ALF star Max Wright, who famously played the father on the '80s hit sitcom, has died at the age of 75.

The veteran TV and theatre actor passed away at his home in Hermosa Beach, California, TMZ reports.

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

The father of two was best known for playing Willie Tanner - the dad in the smash-hit NBC puppet show about an "alien life form" or ALF.

He was also a veteran actor of several other shows such as Buffalo Bill and Cheers.

Wright appeared in major movies like Reds, All That Jazz, The Sting II, Soul Man and The Shadow.

He had more than 60 film and TV credits to his name in a career spanning five decades from 1974.

Wright's wife of 52 years Linda Ybarrondo died from breast cancer in 2017.

And his co-star Michu Meszaros - who played ALF in the early series - died in June 2016 aged 76.