Hollywood actor Michael J. Fox has gone back to the future as he turns 50 today.
The Canadian star has come a long way since he sealed his place in pop culture with his role as time-travelling Marty McFly in Back To The Future and his career has gone on to span more than five decades.
Fox started as a child actor on TV and later became a poster boy for the 1980s with a role in hit show Family Ties, as well as his star turn in the time-travel franchise and parts in popular movies such as 1985's Teen Wolf.
He turned back to TV in the 1990s with a lengthy stint on hit sitcom Spin City, before bowing out to spend more time with his family following his diagnosis with Parkinson's disease. He has become an active campaigner for other sufferers in recent years and been lauded for his extensive charity work.
To mark his landmark birthday and celebrate his stellar achievements, WENN.com has gone back in time to dig up 10 fascinating facts about the fantastic Mr Fox.
1. Fox was not the first Marty McFly in Back To The Future - Eric Stoltz was originally cast in the role, but was replaced by Fox after four weeks of filming at the request of director Robert Zemeckis
2. In his early career, Fox landed a role in long-running TV show Family Ties which had originally been ear-marked for Matthew Broderick, who was unavailable
3. Fox met his future wife, actress Tracy Pollan, while working on Family Ties. They married in 1988.
4. The actor is father to four children, Sam, 22, twins Aquinnah and Schuyler, 16, and Esme, nine.
5. He has released three books telling his life story - Lucky Man: A Memoir (2002), Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist (2009) and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future: Twists and Turns and Lessons Learned (2010).
6. The high school he attended in British Columbia has a theatre named after him.
7. He won a Grammy Award last year (10) in the Best Spoken Word Album category for his audio book, Always Looking Up: Adventures of An Incurable Optimist.
8. Fox's list of awards include five Emmys, four Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards
Last month he became an Officer of the Order of Canada for his charity work.
The Canadian star has come a long way since he sealed his place in pop culture with his role as time-travelling Marty McFly in Back To The Future and his career has gone on to span more than five decades.
Fox started as a child actor on TV and later became a poster boy for the 1980s with a role in hit show Family Ties, as well as his star turn in the time-travel franchise and parts in popular movies such as 1985's Teen Wolf.
He turned back to TV in the 1990s with a lengthy stint on hit sitcom Spin City, before bowing out to spend more time with his family following his diagnosis with Parkinson's disease. He has become an active campaigner for other sufferers in recent years and been lauded for his extensive charity work.
To mark his landmark birthday and celebrate his stellar achievements, WENN.com has gone back in time to dig up 10 fascinating facts about the fantastic Mr Fox.
1. Fox was not the first Marty McFly in Back To The Future - Eric Stoltz was originally cast in the role, but was replaced by Fox after four weeks of filming at the request of director Robert Zemeckis
2. In his early career, Fox landed a role in long-running TV show Family Ties which had originally been ear-marked for Matthew Broderick, who was unavailable
3. Fox met his future wife, actress Tracy Pollan, while working on Family Ties. They married in 1988.
4. The actor is father to four children, Sam, 22, twins Aquinnah and Schuyler, 16, and Esme, nine.
5. He has released three books telling his life story - Lucky Man: A Memoir (2002), Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist (2009) and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future: Twists and Turns and Lessons Learned (2010).
6. The high school he attended in British Columbia has a theatre named after him.
7. He won a Grammy Award last year (10) in the Best Spoken Word Album category for his audio book, Always Looking Up: Adventures of An Incurable Optimist.
8. Fox's list of awards include five Emmys, four Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards
Last month he became an Officer of the Order of Canada for his charity work.
