Michu Meszaros Cause of Death: How the Actor Who Played ALF Died

Michu Meszaros was a Hungarian actor, circus performer, and stuntman who became famous for playing the alien character ALF in the popular 1980s sitcom of the same name. He was also known as the “smallest man in the world” for his height of 2 feet 9 inches (0.84 m). He died on June 12, 2016, at the age of 76, after suffering a stroke and being in a coma for several days. Here is a detailed account of his life and death.

Early Life and Circus Career

Meszaros was born on October 1, 1939, in Budapest, Hungary. He attended a state-run school of circus arts, where he learned skills such as juggling, acrobatics, and pantomime. He joined the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1973, where he was billed as the “smallest man in the world”. He trained and presented white standard poodles for his act, which were much taller than him when they stood on their hind legs. He also performed for U.S. presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan and became friends with Michael Jackson after the pop singer saw him performing, according to CNN.

Acting Career and ALF Role

Meszaros started his acting career in the 1970s and 1980s, appearing in TV shows such as Dear John and H.R. Pufnstuf, and movies such as Look Who’s Talking and Big Top Pee-wee. He also appeared in a Pepsi commercial with Michael Jackson. His most famous role was playing ALF, the acronym for Alien Life Form, in the NBC sitcom that ran for four seasons from 1986 to 1990. ALF was a furry, wisecracking alien who crash-landed on Earth and lived with a suburban family. Meszaros wore a full-body suit to portray ALF whenever a full-body shot was needed for scenes of the alien walking, running, or standing. However, most of the time, a mechanical puppet was used instead, which was voiced by another actor, Paul Fusco. The full-body suit was extremely hot and uncomfortable for Meszaros to wear for long periods of time under bright studio lights, according to Wikipedia.

Health Problems and Death

Meszaros had numerous health issues since suffering a stroke eight years before his death. He was also diagnosed with dwarfism, which caused him to have a short lifespan. On June 9, 2016, he was found unconscious on his bathroom floor by his longtime friend and manager Dennis Varga, who rushed him to a hospital in Los Angeles. He was in a comatose state and never regained consciousness. He died on June 12, 2016, at the Providence Little Company of Mary medical center in Torrance, according to uInterview. A GoFundMe page was created to help with his medical expenses and funeral costs, which stated that he had no family and needed his fans to gather together to help with the expenses of his “Life Celebration”. He was cremated and his ashes were scattered in the Pacific Ocean, according to Snopes.

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