Anne Schedeen dies: "ALF" actress who played mother Kate Tanner passes away at 77

In the German dubbed version, ALF's slogan "No problem!" became "Null Problemo!" and shaped entire generations of viewers. The show also became a huge TV hit in Germany. Schedeen embodied the down-to-earth family mother alongside Max Wright as Willie Tanner, who died in 2019, as well as Andrea Elson as daughter Lynn and Benji Gregory as son Brian. Gregory, who played son Brian Tanner, died in 2024 at the age of 46. Of the original cast, only Andrea Elson is still alive.

Emotional words from the family

The family addressed the public in an emotional statement: "Mit schwerem Herzen müssen wir mitteilen, dass Annie friedlich von uns gegangen ist." It continued: "Ohne sie fühlen wir uns verloren. Wir haben sie so sehr geliebt, ebenso wie alle, die sie kennengelernt haben." In the obituary, the family described the actress's life work as an "außergewöhnliches Vermächtnis an kreativer Energie, scharfsinnigem Humor, Freude an ihrer Familie, Liebe zu kleinen Hunden, glühendem Hass auf Trump, Leidenschaft für Secondhand-Läden und Liebe zu einer guten Geschichte."

The family added: "Die Erinnerungen, die Kunstwerke, das herzliche Lachen, der handgefertigte Schmuck, die Ölgemälde, die Skulpturen, die Kostüme und ihre ganze Lebensfreude leben weiter." In closing, they expressed the wish: "Erhebt eine Margarita zu ihren Ehren." Schedeen was 77 years old.

Career after ALF

Anne Schedeen was married to Christopher Barrett for 55 years, who survives her. The marriage produced a daughter named Taylor. The actress had grown up on a farm, had studied in Portland, and later moved to New York to pursue her acting career.

She gained her first experience as early as the 1970s in series such as "The Six Million Dollar Man." In the 1980s, guest appearances followed in "Magnum" and "Cheers," among others. She also took on a role in the film "Embryo," a thriller alongside Rock Hudson, and appeared in the medical series "Marcus Welby, M.D."

About the filming with the elaborately constructed ALF puppet, Schedeen once said it had been a "technischen Alptraum." After the end of "ALF" in 1990, she worked only sporadically as an actress. Instead, she devoted herself to working as an antiques dealer and stylist/set designer.

Fan reactions

Michu Meszaros, who played ALF, had already passed away in 2016. With the death of Anne Schedeen, the series loses another defining figure. For many fans, Kate Tanner remains the warm-hearted mother who took in the chaotic alien in the midst of everyday American suburban family life, thus providing the framework for one of the most unusual family series in television history.

The news of her death caused dismay in the United States and Germany among fans who grew up with "Null Problemo!" and the shaggy puppet from the 1980s. In memory of the actress, numerous media outlets and fans once again shared scenes and quotes from the series, in which Schedeen kept the alien on a short leash with dry humor and maternal serenity.