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Anne Schedeen, born Luanne Ruth Schedeen in Portland, Oregon, is an American television actress best known for her iconic 1980s role as Kate Tanner on ALF (1986–1990). After early-screen work and a sequence of guest performances in the 1970s, she established herself as a dependable television presence across genres, from family-centred sitcoms to drama and science-fiction-themed projects. ALF brought Schedeen international visibility, anchoring a career built on solid, maternal authenticity that balanced the series’ offbeat alien humour with credible family dynamics. Throughout the late 1980s and into the following decade, she maintained a busy schedule of television appearances and TV films, while continuing to work in heralded guest spots. Her enduring association with ALF remains the touchstone of her public image, even as she explored later work in dramas and ensemble projects beyond the sitcom format.

... Schedeen’s origins lie in a Portland-based upbringing, where she cultivated an early interest in performance through youth drama classes and the Portland Civic Theatre. After finishing high school and attending Portland State University and Fort Wright College, she relocated to New York to pursue acting, eventually moving to Los Angeles. Her early career featured recurring work on Emergency! and a multi-episode arc on Marcus Welby, M.D., followed by appearances in projects such as Embryo and Three’s Company. The mid- to late-1980s marked a defining period with ALF, where her Kate Tanner brought a grounded warmth to a show saturated with sci‑fi satire. Post-ALF, Schedeen continued to work in television and TV movies, including Judging Amy in 2001, contributing to a durable late-20th-century tv-acting legacy. Her career encapsulates the shift from guest-starring parts to a household-lead role, then a transition into recurring television work that broadened her footprint in American screen entertainment. Then & Now The 1980s In the 1980s Schedeen established herself as a dependable television presence, culminating in her iconic role as Kate Tanner on ALF (1986–1990). The series brought her international visibility and she anchored ALF’s offbeat alien humour with credible family dynamics, becoming the show's maternal touchstone. Throughout the late 1980s and into the following decade she maintained a busy schedule of television appearances and TV films, continuing to take heralded guest spots across sitcoms, drama and science-fiction projects. Now (2026) As of 2026 Schedeen’s public profile rests largely on the legacy of ALF and her broader body of television work; she has stepped back from steady acting roles while occasionally participating in interviews, reunions and retrospectives that celebrate her career. Her dependable, maternal screen persona and the authenticity she brought to family-centered television remain the most cited elements of her legacy. Later dramatic and ensemble projects are remembered as extensions of the range she displayed beyond the sitcom format. Career timeline 1949 Born Luanne Ruth Schedeen in Portland, Oregon. 1974–1976 Recurring role as Carol on Emergency! and Sandy Porter on Marcus Welby, M.D.. 1976 Film appearance in Embryo (supporting role). 1977–1982 Guest-starring on Three's Company in multiple episodes. 1983 Guest appearance on Dallas. 1984 Co-starring role in the TV film Paper Dolls with Lauren Hutton and Morgan Fairchild. 1986–1990 Lead role as Kate Tanner on the NBC sitcom ALF. 1991 Appeared in Perry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobster (TV film). 1993 Appeared in the TV film Praying Mantis. 1996 Participated in the thriller Heaven's Prisoners and the TV film Praying Mantis (continuing screen work). 2001 Recurring role on Judging Amy. 2014 Featured in the short film Tiny Nuts. Interview and reference sources Schedeen described early shyness and turning to drama to gain confidence.Wikipedia – Anne Schedeen Biographical and credit details were checked against Wikipedia – Anne Schedeen, IMDb – Anne Schedeen, ALF – Wikipedia.