Alf stars: Tragedy and scandal haunt beloved 80s sitcom actors
3:03 PM EDT, July 13, 2024
Max Wright, in the series Alf, played a devoted, loving husband and father. Over time, it turned out that he played that role in real life as well. When the dark secrets hidden by Wright came to light, his wife threw him out of the house. The actor died after a long battle with cancer. He passed away in disgrace five years ago, on June 26, 2019.
Recently, news spread that Benji Gregory, the actor who played a child star in the highly popular '80s series Alf, had passed away. Meanwhile, the end of June marked the 5th anniversary of the death of another actor who found fame through his role in the Alf series.
Max Wright played the head of the family in "Alf." Thanks to his role as William Tanner, he became the embodiment of a loving father for many viewers. Privately, he was also believed to be a happy husband and father of two children.
Five years after the series ended, Wright was diagnosed with lymphoma. At that time, everyone was rooted in his recovery. The actor overcame the disease (in the following years, the cancer remained in remission) and received a chance at a second life. It soon became clear that he used it surprisingly.
Wright's dark past: Alcohol, drugs, and sex
In 2000, Wright was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. He received a suspended sentence at the time, but three years later, he was caught driving drunk again.
Wright tried to salvage his image by blaming his illness. He also gave interviews in which he thanked his supportive wife. Soon, it came to light that Wright was cheating on his wife with men. The media contacted the actor's former lover, who revealed shocking information.
His life was so out of control he didn't care about exposure to AIDS. We would meet twice a week and pick up homeless men, take them home and pay them $100 for sex - the former lover of the actor told "The National Enquirer" magazine.
After numerous scandals were revealed, Wright's wife turned away from him, and the entire industry did as well. The man died in 2019 at the age of 75, forgotten and abandoned by everyone. In his later years, he struggled with illness, as well as addiction to alcohol and drugs.
