 24, 1990. It was the first television series to be presented in Dolby Surround. The title character is Gordon Shumway, a friendly extraterrestrial nicknamed ALF (an acronym for Alien Life Form), who crash lands in the garage of the suburban middle-class Tanner family. The series starred 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.
