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michael j fox shares details about the early days of his career and how difficult it was to balance playing two iconic characters.
In his new memoir, “Future Boy,” the actor opens up about the challenges of juggling filming the third season of his hit comedy “Family Ties” with filming 1985’s “Back to the Future.”
“In the late winter and early spring of 1985, time definitely went crazy and took me with it,” he writes. “For three long months, I was Alex, Marty, and Mike. That’s two too many. At least one of them had to go to get my job done. And Mike was the odd guy out.”
He later added, “I was Alex P. Keaton by day and Marty McFly by night. In a 20-hour workday, there was very little time to be me, Mike Fox.”
Michael J. Fox made his ‘Back to the Future’ co-star feel like he had a ‘high school boyfriend’
In his memoir Future Boy, Michael J. Fox explains that it was difficult to make Family Ties and Back to the Future at the same time. (Getty Images)
Fox detailed what it was like filming both projects. One example included waking up at 7 a.m. to receive the script for “”.family ties” and rehearsed for a full day, finishing at 6 p.m.
Immediately after rehearsals, Foxx wrote that he was on his way to Universal to continue filming late into the night, and did not finish until 3 a.m. Despite a long night of filming, Fox woke up again at 7 a.m. the next morning.
“For three long months, I was Alex, Marty, and Mike. That’s two too many. At least one of them had to go to get my job done. And Mike was the odd guy out.”
“By 3 a.m., I was passed out in the back seat of my station wagon,” he wrote. “My Teamster driver actually drove me to my apartment, put me in bed, and set my alarm clock for four hours of sleep.”
Foxx rose to stardom after playing Alex Keaton, the conservative son of liberal parents, on “Family Ties,” which ran from 1982 to 1989. The show also starred Justin Bateman, Tina Yothers, Meredith Baxter, and Michael Gross.
“Family Ties” also starred Tina Yothers, Justin Bateman, Meredith Baxter and Michael Gross. (Herb Ball/NBCU Photobank/NBC Universal, via Getty Images, via Getty Images)
He then achieved an even higher level of fame when Back to the Future and its sequels were released.
Foxx wrote that while juggling both roles was difficult, it was “business as usual” for the rest of the “Family Ties” cast.
He wrote, “I recently asked Justin Bateman Regarding our cooperation during that period. “Surprisingly, I didn’t notice anything,” she recalls. I knew you were filming, but I remember being confused about when sleep was happening. Try doing the math. I don’t know, but he spends a whole day and night there and then comes here. I don’t know where sleep fits in. I felt that if anyone could do that, it was Mike. ”
Unbeknownst to Fox, many people were watching out for him while he was filming Back to the Future.
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When speaking with the film’s assistant director, David McGiffert, for the book, he learned that director Bob Zemeckis had been considering a dangerous stunt for Fox that the AD “had no choice but to give up on Bob.”
Michael J. Fox filmed “Back to the Future” at the same time as “Family Times.” (Universal/Getty Images)
“He wanted you to ride your skateboard in front of the car, and the car would push you up,” McGiffert said in the book. “He had a certain angle in mind that would only work if you were in the role, so he said, ‘Yes, I want Michael to do that.’ I shook my head. ‘Bob, he can’t do that. You can’t put a lead actor in that position. I know he doesn’t have a chance, but if he gets pinned under a car, it’s over in an instant.’
McGiffert said that despite claims to the contrary, Zemeckis continued to insist that Fox complete the stunt. It wasn’t until McGiffert threatened to “stick a note on the slate that read ‘First AD Protest'” that Zemeckis changed his mind and allowed a stuntman to film instead.
That wasn’t the only dangerous stunt, as Foxx previously opened up about a stunt that went awry on the set of the film.Back to the Future IIIThe stunt involved Fox being dragged through the street by a horse before Fox, played by Christopher Lloyd, arrived to rescue him.
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“The next few takes went well,” Fox wrote, “but on the third take I misplaced my hand. The noose around my neck was hanging from the gallows pole, blocking my carotid artery and rendering me momentarily unconscious.”
Foxx spoke about the dangerous stunts he performed while filming Back to the Future III. (Universal Pictures/Getty Images)
He added, “I was unconscious for a few seconds at the end of the rope, swinging, and I realized that even though Bob Zemeckis was a fan of mine, even I wasn’t that good of an actor.”
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