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IN THE LATE 1970s,
MICHAEL J. FOX WAS
AN UNKNOWN TEENAGER.
THEN CAME THE TV SHOW
"FAMILY TIES."
THEN CAME HIS HIT FILM "BACK
TO THE FUTURE."
FINANCIALLY, AT LEAST,
MICHAEL J. FOX HAS A SOLID
FUTURE.
PROFESSIONALLY, IS HE LOCKED
INTO LIGHT COMEDY?
NEXT WEEK, HIS NEW MOVIE,
"CASUALTIES OF WAR," OPENS.
AND LYNN SHERR TELLS US THAT
IT COULD TAKE MICHAEL'S
CAREER IN A DIRECTION HE'S
BEEN A■■■■G FOR.
>> MOMMY, YOU LOOK
SO PRETTY.
LIKE AN INDIAN PRINCESS.
>> THAT'S YOUR FATHER, DEAR.
>> WHEN "FAMILY TIES"
DEBUTED IN 1982,
THE SITUATION COMEDY WAS
SUPPOSED TO FOCUS
ON THE PARENTS, A COUPLE
OF 1960s' FLOWER CHILDREN
FACING LIFE IN THE 1980s.
INSTEAD, AMERICA FELL
IN LOVE WITH THEIR SON,
THE ULTRACONSERVATIVE ALEX
P. KEATON.
>> ♪ START SPREADING
THE NEWS ♪
>> [SCREAM]
>> ♪ I'M LEAVING TODAY ♪
YOU'VE BEEN A WONDERFUL
SISTER.
♪■7 I'M GOING TO
BE A PART OF IT ♪
GET YOURSELF A LITTL■■
■■
>> HIS IDOL WAS RICHARD
NIXON.
GREEN -- AS IN MONEY.
>> I JUST DON'T THINK IT
WOULD LOOK GOOD -- ME
WORKING FOR A NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION, YOU KNOW.■+
YEAH, THE WHOLE CONCEPT
OF NONPROFIT IS -- OOH.
>> BORN IN A SUIT AND TIE,
ALEX, PLAYED BY MICHAEL
J. FOX, WAS THE TEENAGE
EMBODIMENT OF GREED
■RAND SUCCESS.
>> WHEN DID YOU DISCOVER
THAT YOU LIKED TO MAKE
PEOPLE LAUGH?
DO YOU LIKE TO MAKE PEOPLE
LAUGH?
>> OH, I LOVE TO MAKE PEOPLE
LAUGH.
I THINK I ALWAYS --
■■■■■■THE FOURTH OF FIVE CHILDR.
I WAS A SMALL KID.
IT WAS EITHER, YOU KNOW,
FUNNY OR FIGHT IN A LOT
OF CASES.
SO THE IDEA IS ALWAYS --
IF YOU CAN MAKE THE BIG GUY
LAUGH BEFORE YOU CAN MAKE
HIM MAD AT YOU, IT'S A SAFER
WAY TO GO.
>> FOX GREW UP MOSTLY■+■+
IN VANCOUVER, A CANADIAN
ARMY BRAT WHO PLAYED ENOUGH
ICE HOCKEY TO LEAVE A COUPLE
OF SCARS.
>> LIKE THE TEEN HE PLAYED
ON TV, HE IS EXTREMELY CLOSE
WITH HIS FAMILY.
BUT HE SAYS HIS POLITICS ARE
TO THE LEFT OF ALEX'S.
AND HE'S OLDER -- 28,
ALTHOUGH HIS YOUTHFUL FACE
AND 5'4" STATURE HAVE ALWAYS
CAST HIM IN YOUNGER ROLES.
HOW MUCH DOES IT BOTHER
YOU TO BE CALLED CUTE?
>> I DON'T MIND BEING CALLED
CUTE, AND I DON'T MIND BEING
■RCALLED SHORT.
BUT YOU'D THINK AFTER ABOUT
SEVEN YEARS, THAT LIKE
"CUTE, SHORT MICHAEL FOX"
OR "THE EVER-CUTE MICHAEL
FOX" OR "THE DIMINUITIVE
MICHAEL FOX" OR "THE
PINT-SIZED MICHAEL FOX"
WOULD GET OLD.
IF THEY'RE WAITING FOR ME
TO GO, "OH, PLEASE DON'T
CALL ME THAT," LIKE IT'S NOT
GOING TO HAPPEN.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I DID
SOME HARD YEARS ON
THE PLAYGROUND.
>> ISN'T HE CUTE?
>> FOX CAN SHRUG OFF
HIS SIZE BECAUSE
HIS PERFORMANCE IS SO GOOD.
WATCHING HIM, YOU ARE STRUCK
BY HIS EXQUISITE SENSE
OF TIMING.
HE SAYS IT HELPS THAT
HIS AUDIENCE KNEW
HIS CHARACTER SO WELL,
AND HIS RELATIONSHIP
WITH HIS SISTER,
MALLORY, PLAYED BY JUSTINE
BATEMAN.
>> SO MALLORY SAYS SOMETHING
SO THEY CUT TO ME.
SO I'M NOT IN A BIG HURRY
TO GO BLAH-BLAH-BLAH,
I'LL LET THEM CUT TO ME
AND I'LL JUST KIND OF SIT
THERE FOR A SECOND.
AND THEY'RE GOING TO GO,
"WHAT'S HE THINKING?"
YOU KIND OF LIKE GO LIKE
THIS AND LOOK BACK.
NOW THEY'RE TITTERING,
YOU KNOW, AND YOU KIND OF ■■
AND NOW THEY'RE REALLY
LAUGHING, AND THEN YOU GO,
YOU KNOW, "DISHWATER."
AND THEY GO BOOM!
>> I'M SO GLAD THAT NICK
AND I ARE SO COMPATIBLE.
WE LIKE THE SAME THINGS.
WE LOVE SPENDING EVERY
MINUTE TOGETHER.
>> WHO'S USING IT TONIGHT?
>> FOX AUDITIONED
FOR THE ROLE OF ALEX KEATON
AFTER ANOTHER TEEN
HEARTTHROB, MATTHEW
BRODERICK, TURNED IT DOWN.
BUT ONCE "FAMILY TIES"
CREATOR GARY DAVID GOLDBERG
CAST THE UNKNOWN FOX, IT WAS
MAGI■■THAT CONTINUED
FOR EIGHT HUGELY SUCCESSFUL
SEASONS.
STILL, MICHAEL J. FOX,
THE COMIC STAR, YEARNED
TO PLAY A MORE DRAMATIC
ROLE.
>> THE EPISODE THAT I THINK
STRETCHED HIM THE MOST WAS
THIS HOUR EPISODE WHICH
■■
TO DEAL WITH THE DEATH
OF A FRIEND.
>> I JUST DON'T GET IT, MAL.
WHY AM I STILL ALIVE?
>> AND HE WAS ON STAGE
FOR THE WHOLE HOUR.
HE HAD TO MAKE VERY QUICK
AND SUDDEN TURNS FROM AGE
9 TO AGE 17 AND BACK TO WHO
HE WAS.
>> I HATED WHEN SHE ■■D■■
THAT!
>> I WISH YOU ALL COULD
BE■■-
■■■■>>■■ SHE'D CALL ON ME.
IN THAT OLD-MAID TEACHER'S
VOICE, "ALEX KNOWS."
■■ ALEX ■■OWS.
■■
>> ALEX KNOWS.
■■>> I WAS■■ YEARS OLD!
YOU DON'T PUT THAT■■IND
■■
AGE!
>> THAT EPISODE WON HIM
AN EMMY, ONE OF THREE
FOR HIS WORK ON "FAMILY
TIES."
BUT THE POPULAR BACHELOR
KNOWN AS HOLLYWOOD'S LITTLE
■■
■N PERSPECTIVE.
>> I DON'T BELIEVE THI■■
THIS IS GREAT.
I FEEL FOUR FEET TALL.
>> ♪♪ MR. SANDMAN ♪
>> FOX SHIFTED INTO
THE MOVIES WITH EQUALLY
STUNNING SUCCESS.
IN "BACK TO THE FUTURE,"
HE PLAYED MARTY McFLY,
A TEENAGER WHO TRAVELS BACK
IN TIME TO FIND HIS PARENTS.
THE FILM, A WITTY SCI-FI
ADVENTURE WITH THE KIND
OF HOMESPUN CHARM THAT IS
FOX'S SPECIALTY,
WAS A NATURAL SHOWCASE
FOR HIS GRACEFUL INNOCENCE
AND SUPERB COMIC TIMING.
IT WAS A $200 MILLION HIT,
THE TOP-GROSSING FILM
OF 1985.
OTHER MOVIES WERE NOT
SO WELL RECEIVED, AS FOX■;
CONTINUED TO SEARCH
FOR THE RIGHT DRAMATIC ROLE.
TODAY HE IS HEEDING A MORE
SECURE CALL FROM HOLLYWOOD.
>> FULFILLING AN EARLIER
COMMITMENT, HE'S SHOOTING
"BACK TO THE FUTURE II"
AND "III" CONSECUT■VELY.
THE PLOT IS TOP SECRET,
AND THE SET IS CLOSED
TO CAMERAS.
BUT THE STAR LET US RIDE
ALONG ON HIS WAY
TO THE STUDIO.
WHEN YOU DID "BACK
TO THE FUTURE," YOU WERE
SHOOTING THAT AT NIGHT AFTER
A FULL DAY OF SHOOTING
"FAMILY TIES."
>> YEAH.
I WOULD MAKE THE SAME RIDE
THAT WE'RE MAKING RIGHT NOW
FROM PARAMOUNT TO UNIVERSAL.
>> WELL, AS LONG AS WE'RE
ON THE WAY TO "BACK
TO THE FUTURE," CAN YOU TELL
ME ANYTHING ABOUT
THE MOVIES?
>> WELL, THEY ACTUALLY MAKE
US SIGN ■ CONTRACT SAYING
WE WON'T.
>> IT'S YOUR KIDS, MARTY.
SOMETHING HAS GOT TO BE DONE
ABOUT YOUR KIDS.
>>■■HAT HINT ABOUT
THE SEQUEL CAME AT THE■■ND
OF THE ORIGINAL.
WE LEARNED IT CONCERNS MARTY
McFLY'S KIDS, WHICH MEANS
MICHAEL J. FOX HAS TO PLAY
HIMSELF AS AN OLDER MAN.
WHAT DO YOU LOOK LIKE
AS AN OLDER GUY?
>> KIND OF PAUNCHY, A LITTLE
BIT PAUNCHY.
I LOOK A BIT LIKE ***
CLARK.
SORRY, ***.
>> YES?
>> FOR ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES
THE TV SERIES HAS BROUGHT
HIM, FOX IS MOST PLEASED
WITH THE EPISODE OF "FAMILY
TIES" WHEN HE MET ACTRESS
TRACY POLLAN -- THE WOMAN
WITH WHOM IN REAL LIFE
HE WOULD FALL IN LOVE.
WE'RE TOLD THAT WHEN THE TWO
OF YOU MET ON THE SET
OF "FAMILY TIES," ■HEY KNEW
SOMETHING WAS GOING
TO HAPPEN.
>> YEAH, PEOPLE HAVE SAID
THAT TO ME.
>> DID YOU KNOW?
>> NO, WE WERE BOTH IN OTHER
RELATIONSHIPS AT THE TIME.
>> WHAT WAS FUNNY WAS THAT
MY WIFE -- THE FIRST TIME,
I THINK, SHE HAD COME
TO A RUN-THROUGH OR JUST
SOMETHING -- SAW THEM
ON THE SET ACTING
AND SHE CAME TO ME.
IT WAS THE FIRST TIME SHE'D
SEEN TRACY.
SHE SAID, "THERE'S SOMETHING
GOING ON BETWEEN MICHAEL
AND TRACY."
AND I SAID, "NO,
THEY'RE ACTORS.
THEY'RE JUST OUT THERE."
BUT EVERYONE ELSE SAW IT
AND, IN THAT FIRST EPISODE
WHERE THEY MEET -- YOU KNOW,
PEOPLE HAVE SAID THAT THAT
FIRST TIME WHEN THEY DANCED
TOGETHER, THAT IT WAS JUST
ELECTRIC.
>> YOU KNOW, IT WAS ONE
OF THOSE THINGS WHERE
A COUPLE OF YEARS LATER,
AFTER SHE HAD BEEN OFF
THE SHOW, SOMEBODY SAID,
"DID YOU KNOW THAT TRACY
AND SO-AND-SO AREN'T
TOGETHER ANYMORE?"
AND I WENT, "OH,
REALLY, THAT'S TOO BAD."
>> WAITED THAT LONG,
■-
>> YEAH.
>> MICHAEL J. FOX AND TRACY
POLLAN WERE MARRIED LAST
SUMMER IN VERMONT,
AND IN JUNE THEY HAD A SON,
NAMED SAM.
WE CAN'T SHO■ YOU FAMILY
PICTURES BECAUSE
HE ADAMANTLY PROTECTS
THEIR PRIVACY.
RIGHT NOW HE'S INVOLVED
IN A LAWSUIT AGAIN■T ONE
OVERZEALOUS FAN WHO
THREATENED HIS FAMILY.
BUT WHAT'S ESPECIALLY
AGONIZING TO FOX IS HOW
LITTLE TIME HE GETS TO SPEND
WITH THE PEOPLE WHO MEAN
MOST TO HIM.
WHAT IS A TYPICAL --
IF THERE IS SUCH C THING --
DAY IN THE LIFE OF MICHAEL
AND TRACY AND SAM?
>> I GET UP AND GO TO WORK.
I GET HOME, EVERYBODY'S
ASLEEP.
THAT'S ABOUT IT.
>> ALL RIGHT.
NOW TH■■SCENE WE'RE GOING
TO DO HERE IS THE ONE,
YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU'RE
WORKING, WALKING WITH --
>> BESIDES SHOOTING
HIS MOVIE SEQUELS, FOX IS
POLISHING THE DIALOGUE
FOR HIS ABOUT-TO-BE RELEASED
FIL, A VIETNAM WAR PICTURE
CALLED "CASUALTIES OF WAR."
>> THIS IS KIDNAPPING,
AIN'T IT, SARGE?
>> BREATHLESS.
YOU KNOW, YOU RAN UP BESIDE
THEM.
>> DIRECTED BY BRIAN
DePALMA, IT IS DEADLY
SERIOUS, ANOTHER CHANCE
FOR THE MAN OF COMEDY
DETERMINED TO PROVE HIMSELF
IN A DRAMATIC ROLE.
>> I CAN'T GO.
I'M GOING TO BE A ***
DESERTER.
MY PERSONA IS SUCH THAT
■RPEOPLE ARE COMFORTABLE
WITH ME AND RELAXED WITH ME.
YOU KNOW, THAT YOU GO,
"OK, THIS GUY, I'LL LET HIM
BE MY REPRESENTATIVE IN THIS
MOVIE, AND I CAN RELATE
■■
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN
YOU HAVE TO SAY,
"OK, IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE
WITH ME AND YOU'RE AT EASE
WITH ME, NOW LET ME TAKE
YOU INTO A VERY
UNCOMF■■■■BLE, VERY UNEASY
SITUATION."
>> THE MOVIE, ALSO STARRING
SEAN PENN, IS BASED
ON A TRUE STORY.
FOX PLAYS ERIKSON, A YOUNG
SOLDIER WHO FACES A MORAL
STRUGGLE WHEN A VIETNAMESE
GIRL IS KIDNAPPED AND ***
BY THE OTHER MEN
IN HIS SQUAD.
THE PRESSURE TO GO ALONG IS
EXTRAORDINARY.
>> THIS IS KIDNAPPING,
AIN'T IT, SARGE?
>> I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT
SCENE WHEN HE'S OUTSIDE
THE *** AND THEY'RE
ABDUCTING THE GIRL.
MICHAEL JUST IS WALKING BACK
AND FORTH AND IS HEARING
SOUNDS FROM INSIDE
THE ***.
>> JESUS, GOD.
>> YOU CAN SEE ON HIS FACE
THE TORMENT AND CONFLICT
OF WHAT HE SHOULD DO
AND HE'S SOR■■OF OVER
HIS HEAD.
>> NO, DON'T!
>> SOMETIMES YOU'RE JUST UP
AGAINST THE WALL AND YOU GOT
TO GO, "OK, AM I A GOOD GUY?
AM I A BAD G■Y?
DO I DO THE RIGHT THING,
OR DO I DO THE WRONG THING?"
>> [LAUGHTER AND■■CREAMS]
>> HAVE YOU GUYS DONE THIS
BEFORE?
>> NO.
>> GIVEN YOUR PAST ROLES,
GIVEN YOUR IMAGE,
COULD YOU HAVE PLAYED
THE BAD GUY?
COULD YOU HAVE PLAYED
THE SEAN PENN ROLE IN THAT
MOVIE?
>> OF COURSE, I'D LOVE
TO HAVE.
NO, THEY'RE NOT GOING
TO OFFER IT TO ME,
NO, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO PAY
ME MONEY TO DO IT, AND NO,
NO ONE■■ GOING TO GO AND SEE
IT, PROBABLY.
WOULD I DO IT?
ABSOLUTELY, I'D DO IT.
>> BUT MICHAEL J. FOX ISN'T
COMPLAINING, NOT
WITH HIS DRAWING POWER
AT THE BOX OFFICE.
MR. NICE GUY HATES TO ADMIT
IT, BUT HE DOES ENJOY
THE FAME.
DO YOU EVER DRIVE BY ALL
BY YOURSELF AT NIGHT
AND KIND OF STARE?
>> NO.
>> COME ON, MICHAEL.
>> I DON'T, BUT I WILL CRANE
MY NECK.
IF I DO HAPPEN TO BE GOING
BY, I WILL MAKE SURE I DON'+
MISS IT.
AND IF WE HAVE RELATIVES
OR FRIENDS IN THE CAR,
I WILL SAY, "DID YOU SEE
THAT MOVIE?
IT'S PRETTY GOOD."
>> "CASUALTIES OF WAR" IS
THE BIGGEST CAREER RISK
MICHAEL J. FOX HAS TAKEN --
HIS FIRST MOVIE SINCE
"FAMILY TIES" WENT OFF
THE AIR.
LEAVING THE SECURITY OF THAT
KIND OF HOME CAN BE SCARY.
THAT SHOW REALLY MEANT A LOT
TO YOU, DIDN'T IT?
THAT REALLY IS WHAT MADE
YOU A FAMOUS PERSON.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
BEYOND THAT, THAT SHOW IS
WHAT MADE ME A
LF-CONFIDENT PERSON.
IT ALSO SET STANDARDS FOR ME
IN TERMS OF THE QUALITY
OF PEOPLE THAT THERE IS
TO WORK WITH.
>> IT'S TIME FOR HIM TO MOVE
ON AND GROW AND TEST HIMSELF
IN OTHER AREAS -- WHICH
HE IS DOING, WHICH HE WANTS
TO DO.
IT'S NOT LIKE WE HAD
AN ACTOR WHO WANTED TO STAY
IN THE COCOON, YOU KNOW.■+
>> MICHAEL J. FOX!
>> WHAT BECOMES HARD IS
YOU GET INTO AN AREA WHERE
YOU'RE NOT RISKING ANY■ORE.
I THINK THAT'S BAD
CREATIVELY.
>> IT TAUGHT ME HOW TO KIND
OF SUCCEED GRACEFULLY.
AT THIS POINT, I FEEL
SO LUCKY THAT I MEAN
ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS AFTER
THIS■■S GRAVY.
>> VERY INTERESTING FELLOW.
I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHAT
YO■■THOUGHT OF HIM
PERSONALLY.
>> THAT'S THE QUESTION
EVERYBODY'S ASKED ME.
THE ANSWER IS I REALLY LIKED
HIM.
HE IS A DECENT, THOUGHTFUL,
NICE PERSON.
I REALLY RESPECT HIM
FOR KEEPING HIS PRIVATE LIFE
PRIVATE.
>> TELL ME WHAT HE TOLD YOU,
NOW THAT "FAMILY TIES" IS
OFF THE AIR, ABOUT WHAT
HE THINKS IS GOING TO HAPPEN
TO ALEX.
>> WELL, WITH HIS TONGUE
PLANTED FIRMLY IN CHEEK,
MICHAEL FOX TOLD ME THAT
ALEX P. KEATON MOVES
TO NEW YORK, GETS RECRUITED
■■
LIKE THAT.
HE SWITCHES PARTIES,
BECOMES A ■■MOCRAT,
RUNS FOR C■■■■ESS,
WHERE HE THEN GETS THROWN