EXCLUSIVE: Horrific 'ALF' Scandals Resurface in Wake of Anne Schedeen's Death — From Bulimia Battle to Cocaine-Fueled Sex Shocker and N-Word Race Storm

Anne Schedeen's death aged 77 has prompted a fresh look at the troubled legacy behind the beloved 1980s sitcom ALF, a show that captivated millions of viewers while concealing stories of grueling production schedules, an eating disorder struggle, explosive cast tensions, a drug scandal, and a racism controversy.

As RadarOnline.com was among the first to report, Schedeen, best known for playing quick-witted matriarch Kate Tanner on the hit NBC comedy from 1986 to 1990, died peacefully on Sunday, June 14.

Remembering Schedeen, her relatives used a statement released after her passing to celebrate her love of storytelling, art, and thrift shopping, while jokingly referencing her "burning hatred" for Donald Trump.

They encouraged admirers to "raise a margarita in her honor."

Her passing has also thrown attention back on the stormy behind-the-scenes history of ALF, the sitcom centered on a furry extraterrestrial known as an Alien Life Form who crashes into the California home of the Tanner family.

Schedeen was among the cast members who openly discussed the challenges of making the show. She once said about its making: "It 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, 25 hours to shoot," she recalled.

Also, according to Schedeen, the atmosphere on set often resembled "a big dysfunctional family."

Much of the frustration stemmed from the technical demands of filming scenes involving the ALF puppet.

Sets were elevated above the ground to accommodate puppeteers working beneath trapdoors, while lengthy setup times routinely stretched production days.

Despite the difficulties, ALF became a ratings smash and earned a string of gongs, including a People's Choice Award for Favorite New TV Comedy Program.

The show's late leading man, Max Wright, who played family patriarch Willie Tanner, frequently spoke about his dissatisfaction with his role.

A respected stage actor before joining the sitcom, Wright struggled with serving as the straight man opposite a puppet that delivered many of the show's biggest laughs.

In a 2000 interview, he described the experience as "hard work and very grim."

Schedeen later recalled when filming wrapped on the series finale, Wright left immediately without saying goodbye to cast or crew.

She claimed he went straight to his dressing room, collected his belongings, and drove away before anyone could officially mark the end of production.

Another cast member, Andrea Elson, who portrayed teenage daughter Lynn Tanner, later revealed she developed bulimia during the show's run.

Elson said she struggled with physical changes during adolescence while working under the spotlight and became increasingly focused on her appearance.

She said: "I was this skinny little twig when I started, and then I started to get breasts and hips, and I didn't like it. I just wanted to be stick skinny."

By the second season, the young actress had developed bulimia. She said once the show ended in 1989, she had become "obsessed" with exercise, spending two hours on a treadmill five days a week.

Elson said she didn't find peace until she became pregnant in 1997.

Years after ALF left the air, Wright became the focus of damaging tabloid allegations involving substance abuse.

After ALF, he publicly and privately struggled with severe substance abuse, including alcoholism and crack cocaine addiction

In 2001, photographs were published apparently showing the actor smoking crack cocaine and engaging in drug-fueled sexual encounters with homeless men and other individuals.

The allegations severely harmed Wright's reputation and effectively ended his mainstream television career.

Wright, who battled cancer and had previously been diagnosed with lymphoma, died in 2019 at age 75.