Profile of the Day: Michael J. Fox

Happy birthday to Michael J. Fox! Today the actor and advocate turns 61.

Image: Michael J. Fox / Photo by Alan Light, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

Fox was born on June 9, 1961 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada to Willam Fox and Phylis Piper. Although his middle name is “Andrew,” Fox adopted the middle initial “J” as an homage to the actor Michael J. Pollard.

At the age of 15, Fox landed a starring role on the Canadian television series Leo and Me. However, it wasn’t until he was cast as Alex P. Keaton on the popular sitcom Family Ties in 1982 that Fox became a household name. He starred on the series for seven seasons and won three Emmy awards for the role. During this time, Fox cemented his status as a teen idol with starring roles on the big screen, including box office hits Teen Wolf and Back to the Future, which would become a pop culture phenomenon.

In 1991, Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and has since become a strong advocate for Parkinson’s research. He founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which is dedicated to funding Parkinson’s research and developing therapies to help those living with Parkinson’s today.

Although he has limited his acting due to his illness, Fox continues remain dedicated to his work as an advocate. He has also written extensively about his experiences and challenges in four best-selling books.

Explore Michael J. Fox’s family tree on Geni and share your connection to the star.