The Big 5-Oh: June 9
Michael J. Fox first breezed into America's living rooms on the 1980s hit sitcom Family Ties, in which he played Alex P. Keaton, a buttoned-down high schooler and stridently conservative Republican whose political views contrasted comically with those of his liberal hippie parents. The show premiered in 1982, and Alex Keaton, a role which won Fox three Emmy Awards as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, became one of the iconic TV characters of Reagan-era America. Family Ties ran for eight seasons, fittingly ending its run as the decade closed in 1989.
See also: George Clooney at 50: His career (so far) in photos.
It was Fox's role as time-traveling teen Marty McFly in Back to the Future that catapulted the actor from sitcom king to Hollywood superstar. Released in the summer of 1985, Back to the Future was a critical hit and a bona fide blockbuster, becoming the year's highest-grossing film and spawning two successful sequels. The movie's appeal endures as well — last year we named it to our list of the 10 best summer movies ever.
Tell Us WhatYou Think
Please leave your comment below.
You must be signed in to comment.
Sign In | RegisterMore comments »