It was different and quite funny. Alf pulled out a glove from a coat and cried out, "It's somebody's hand!" Another time he set the kitchen on fire, "Never mind the curtains, put me out!" Laughed like crazy about those.
That’s hilarious and those are “silly” ones, I loved the well-thought ones like “We had a Robin Hood on Melmac, but instead he just robbed the hoods of people’s cars.”
I always had a crush on Andrea Elson who played Lynn. BTW, Alf recently made an appearance on season 2, episode 11 of Young Sheldon. Sheldon's little sister thinks Alf is a real person and writes him a letter. At the end of the episode, Alf is shown reading it, looking exactly as he did on the show and voiced by Fusco.
He was a moron, he signed on to a tv show knowing exactly what the show was... Then he proceeded to whinge about playing second fiddle to a puppet? Did the moron really think he was the star of the show. Sorry to spreak badly of the dead but boy was he an idiot!
Aaaahh! Classic 80's sitcoms! What a time to be alive! I grew up with Alf, and T.G.I.F. and all the great 80's cartoons! Remember when you had to wait until Saturday morning to watch them? And they cut off at noon so we were forced to go outside for the rest of the day? LoL! Great times!
total, I was born in 1986 and I to watch Alf and all the other great cartoons too, back then the kids know how to be kids and things back then where much nicer and easier back then, there where no internet or sicko walking around acting like they own the plaices and getting away with it. Things where total differenced back then, then they are now.
Dave you took me back. In the UK it used to be on at 6ish PM. And you had no choice but to wait until the next Saturday. Kids today don't know how good they got it.
Alf - "Can I use the microwave?" Kate Tanner(Mom) - "Why?" Alf - "Because the cat doesn't fit in the toaster." 😆😆😆 One of my all time favorite jokes from the show.
Besides Max Wright being deceased. John LaMotta (Trevor) passed away in 2014. Anne Meara (Dorothy) passed away in 2015. Still alive... Anne Schdeen (Kate), Andrea Elson (Lynn), Benji Gregory (Brian), Josh Blake (Jake), and Liz Sheridan (Raquel), to name a few. This year is the shows 35th anniversary, and I would be interested in seeing a cast reunion special. NBC would be smart to order a cast reunion special. Just sayin'.
@@erickirk6966 : for the fans, it might be nice, but I doubt that it would happen. Apparently there is a lot of dislike for Paul Fusco (ALF voice and puppeteer).
@floymin: yeah, this what I don’t understand. For the most part, actors know the idea behind the show. So, why take the job if you know it’s not to your likening?
One of my favorite scenes. Alf walks into the kitchen and says he's going to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich Moments later you hear him yelling... "Grease fire!" "Grease fire!" I always wondered how he managed to do that lol
I loved Alf as a kid, and I always felt bad that he never made it back to his people. My head canon is that after escaping from the military, he reunited with his friends and now he's zooming around the cosmos having wacky adventures.
ALF on Monday nights on NBC was "Must See TV" in our home. My brother and I loved ALF. Strangley enough, so did our mom. We ended up getting some nice ALF swag such as books, 2 of the hand puppets from Burger King which came with a 45 vinyl record " which I transferred to cassette". Plush figures( 1 which talked when you pushed his tummy) and a Story Time ALF plush that played tapes and had moving facial features like Teddy Rixpin. We laughed our asses off later on when we d play Metallica or Andrew Dice Clay tapes in him. Very fond memories of ALF, wish a proper final episode had been made. FYI, a Christmas special was made that was actually quite sweet. Check it out. I m sure it s on Tube. Thanks for another great clip Minty. Keep up the great work.😁
I remember ALF being even known in East Germany very well, even when the wall wasn't down yet. We watched east german TV programs just as we watched west german TV program (good antennas FTW). And lots of people knew ALF before the wall came down in 1989/1990. Heck as a kid i even had a few ALF audio cassettes with some "radio-drama" converted TV episodes in audio form (basically The audio of the TV shows with a bit of narration). Loved them so much and it was the best thing i had when i could not see ALF on TV and without having a VCR and having to wait for another re-run of ALF.
I am a massive ALF fan. The show came on while I was in the military. I was a helicopter mechanic (Huey) and Crewchief. I was stationed in Hawaii in 1988-1990 and the Crewchiefs in my section, five of us, each gave our aircraft a name. One was called "The Helicopter from Hell", another was called "Scorpion" while another named his aircraft PeeWee after Pee Wee Herman. I, of course, named my aircraft ALF. We had the names stenciled to the stinger covers on the back of the aircraft. Everyone knew when it was my aircraft flying because I had the ALF plush that talked when you pushed in the tummy D-Ringed to one of the cargo rings on the aircraft wall. Here I was flying around with ALF clearly visible in the aircraft. Onceon the ground, I would place ALF on the inside but protruding from the top of my flight helmet bag and just scooted along the flight line where everyone could see ALF. I still have that Alf plush. I also have the larger ALF plush with the talking facial features that move when you insert a cassette into it's back and yes, I still have several of those cassettes. The ALF trading cards were referenced and as soon as it came up, I said that I have those. Not so fast! Those are different! I do not have those. I do have a full set of another ALF trading card set which you did not reference. I missed one set, the video missed the other one. As far as the comics, I pretty much have every issue of the run to include issue 1,2,3 on up. Those are treasured books. My son was born in 2000, ten years after the series was cancelled. My wife never saw the show. But they were both introduced to ALF when I picked up the full series on DVD. They absolutely love the show. Shows like that are not made these days. Such a shame. I think a full theatrical ALF movie would be very welcome and make a huge amount of money for whoever produces it.
Yes Minty please give us more of this. 👍🏻 Not only movies. It was said that filming of Alf could be one hour for one minute in the episode on TV. So there were always tensions on set. You can see that almost all the time.
"I'm a member of a civilization millions of years ahead of your own, and now I live in the laundry basket next to the washing machine." Kills me every time
I can't believe you missed this one! The music for Alf was written by Alf Clausen. I can't think of another show where the weekly composer had the same name as the title character. Alf would later write the music for 28 seasons of The Simpsons. Alf Clausen that is....
People loved it because of the excellent sarcastic humor. Willie was the perfect straight man to ALF's wacky antics. He was a short orange haired Roseanne.
I had an ALF doll that I used to sleep with every night. That is, until my dog humped the stuffing out of it. Now I know why it was wet every time he was done. I didn't know then-----but I do now! 😩
I remember back when Alf was in it's first few weeks of showing on tv, when Halloween came around and a kid who had an extremely realistic ALF costume came trick or treating. As soon as my grandmother opened the door, I seen him and gave him a hug, then realized what I done, and ran off embarrassed. Granted, I was about 5 or 6 at the time, but looking back now, That was the only TV show character I had reacted to that way. I did later find out who the kid was, and he told me that when I did that, he was weirded out at first, but then said he was proud that his costume looked that good. He has even passed it down to his kids and they wear it once in a while just to bring back memories of us 80's kids.
I love Alf I wish it wouldn't have got canceled I love that show I still watch it as an adult I just wish you would have stayed on longer and had more seasons cuz it was a good TV show.
Nice one, Minty. Though the creator of Alf is trying to downplay what took place as far as tensions go. Max Wright himself went into detail regarding the very last episode that ended on a cliffhanger. Unlike most of the episodes, they somehow managed to film that one with one take per each required scene. No technical difficulties for some odd reason. They filmed it. As soon as it was over, Wright says he simply walked out. Got in his car, said literally nothing to no one, and drove away. The actress playing the daughter at that point had a full on drug addiction that did nothing to help the tensions on set. And other cast members had personal issues/demons they were struggling with. Although Wright says he regrets how he left, he was clear about his feelings for the creator of Alf. Calling him an absolute egotistical jerk who treated others like garbage. And apparently that is the reputation the guy enjoys today. Alf is often hired for TV commercials to this day. And not just in America. Apparently here's the basic rundown of how shooting typically goes: Creator of Alf shows up with the puppet, having told the producer what he'll require. He either talks to no one, or berates others hired to assist him. He pulls out the puppet at the last minute, they do takes (as many as are needed since the puppet still suffers from technical issues to the point it can take several hours to get that one short scene needed with Alf for the commercial), and then packs up the puppet and immediately leaves. Yeah, the guy has an absolutely miserable reputation in the business. Quite frankly, you hinted at that. He claims that the actors on the show were paid well for dealing with everything. Just because you pay someone to do a job, doesn't mean you get to treat them like crap while they're on the set. He never understood that.
I don't remember alf much, what I remember is the build up to alf that was spoofed on the simpsons. There has never been more hype and attention to a show that hadn't even aired yet before or since. And yeah, what we're finding out today is more than one person in that business was a scuzbag. Thats why i like the interviews with companies who treated staff right. And like most 80's family shows, I was in it for the mom and the daughter.
There's a bit more to it, though. It's easy to just say "Paul Fusco is a jerk." But a big part of why he's perceived that way is his extreme overprotectiveness of ALF. To this day he is still very much attempting to perpetuate the "reality" that ALF is not a puppet but an actual alien from the planet Melmac. He is so overprotective about hiding the "magic" behind how ALF is brought to life that it causes him to be unaware of how it is affecting others. This isn't to say Fusco is justified in his behavior mind you, I'm just trying to emphasize here why he is the way he is. Like an overprotective parent, he puts safeguarding his "child" above the needs of others. In a sense it's admirable how devoted he is to maintaining the illusion that ALF is a real alien being, but I think we can all agree that doesn't make it okay to mistreat others. Fusco may have earned his negative reputation, but it's doubtful he cares much as to him it's just all in the line of duty.
You are correct! I saw the movie and read the book its based on. The creator wrote an autobiography talking all about his extreme decades long heroine addiction. Lots of the "tensions on set" were related to the fact that the ALF owner was usually high AF on set.Its a good read, but I can't remember the name of the book or movie.
@@kaleahcollins4567 Do you mean that Cartoon All Stars PSA? OMG, that thing was so gloriously terrible. It's something that only we late 80's/early 90's D.A.R.E. graduates would truly appreciate. ;-)
I loved Alf. I'm glad you mentioned how popular it was in Germany. I was stationed in West Germany from 1988-1990 when the Alf popularity was high. A town by the same name and spelling had a problem with people stealing signs at the edge of town. The town of Alf decided to save traffic signs and began selling plastic souvenir signs. I still have the article with photo, from the newspaper Stars and Stripes somewhere with my photo albums.
So, I only clicked on this video for nostalgic reasons of my childhood and I ended up remembering my Talking Alf Doll. You could put batteries and a tape in his back and he'd talk, moving his eyebrows and mouth. When he started talking on his own he found his way under there basement stairs at my parents house, where he probably still is lol. Oh, and eating cat is just fine!
I remember this show! I remember that the Tanner family had to keep Alf a secret because they didn't want him to end up in the clutches of the Alien Task Force. The only thing that bothered me was the finale episode where it had a cliffhanger ending. They did a movie afterwards called Project Alf where they tie up the loose ends about Alf's fate.
Monday evenings - that's when Alf aired here. I remember being excited every Monday to watch it. I also remember being upset over the series "finale". Alf is captured by the military....THE END. I kept waiting for the continuation but it never came and I was borderline traumatized lol. I never knew they released Project Alf later in the 90's though, I have to look that up now. Thanks again for another awesome vid, Minty.
I'll never forget the heartbreak I felt upon watching the ALF finale back in 1990. ALF and Pee Wee's Playhouse were my two favorite shows, and I was so confused and shocked that the show ended with ALF surrounded by the F.B.I. that I burst into tears and ran to my Grandmother -- asking if ALF was going to die. She gave me a big hug, and managed to calm me down enough to play Ghostbusters II on the NES -- which my Dad had purchased for me earlier that same day. And I always felt tremendous pity for Max Wright. ALF drove him mad, and then in 2004 (maybe 2005), I remembered seeing him on the cover of National Enquirer -- smoking crack with a homeless guy that he apparently gave oral sex to. There were photos of him smoking it from a coke can, and it was clearly him. I had no idea he had fallen so far, and that "scoop" couldn't have helped his mental state. R.I.P. Max.
Wastingsometimehere it really was. But maybe it’s best this way. Maybe it’s better to not know what really happened to Alf and his family. It didn’t look good.
Love me my ALF, he NEVER gets old and could literally fit in anywhere! Way to go, Paul Fusco, you and Kevin Yagher and Jim Henson should all be honorary Disney Imagineers for your puppet and character work! Remember his chemistry with Drew Carey when he had his talk show? I can so EASILY imagine ALF hosting Whose Line and literally saying and doing everything Drew ever did:) Sometimes I seriously wish he had crashed into the garage roof of the OTHER Tanner family...
Back than? I've seen two tour posters for him pre Corona 2020😂😂. Well in Austria but if he still plays concerts here he's definitely also doing it in Germany 😂. I mean OK my brother and I sang along to I've been looking for freedom not understanding a single word and thanks to my sister Limbo dance and gypsy girl will forever be stuck in my head. He had catchy songs 😇
Im German and Alf was indeed a Popstar in Germany. His Voice actor did an incredible Job in the Show. There are only 3 Voice overs I prefer in German... 1. Alf 2. Fox Mulder of the old x files 3. Gibbs of Navi CIS Every German will agree
it was the most successful comic from Marvels Star kids comic imprint it lasted 50 issues not counting specials annuals one annual actually crossed over with marvel proper with the evolutionary wars
I had some of the comics! They were interesting and very cheesy yet I remember really liking them. And made sure no one saw me reading them. The Akmanics (?) Neighbors were more prominent in the comics actually and pulled some various other Melmacians characters every now and then. I think Rhonda showed up a time or two. The covers were out there but the comic wasn't that bad. But remember it's Marvel. They excelled at making outlandish covers to get you to pick one up. Don’t forget Transformers issue #4 or was it 5? The Transformers... (in graffiti) are all dead! Still my favorite Marvel cover of all time.
Philip Moore it must've slipped under the radar for me, because this is the first time I've ever heard of an Alf comic book series, Same thing with the collector cards
3:16 Michu Meszaros also played the amazingly creepy baby of Satan(among other child demons)in the Passion of Christ in a truly haunting cameo during the tense Flagellation scene ... Minty you should do 10 TYDKA the Passion of the Christ it would be interesting perhaps Easter next year?
Good old ALF. I didn’t even know the series ran till 1990! I always thought it was well and truly over by the time the 90s rolled around. Thanks Minty for another great “10 Things”!
I used to have an ALF t-shirt back in the 80s, too. It was purple, & had a picture of ALF on the front. That's all I remember. Unfortunately, I lost that shirt a good 30 years ago, & have been unable to find it on both Amazon & EBay.
I had heard that the Alf puppet was just a random prop in some studios warehouse. And it later got brought out and a show was built around it. Probably just a rumor. My dad was a huge fan of the show and recorded the shows on VHS. I soon became a big fan to. I have a metal dinner tray with little folding legs. And Alf is dressed like he's at a nightclub. And it says "Lets do lunch. How about yours." & a 10 inch plush Alf wearing sunglasses. And a 4 inch clip on spring arm Alf. And even a little rubber 3 inch Alf. & a refrigerator magnet that says " No problem". Thanks for the memorys & the details minty. Nice fun show.
I remember the ALF trading cards. They used to sell them at Big Lots. My favorite episodes were Tonight, Tonight, Tonight in which ALF hosts The Tonight Show, Alf's Christmas show, the episode where the Tanners bring Eric home, the episode where ALF thinks a dingo ate Eric, and the episodes where he dates a blind girl named Jodi.
“Commercial alert! Put the VCR on pause! HAAAAA!” One of my favorite moments actually postdates the series run, when Alf crosses into another NBC series, Blossom, when the title character takes an Alf doll to bed with her and dreams that he condemns her to hell for dating the wrong guy.
Yep I had, and still have my childhood talking ALF doll minus the voice box my mother got so mad at she ripped it out, and stomped it as punishment, along with one of the Burger King Mini puppets I still own.
@@CommodoreFan64 haha I still remember clearly when my mom stomped the the tape right out of teddy rupskins chest. I'll never forgot the cassette tape oozing out and him talking all slow as he died. PTSD lol
Alf had such a great German synchronisation. Very witty and high quality I do prefer it even over the original. I read somewhere that an Alf episode or any episode of that era had far more budget for its german synchronization process. I believe it had a triple budget compared to other stuff from the 90s like "friends". And it went even further down from there No wonder why more recent stuff like german futurama, big bang theory was abysmal in comparison with its original.
@@insertcolorfulmetaphor8520 it was an actual stuffed animal version of Alf. Apparently they were very popular. My poor Dad had to go all over Orlando to find me one at the time.
Great video Minty! Alf was my favorite ❤ sitcom as a kid. I had all kinds of Alf merchandise, from pajamas and t-shirts to toys. I still have both of my Alf plush toys, one of which I keep in the backseat of my car. 😎👍
There was also a USAF unit that used ALF on their unit patch. The show creators sued the airforce and forced the unit to change the patch. I can't remember which unit it was though. My uncle served in a position where he met people from all over the airforce and would get patches from service people when he thought they were cool and gave them to me. Unfortunately I lost the collection when I moved.
Deplorable #1 I would mind living in this time too.. I was from 81 and yeah it was good but also really overrated both 80 ‘and 90’ and I hate nostalgia.. the past is the past and living in present is what there matters now..
There was so much more merch in Germany. There was an audio book series, calles Gute Nacht-Geschichten (Bed Times Stories) settled on Melmac. Narrated by Tommi Piper (the german voice of ALF). I really enjoyed these stories as a kid. And I will never forget the shock I got after watching the very last episode of the TV show.
Man I loved Alf so much when I was a kid, and still do! My godfather Dave Manak was the artist who drew the Alf comics for Marvel. I have some original art tests that he gave me years after the comic was done. He also drew Spy vs Spy for Mad magazine, sonic the hedgehog and Sabrina the teenage witch.
As an impersonator and impressionist ALF is said by many to be by far my best voice to replicate!!!!! I would love to have the honor of meeting Paul Fusco and offering to voice ALF in future films and appearances! One can only dream!
I was a massive ALF fan as a kid, and had everything from the bed sheets, electric toothbrush, books with tapes, Dolls(still have 2 of them), stickers, the cards, cups. You name it, so yeah I honestly knew every single one of these.
I love ALF! Everything ALF I totally dig. I even named my cat Gordon! I'm so glad you got to review this franchise and hope to see more! ALF is a Bad Ass...I remember that episode where ALF ordered pizzas to be delivered to the hostage house and claimed there were Satan Worshipers. lol ALF knows how to sweep the leg and ALF is totally Cobra Kai material. A+++
Being from Germany, i totally forgot about the two ALF Albums, lol. But man, i loved that show! (...and i hate Knight Rider btw. I just wanted to mention that for some reason. 😃 )
I absolutely forgot those. I'm Austrian and 38. I loooved watching ALF. I think it was on RTL? I must have been aware of the music. Like I've been looking for freedom since you had to bring up knight rider 😂. I guess I successfully blocked the memory. Now how do I do the the same with the smurf albums and the David Hasselhoff album that my sister used to constantly listen to 😂
I love ALF. My whole family did, Minty. It was a great series. He had Christmas special too. It was very appealing. Thanks for the memories, Minty. Take care.
It was different and quite funny. Alf pulled out a glove from a coat and cried out, "It's somebody's hand!" Another time he set the kitchen on fire, "Never mind the curtains, put me out!" Laughed like crazy about those.
That’s hilarious and those are “silly” ones, I loved the well-thought ones like “We had a Robin Hood on Melmac, but instead he just robbed the hoods of people’s cars.”
I always had a crush on Andrea Elson who played Lynn.
BTW, Alf recently made an appearance on season 2, episode 11 of Young Sheldon. Sheldon's little sister thinks Alf is a real person and writes him a letter. At the end of the episode, Alf is shown reading it, looking exactly as he did on the show and voiced by Fusco.
Alf doll was in the "Lprd of the Ring's ring " episode of TBBT.
And Ann Shedeen❤🤓😎✌🏻
rest in peace to the actor who played the full size Alf, it was the best sitcom show
And Let's Not Forget Willie Tanner AKA Max Wright
Max Wright just died from lymphoma at the age of 75 at his home. June 26, 2019 R.I.P , Sir you helped make 80s comedy time well wasted!!!!!
He was a moron, he signed on to a tv show knowing exactly what the show was... Then he proceeded to whinge about playing second fiddle to a puppet? Did the moron really think he was the star of the show. Sorry to spreak badly of the dead but boy was he an idiot!
Me 4 picking up homeless men to smoke crack and have unprotected sex didn’t quite endear him either. Guh!!!
Aaaahh! Classic 80's sitcoms! What a time to be alive! I grew up with Alf, and T.G.I.F. and all the great 80's cartoons! Remember when you had to wait until Saturday morning to watch them? And they cut off at noon so we were forced to go outside for the rest of the day? LoL! Great times!
Ah ABCs Thank God It's Friday. The good old days...
Dave Cannon The BEST
total, I was born in 1986 and I to watch Alf and all the other great cartoons too, back then the kids know how to be kids and things back then where much nicer and easier back then, there where no internet or sicko walking around acting like they own the plaices and getting away with it. Things where total differenced back then, then they are now.
CBS always ran their cartoons like to 12 which was late. Everyone else ended like at 11. Tbs would run king fu theater after. Good times good times
Dave you took me back.
In the UK it used to be on at 6ish PM. And you had no choice but to wait until the next Saturday.
Kids today don't know how good they got it.
Alf - "Can I use the microwave?"
Kate Tanner(Mom) - "Why?"
Alf - "Because the cat doesn't fit in the toaster."
😆😆😆
One of my all time favorite jokes from the show.
HAHAHAA
Panda Power trivia time:
Does anyone remember the name of the cat??
@@karlsmith2570 that's a good one, I have no idea.
Panda Power The cat's name was "Lucky"
Apparently it was this line that made the kid in real life put a cat in a microwave. I can hear him telling his parents, “Alf made me do it.” 😂🤣😂🤣😂
RIP Max Wright aka Willie Tanner 1943 - 2019.
Aww 😢
Besides Max Wright being deceased. John LaMotta (Trevor) passed away in 2014. Anne Meara (Dorothy) passed away in 2015.
Still alive... Anne Schdeen (Kate), Andrea Elson (Lynn), Benji Gregory (Brian), Josh Blake (Jake), and Liz Sheridan (Raquel), to name a few. This year is the shows 35th anniversary, and I would be interested in seeing a cast reunion special. NBC would be smart to order a cast reunion special. Just sayin'.
May those who also died rest in peace.
@@erickirk6966 : for the fans, it might be nice, but I doubt that it would happen. Apparently there is a lot of dislike for Paul Fusco (ALF voice and puppeteer).
@@erickirk6966 I had no idea they passed away
9:40
Why would Willy Tanner get any comedy lines? His role was the "straight man" or "foil" to ALF's comic.
@floymin: yeah, this what I don’t understand. For the most part, actors know the idea behind the show. So, why take the job if you know it’s not to your likening?
As a kid this was one of the shows my whole family would watch together. The show was simply fun to watch
Just like Dinosaurs.
Remember Alf? He's back. In pog form
I remember pogs
I remember the Simpsons
I remember Steve Allen
I remember nothing anymore ☹️
ThrillHo
One of my favorite scenes. Alf walks into the kitchen and says he's going to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich
Moments later you hear him yelling... "Grease fire!" "Grease fire!"
I always wondered how he managed to do that lol
It's like a grilled cheese sandwich but you grill a peanut butter and jelly
Me and my wife met in 87 and watched ALF. Fun show for us at the time. Love you wifey. See you again one day my love.
Sorry for your loss. God bless
I loved Alf as a kid, and I always felt bad that he never made it back to his people. My head canon is that after escaping from the military, he reunited with his friends and now he's zooming around the cosmos having wacky adventures.
I think he said his planet exploded in an earlier episode
There is an alf movie called project alf. It gives alf a happy ending
Didn't they make an animated cartoon about that in the 90s?
My head canon: Alf reunited with his friends & now he is having fun & wacky adventures with Lulu (Me) & her family
ALF on Monday nights on NBC was "Must See TV" in our home. My brother and I loved ALF.
Strangley enough, so did our mom. We ended up getting some nice ALF swag such as books, 2 of the hand puppets from Burger King which came with a 45 vinyl record " which I transferred to cassette". Plush figures( 1 which talked when you pushed his tummy) and a Story Time ALF plush that played tapes and had moving facial features like Teddy Rixpin. We laughed our asses off later on when we d play Metallica or Andrew Dice Clay tapes in him.
Very fond memories of ALF, wish a proper final episode had been made. FYI, a Christmas special was made that was actually quite sweet.
Check it out. I m sure it s on Tube.
Thanks for another great clip Minty.
Keep up the great work.😁
In the movie Lord Of The Flies, one of the kids ask what day and time it is, another kid said "Monday 8pm" and then the next kid said "Oh, ALF is on"
I remember ALF being even known in East Germany very well, even when the wall wasn't down yet. We watched east german TV programs just as we watched west german TV program (good antennas FTW). And lots of people knew ALF before the wall came down in 1989/1990. Heck as a kid i even had a few ALF audio cassettes with some "radio-drama" converted TV episodes in audio form (basically The audio of the TV shows with a bit of narration). Loved them so much and it was the best thing i had when i could not see ALF on TV and without having a VCR and having to wait for another re-run of ALF.
I am a massive ALF fan. The show came on while I was in the military. I was a helicopter mechanic (Huey) and Crewchief. I was stationed in Hawaii in 1988-1990 and the Crewchiefs in my section, five of us, each gave our aircraft a name. One was called "The Helicopter from Hell", another was called "Scorpion" while another named his aircraft PeeWee after Pee Wee Herman. I, of course, named my aircraft ALF. We had the names stenciled to the stinger covers on the back of the aircraft. Everyone knew when it was my aircraft flying because I had the ALF plush that talked when you pushed in the tummy D-Ringed to one of the cargo rings on the aircraft wall. Here I was flying around with ALF clearly visible in the aircraft. Onceon the ground, I would place ALF on the inside but protruding from the top of my flight helmet bag and just scooted along the flight line where everyone could see ALF. I still have that Alf plush. I also have the larger ALF plush with the talking facial features that move when you insert a cassette into it's back and yes, I still have several of those cassettes. The ALF trading cards were referenced and as soon as it came up, I said that I have those. Not so fast! Those are different! I do not have those. I do have a full set of another ALF trading card set which you did not reference. I missed one set, the video missed the other one. As far as the comics, I pretty much have every issue of the run to include issue 1,2,3 on up. Those are treasured books. My son was born in 2000, ten years after the series was cancelled. My wife never saw the show. But they were both introduced to ALF when I picked up the full series on DVD. They absolutely love the show. Shows like that are not made these days. Such a shame. I think a full theatrical ALF movie would be very welcome and make a huge amount of money for whoever produces it.
Yes Minty please give us more of this. 👍🏻 Not only movies.
It was said that filming of Alf could be one hour for one minute in the episode on TV. So there were always tensions on set. You can see that almost all the time.
"I'm a member of a civilization millions of years ahead of your own, and now I live in the laundry basket next to the washing machine."
Kills me every time
I can't believe you missed this one!
The music for Alf was written by Alf Clausen. I can't think of another show where the weekly composer had the same name as the title character. Alf would later write the music for 28 seasons of The Simpsons. Alf Clausen that is....
"You are getting sleepy. You... are no longer a cat. You are a bagel."
😂😂😂
Is anyone else besides me curious to see if that footage of max Wright (wille) attacking the alf puppet is floating around out there somewhere?😂😂😂😂
Yes! If you find it, please let us know!!
People loved it because of the excellent sarcastic humor. Willie was the perfect straight man to ALF's wacky antics. He was a short orange haired Roseanne.
I had an ALF doll that I used to sleep with every night. That is, until my dog humped the stuffing out of it. Now I know why it was wet every time he was done. I didn't know then-----but I do now! 😩
lol
Life is full of Learning Experiences. One I could do without, perhaps, but a Learning Experience all the same.
My dog, Behre, had a romantic relationship with our Alf too. It was constant. Lol
I had one too!
🤣 oh geez
who else wants to see the footage of Willie attacking ALF???
That image in my mind made me laugh.
Jon MacDonald 👋🏻
"BUT HERE COMES BIG WILLIE!" HAHAHAHAHAA!
The puppet managed to beat the crap out of Willie. Bear in mind Willie is a nerd.
Wright allegedly screamed "Put us all on sticks! We're all puppets!", when he attacked the puppet. Source: imdb.com
I remember back when Alf was in it's first few weeks of showing on tv, when Halloween came around and a kid who had an extremely realistic ALF costume came trick or treating. As soon as my grandmother opened the door, I seen him and gave him a hug, then realized what I done, and ran off embarrassed. Granted, I was about 5 or 6 at the time, but looking back now, That was the only TV show character I had reacted to that way. I did later find out who the kid was, and he told me that when I did that, he was weirded out at first, but then said he was proud that his costume looked that good. He has even passed it down to his kids and they wear it once in a while just to bring back memories of us 80's kids.
That's a rather sweet story. :)
I love Alf I wish it wouldn't have got canceled I love that show I still watch it as an adult I just wish you would have stayed on longer and had more seasons cuz it was a good TV show.
Nice one, Minty.
Though the creator of Alf is trying to downplay what took place as far as tensions go. Max Wright himself went into detail regarding the very last episode that ended on a cliffhanger. Unlike most of the episodes, they somehow managed to film that one with one take per each required scene. No technical difficulties for some odd reason. They filmed it. As soon as it was over, Wright says he simply walked out. Got in his car, said literally nothing to no one, and drove away. The actress playing the daughter at that point had a full on drug addiction that did nothing to help the tensions on set. And other cast members had personal issues/demons they were struggling with. Although Wright says he regrets how he left, he was clear about his feelings for the creator of Alf.
Calling him an absolute egotistical jerk who treated others like garbage. And apparently that is the reputation the guy enjoys today. Alf is often hired for TV commercials to this day. And not just in America. Apparently here's the basic rundown of how shooting typically goes:
Creator of Alf shows up with the puppet, having told the producer what he'll require. He either talks to no one, or berates others hired to assist him. He pulls out the puppet at the last minute, they do takes (as many as are needed since the puppet still suffers from technical issues to the point it can take several hours to get that one short scene needed with Alf for the commercial), and then packs up the puppet and immediately leaves. Yeah, the guy has an absolutely miserable reputation in the business. Quite frankly, you hinted at that. He claims that the actors on the show were paid well for dealing with everything. Just because you pay someone to do a job, doesn't mean you get to treat them like crap while they're on the set. He never understood that.
I don't remember alf much, what I remember is the build up to alf that was spoofed on the simpsons. There has never been more hype and attention to a show that hadn't even aired yet before or since. And yeah, what we're finding out today is more than one person in that business was a scuzbag. Thats why i like the interviews with companies who treated staff right. And like most 80's family shows, I was in it for the mom and the daughter.
@@mikearchibald744 the mom was real hot
There's a bit more to it, though. It's easy to just say "Paul Fusco is a jerk." But a big part of why he's perceived that way is his extreme overprotectiveness of ALF. To this day he is still very much attempting to perpetuate the "reality" that ALF is not a puppet but an actual alien from the planet Melmac. He is so overprotective about hiding the "magic" behind how ALF is brought to life that it causes him to be unaware of how it is affecting others. This isn't to say Fusco is justified in his behavior mind you, I'm just trying to emphasize here why he is the way he is. Like an overprotective parent, he puts safeguarding his "child" above the needs of others. In a sense it's admirable how devoted he is to maintaining the illusion that ALF is a real alien being, but I think we can all agree that doesn't make it okay to mistreat others. Fusco may have earned his negative reputation, but it's doubtful he cares much as to him it's just all in the line of duty.
Wasn't there a movie about him staring Ben Stiller showing that he was on Heroin the whole time the TV show was made
You are correct! I saw the movie and read the book its based on. The creator wrote an autobiography talking all about his extreme decades long heroine addiction. Lots of the "tensions on set" were related to the fact that the ALF owner was usually high AF on set.Its a good read, but I can't remember the name of the book or movie.
R.I.P. Willie....”Alf....forget about the donuts!!!”
Ten things...about Alf?! Yes!
Now break out the kitty roast, and let's eat...
*HAH HAH*
I kill me!
How about a BLT....... Bacon, Lucky and tomato.
@@mysteriousstranger9920
I have always thought that name was done ironically, by the writers of the show...
:-)
I remember the the comic the cartoon series as well as that PSA.
@@kaleahcollins4567
Do you mean that Cartoon All Stars PSA? OMG, that thing was so gloriously terrible. It's something that only we late 80's/early 90's D.A.R.E. graduates would truly appreciate. ;-)
Monitors of D & D............
That is *I keeeeeeell me* said another famous *illegal "DEAD" alien.*
Here in the UK ALF was what I loved along with Knight Rider, The A Team and Robin of Sherwood!
I also watch CHiPs and BJ and the Bear
BANANA MAAAANNN!!!
One of the reasons, why my childhood was great!! 80s was the BEST, Pure and Simple!!!
I loved Alf. I'm glad you mentioned how popular it was in Germany. I was stationed in West Germany from 1988-1990 when the Alf popularity was high. A town by the same name and spelling had a problem with people stealing signs at the edge of town. The town of Alf decided to save traffic signs and began selling plastic souvenir signs. I still have the article with photo, from the newspaper Stars and Stripes somewhere with my photo albums.
He was always getting into trouble, smarting off, making us laugh yet also had us banging our heads against the wall. I enjoyed his show.
He should have been in gardians of the galaxy
Good point! A massive oversight there.
There were Alf stickers on Guardians Of The Galaxy, so... In some way he's there
You never know. He could appear in Vol. 3.
Better than Howard the duck......
@@danielwilliamson6180 He's not a Marvel character, so he won't.
I love Alf, along with Perfect Strangers which came out the same year..
So, I only clicked on this video for nostalgic reasons of my childhood and I ended up remembering my Talking Alf Doll. You could put batteries and a tape in his back and he'd talk, moving his eyebrows and mouth. When he started talking on his own he found his way under there basement stairs at my parents house, where he probably still is lol.
Oh, and eating cat is just fine!
I adored ALF. i have a couple of puppet alfs from burger king
Yeah, me too. I thought they were the coolest shit
What about the record that came with them...
Me too! I had the one that came with the record “Melmac Girls”, he had a Hawaiian shirt on.
I got the cook and Hawaiian shirt...but I don't have the record..I got them when I was a kid..
I remember this show! I remember that the Tanner family had to keep Alf a secret because they didn't want him to end up in the clutches of the Alien Task Force. The only thing that bothered me was the finale episode where it had a cliffhanger ending. They did a movie afterwards called Project Alf where they tie up the loose ends about Alf's fate.
Monday evenings - that's when Alf aired here. I remember being excited every Monday to watch it. I also remember being upset over the series "finale". Alf is captured by the military....THE END. I kept waiting for the continuation but it never came and I was borderline traumatized lol. I never knew they released Project Alf later in the 90's though, I have to look that up now. Thanks again for another awesome vid, Minty.
I'll never forget the heartbreak I felt upon watching the ALF finale back in 1990. ALF and Pee Wee's Playhouse were my two favorite shows, and I was so confused and shocked that the show ended with ALF surrounded by the F.B.I. that I burst into tears and ran to my Grandmother -- asking if ALF was going to die. She gave me a big hug, and managed to calm me down enough to play Ghostbusters II on the NES -- which my Dad had purchased for me earlier that same day.
And I always felt tremendous pity for Max Wright. ALF drove him mad, and then in 2004 (maybe 2005), I remembered seeing him on the cover of National Enquirer -- smoking crack with a homeless guy that he apparently gave oral sex to. There were photos of him smoking it from a coke can, and it was clearly him. I had no idea he had fallen so far, and that "scoop" couldn't have helped his mental state. R.I.P. Max.
And wasn't there some disturbing stuff that came put about pee wee Herman as well
@@lindadenneypu6315 He was caught masturbating in an adult theater. I mean, c'mon that's what most people do in those theaters I would imagine.
@@lindadenneypu6315 Yeah masturbating in a porn theatre.
I can honestly say I watched the show from being to end when it was live. It was something at least my parents and I could watch.
Wastingsometimehere don’t you love the left to rot cliffhanger?
@@Mikey-ym6ok That was awful. The show was nearly over and they did that.
Wastingsometimehere it really was. But maybe it’s best this way. Maybe it’s better to not know what really happened to Alf and his family. It didn’t look good.
Loved Alf. Brings back so many memories. Love your channel and the research you do is awesome! 💚
The though of Willie jumping on the Alf Puppet makes me laugh lol
Love me my ALF, he NEVER gets old and could literally fit in anywhere! Way to go, Paul Fusco, you and Kevin Yagher and Jim Henson should all be honorary Disney Imagineers for your puppet and character work! Remember his chemistry with Drew Carey when he had his talk show? I can so EASILY imagine ALF hosting Whose Line and literally saying and doing everything Drew ever did:) Sometimes I seriously wish he had crashed into the garage roof of the OTHER Tanner family...
Ah, I see what you did there! 👍
@@princessmarlena1359 You ROCK:):) High fives all around;)
I loved Alf. I remember having a stuffed toy of him.
Wish I still had my Pizza Hut ALF puppet toy they were a hoot, what a show.
I had to come back to watch this again 😊 I just bought the DVDs and a Story Telling doll for myself 🤗 love you loads Minty 😊
The 80s were great I use to love this show. They literally tried some crazy ideas and they worked.
I loved Alf! That's who taught me to be a little smart ass!
What happened when you got bigger? HA! I kill me!
@@TheRealNormanBates I've gotten fatter.
The Germans sure love delightful music. Even the Hoff was a huge star back then. Goes to show you that they are a fun and loving people.
Back than? I've seen two tour posters for him pre Corona 2020😂😂. Well in Austria but if he still plays concerts here he's definitely also doing it in Germany 😂. I mean OK my brother and I sang along to I've been looking for freedom not understanding a single word and thanks to my sister Limbo dance and gypsy girl will forever be stuck in my head. He had catchy songs 😇
I am so glad you did a video on ALF... one of my favorite shows growing up !!!
Im German and Alf was indeed a Popstar in Germany. His Voice actor did an incredible Job in the Show. There are only 3 Voice overs I prefer in German...
1. Alf
2. Fox Mulder of the old x files
3. Gibbs of Navi CIS
Every German will agree
if i could see what im doin something about just eat, I shouldn't have to. Now leave that one on.
I actually remember the animated series of Alf
But, I never knew that Alf had his own comic book series
it was the most successful comic from Marvels Star kids comic imprint it lasted 50 issues not counting specials annuals one annual actually crossed over with marvel proper with the evolutionary wars
I had a couple of issues when I was a kid. I'm surprised Minty didn't mention the other ALF animated series: ALF Tales.
I'm surprised there were ALF toys and action figures, given that almost everything else had those in the '80s.
I had some of the comics! They were interesting and very cheesy yet I remember really liking them. And made sure no one saw me reading them. The Akmanics (?) Neighbors were more prominent in the comics actually and pulled some various other Melmacians characters every now and then. I think Rhonda showed up a time or two. The covers were out there but the comic wasn't that bad. But remember it's Marvel. They excelled at making outlandish covers to get you to pick one up. Don’t forget Transformers issue #4 or was it 5? The Transformers... (in graffiti) are all dead! Still my favorite Marvel cover of all time.
Philip Moore it must've slipped under the radar for me, because this is the first time I've ever heard of an Alf comic book series, Same thing with the collector cards
Weird... I just started rewatching this on Amazon Prime the other night. Perfect timing.
Ooh! I didn't know it's on Prime. Gonna start watching it myself
@Steven L I wonder if it's cut on the UK Prime.
I had a stuffed ALF just like that as a kid, I loved the show. I even had books and toys from the animated show
Thanks! Grew up with the show. Loved the chemistry between Alf, the father, and the son!
3:16 Michu Meszaros also played the amazingly creepy baby of Satan(among other child demons)in the Passion of Christ in a truly haunting cameo during the tense Flagellation scene ...
Minty you should do
10 TYDKA the Passion of the Christ
it would be interesting perhaps Easter next year?
#10 - The Easter Bunny is Jesus's fursona.
Alf didn’t see that coming😀Ahhhh The childhood memories😄awesome TV show👍
Good old ALF. I didn’t even know the series ran till 1990! I always thought it was well and truly over by the time the 90s rolled around. Thanks Minty for another great “10 Things”!
ALF: "Willie! I made Soup & Salad!"
Willie: "In the same bowl, ALF??"
This makes me miss my old Alf hand puppet from Burger King!
Right! I should've kept it. 😢
I had a blanket with Alf on it.
I still have an ALF t shirt from the 80s lol
I have a few sets of the baseball cards.
👍🏻
I have a few sets of unopened gpk I'll trade if they are still in my secret stash in my old clubhouse.
Fine take my money
I used to have an ALF t-shirt back in the 80s, too. It was purple, & had a picture of ALF on the front. That's all I remember. Unfortunately, I lost that shirt a good 30 years ago, & have been unable to find it on both Amazon & EBay.
I had heard that the Alf puppet was just a random prop in some studios warehouse. And it later got brought out and a show was built around it. Probably just a rumor. My dad was a huge fan of the show and recorded the shows on VHS. I soon became a big fan to. I have a metal dinner tray with little folding legs. And Alf is dressed like he's at a nightclub. And it says "Lets do lunch. How about yours." & a 10 inch plush Alf wearing sunglasses. And a 4 inch clip on spring arm Alf. And even a little rubber 3 inch Alf. & a refrigerator magnet that says " No problem". Thanks for the memorys & the details minty. Nice fun show.
I remember the ALF trading cards. They used to sell them at Big Lots.
My favorite episodes were Tonight, Tonight, Tonight in which ALF hosts The Tonight Show, Alf's Christmas show, the episode where the Tanners bring Eric home, the episode where ALF thinks a dingo ate Eric, and the episodes where he dates a blind girl named Jodi.
Thank you Minty. I loved ALF brought back so many wonderful memorys x
Was a huge fan of the show.
Me to
I had a subscription to the ALF magazine.
Very fond memories of this hilarious show. Thanks Minty. ❤
“Commercial alert! Put the VCR on pause! HAAAAA!”
One of my favorite moments actually postdates the series run, when Alf crosses into another NBC series, Blossom, when the title character takes an Alf doll to bed with her and dreams that he condemns her to hell for dating the wrong guy.
I'd like to see that. And hear Miyam Bialics comments on it.
@@bradbrown8759 Go to her you tube channel and ask her :)
Growing up my best friend was Alf. I had to Alf doll as a 3 year old. 😁
So did i and my best freind.. But He had the one that you could push to talk..
Yep I had, and still have my childhood talking ALF doll minus the voice box my mother got so mad at she ripped it out, and stomped it as punishment, along with one of the Burger King Mini puppets I still own.
Did you sleep with it? Did it comfort you?
@@CommodoreFan64 haha I still remember clearly when my mom stomped the the tape right out of teddy rupskins chest. I'll never forgot the cassette tape oozing out and him talking all slow as he died.
PTSD lol
Timothy Farrand yes it did comfort me lol heck I was a kid then
Growing up Alf was my best friend, I would literally cry when he was sad and homesick . I still love Alf!!
I lived in Germany at that time. I have never seen anything more loved than Alf in Germany
Knight Rider 😇
Alf had such a great German synchronisation. Very witty and high quality I do prefer it even over the original. I read somewhere that an Alf episode or any episode of that era had far more budget for its german synchronization process. I believe it had a triple budget compared to other stuff from the 90s like "friends". And it went even further down from there No wonder why more recent stuff like german futurama, big bang theory was abysmal in comparison with its original.
@@schnittmagier5515 thank you!!!
That makes sense.
Alf in many ways was like Rodney Dangerfield
Long Duck You can see a mix between the two in Rover Dangerfield.
ALF!!! This is the first show I ever loved. I even had the Alf doll. Great video Minty!!
Was it that Alf hand puppet released thru Arby's (I think), or Burger King? I had the one where Alf is wearing a Melmac Baseball Jersey and cap.
@@insertcolorfulmetaphor8520 it was an actual stuffed animal version of Alf. Apparently they were very popular. My poor Dad had to go all over Orlando to find me one at the time.
@@insertcolorfulmetaphor8520 Awesome! I still have mine too, The rock and roll one. :)
I still have my Alf doll from the 80s lol
Great video Minty! Alf was my favorite ❤ sitcom as a kid. I had all kinds of Alf merchandise, from pajamas and t-shirts to toys. I still have both of my Alf plush toys, one of which I keep in the backseat of my car. 😎👍
There was also a USAF unit that used ALF on their unit patch. The show creators sued the airforce and forced the unit to change the patch. I can't remember which unit it was though. My uncle served in a position where he met people from all over the airforce and would get patches from service people when he thought they were cool and gave them to me. Unfortunately I lost the collection when I moved.
Holy shit.... HOW HAVE I NOT SEEN PROJECT ALF!? FINALLY I can get some closure. THANKS for the heads up Minty!!
Yeah I think that's the one I missed. I saw the one where Alf got broken out from Area 51 and took a road trip with some guy and girl.
@@fuzzybuddybay That was probably Project ALF.
@@writerpatrick Maybe. It's been so long I can't rely on my memory
I found it a bit of a let down.
Ah yeah this piece of crap. Not worth it :-( Saw it back then and I was massively disappointed...
ALF is a great show thanks for behind the scenes info great job 👍
You're on a roll with all these great classics and not kats were eaten during this comment.
Ahhhh i loved ALF as a child back in those days as i love him today. The raw and rolling synchronisation voice of Tommy Pieper is unforgetable too.
Dam I miss the 80s and 90s!such a simpler time and place! I'm glad I grew up then and not now!
Deplorable #1 I would mind living in this time too.. I was from 81 and yeah it was good but also really overrated both 80 ‘and 90’ and I hate nostalgia.. the past is the past and living in present is what there matters now..
Being born in 84. My main shows over the years was A.L.F, Doug and Daria.. LOL Oh how the times have changed for kids.
LOL @ Max Wright flipping out and being jealous of a puppet. :D
I would love to know if they got that on film. Watching a grown man lose his composure over a puppet, especially if said puppet won the fight!
I watched every episode. I've watch so many sitcoms. This show is just one of many I've watched...ALF rules!!
The Sega Master System ALF game was difficult, but I loved the graphics.
I still watch Alf and have my grandchildren loving him . He’s on Tubi tv
There was so much more merch in Germany. There was an audio book series, calles Gute Nacht-Geschichten (Bed Times Stories) settled on Melmac. Narrated by Tommi Piper (the german voice of ALF). I really enjoyed these stories as a kid. And I will never forget the shock I got after watching the very last episode of the TV show.
That show was awesome!!! My brother and I loved it. We had that same ALF doll😂👍🏽
Childhood FAVORITE! My dad loved this show and did his voice PERFECTLY. I use to have the plush toy.... Got lost in time.
Thanks for the wonderful video. This hits me right in my youth. It was a really wonderful show and I had the biggest crush on Kate lol.
Man I loved Alf so much when I was a kid, and still do! My godfather Dave Manak was the artist who drew the Alf comics for Marvel. I have some original art tests that he gave me years after the comic was done. He also drew Spy vs Spy for Mad magazine, sonic the hedgehog and Sabrina the teenage witch.
As an impersonator and impressionist ALF is said by many to be by far my best voice to replicate!!!!!
I would love to have the honor of meeting Paul Fusco and offering to voice ALF in future films and appearances!
One can only dream!
I loved ALF growing up!!! Thanks Minty!!!🤙✌️
I have every single episode in the hope one day my son would find joy in this classic 80s nostalgia sitcom.
Then along came FORTNITE
smh
Harley Davidson and the marlboro man please!!
"My old man told me, before he left this shitty world..."
The movie there ruined Mickey Rourke career.. “good choice” that and he was a giant idiot at the time.. 😁😎
You shot me! That really hurt Harley
Wanted dead or Alive, used in the movie, was originally going to be used in Young Guns 2. but the line "On a steal horse I ride" scuppered that.
Great show Alf fun😂🇨🇦🇨🇦ty for sharing
I was a massive ALF fan as a kid, and had everything from the bed sheets, electric toothbrush, books with tapes, Dolls(still have 2 of them), stickers, the cards, cups. You name it, so yeah I honestly knew every single one of these.
I love ALF! Everything ALF I totally dig. I even named my cat Gordon! I'm so glad you got to review this franchise and hope to see more! ALF is a Bad Ass...I remember that episode where ALF ordered pizzas to be delivered to the hostage house and claimed there were Satan Worshipers. lol ALF knows how to sweep the leg and ALF is totally Cobra Kai material. A+++
Why not Lucky? :)
Being from Germany, i totally forgot about the two ALF Albums, lol.
But man, i loved that show!
(...and i hate Knight Rider btw. I just wanted to mention that for some reason. 😃 )
I absolutely forgot those. I'm Austrian and 38. I loooved watching ALF. I think it was on RTL? I must have been aware of the music. Like I've been looking for freedom since you had to bring up knight rider 😂. I guess I successfully blocked the memory. Now how do I do the the same with the smurf albums and the David Hasselhoff album that my sister used to constantly listen to 😂
Hey don't Hassle the Hoff 🤣
I love ALF. My whole family did, Minty. It was a great series. He had Christmas special too. It was very appealing. Thanks for the memories, Minty. Take care.
ALF, was the best!
love the soundtrack you used for this segment... cheers!