Michael J. Fox Honored by ‘Family Ties’ TV Dad With Touching Throwback
Michael J. Fox turned 64 on June 9, 2025, and for so many of us, he’ll always be Marty McFly from Back to the Future. But while that film launched him into global fame, his run on Family Ties made him a household name — and the relationships he formed on set last to this day. To celebrate Fox’s special day, Michael Gross, who played his father on Family Ties, shared a fun throwback photo and wrote, “Found this wonderfully silly photo from the #familyties days, just in time to wish @realmikejfox a happy 64th birthday from his aging #father. Many blessings, Mike! #happybirthday #happybday”
After publicly revealing his Parkinson’s diagnosis in 1998, Fox slowly stepped away from acting full time, though he never fully left the spotlight. He’s continued to work when he can, taking on smaller roles like his standout performance in The Good Wife, where he played a cunning attorney who also had a neurological condition.
In recent years, Fox has said that he would only return to acting for the right role, and it seems the right role has come along. He is set to appear in a guest-starring role in the Apple TV+ show Shrinking for its third season; he will reunite with Spin City creator Bill Lawrence, who is the cocreator and executive producer of Shrinking. No word yet on the details of his role or character, but it may be related to Harrison Ford‘s Paul Rhoades, who was revealed to have Parkinson’s disease in Season 1.
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Fox has also become best known for his work offscreen, particularly through The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, which has raised over $2 billion since it began. He’s helped fund some of the most promising studies in the fight against the disease, and he’s also become a role model for anyone living with a chronic condition. In 2023, Fox released Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, a deeply personal documentary that offered a rare glimpse into his life, both past and present.
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These days, Fox focuses more on family and health. He and his wife, actress Tracy Pollan, celebrated their 36th wedding anniversary last year, and they’ve raised four children together. For his birthday, she shared a series of photos and wrote, “Happy birthday my love! Wishing you the best one yet, I love you and can’t wait to celebrate!! ❤️”
Fox responded in the comments, “Love you sweetheart. I’m not getting older, I’m getting more grateful❤️🔥”
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