History of Michael J. Fox in Timeline
Michael J. Fox is a renowned Canadian-American actor and activist. He gained fame portraying Alex P. Keaton in the sitcom *Family Ties* and Marty McFly in the *Back to the Future* trilogy. He further solidified his career with roles in films like *Teen Wolf*, *The Secret of My Success*, and *Casualties of War*. Later, he led the sitcom *Spin City*. Fox is also known for his activism, particularly his work in raising awareness and funding for Parkinson's disease research, a condition he was diagnosed with in 1991.
July 16, 1988: Marriage to Tracy Pollan
On July 16, 1988, Michael J. Fox married Tracy Pollan at West Mountain Inn in Arlington, Vermont. They met when she played his girlfriend on Family Ties.
1991: Onset of Parkinson's symptoms
In early 1991, Michael J. Fox started displaying symptoms of early-onset Parkinson's disease while shooting the film "Doc Hollywood" and was diagnosed shortly thereafter.
1991: Early Parkinson's symptoms and diagnosis
In early 1991, while shooting the film "Doc Hollywood", Michael J. Fox developed a sore shoulder and a twitch in his little finger. He was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson's disease later that year at the age of 30.
1992: Seeking Help for Depression and Alcoholism
In 1992, Michael J. Fox sought help for his depression and alcoholism and stopped drinking altogether.
1997: Purchase of Fifth Avenue apartment and Connecticut estate
In 1997, Michael J. Fox purchased an apartment on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, where he and his family primarily lived until 2020. Also in 1997, Fox and Tracy Pollan built an estate on 80 acres of farmland in Sharon, Connecticut.
1998: Thalamotomy
In 1998, Michael J. Fox had a thalamotomy to manage the symptoms of his Parkinson's disease.
1998: Public announcement of Parkinson's diagnosis
In 1998, Michael J. Fox made his Parkinson's disease diagnosis public. He then became an activist and founded The Michael J. Fox Foundation to support Parkinson's disease research.
1999: Testimony before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee
In 1999, Michael J. Fox wrote in Lucky Man that he did not take his medication prior to his testimony before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee.
1999: Life Between 1999 and 2009
Michael J Fox described his life between 1999 and 2009 in his second book, Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist.
2000: Acquisition of US citizenship
In 2000, Michael J. Fox acquired US citizenship but remained a Canadian citizen as well.
2000: Induction to Canada's Walk of Fame
In 2000, Michael J. Fox was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame.
April 2002: NPR Interview on Managing Symptoms
In an interview with NPR in April 2002, Michael J. Fox explained what he does when he becomes symptomatic.
April 30, 2002: Fresh Air, NPR Interview
On April 30, 2002, Michael J. Fox appeared on Fresh Air, NPR for an interview.
2002: Induction to Hollywood Walk of Fame
In 2002, Michael J. Fox was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2006: Campaign Ad for Claire McCaskill
In 2006, Michael J. Fox starred in a campaign ad for Claire McCaskill, who was then the State Auditor of Missouri. In the ad, Fox expressed her support for embryonic stem cell research and visibly showed the effects of his Parkinson's disease.
2007: Purchase of Quogue House
In 2007, Michael J. Fox purchased a 7,000-square-foot house in Quogue, New York, where he and his family lived part-time and spent the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
2007: Time Magazine recognition
In 2007, Michael J. Fox was named one of the 100 people "whose power, talent or moral example is transforming the world" by Time magazine.
March 31, 2009: Appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show
On March 31, 2009, Michael J. Fox appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" with Mehmet Oz to discuss his condition, his book, his family, and his primetime special.
May 7, 2009: Aired primetime special
On May 7, 2009, Michael J. Fox's primetime special, Michael J. Fox: Adventures of an Incurable Optimist, aired.
February 28, 2010: Appearance at 2010 Winter Olympics closing ceremony
On February 28, 2010, Michael J. Fox provided a light-hearted segment during the 2010 Winter Olympics' closing ceremony in Vancouver, expressing his pride in being Canadian.
March 5, 2010: Honorary doctorate from Karolinska Institute
On March 5, 2010, Michael J. Fox received an honorary doctorate in medicine from Karolinska Institute for his contributions to research in Parkinson's disease.
June 4, 2010: Freedom of the City of Burnaby
On June 4, 2010, the city of Burnaby granted Michael J. Fox the Freedom of the City.
2010: Appointment to Order of Canada
In 2010, Michael J. Fox was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada.
2010: Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI)
Since 2010, Michael J. Fox has led a $100-million effort, which is the Foundation's landmark observational study, to discover the biological markers of Parkinson's disease with the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI).
2011: Guest appearance in Back to the Future game
In 2011, Michael J. Fox lent his likeness to the in-game version of Marty McFly in the Back to the Future episodic adventure game, alongside Christopher Lloyd. He also made a guest appearance in the final episode as an elder version of Marty and Willie McFly.
May 31, 2012: Honorary degree from Justice Institute of British Columbia
On May 31, 2012, Michael J. Fox received an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws from the Justice Institute of British Columbia to recognize his accomplishments as a performer and his dedication to raising research funding and awareness for Parkinson's disease.
2016: Listing Sharon, Connecticut estate
In 2016, Michael J. Fox listed his estate on 80 acres of farmland in Sharon, Connecticut.
2016: Fundraising raffle for Parkinson's disease awareness
In 2016, Michael J. Fox's organization created a raffle to raise awareness for Parkinson's disease and raised $6.75 million, with help from Nike, Inc. through two auctions.
2020: Endorsement of Pete Buttigieg
In 2020, Michael J. Fox endorsed Pete Buttigieg prior to the United States presidential election.
2020: Reflections on potential causes of Parkinson's
In 2020, Michael J. Fox reflected on potential causes of his Parkinson's disease, mentioning possible environmental factors like fishing near paper mills and government-poisoned crops during his high school years.
2020: Retirement from acting and release of memoir
In 2020, Michael J. Fox retired from acting due to speech unreliability and memory loss. His memoir, "No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality", was released in November 2020, where he discussed his decision to retire.
2020: Publication of No Time Like the Future
In 2020, Michael J. Fox's fourth book, "No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality", was released.
2020: Primary Residence Until 2020
Michael J Fox's Fifth Avenue apartment in the Upper East Side, Manhattan, was his and his family's primary residence until 2020.
2021: Appearances in Expedition: Back to the Future and Back Home Again
In 2021, Michael J. Fox appeared in an episode of the television series "Expedition: Back to the Future", and in the animated film "Back Home Again".
2021: Move to Santa Barbara and later Malibu
In 2021, Michael J. Fox sold his house in Quogue and moved to Santa Barbara, California, with his family, later taking up residence in Malibu several months later.
2022: Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award
At the 2022 Governors Awards, Michael J. Fox was awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for his efforts in fighting Parkinson's disease, having raised over $1 billion for research. The award was presented by Woody Harrelson.
May 12, 2023: Release of Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie
On May 12, 2023, "Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie", a documentary about Michael J. Fox's career and Parkinson's disease diagnosis, was released on Apple TV+. The film was directed by Davis Guggenheim and received positive reviews.
2023: CBS Sunday Morning Interview
In a 2023 interview with Jane Pauley on CBS Sunday Morning, Michael J. Fox discussed the increasing challenges he faces with his health, including spinal surgery and broken bones from falls.
June 29, 2024: Glastonbury Festival appearance with Coldplay
On June 29, 2024, Michael J. Fox appeared at the Glastonbury Festival as a guest of Coldplay, playing guitar on the songs "Humankind" and "Fix You".
2024: Time Magazine's List of Influential People in Health
In 2024, Michael J. Fox was named in Time Magazine's list of influential people in health.
May 15, 2025: Casting in Shrinking Season 3
On May 15, 2025, it was revealed that Michael J. Fox had been cast in the third season of the comedy drama "Shrinking", marking a return to acting.
June 2025: Acting for the Boston Bruins in a promotional video
In June 2025, Michael J. Fox acted for the National Hockey League's Boston Bruins, playing himself in a Back to the Future parody video to promote the team's new uniforms.
October 14, 2025: Publication of Future Boy: Back to the Future and My Journey Through the Space-Time Continuum
On October 14, 2025, Michael J. Fox's fifth book, "Future Boy: Back to the Future and My Journey Through the Space-Time Continuum", co-written with Nelle Fortenberry, was published by Flatiron Books. The memoir covers his time on set while filming Back to the Future.
2025: Voice Cameo in Zootopia 2
In 2025, Michael J. Fox had a voice cameo in the Walt Disney Animation Studios film "Zootopia 2" as an incarcerated fox named "Michael J. the fox".
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