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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Louise Randell

ALF star Max Wright dead at 75 after cancer battle

ALF star Max Wright has died aged 75 after a long battle with cancer.

The actor, who played dad Willie Tanner in the 1980s comedy, died at his home in Hermosa Beach, California, according to TMZ.com .

The website reports Wright was diagnosed with with lymphoma in 1995, but had been in remission for a long time.

He played Willie Tanner - adoptive dad to stroppy alien Alf - in the show for four years from 1986 until 1990.

Wright also appeared in early episodes of another hit sitcom, Friends, as the manager of the Central Perk coffee shop.

Max wright played dad Willie Tanner (Nbc/Kobal/REX)
He was the adoptive dad of alien Alf (Moviestore/REX)

As well as ALF and Friends, his TV work included appearances in E/R, Cheers, Murder, She Wrote, Quantum Leap and the TV adaptation of Stephen King's The Stand.

His film credits include Bob Fosse's 1979 movie All That Jazz and1995 comedy sequel Grumpier Old Men.

His later years were mostly devoted to his first love - theatre, starring in shows such as Twelfth Night and No Man's Land.

He worked in TV for many years (Bob D'Amico/Mohawk Prods Inc/Warner Bros Tv/Abc-Tv/Kobal/REX)

The actor landed a Tony nomination for his performance in a 1998 Broadway production of Ivanov.

Wright was married to Linda Ybarrondo from 1965 until her death from breast cancer in 2017.

They were parents to two children, Ben and Daisy.

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