Michael J. Fox
A beloved actor who became a powerful symbol of hope and resilience after publicly battling Parkinson's disease at the height of his fame.
Born 1961 (age 65)·Canadian-American actor and activist·Birthday: June 9·Baby Boomers
Biography
Michael J. Fox was a teenage heartthrob from Canada who rocketed to fame in the 1980s, first as the young conservative Alex P. Keaton on 'Family Ties' and then as the time-traveling teen Marty McFly in the 'Back to the Future' trilogy. His wiry energy and everyman charm defined a generation's idea of cool. At 29, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, a fact he kept private for seven years before announcing it in 1998. This revelation transformed his public identity from a film and TV star into a determined advocate. He founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, which quickly grew into the world's largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson's drug development. His later acting work, including a celebrated return to television on 'Spin City' and guest roles on shows like 'The Good Wife,' was performed while visibly managing his symptoms, bringing an unflinching honesty to his craft and his cause.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Michael was born in 1961, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Michael Was Born
The biggest hits of 1961
#1 Movie
101 Dalmatians
Best Picture
West Side Story
#1 TV Show
Wagon Train
Michael's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1961Born
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1966Started school
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1974Became a teenager
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Could drive
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1979Could vote
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Turned 21
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1991Turned 30
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 40
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 50
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 60
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 65 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won three consecutive Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his role on 'Family Ties'.
- Founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which has raised over $1.5 billion for Parkinson's research.
- Received an honorary Oscar, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, for his advocacy work in 2022.
- His portrayal of Marty McFly in the 'Back to the Future' trilogy created one of cinema's most enduring and beloved characters.
Did You Know?
He added the 'J.' to his professional name to avoid confusion with another actor named Michael Fox.
He is the youngest person ever to receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
He wrote several bestselling memoirs, including 'Lucky Man' and 'No Time Like the Future.'
He was a prominent supporter of stem cell research, testifying before the U.S. Congress on the issue.
“My happiness grows in direct proportion to my acceptance, and in inverse proportion to my expectations.”
