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
The Fraggles hanging out with ALF, Zummi and Tummi Gummi, The Smurfs, the New Archies, Foofur and the Chipmunks in an advertisement for NBC's Saturday morning lineup.
ALF, an acronym for Alien Life Form, is the name of an NBC sitcom, which ran from 1986 until 1990, and of its title character. ALF (performed by series creator Paul Fusco) is 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 animated series, ALF Tales, followed in 1989, adapting fairy tales and classic literature featuring the alien characters, and a comic book series was published by Marvel Comics from December 1987 to January 1992. 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 autobiography 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 reminiscent 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.[1]
According to ALF creator and performer Paul Fusco:
According to Supervising Producer Lisa Bannick, "Paul hated the Muppets. ALF was a little raggedy, and his worst fear was people thinking he was part of Fraggle Rock."[2]
Dish Network, in promoting the series for on-demand online viewing, referred to ALF as a show about "cat-eating alien muppets," despite the fact that ALF is not a Muppet.
Appearances[]
- The 1987 NBC Saturday morning preview special ALF Loves a Mystery had ALF writing a detective story, in which various sleuths and suspects from NBC prime-time series (including his ALF co-star Benji Gregory) search a mansion for clues to a treasure (in the form of clips from the fall Saturday lineup). In the basement, they find a sign for Fraggle Rock, one mile down, pointing to a Fraggle hole. They watch the opening for the animated Fraggle Rock and hear Gobo give them the next clue (leading to fortune teller Betty White). ALF also appeared with the Fraggles and others in print ads for the season.
- The animated 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[]
- At the American Comedy Awards in 1989, Kermit listed ALF as a fellow non-human worthy of being nominated.
- Chip sports an "ALF for President" button on his outfit in The Jim Henson Hour.
- A spoof of ALF is seen in The Muppet Show Comic Book: Pigs in Space.[3]
Muppet Mentions[]
Alf #11
Alf #20
- In a 2018 interview with the Under the Puppet podcast, creator and puppeteer Paul Fusco confessed that ALF's original voice was modeled off of Rowlf the Dog. (YouTube)
- 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.
- The 22nd episode of the first season is titled "It Isn't Easy... Bein' Green."
- In issue #11 of the comic, when Willie spells the word "cage" in front of ALF's mynah bird, ALF yells out, "Oh no! Don't spell! We've been watching Sesame Street together!"
- In issue #20 of the comic, Kate calls ALF Oscar the Grouch after finding him hiding in a garbage can.
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)
- Sandy Duncan played herself in the episode "We Are Family" (1988)
- Paul Dooley played Whizzer in three episodes
- Lloyd Garver co-wrote the 1986 episode "Help Me, Rhonda" (with Tom Patchett) and was a creative consultant on the series
- Paulina Gillis voiced Augie Shumway and Rhonda on the animated ALF and ALF Tales
- Michael Laskin played Unermeyer in Project ALF
- 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 ALF Tales
- 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 ALF Tales
- Thick Wilson voiced dad Bob Shumway and Larson Petty on the animated ALF and ALF Tales
Sources[]
- ↑ Brillstein, Bernie. Where Did I Go Right? You're No One in Hollywood Unless Someone Wants You Dead. Beverly Hills: Phoenix Books, 1999. pp. 252, 322.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Out of This World: An Oral History of ALF by Jake Rossen September 22, 2016
- ↑ E-mail communication with Joe Hennes