Where ya been the past twenty years? Michael J. Fox was, for one glorious summer, the hottest actor on the planet.
After breaking out as a young star on the NBC sitcom Family Ties, Fox got the lead role in the Steven Spielberg-produced fantasy Back To The Future. Previously, he had filmed a low-budget tongue-in-cheek remake of I Was a Teenage Werewolf called Teen Wolf. Future was released July 3, 1985 and was number one the box office for the remainder of the summer. But Wolf was released August 23, and became the number two movie. To the best of my memory and research, this was the first time in motion picture history that one actor held down the number 1 and 2 positions.
Future is one of my favorite movies. I have models of the DeLorean time machines. I have a car that I probably wouldn't have if it didn't somewhat resemble a DeLorean. It's hard for me to dislike Fox, because I believe he is a great talent, especially as a physical comedian, as he showed in The Secret of My Success. Had he stayed healthy, I would have loved to see him in a biopic about a silent film actor like Harold Lloyd or Mack Sennett.