Anne Schedeen, Actress Who Played Mom Kate Tanner On ‘ALF,’ Dies At 77

• Anne Schedeen died on June 14 at age 77; her family said she passed away peacefully, and no cause of death was disclosed.
• She was best known for playing Kate Tanner, the mother of the Tanner family, in all four seasons of ‘ALF.’
• Before and after ‘ALF,’ she appeared in numerous TV favorites, including ‘Three’s Company,’ ‘Magnum, P.I.,’ ‘Cheers,’ and ‘Murder, She Wrote.’

Anne Schedeen, the actress best known for playing Kate Tanner on the hit NBC sitcom ALF, died on June 14 at the age of 77. Her family announced that she had passed away peacefully, remembering her as a creative, witty, and deeply devoted presence in their lives. A cause of death was not publicly disclosed.

Born Luanne Ruth Schedeen on January 8, 1949, in Portland, Oregon, she discovered acting at an early age after her mother encouraged her to take drama classes to overcome her shyness. After studying theater and performing in summer stock productions, she moved first to New York and later to Los Angeles to pursue a professional acting career. Over the next decade, she built an impressive résumé through steady television work.

Anne Schedeen enters the scene

Before finding her signature role, Schedeen appeared in a wide range of popular television series throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Her credits included Emergency!, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionic Woman, Three’s Company, Simon & Simon, Magnum, P.I., Murder, She Wrote, Cheers, and the short-lived drama Paper Dolls. She also appeared in films including Embryo and Heaven’s Prisoners.

In 1986, she was cast as Kate Tanner, the practical and protective mother at the center of ALF. The sitcom followed the Tanner family after they took in a wisecracking alien from the planet Melmac. Running for four seasons, the show became a global phenomenon and made Schedeen a familiar face to millions of viewers. She appeared in more than 100 episodes and remained forever associated with one of television’s most memorable families.

Life beyond the screen

Although ALF brought her the greatest recognition of her career, Schedeen later spoke candidly about the challenges of producing the technically demanding series. Even so, she maintained affection for the work and for the fans who continued to embrace the show decades later. Following ALF, she largely stepped away from the spotlight, making occasional appearances, including a recurring role on Judging Amy and later projects that allowed her to reconnect with audiences.

Schedeen is survived by her husband of 55 years, Christopher Barrett; their daughter, Taylor Barrett; daughter-in-law Hilary Flynn; her siblings and extended family; and her beloved rescue dogs. In lieu of flowers, her family requested donations to Habitat for Humanity, a cause close to her heart. For generations who welcomed ALF into their homes each week, Anne Schedeen will be remembered as the steady, compassionate heart of the Tanner family and an actress whose warmth resonated far beyond the screen.