Max Wright

George Edward "Max" Wright (August 2, 1943 – June 26, 2019) was an American actor celebrated for his affable, every‑man charm, most famously embodied in the role of Willie Tanner on the 1980s sitcom ALF. Born in Detroit, Michigan, Wright grew up in the suburb of Southfield where his early love of performance blossomed on high‑school stages, leading him to the prestigious Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. for the original production of The Great White Hope in 1968. Over a career that spanned more than four decades (1968‑2011), he amassed a diverse résumé that included memorable guest spots on WKRP in Cincinnati and Friends, regular ensemble work on Misfits of Science, AfterMASH, Buffalo Bill, and The Norm Show, as well as a powerful turn as Günter Wendt in HBO’s From the Earth to the Moon. His stage credentials were equally impressive, earning a Tony nomination for the 1998 Broadway revival of Ivanov and earning critical praise for Shakespearean turns such as Sir Andrew in Twelfth Night at Lincoln Center and roles in The Winter’s Tale and The Merchant of Venice at the Public Theater. Despite the enduring popularity of ALF, Wright publicly expressed his discomfort with the technical demands of acting opposite a puppet, describing the experience as “hard work and very grim,” yet later acknowledged the show’s lasting joy for audiences. Off‑screen, he shared a long‑standing marriage to Linda Ybarrondo from 1965 until her passing in 2017, and they raised two children together. After a successful remission from lymphoma diagnosed in 1995, the disease returned in 2019, leading to his death at the Lillian Booth Actors Home in Englewood, New Jersey. Max Wright’s legacy endures through his versatile body of work, his dedication to the craft, and the fond memories he left with fans of both television and theatre.