-
Leo and Me
At the age of 15 Michael with the advice of his high school drama teacher auditioned for a television show. After blowing away the producers he was called back and got his first role on a Canadian television show called "Leo and Me". This would be his first professional acting role. -
High School Dropout
Michael drops out of high school in order to pursue his acting career. This would later become one of his biggest regrets in life. -
L.A Trip
At the age of 18, Michael along with his father drove down to L.A. He would be leaving Canada, his family, his friends all behind, and buying a new home so that he could audition for bigger acting roles. Following the advice given to him by his manager he started to get bigger acting roles but soon was introduced to the other side of L.A. -
Family Ties
When he first arrived in L.A he was offered a few roles in television shows, but early acting success ended fast when the roles stopped coming. After months of struggling without any jobs he finally got a role on the television series Family Ties. Playing the character Alex P. Keaton Michael quickly becomes the star of the show. -
Back To The Future
Michael meets with Family Ties and Back to the Future producers to discuss scheduling for him to play the lead role of Marty Mcfly. This will soon become a crucial moment in his career and undoubtedly his life because the creation of this film will have long lasting effect on who he is seen as by the public eye. -
Back To The Future Premier
Back to the Future opens in Theaters making Michael J. Fox one of the biggest hollywood actors at the time, opening him up to several major film roles. This moment changes his life instantly and he is suddenly introduced to a new world that will eventually settle down but never fully go away. -
Stardom
Back to the Future opens number one is U.S box offices followed by Teen Wolf in second place. This is significant because two movies that Michael had starred in not only were successful, but opened together as the two highest films in theaters for that whole entire year. -
Wedding
Michael marries Tracy Pollan in Vermont at a closed wedding, shielded from paparazzis. This was a big step forward personally for him because he had always dreamt of settling down and having a family. He referred to his career in acting as a “The Funhouse”, and eventually he knew one day it would end and he would settle down away from publicity. Through the years he has remained married to Tracy and continues to receive support from her in his toughest moments. -
Family Ties Ends
The last episode of NBC sitcom “Family Ties” airs. After 7 years of production Michael leaves the show that gave him his career. This was obviously emotionally challenging because he not only was leaving his onscreen family but people that could easily be considered a part of his true family through everything they had done together. Although, this year also held the birth of his first child Samuel Michael Fox. -
First signs of Parkinson’s disease
On the set of Doc Hollywood, while in his hotel room Michael discovered his first symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease. But it would not be until later and after visiting several doctors that he would finally accept the disease. -
Diagnosed with Parkinson's disease
Michael decides that it’s time to meet with a doctor to discuss the possibility of having parkinson's. After years of disregarding the disease and trying to hide it from himself and the public he meets with a world famous neurologist who after several extensive tests declares that Michael does in fact have Parkinson's disease. -
Releases he has Parkinsons to the public
Michael addresses the public revealing that he has Parkinson’s Disease. This was a difficult decision for him to make, but he knew it was becoming visible that he was suffering from a condition and that it was best to stop hiding it and go public. Not only was this a big step forward in coping with parkinson's but it was also the start to the end of his acting career. -
Michael J. Fox Foundation
The Michael J. Fox Foundation is established. Its purpose is to raise money to find a cure for Parkinson’s through various events. Over the years it quickly became the largest private funder of Parkinson's Disease research in the world, with several donations from celebrities and other big names. The foundation still runs today and continues to raise money and make breakthroughs in research. -
Spin City
Michael finally is forced to leave the show because of his disease’s progression. It was a decision that he made unwillingly. Which became very hard emotionally for him because he had to walk away from from something that he loved so much, leaving people he cared about behind because he was not physically capable to continue. -
Hollywood
Michael J. Fox receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His star is placed in front of the Hollywood Galaxy Theatre Complex. This solidifies his mark in Hollywood as an actor and is proof of his many accomplishments. -
Honorary degree from UBC
Michael receives an honorary degree from the University of British Columbia. This is one of his proudest moments considering he never attended college/university and one of his biggest regrets in life was dropping out of high school. -
Return to Acting
Michael begins to have a recurring role on The Good Wife. Although this was not his first time returning on camera since spin city, it was however his first real significant role in television/film since his semi-retirement to acting. He had done voice acting and appeared in other small roles but he was widely recognized by the public for his role in The Good Wife. -
Order of Canada
Michael Received the Order of Canada from Governor General David Johnston at the Rideau Hall Ceremony. He was there with 43 other Canadians and was honoured for his efforts in funding his organization to find a cure for Parkinson’s disease, as well as his television and film work. -
Present
Michael plans to star in a new sitcom returning to his roots in television.
