Movies News Talk
Whoa! Michael J. Fox and Crispin Glover Were Pals BEFORE Back to the Future!
Michael J. Fox and Crispin Glover: That iconic father-son duo from Back to the Future, right? But their story goes way back! Before becoming famous for those time-travel adventures, they actually appeared together in a rather significant Family Ties episode a year before Back to the Future hit theaters! This unexpected connection brings a new perspective, showing just how strange that Back to the Future casting was— especially after having another similar appearance but entirely distinct from those featured in the main film, showing yet another completely unexpected narrative element that really brings forth a unique way of connecting these famous movies, making that very unexpected crossover much more significant than viewers likely noticed during its initial release.
Michael J. Fox, the star of Family Ties (playing that super conservative teen Alex P. Keaton), is an immensely popular and prolific star whose fame grew even further following the epic success that Back to the Future achieved decades later, creating yet another unexpected cross-over between those older television shows, those teen sitcoms and these more iconic action-packed thrillers that created these incredibly iconic characters; both well-known by viewers of all ages; these would go on to become icons for entire generations! It's still debated what really is more significant: Alex or Marty McFly.
In 1984, Glover guested in Family Ties (season 2, episode 11, "Birthday Boy"). He played Doug, one of Alex’s friends encouraging Alex to disobey his mother on his birthday! And get this: it creates this amazing ironic role-reversal of Glover’s later role as George McFly, whose very existence in the earlier timeline (Back to the Future) becomes a crucial plot point; further emphasizing just how strange that Back to the Future casting must seem to the public eye now! This adds yet another important narrative moment that could greatly improve the perception regarding Back to the Future, especially concerning its deeper implications and story potential, which adds great intrigue to an already loved trilogy!
A shared friendship is important, but that’s wildly different from a parent-child relationship! Doug’s a bad friend in Family Ties, pushing Alex into trouble. In Back to the Future, Marty almost acts like a protective friend for his dad George; defending against bullies – something completely different! This juxtaposition makes you appreciate how greatly changed the narrative tone is across Family Ties and Back to the Future; not to mention, their significantly distinct plot focuses and narratives themselves which really set these works completely apart from the common viewer.
That Family Ties episode totally alters our understanding of the Back to the Future casting. After seeing Glover as Doug (a somewhat forgettable role!), we later get Glover as George – which adds such complexity!
It's especially wild when considering their actual ages. Fox is three years older than Glover. Their character ages in both shows match however this strange difference; the odd mismatch in ages, makes this particular casting decision seem incredibly questionable, especially for viewers already well-aware of their relationship and its importance in the overarching plot concerning Back to the Future. And those roles as friends wouldn't have worked nearly as well had they needed to portray a father-son relationship between their characters and that’s why some of these details really mattered; impacting the success across those distinct narrative arcs! The entire process of development created several interesting changes, even going so far as to consider some alternate choices.
Back to the Future’s magic isn’t diminished–but the way their roles developed is mind-blowing, given that specific knowledge already attained after re-watching Family Ties, where the cast was already recognizable from their appearances across Back to the Future! This seemingly simple re-examination adds several elements of significance and complexity; especially regarding its production history! That change of viewpoint completely recontextualizes their later father-son dynamic, completely adding additional nuances which makes Back to the Future that much more interesting; its creative details truly bring that story into even greater depths!