Anne Schedeen obit

Anne Schedeen, Actress Who Played the Mom on ‘ALF,’ Dies at 77

"She leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of creative energy, whip smart humor, delight in her family, adoration for little dogs, burning hatred for Trump, passion for second-hand thrifting, and love for a good story," read a social media post announcing her passing.

 She was not on the list.

Actress Anne Schedeen, best known for playing matriarch Kate Tanner on the late-’80s sitcom ALF, has died. She was 77.

“It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share Annie has passed peacefully,” reads a post on her official Facebook page. “She leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of creative energy, whip smart humor, delight in her family, adoration for little dogs, burning hatred for Trump, passion for second-hand thrifting, and love for a good story. We are bereft without her. We loved her so so much, as did all who met her.”

“She was a force. And it is unimaginable to think about life without her in it,” the Facebook post continued. “But as she said, ‘I’m always with you.’ And she’s right. The memories, artwork, belly laughter, handmade jewelry, oil paintings, sculptures, costumes, and all around joie de vivre live on. Raise a margarita in her honor.”

Her agent, Metropolitan Talent Agency CEO and president Tom Markley, also confirmed the news. “Anne was a true artist and friend. One of a kind. I’ll miss her,” he said.

A cause of death was not revealed.

Schedeen was born Luanne Ruth Schedeen on Jan. 8, 1949, and grew up on a farm outside of Portland, Ore. She once told The Washington Post that she started acting at age 6 “with teapots and flowers” and later took acting lessons at the Portland Civic Theater. She did local theater in Hawaii and studied at Portland State University and Fort Wright College in Spokane, Wash., before relocating to New York and taking a stab at acting professionally.

“It was a long wait. I sold clothes, modeled clothes, was a shoe model,” she said. “I played in summer stock and did a commercial. Then I got signed by a big agent. Within a month I had a contract with Universal. I thought I’d come out here, take fencing lessons, drive a small Thunderbird and sit by the swimming pool. Instead, I was the daughter on Marcus Welby, M.D.”

She landed roles in shows including Paper Dolls, Emergency! and Simon & Simon before ALF. Schedeen played Kate Tanner on the sitcom about a wisecracking alien who lands in the garage of a family who lives in suburban California and moves in with them. The series ran from September 1986 to March 1990 on NBC and spawned several spinoffs, including an animated show.

“When ALF came along it was another pilot season,” she says. “I kept reading scripts. I almost got involved with one, then withdrew at the last minute. Then I read ALF. I said, ‘This is funny. It makes me laugh.’ I met the people involved, I met ALF, and became more convinced I wanted to do it. That little alien made me laugh.”

However, Schedeen later revealed to People Magazine that working on the show was a “technical nightmare — extremely slow, hot and tedious. If you had a scene with ALF, it took centuries. A 30-minute show took 20 to 25 hours to shoot. Some of the actors in the cast had difficult personalities. The whole thing was a big, dysfunctional family.”

She is survived by her husband of 55 years Christopher Barrett, daughter Tay Barrett, daughter-in-law Hilary Flynn, sister Sarabeth Schedeen, niece Minnie Schedeen brother Roland “Tony” Schedeen and sister in-law Julieann Schedeen. The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Habitat for Humanity.

Actress

ALF on ALF (2023)

ALF on ALF

7.7

TV Series

2023

 

Tiny Nuts (2014)

Tiny Nuts

6.1

TV Series

Anne

2014

1 episode

 

Paul Fusco and Mihaly 'Michu' Meszaros in ALF (1986)

ALF

7.4

TV Series

Kate Tanner

1986–2004

101 episodes

 

Judging Amy (1999)

Judging Amy

7.1

TV Series

Det. Peggy Fraser

2001

3 episodes

 

Teri Hatcher, Alec Baldwin, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Kelly Lynch in Heaven's Prisoners (1996)

Heaven's Prisoners

5.8

Jungle Room Patron

1996

 

Praying Mantis (1993)

Praying Mantis

5.2

TV Movie

Karen

1993

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobster (1991)

Perry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobster

7.0

TV Movie

Paula Barrett

1991

 

Jill Eikenberry in Cast the First Stone (1989)

Cast the First Stone

5.5

TV Movie

Elaine Stanton

1989

 

Johnny Depp, Beverly D'Angelo, Eric Roberts, and Emily Longstreth in Slow Burn (1986)

Slow Burn

5.0

TV Movie

Mona

1986

 

Angela Lansbury in Murder, She Wrote (1984)

Murder, She Wrote

7.3

TV Series

Julia Granger

1986

1 episode

 

Tom Berenger, Liam Neeson, David Keith, and Madolyn Smith Osborne in If Tomorrow Comes (1986)

If Tomorrow Comes

7.7

TV Mini Series

Charlotte

1986

1 episode

 

Tom Selleck in Magnum, P.I. (1980)

Magnum, P.I.

7.5

TV Series

Audrey Gilbert

1986

1 episode

 

Gerald McRaney and Jameson Parker in Simon & Simon (1981)

Simon & Simon

7.1

TV Series

Claire StaffordBailey Randall

1982–1985

2 episodes

 

Carl Weathers and Joseph Bottoms in Braker (1985)

Braker

4.7

TV Movie

Lieutenant Polly Peters

1985

 

Paper Dolls (1984)

Paper Dolls

6.9

TV Series

Sara Frank

1984

13 episodes

 

Elliott Gould, Mary McDonnell, Corinne Bohrer, Conchata Ferrell, Shuko Akune, Lynne Moody, and Bruce A. Young in E/R (1984)

E/R

7.2

TV Series

Karen Sheridan

1984

1 episode

 

Ted Danson, Shelley Long, John Ratzenberger, George Wendt, Nicholas Colasanto, and Rhea Perlman in Cheers (1982)

Cheers

8.0

TV Series

Emily Phillips

1984

1 episode

 

Second Thoughts (1983)

Second Thoughts

5.2

Janis

1983

 

Little Darlings

TV Movie

Camp Counsellor

1982

 

John Ritter, Suzanne Somers, and Joyce DeWitt in Three's Company (1976)

Three's Company

7.6

TV Series

LindaLouise PrescottLisa Page

1978–1982

5 episodes

 

Semi-Tough (1980)

Semi-Tough

5.9

TV Series

Amanda

1980

1 episode

 

Lou Ferrigno and Bill Bixby in The Incredible Hulk (1977)

The Incredible Hulk

7.0

TV Series

Kimberly Dowd

1979

1 episode

 

Never Say Never

8.3

TV Movie

Dr. Sarah Keaton

1979

 

Charlie Aiken, Jarrod Johnson, and Jill Whelan in Friends (1979)

Friends

7.0

TV Series

Alice PriceMiss Price

1979

2 episodes

 

Champions: A Love Story (1979)

Champions: A Love Story

7.4

TV Movie

Diane Kachatorian

1979

 

Almost Heaven

5.1

TV Movie

Janie

1978

 

Project U.F.O. (1978)

Project U.F.O.

7.1

TV Series

Helen McNair

1978

1 episode

 

Robert Blake in Baretta (1975)

Baretta

6.7

TV Series

Linda

1978

1 episode

 

Eddie Albert and Robert Wagner in Switch (1975)

Switch

7.1

TV Series

LisaKeelie Blair

1975–1978

2 episodes

 

Exo-Man (1977)

Exo-Man

5.2

TV Movie

Emily Frost

1977

 

Meredith Baxter, Kristy McNichol, James Broderick, Gary Frank, Sada Thompson, Michael Schackelford, and David Schackelford in Family (1976)

Family

7.7

TV Series

Susie

1977

2 episodes

 

Raymond Burr in Kingston: Confidential (1976)

Kingston: Confidential

6.0

TV Series

Melanie Woods

1977

1 episode

 

Flight to Holocaust (1977)

Flight to Holocaust

5.8

TV Movie

Linda Michaels

1977

 

Art Carney in Lanigan's Rabbi (1976)

Lanigan's Rabbi

6.1

TV Series

Barbara James

1977

1 episode

 

Emergency! (1972)

Emergency!

7.9

TV Series

MargoNurseNurse Carol Waldo ...

1974–1976

6 episodes

 

Embryo (1976)

Embryo

5.1

Helen Holliston

1976

 

The Bionic Woman (1976)

The Bionic Woman

6.7

TV Series

Milly Wilson

1976

1 episode

 

Marcus Welby, M.D. (1969)

Marcus Welby, M.D.

7.0

TV Series

Sandy PorterMrs. Elizabeth CarstairsMariette

1974–1976

12 episodes

 

Alex Rocco in Three for the Road (1975)

Three for the Road

7.4

TV Series

1975

1 episode

 

Dennis Weaver in McCloud (1970)

McCloud

7.0

TV Series

Tina

1975

1 episode

 

You Lie So Deep, My Love (1975)

You Lie So Deep, My Love

6.6

TV Movie

Ellen

1975

 

David Hartman in Lucas Tanner (1974)

Lucas Tanner

6.9

TV Series

Flight Attendant Carolyn

1974

1 episode

 

Raymond Burr and Barbara Sigel in Ironside (1967)

Ironside

6.9

TV Series

Vicki

1974

1 episode

 

Sally Struthers and James Franciscus in Aloha Means Goodbye (1974)

Aloha Means Goodbye

6.4

TV Movie

Stewardess

1974

 

Teresa Graves in Get Christie Love! (1974)

Get Christie Love!

6.5

TV Series

Gloria

1974

1 episode

 

Lee Majors in The Six Million Dollar Man (1973)

The Six Million Dollar Man

7.1

TV Series

Tina Larson

1974

1 episode

 

Self

Family Comedy Hour

6.3

TV Special

Self

1987

 

Archive Footage

History of the Sitcom (2021)

History of the Sitcom

7.2

TV Series

Self - Kate Tanner (archive footage)

2021

1 episode

 

Fan des années 80 (2009)

Fan des années 80

TV Series

Kate Tanner (archive footage)

2010

1 episode

 

Paul Fusco and Mihaly 'Michu' Meszaros in ALF (1986)

ALF

7.4

TV Series

Kate Tanner (archive footage)

1988

2 episodes