Actress Anne Schedeen dies aged 77

Anne Schedeen has died aged 77.

The American actress, who is best known for her role as matriarch Kate Tanner on 80s sitcom Alf, has passed away as her family asked fans to "raise a margarita in her honour".

In a post on her official Facebook page, her family wrote: "It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share Annie has passed peacefully.

"She leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of creative energy, whip smart humour, delight in her family, adoration for little dogs, burning hatred for Trump, passion for second-hand thrifting, and love for a good story.

"We are bereft without her. We loved her so, so much, as did all who met her."

A cause of death is yet to be revealed.

Schedeen's loved ones described her as a "force" and admitted it feels "unimaginable to think about life without her in it".

They continued: "But as she said, 'I'm always with you.' And she's right. The memories, artwork, belly laughter, handmade jewellery, oil paintings, sculptures, costumes, and all around joie de vivre live on.

"Raise a margarita in her honour."

The tributes notes that she is survived by "beloved friends and family including her husband of 55 years Christopher Barrett, darling daughter Taylor Barrett, daughter-in-law, Hilary Flynn, sister Sarabeth Schedeen, niece Minnie Schedeen, brother Roland 'Tony' Schedeen, sister in-law Julieann Schedeen, and her beloved rescue dogs Roo and Red".

Schedeen's family added: "In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to one of Annie's favourite causes, Habitat for Humanity.

"We all love you, Annie."

After getting some experience acting in local theatre, she moved to New York to try and start a professional career.

She once told The Washington Post newspaper: "It was a long wait. I sold clothes, modelled clothes, was a shoe model. I played in summer stock and did a commercial.

"Then I got signed by a big agent. Within a month I had a contract with Universal.

"I thought I'd come out here, take fencing lessons, drive a small Thunderbird and sit by the swimming pool. Instead, I was the daughter on Marcus Welby, M.D."

She appeared in the likes of Paper Dolls, Emergency!, and Simon and Simon before being cast as Kate in Alf, which followed an alien who landed in a suburban family's garage and moves in.

The show ran from 1986 to 1990, and Schedeen would later admit that despite how much the alien made her laugh, the sitcom itself was a "technical nightmare".

Speaking to People magazine, she recalled:" [It was] extremely slow, hot and tedious.

"If you had a scene with Alf, it took centuries. A 30-minute show took 20 to 25 hours to shoot.

"Some of the actors in the cast had difficult personalities. The whole thing was a big, dysfunctional family."

[[nid:738076]]