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Beloved TV mom from hit series ALF dies aged 77
”Big lows and very big highs”
In a 1989 interview, Anne Schedeen explained that she was very different from the character she portrayed on ALF. While Kate Tanner was known for her calm, level-headed nature and emotional balance, Schedeen described herself as far more intense and emotionally expressive.
“Kate’s on an emotional even keel. She has a wonderful balance. But Anne Schedeen can become a lunatic. I have very big lows and very big highs. I’m also a whole lot more interesting,” Schedeen told Daily News.
Away from acting, Schedeen devoted herself to creative pursuits, producing artwork, sculptures, handmade jewelry, and paintings. She also became involved in charitable work and causes close to her heart, touching lives far beyond the entertainment industry.
Her longtime agent, Tom Markley, remembered her simply, saying:
“Annie meant the world to her family and this agency.”
Anne Schedeen is survived by her husband of 55 years, Christopher Barrett, her daughter Taylor Barrett, daughter-in-law Hilary Flynn, siblings Sarabeth Schedeen and Roland “Tony” Schedeen, extended family members, and her beloved rescue dogs, Roo and Red.
In lieu of flowers, her family has asked that donations be made to Habitat for Humanity, one of the causes she cherished most.
For fans who grew up watching ALF, Anne Schedeen will always be remembered as the calm voice in the middle of the chaos, the loving mother who kept the Tanner family together, and the actress whose warmth made every scene feel like home.