ALF (Czech TV series)

Not to be confused with original TV series of the name.

ALF is a Czech-American slapstick stop-motion animated series created by Paul Fusco, Lubomír Beneš and Vladimír Jiránek. It was about the melmacian named ALF who crashed landed into Tanner’s garage, then they would get to solve problems. however they can be clumsy or something that they would do the same thing, the series was involved with ALF and the Tanner family which they were from Los Angeles, California.

Paul Fusco has some of movements of ALF puppets (using of puppet, and mechanical puppet) while the figures from Czechia are made with clay or even sculpted, the series was first premiered on ČT on May 6, 1993 in Czechia. it was ended in 1999 when aiF Studio was declared bankruptcy.

It was based on the 1986 American sitcom by Paul Fusco and Tom Patchett.

Premise
ALF has crash landed into Tanner’s garage roof, the Tanner family has found him when he comes to live. they will able to solve their problems, even their hilarious scenes, and others.

Characters

 * ALF - A certain melmacian who had crash landed in Tanner’s garage roof, he is a simple but extremely clumsy alien. he is a friend to Willie Tanner, he often tries to get his attention. he sometimes go on his adventures (including bike riding, motorcycling, etc.), and he also likes to see things.
 * Willie Tanner - A father to Lynn and Brian, and a husband to Kate Tanner. he is a good friend of ALF, he often accompanies his son and daughter (Brian and Lynn). he likes to fix things, and solving the problem.
 * Kate Tanner - A mother to Lynn and Brian, and a wife to Willie Tanner. she cleans up the room (like kitchen, living room, etc.), she likes to explore things (like garden, river, mountains, etc.).
 * Brian Tanner - A son to Kate and Willie, and a brother to Lynn Tanner. he is a second friend of ALF, he likes to play toys. he actually likes to go on the explore, and some going to places which he usually go to.
 * Lynn Tanner - A daughter to Kate and Willie, and an older sister to Brian. she is a third friend of ALF, she likes to call on her telephone. she often accompanies Lucky (a cat), and she likes to go and see new things.
 * Lucky the Cat - A cat who belongs to Tanner family, he often accompanies his owners and ALF. he usually gets scared of things (like loud noises, dark rooms, etc.), and he likes to play his favorite cat toys.
 * Max the Dog - A Maltese dog who belongs to Lynn Tanner, and he is a good friend of ALF. he accompanies his owner, he gets sometimes panic (due to loud noises). he usually goes outside and explore things, and he usually goes to places with the Tanner family.

English voice cast
Lucky the cat was voiced by the domesticated cat, since he does not speak.
 * Paul Fusco as ALF
 * John Hurt as Willie Tanner
 * Tara Strong as Brian Tanner
 * Carolyn Lawrence as Lynn Tanner
 * Patricia Parris as Kate Tanner

Czech voice cast
The only first to fourth seasons have silent version.

More to be added

Main cast

 * Paul Fusco — ALF (lead puppeteer)
 * Lisa Buckley – ALF (assistant puppeteer)
 * Bob Fappiano – ALF (assistant puppeteer)

Production
While working on Pat & Mat, Beneš and Jiránek decided to create a stop motion series about an alien and suburban American family who solves problems, and also their hilarious actions. Fusco joined the heirs’ consent to create the scenes with puppets while the figures are made with clay and sculptures which he had previous series linked to the 1988 - 1992 stop motion series and its 1988 stop motion film, he had made a lot scenes where he came up with ALF character.

Broadcast
The series was broadcasted on ČT in Czechia in early 1993, when the series was first made to be in both said country and United States. the said show was broadcasted on Cartoon Network in United States on May 1994, when the first English dub was aired.

Home media
The number of four seasons are released on VHS by aiF in later 1995 throughout 1996 as well.

Digital Media Production first released the seven ALF DVD sets on January 1999, which aiF’s last showing to have a logo before it’s bankruptcy in that year and then being liquidated in 2012. Ateliéry Bonton Zlín released the series on DVD in 2003-2006, when the aiF era shows were first released on the said DVD. afterwards that Pat & Mat aiF era was first shown on DVD for the first time in 2007.

in 2001 as in Japan, TDK masters released the DVD collection of “ALF” in the same year as the five DVD collection of “Pat & Mat’ in Japan.

The show was released on DVD in August 2019, which has complete series.

Trivia

 * It was a first stop motion series with ALF to appear in 1990s.
 * The series was made in USA and Czechia after the ALF TV sitcom was cancelled.
 * The series was streamed on every streaming services in the country, then it was more popular in the country during the times that aired on the television channels.
 * Paul Fusco’s ALF puppet was first shown in Czech stop motion animation series when the scene shows him in the performance of the episodes of the said show. in 1988-1992 series, it shows that close up of ALF putting stuff down or something that he can do which it’s actually live action.
 * Some Easter eggs can be shown in each episodes (like it shows aiF logo on the book, photos of Pat & Mat on the wall, the Ochmonek family shown in photo, Pat & Mat figurines seen in Tanner’s rooms, the Yaya & Paya objects shown in Tanner’s rooms, etc.), sometimes it was shown in 1998-1999 intro of the series where the image of the 1986 TV series “ALF” title screen was shown in picture frame.