"Michael J Fox has already eked out four books of Hollywood memoir, so the justification for a fifth written with longtime collaborator Nelle Fortenberry ought to be good. It is: the subject of these 176 pages is a three-month period in 1985 when Fox was simultaneously shooting his breakout sitcom role in Family Ties and the career-defining American classic, Back to the Future. That's two more-than-full-time jobs for one little guy, necessitating that the then 23-year-old actor work 20-hour days, six days a week."
"Fox writes that, initially at least, his height was a significant career advantage. It meant the Family Ties producers could secure him a US work visa on the grounds that I was special and unique in America: old enough to work the long hours of an adult, but with a look that allowed me to play a much younger character."
Michael J. Fox spent three months in 1985 simultaneously shooting Family Ties and Back to the Future. He worked 20-hour days, six days a week, under industry practices that lacked modern labor protections. Colleagues' and friends' memories supplement Fox's recollections to fill gaps caused by sleep deprivation. Fox's modest stature, working-class Toronto background, and skateboarding skills made him an unlikely but well-suited choice for Marty McFly. Producers obtained a US work visa by arguing his look allowed him to play younger characters while being old enough to endure long hours.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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