Michael J. Fox

Biography

Michael Andrew Fox OC (born June 9, 1961), known professionally as Michael J. Fox, is a retired Canadian-American actor. Beginning his career in the 1970s, he rose to prominence portraying Alex P. Keaton on the NBC sitcom Family Ties (1982–1989). Fox is famous for his role as protagonist Marty McFly in the Back to the Future film trilogy (1985–1990), a critical and commercial success. He went on to headline several films throughout the 1980s and 1990s, including Teen Wolf (1985), The Secret of My Success (1987), Casualties of War (1989), Doc Hollywood (1991), and The Frighteners (1996). Fox returned to television on the ABC sitcom Spin City in the lead role of Mike Flaherty from 1996 to 2000. In 1998, Fox disclosed his 1991 diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. He subsequently became an advocate for finding a cure and founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2000 to help fund research. Worsening symptoms forced Fox to reduce his activities and led to his return to television in Spin City when he was still a major movie star. He continued to make guest appearances on television, including recurring roles on the FX comedy-drama Rescue Me (2009) and the CBS legal drama The Good Wife (2010–2016) that garnered him critical acclaim. He voiced the lead roles in the Stuart Little films (1999–2005) and the animated film Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001). His final major role was on the NBC sitcom The Michael J. Fox Show (2013–2014). Fox retired in 2020 due to his declining health. Fox won five Primetime Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a Grammy Award. He was also appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2010, along with being inducted to Canada's Walk of Fame in 2000 and the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2002. For his advocacy of a cure for Parkinson's disease, he received an honorary doctorate in 2010 from the Karolinska Institute and an honorary Oscar in 2022.

Known For

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The Daily Show

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Good Wife

Scrubs

Zootopia 2

All Movies (89)

• Michael J Fox: Actor, Activist, Optimist2026 · as Self (Archive Footage)
• A Future on Stage2025 · as Self
• Zootopia 22025 · as Michael J. The Fox (voice)
• Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make Believe2023 · as Self
• STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie2023 · as Self
• Back Home Again2021 · as Michael J. Bird (voice)
• Cola Wars2019 · as Self (archive footage)
• See You Yesterday2019 · as Mr. Lockhart
• A.R.C.H.I.E. 2: Mission Impawsible2018 · as A.R.C.H.I.E. (voice)
• Michael J. Fox2017 · as Self
• A.R.C.H.I.E.2016 · as A.R.C.H.I.E. (voice)
• Mr. Calzaghe2015 · as Self
• Back in Time2015 · as Self
• Back To the Present: The Special2015
• Being Canadian2015 · as Self
• Annie2014 · as Self
• Drew: The Man Behind the Poster2013 · as Self
• Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen2012 · as (archive footage)
• The Love We Make2011 · as Self
• Tales from the Future2010 · as Self
• Vancouver 2010 Olympic Closing Ceremony2010 · as Himself
• Michael J. Fox: Adventures of an Incurable Optimist2009 · as Self
• Looking Back to the Future2009 · as Self (archive footage)
• VH1 Rock Honors: The Who2008 · as Self
• Looking Back at the Future2006 · as Himself
• Stuart Little 3: Call of the Wild2005 · as Stuart Little (voice)
• Saving Milly2005 · as Self (uncredited)
• Comedy Central Roast of Denis Leary2003 · as Self
• 101 Most Shocking Moments in Entertainment2003 · as Self (archive footage)
• ABC's 50th Anniversary Celebration2003 · as Self
• Back to the Future: Making the Trilogy2002 · as Self
• Stuart Little 22002 · as Stuart Little (voice)
• NBC 75th Anniversary Special2002 · as Self
• Interstate 602002 · as Mr. Baker
• The Making of 'Atlantis: The Lost Empire'2002 · as Self
• Eriksson's War: A Talk with Actor Michael J. Fox2001 · as Self
• The Concert for New York City2001 · as Self
• Atlantis: The Lost Empire2001 · as Milo James Thatch (voice)
• Stuart Little1999 · as Stuart Little (voice)
• Stuart Little: Making It Big1999 · as Self
• The Making of 'The Frighteners'1998 · as Self
• Walt Disney World's 25th Anniversary Party1997 · as Self
• Mars Attacks!1996 · as Jason Stone
• The Frighteners1996 · as Frank Bannister
• The Universal Story1996 · as Self (archive footage)
• Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco1996 · as Chance (voice)
• The American President1995 · as Lewis Rothschild
• Blue in the Face1995 · as Pete Maloney
• Coldblooded1995 · as Tim Alexander
• Your Studio and You1995 · as Curious Guy on the Porch
• Don't Drink the Water1994 · as Axel Magee
• Greedy1994 · as Daniel
• For Love or Money1993 · as Doug Ireland
• Time Machine: The Journey Back1993 · as Self
• Where the Rivers Flow North1993 · as Clayton Farnsworth
• Life with Mikey1993 · as Michael Chapman
• Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey1993 · as Chance (voice)
• James Cagney: Top of the World1992 · as Self - Host
• Doc Hollywood1991 · as Benjamin Stone
• The Hard Way1991 · as Nick Lang
• The Secrets of the 'Back to the Future' Trilogy1990 · as Self
• Back to the Future Part III1990 · as Marty McFly / Seamus McFly
• Back to the Future Part II1989 · as Marty McFly / Marty McFly Junior / Marlene McFly
• Back to the Future (Part II): Behind-the-Scenes Special Presentation1989 · as Self
• Casualties of War1989 · as Private Eriksson
• Mickey's 60th Birthday1988 · as Alex P. Keaton (archive footage) (uncredited)
• Bright Lights, Big City1988 · as Jamie
• Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam1987 · as Raymond Griffiths (voice)
• Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood1987 · as Self
• The Secret of My Success1987 · as Brantley Foster aka Carlton Whitfield
• The Return of Bruno1987 · as Michael J. Fox
• Light of Day1987 · as Joe Rasnick
• Citizen Steve1987 · as Self - Actor
• The Ice Man Hummeth1986
• The Making of Back to the Future1986 · as Self
• Family Ties Vacation1985 · as Alex P. Keaton
• The NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be There1985
• Teen Wolf1985 · as Scott Howard
• Back to the Future1985 · as Marty McFly
• Time Travel: Fact, Fiction and Fantasy1985 · as Self
• Night of 100 Stars II1985 · as Self
• Poison Ivy1985 · as Dennis Baxter
• Don't Ask Me, Ask God1984 · as Future Son
• High School U.S.A.1983 · as Jay-Jay Manners
• Class of 19841982 · as Arthur
• Trouble in High Timber Country1980 · as Thomas Elston
• Midnight Madness1980 · as Scott Larson
• Letters from Frank1979 · as Ricky
• Dragoons— · as Dougie (voice)

All TV Shows (49)

• Shrinking2023 · as Gerry
• Reunited Apart2020 · as Self
• Corner Gas Animated2018 · as Michael J. Fox (voice)
• Back to the Future: The Hill Valley Chronicles2018 · as Marty McFly
• The Good Fight2017 · as Louis Canning
• Designated Survivor2016 · as Ethan West
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert2015 · as Self - Guest
• The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon2014 · as Self
• The Michael J. Fox Show2013 · as Mike Henry
• The Good Wife2009 · as Louis Canning
• Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen2009 · as Self - Guest
• Phineas and Ferb2007 · as Werewolf / Michael (voice)
• The Graham Norton Show2007 · as Self - Guest
• The Graham Norton Show2007 · as Self
• The Reichen Show2005 · as Self
• Boston Legal2004 · as Daniel Post
• Rescue Me2004 · as Dwight
• The Ellen DeGeneres Show2003 · as Self
• Comedy Central Roasts2003 · as Self
• Clone High2002 · as Gandhi's Remaining Kidney (voice)
• Scrubs2001 · as Kevin Casey
• Curb Your Enthusiasm2000 · as Michael J. Fox
• The View1997 · as Self - Guest
• The View1997 · as Self
• Spin City1996 · as Mike Flaherty
• E! True Hollywood Story1996 · as Self
• The Daily Show1996 · as Self
• The Rosie O'Donnell Show1996 · as Self - Guest
• Inside the Actors Studio1994 · as Self
• Late Night with Conan O'Brien1993 · as Self - Guest
• Late Show with David Letterman1993 · as Self - Guest
• Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories1992 · as Narrator (voice)
• Tales from the Crypt1989 · as Prosecutor ("segment "The Trap")
• Goldene Kamera1984 · as Self
• Night Court1984 · as Eddie Simms
• Family Ties1982 · as Alex P. Keaton
• Teachers Only1982
• Late Night with David Letterman1982 · as Self - Guest
• This Week1981
• Here's Boomer1981
• Palmerstown, U.S.A.1980 · as Willy-Joe Hall
• Trapper John, M.D.1979
• CBS News Sunday Morning1979 · as Self
• Leo and Me1978 · as Jamie
• Family1976 · as Richard
• Saturday Night Live1975 · as Self - Host
• People's Choice Awards1975 · as Self - Presenter
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1962 · as Self
• The Emmy Awards1949 · as Self