ALF

ALF Gordon Shumway

ALF was a TV comedy about an earth stranded, sarcastic, cat eating alien named ALF (Alien Life Form).  The show ran from 1986 to 1990 and featured the voice (and puppet control) of Paul Fusco as ALF.  ALF, whose real name was Gordon Shumway on the show, crashes his ship into the garage of the Tanner Family  after following a short-wave radio signal to earth.  Not knowing what to do with him, the Tanners invite him in to their home to keep him from getting caught by the Alien Task Force.  As it turned out, his home planet of Melmac had been destroyed in a nuclear holocaust, so ALF was effectively homeless.

The ALF character was such a hit with TV viewers, that a cartoon was launched in 1987 on NBC.  It was called ALF: The Animated Series, and featured ALF in adventures on his home planet of Melmac (prior to it blowing up).  At the same time, Marvel produced a comic books series about ALF that lasted four years.  ALF merchandise began popping up everywhere.  There were stuffed ALF critters, trading cards, video games, t-shirts, bumper stickers, etc.  It is worth mentioning that ALF continued popping up well into the 2010's doing commercials and participating in other promos.