History of Michael J. Fox in Timeline
Michael J. Fox is a Canadian-American retired actor and activist. He gained fame as Alex P. Keaton in the sitcom Family Ties and as Marty McFly in the Back to the Future trilogy. He starred in other notable films such as Teen Wolf and The Secret of My Success. Fox also led the sitcom Spin City as Mike Flaherty. Beyond acting, he is recognized for his activism, particularly his work in advocating for Parkinson's disease research after being diagnosed with the condition in the early 1990s. He has significantly contributed to raising awareness and funding for Parkinson's research.
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 while she played his girlfriend on Family Ties.
1991: Symptoms of Parkinson's Disease
In early 1991, while filming Doc Hollywood, Michael J. Fox began experiencing symptoms of early-onset Parkinson's disease and was soon diagnosed.
1992: Sought help to stop drinking
In 1992, Michael J. Fox sought help and stopped drinking altogether after struggling with alcohol following his Parkinson's diagnosis.
1997: Purchase of Fifth Avenue Apartment
In 1997, Michael J. Fox purchased an apartment on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan's Upper East Side, where he and his family primarily resided until 2020.
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 publicly announced that he had Parkinson's disease and began advocating for research.
1999: Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Testimony
In 1999, Michael J. Fox testified before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee, after not taking his medication beforehand, as described in his book Lucky Man.
1999: Description of life between 1999 and 2009
Michael J. Fox's second book, Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist, describes his life between 1999 and 2009, with much of the book centered on how Fox got into campaigning for stem cell research.
2000: Became a US Citizen
In 2000, Michael J. Fox became a US citizen while retaining his Canadian citizenship.
2000: Inducted to Canada's Walk of Fame
In 2000, Michael J. Fox was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame.
April 2002: NPR Interview
In an interview with NPR in April 2002, Michael J. Fox explained his strategies for managing Parkinson's symptoms.
2002: Inducted 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, visibly showing the effects of his Parkinson's disease to express her support for embryonic stem cell research.
2007: Purchase of Quogue House
In 2007, Michael J. Fox purchased a house in Quogue, New York, where he and his family lived part-time and spent the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
2007: Named One of Time's 100 Most Influential People
In 2007, Michael J. Fox was named one of Time magazine's 100 people "whose power, talent or moral example is transforming the world".
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, book, family, and primetime special.
May 7, 2009: Aired Primetime Special
Michael J. Fox's primetime special, Michael J. Fox: Adventures of an Incurable Optimist, aired on May 7, 2009.
February 28, 2010: 2010 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony
On February 28, 2010, Michael J. Fox participated in the closing ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics 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 Parkinson's disease research.
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: Appointed Officer of the Order of Canada
In 2010, Michael J. Fox was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada.
2010: Led PPMI Effort
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).
May 31, 2012: Honorary Degree from Justice Institute of British Columbia
On May 31, 2012, Michael J. Fox received an honorary Doctor of Laws from the Justice Institute of British Columbia for his accomplishments and commitment to Parkinson's research funding and awareness.
2016: Listing of Sharon Estate
In 2016, Michael J. Fox listed an estate he and Tracy Pollan had built in Sharon, Connecticut in 2020.
2016: Fundraising Raffle for Parkinson's Disease
In 2016, Michael J. Fox's organization created a raffle to raise awareness for Parkinson's disease and raised $6.75 million with the help of Nike, Inc.
2020: Thoughts on Parkinson's Causes
In 2020, Michael J. Fox speculated on potential causes of his Parkinson's disease in an interview with The Guardian.
2020: Primary Residence Until 2020
Michael J. Fox and his family lived primarily at an apartment on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan's Upper East Side until 2020.
2020: Endorsed Pete Buttigieg
Prior to the 2020 United States presidential election, Michael J. Fox endorsed Pete Buttigieg.
2021: Move to Santa Barbara
In 2021, Michael J. Fox sold his house in Quogue, New York, and moved to Santa Barbara, California, with his family, later settling in Malibu.
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.
2023: Release of "Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie"
In 2023, "Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie", a documentary film by Davis Guggenheim for Apple TV+, was released.
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.
2024: Named in Time Magazine's List
Michael J. Fox was named in Time Magazine's 2024 list of influential people in health.
