Alf: The Animated Series
Encyclopedia
ALF: The Animated Series(also known as ALF on Melmac) was an animated
cartoon
spin-off
based on the live-action Sitcom series ALF
. It premiered on September 26, 1987 and ran for 26 episodes.
, depicting ALF's life back on his home planet of Melmac
. Since the name "ALF" was an acronym short for Alien Life Form and only given to Gordon Shumway later on Earth, "ALF" is never used in the animated series except for its title. ALF would always be referred to as "Gordon", his true name, or "Gordo" by his friends Rick and Skip. In nearly every episode a live action ALF would appear at the introduction and conclusion of the episode; reading fan mail and saying that this show is a response to a huge demand of people wanting to know what his life was like on Melmac.
Much of the humor arises from the characters taking part in surrealistic activities while treating them as ordinary and unremarkable. For example, in order to prove their manhood and win their distinguished antlers, the sons of members of the Mayonnaise Lodge (formed of men who work in the mayonnaise
mines) must wrestle a clam
and make it sing. Other episodes had issues somewhat similar to Earth issues, such as when Gordon's parents take part in a free vacation, while failing to realize it is a time share scam: the scam artist literally steals the Shumway residence and transplants it to the time share plots, then uses brainwashing machines to convince Flo and Bob to buy a house they already own.
Another one which was a play on the original TV series was a TV show which ALF and his family loved about "the Earthling who crash landed on Melmac" where a human was shown saying "On my homeworld we keep cats as housepets" and a Melmacian telling him "Well, here we eat them!" Gordon/ALF from this series is one of the cartoon characters featured in Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue
.
in Region 1 on May 30, 2006 as ALF Animated Adventures – 20,000 Years in Driving School and Other Stories. No word yet on a complete series DVD of the entire show.
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
based on the live-action Sitcom series ALF
ALF (TV series)
ALF is an American science fiction sitcom that originally aired on NBC from 1986 to 1990, created by Paul Fusco. The title character was Gordon Shumway, a friendly extraterrestrial nicknamed ALF , who crash lands in the garage of the suburban middle-class Tanner family.The series starred Max...
. It premiered on September 26, 1987 and ran for 26 episodes.
Synopsis
The show was a prequelPrequel
A prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel...
, depicting ALF's life back on his home planet of Melmac
Melmac (planet)
Melmac is a fictional planet in the television series ALF. The name is a joke reference to the Melmac brand of dinnerware made popular in the 1950s.Melmac was discovered 23,000 years ago when Harold Twink accidentally took the wrong exit for Neptune...
. Since the name "ALF" was an acronym short for Alien Life Form and only given to Gordon Shumway later on Earth, "ALF" is never used in the animated series except for its title. ALF would always be referred to as "Gordon", his true name, or "Gordo" by his friends Rick and Skip. In nearly every episode a live action ALF would appear at the introduction and conclusion of the episode; reading fan mail and saying that this show is a response to a huge demand of people wanting to know what his life was like on Melmac.
Much of the humor arises from the characters taking part in surrealistic activities while treating them as ordinary and unremarkable. For example, in order to prove their manhood and win their distinguished antlers, the sons of members of the Mayonnaise Lodge (formed of men who work in the mayonnaise
Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise, , often abbreviated as mayo, is a sauce. It is a stable emulsion of oil, egg yolk and either vinegar or lemon juice, with many options for embellishment with other herbs and spices. Lecithin in the egg yolk is the emulsifier. Mayonnaise varies in color but is often white, cream, or pale...
mines) must wrestle a clam
Clam
The word "clam" can be applied to freshwater mussels, and other freshwater bivalves, as well as marine bivalves.In the United States, "clam" can be used in several different ways: one, as a general term covering all bivalve molluscs...
and make it sing. Other episodes had issues somewhat similar to Earth issues, such as when Gordon's parents take part in a free vacation, while failing to realize it is a time share scam: the scam artist literally steals the Shumway residence and transplants it to the time share plots, then uses brainwashing machines to convince Flo and Bob to buy a house they already own.
Another one which was a play on the original TV series was a TV show which ALF and his family loved about "the Earthling who crash landed on Melmac" where a human was shown saying "On my homeworld we keep cats as housepets" and a Melmacian telling him "Well, here we eat them!" Gordon/ALF from this series is one of the cartoon characters featured in Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue
Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue
Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue is an animated drug prevention television special starring many of the popular cartoon characters from American weekday, Sunday morning and Saturday morning television at the time of this film's release...
.
Characters
- Augie Shumway – Gordon's little sister, voiced by Tabitha St. GermainTabitha St. GermainTabitha St. Germain is a Canadian stage actress. She has made the transition from stage work to voice work, and has since become one of the core female voice actresses working with Ocean Productions in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.- Anime :* .hack//Roots - Asta, Nazo Grunty* Black Lagoon -...
(as Paulina Gillis) - Bob Shumway – Gordon's father, voiced by Thick Wilson
- Cantfayl – the commander, voiced by Len CarlsonLen CarlsonLen Carlson was a Canadian voice actor on many animated television series from the 1960s onward, an occasional live-action TV actor, and a Kraft Canada TV pitchman during the 1970s and 1980s...
- Curtis Shumway – Gordon's little brother, voiced by Michael Fantini
- Eggbert Petty, voiced by Dan HennesseyDan HennesseyDan Hennessey is a Canadian voice actor who, early on in his career, performed with a children's comedy troupe,...
- Flo Shumway – Gordon's mother, voiced by Peggy Mahon
- Gordon Shumway/ALF – The star of the show, voiced by Paul FuscoPaul FuscoPaul Fusco is an American puppeteer, voice-over artist and character actor who is best known as the voice, creator, and puppeteer of ALF...
- Harry – Shumway family's pet bird
- Larson Petty – the villain, voiced by Thick Wilson
- Madame Poughkeepsie – the fortune teller
- Rhonda – Gordon's girlfriend, voiced by Tabitha St. GermainTabitha St. GermainTabitha St. Germain is a Canadian stage actress. She has made the transition from stage work to voice work, and has since become one of the core female voice actresses working with Ocean Productions in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.- Anime :* .hack//Roots - Asta, Nazo Grunty* Black Lagoon -...
(as Paulina Gillis) - Sargent Staff, voiced by Len CarlsonLen CarlsonLen Carlson was a Canadian voice actor on many animated television series from the 1960s onward, an occasional live-action TV actor, and a Kraft Canada TV pitchman during the 1970s and 1980s...
- Skip – Gordon's friend, voiced by Rob CowanRob CowanRob Cowan is a British music broadcaster and writer.Employed by music publisher Boosey & Hawkes for nineteen years in various capacities, his first record review was published in 1967. He edited CD Review for four years from 1985 and became a co-presenter with jazz and classical music writer Keith...
- Rick Fusterman – Gordon's other friend, voiced by Paul FuscoPaul FuscoPaul Fusco is an American puppeteer, voice-over artist and character actor who is best known as the voice, creator, and puppeteer of ALF...
- Stella – the waitress, voiced by Ellen-Ray Hennessy
- Spudder – Curtis' friend
- Neep – The Shumway family's pet dog; officially called a "vespa"
Season 1 (1987–1988)
- Phantom Pilot – An unlikely ally helps Gordon defend Melmac when the evil Larson Petty returns to invade the planet.
- Hair Today, Bald Tomorrow – After Harry uses Gordon's hair to build his nest, Gordon finds himself heading to Madame Pokipsi's shack for a baldness cure, only to insult her and leave while cursed with a "Baldness Touch".
- Two for the Brig – Gordon and Sergeant Staff end up going to prison after mistaking their ship for a vacation cruise liner.
- Gordon Ships Out – Gordon, Rick, and Skip decide to pool their savings for a sailing yacht, but end up marooned on an island thanks to a Pit Termite that Skip names Woody.
- Birdman of Melmac – The Shumways' pet bird Harry is dubbed a rare Melmacian species, and Harry lets fame go to his head as a result.
- Pismo and the Orbit Gyro – The Orbit Gyro needs its regular maintenance, but it results in its main operator, a robot named Pismo, having a few screws loose.
- 20,000 Years in Driving School – After getting "Gooped" on the highway, Gordon Shumway has his driver's license revoked and must attend driving school to regain it.
- Pride of the Shumways – Gordon is the star player for the Orbit Guard Bouillabaisse-ball team, but a blow to the head renders him amnesiac, putting him out of the game and his little brother Curtis in.
- Captain Bobaroo – A bump on the head has Bob Shumway thinking he is a "Captain Kangaroo"-esque TV show host.
- Neep at the Races
- Salad Wars
- Tough Shrimp Don't Dance – Gordon Shumway must rescue an alien shrimp race called the Muklukians from Larson Petty – with some unlikely help from one of their own.
- Home Away from Home
Season 2 (1988–1989)
- Flodust Memories – Flo Shumway becomes the Mom of the Millennium, but is her popularity becoming more important than her family?
- Family Feud – After losing to the Shumways on a noted game show, the Fustermans declare war on their former friends, and Gordon and Rick end up caught in the crossfire.
- Clams Never Sang for My Father – The traditional Mayonnaise Lodge rite of passage has Bob Shumway and Frank Fusterman pitted against each other in the clam-wrestling contest – but their sons want no part of it.
- A Mid-Goomer Night's Dream – The holiday of Goomer is upon Melmac, and Larson Petty is intent on getting his gift of foam – but while trying to kidnap the real Goomer, he ends up capturing Bob Shumway in a Goomer suit. Gordon and his sister Augie must then journey to find the real Goomer and rescue their dad.
- The Bone Losers
- Thank Gordon for Little Girls – Gordon invents an all-purpose object named the "Shumwidget", but Augie and her scout troupe end up with the bragging rights.
- Hooray for Mellywood – A movie crew has come to Melmac to film the life of Gordon Shumway – but will Gordon himself end up a huge star, or on the cutting room floor?
- The Spy from East Velcro
- He Ain't Seafood, He's My Brother – Renegade Muklukians kidnap Curtis Shumway and return him to their planet as part of a scheme to claim the throne of Mukluk. Fescue returns to Melmac to ask Gordon for help in dethroning the renegades and finding the true king of Mukluk.
- Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places – Gordon tries to fix Rick up with a girl named Elaine – but a misunderstanding leads her to fall in love with Gordon.
- The Slugs of Wrath
- Housesitting for Pokipsi – After Gordon's insults about Madame Pokipsi get out of hand, he and his friends, Rick and Skip, are stuck housesitting for the Madame while she is out of town.
- Skipper's Got a Brand New Dad – Larson Petty discovers that his family has left behind a huge fortune, but it can only be turned over to the rightful heir – Larson Petty's son. The only problem is, he has no children. Meanwhile, Gordon and Rick find out that Skip was orphaned as a youth and try to find his birth parents.
Funding
- Chuck E. Cheese'sChuck E. Cheese'sChuck E. Cheese's is a chain of family entertainment centers. Chuck E...
- Corporation for Public BroadcastingCorporation for Public BroadcastingThe Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a non-profit corporation created by an act of the United States Congress, funded by the United States’ federal government to promote public broadcasting...
- Viewers Like You
- Thank YouThank YouThank You or Thank U may refer to:*"Thank you" or "thankyou" , an expression of gratitude-Albums:* Thank You * Thank You * Thank You , or the title song...
DVD release
Lions Gate Home Entertainment released the first nine episodes of the series on DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
in Region 1 on May 30, 2006 as ALF Animated Adventures – 20,000 Years in Driving School and Other Stories. No word yet on a complete series DVD of the entire show.