Anne Schedeen, the actress best known for playing Kate Tanner on the hit NBC sitcom “ALF,” passed away on June 14, 2026, at age 77, according to her family.
Her family posted a notice on Schedeen’s Facebook page stating she died peacefully with family by her side. No cause of death was given.
“It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share Annie has passed peacefully,” the family statement read. The family described her vibrant legacy, which included her sharp wit, devotion to family, love of rescue dogs, political convictions, enthusiasm for thrift shopping, and passion for storytelling.
The tribute continued, describing Schedeen as a force whose influence extended far beyond her acting career. The family said she was unimaginable to live without, adding that her memories, artwork, belly laughter, handmade jewelry, oil paintings, sculptures, costumes and joie de vivre live on. They encouraged friends and fans to raise a margarita in her honor.
Schedeen became a household name as Kate Tanner, the sensible matriarch who served as the level-headed mother figure when her family’s suburban California home became the refuge for an alien from Melmac who had survived a spaceship crash. The beloved sitcom ran for four seasons between 1986 and 1990, totaling 99 episodes, and became a global television phenomenon, attracting devoted viewers in Australia and many other countries.
Born Luanne Ruth Schedeen on January 8, 1949, in Portland, Oregon, she initially adopted the stage name Annie Schedeen when she began her journey in acting in the early 1970s. She made her professional television debut in 1974 on an episode of “Get Christie Love!” before securing a studio deal with Universal Pictures, which resulted in many appearances on television programs during that era.
During her first 15 years in the industry, Schedeen became an extremely familiar face on the American small screen. Among her most notable credits were recurring roles in iconic series such as “Emergency!” from 1974 to 1976, “Marcus Welby, M.D.” from 1974 to 1976, “Family” in 1977, and “Three’s Company” from 1978 to 1982, where she played several different characters. She also appeared on “Cheers,” “Magnum, P.I.,” and “The Incredible Hulk.”
In addition to her prolific television work, she made occasional forays into film, appearing in feature films including the cult horror movie “Embryo” in 1976. In 1984, she joined the cast of “Paper Dolls,” a prime-time drama that aired briefly, before being cast on “ALF” in 1986.
The high point of her career came with “ALF,” where she played a central character who provided both humor and heart throughout the show’s run. Following the show’s cancellation in 1990, she appeared infrequently on television. She recurred on “Judging Amy” in 2001, making just one other acting appearance after it ended, in 2014. Following her departure from acting, she redirected her professional activity toward interior design and philanthropy.
Schedeen’s passions included animal rescue, storytelling and spending time with family. Her family remembered her as a creative force whose influence touched everyone she met.
With Schedeen’s passing, only one of the four actors who played the Tanner family on “ALF” remains alive. Max Wright, who played Willie Tanner, died in 2019, and Benji Gregory, who played son Brian Tanner, died in 2024. Andrea Elson, who played daughter Lynn Tanner, is the sole surviving member of the main Tanner family cast.
Schedeen is survived by Christopher Barrett, her husband of 55 years who works as a talent agent; her daughter Taylor Barrett and her partner Hilary Flynn; her sister Sarabeth Schedeen; her brother Roland “Tony” Schedeen and his wife; her niece; and her beloved rescue dogs, Roo and Red.
Her family has asked that donations be made to Habitat for Humanity in her memory.