This post is part of the O Canada Blogathon hosted by Ruth of Silver Screenings and Kristina of Speakeasy.
I remember being vaguely horrified when I discovered Michael J. Fox was Canadian. He was OURS. How could he possibly be anything other than American? His role as Alex P. Keaton was so iconic: the conservative, hippie-parent-horrifying, greed-is-good believing teen who embodied and parodied Reagan-era culture. Although I’d rather hang out with his sister Mallory (Justine Bateman), I knew Family Ties revolved around Fox’s pitch-perfect, Emmy-winning performance as Alex.
Alex P. (Fox) explaining the horror of taxes to preschoolers
I was such a huge fan of Family Ties that when Fox followed the show with big-screen stardom in Back to the Future, what I felt was pride.
No wonder then that in those years before I’d ever been out of my own country or met any Canadians, I felt so disappointed to lose any hold on him. I mean, I’d gone to see Doc Hollywood–in the theater. I’d suffered through The Secret of My Success for him. It wasn’t really a crush with me. (Even if I ever had one, I think those suspenders in Back to the Future would have ruined it.) I just admired him so much. His gestures, expressions, movements–always so true, so uniquely his, and so damn funny. And oh, the lines. No one can deliver a line more effectively than Michael J. Fox. I could listen to him ask, “Are you telling me that you built a time machine… out of a DeLorean?” on repeat. No wonder the guy can’t seem to walk in front of a camera without being nominated for an award.
When Parkinson’s forced Fox to leave Spin City, his costars couldn’t stop crying long enough to finish his final episode. They didn’t know yet that he’d find a second career in his illness as a guest star, even as the headliner of his own show. And most of all, as the representative for the disease that had claimed him. They didn’t know he’d write a memoir. Call it Lucky Man. Tell other actors on Inside the Actor’s Studio suffering from the same afflictions that he had it easy, with his advantages, that they were those who had courage and guts; they were the ones he admired. That he’d remain tireless and fearless in his pursuit of a cure, and keep on wowing his countless fans.
It took a while, but I finally lost my dismay at Fox’s being Canadian. Instead, I now feel gratitude toward his homeland: for sharing this fine of an actor, this caliber of a human being with the rest of us. And now if you’ll excuse me, I need to re-watch Alex P. recommending amoral business principles to children.
Be sure to check out the other entries in the blogathon! And I promise to return to classic film next week. I just couldn’t resist celebrating Fox.
Your tribute to Fox is totally charming. Almost makes me wish I’d watched “Family Ties”, but I believe it was opposite “Magnum”. A choice had to be made.
Thank you! I hope you caught some of his later work. Spin City was a lot of fun too… Leah
Loved “Spin City”!
Wasn’t that a perfect cast? Connie Britton, that actor I’ll always think of as Cam from Ferris Bueller, so many others. Great chemistry. I loved that show. Thanks for commenting! And I do respect the choice you had to make over Family Ties:) Leah
Fox is such a likeable, nice guy, no wonder you like him so, I wouldn’t trust anyone who doesn’t 🙂 Thanks for covering him for this event, it was a great choice.
It’s true, isn’t it? It would be a good way to test a new friend/date:)–Do you like Michael J Fox? Thanks for the great blogathon! Leah
I first came across Fox in BACK TO THE FUTURE. I must confess I wasn’t as much of a fan of “Family Ties”, but Fox did a lot to make Alex Keaton more than a sitcom construct (as he did with his role on “Spin City”), so I also suffered through THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS because of him. Two movies he was very good in, though (for me), were THE HARD WAY, which is a routine buddy movie enlivened by Fox (hysterical as a spoiled movie star trying to get “gritty”) and James Woods, and THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT, where he’s the idealistic speechwriter. Nice write-up.
I think you’d like him better in other roles, as that one certainly didn’t require nearly as much nuance as others he’s played. But compare that performance to other teen ones of that ilk, and you can see just how much better he was, even at a simple character, than so many of his peers.
I am sorry you suffered through Secret too! And though I didn’t see The Hard Way, he was brilliant in The American President. So funny. Thanks for commenting! Leah
Your tribute to Michael J. Fox made me a little weepy. (I’m serious!)
Thank you for joining the blogathon with a touching tribute to this remarkable and talented Canadian.
Thanks for the great blogathon that gave me a chance to write about him. I feel the same way. That Inside the Actor’s Studio had me in tears. Leah
Lovely tribute, Leah!! Thanks for bringing back so many great memories…
Thank you! I’m glad it did for you too. It made me wonder why I haven’t gone back and re-watched more than I have…Then again, I didn’t catch the Michael J. Fox show, which I was hoping would make it longer, so there’s a whole season waiting for me:) Leah
I’m so glad you deviated from the classics with this wonderful post on Fox, who’s one of my personal faves from ‘recent’ Hollywood. The disappointment (about his origins) that you mentioned is familiar to me – so many UK actors move to the US or star in US films that it feels like you’ve lost the connection to them (no matter it was intangible in the first place). Quite a few even renounce their origin which, props to Fox, I don’t think he’s ever done!
Thank you! It’s funny that it feels personal, isn’t it?:) Leah
I didn’t see him in any of the sitcoms, but loved him in Back to the Future. He is such an inspiration, being able to be so positive and have such a great work ethic in light of his health challenges. I really admire him for that. Thanks for pointing that out. What a good lesson for all of us.
It’s remarkable, isn’t it? So many stars in his condition would make you think about the illness, and how much it had brought them down. With Fox, you can’t focus on anything but his spirit. Leah