Michu Meszaros, the Actor Who Played “ALF” Dead at 76

HOW SAD, ALF HAS DIED …

Michu Meszaros, the actor who played “ALF” in the popular ’80s sitcom, died Sunday night at the age of 76. According to his manager, Dennis Varga, Meszaros had a stroke on June 2, and was in a coma and suffering from pneumonia since. The TV sitcom ALF  aired on NBC from September 22, 1986 to March 24, 1990. Note that  Michu Meszaros was the actor who wore the ALF suit, not the voice of ALF. The voice of ALF was actor, Paul Fusco. Meszaros died 8:20 p.m. Sunday, said Varga, who lived with Meszaros at a home in Hawthorne, California.

Meszaros, who stood only 33 inches tall, had a stroke last Thursday and had been hospitalized since. Varga says the 76-year-old actor died Sunday night.

Meszaros wore a full-body suit to portray the alien wiseguy “ALF,” which was sometimes portrayed by a puppet. The character was voiced by another actor, Paul Fusco. The NBC series ran four seasons.

Meszaros was born in Hungary and joined Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus in 1973. He performed for U.S. presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan and became friends with Michael Jackson after Jackson saw him performing, said Varga.