“Family Ties” was a classic American Sitcom that ran from 1982-1989.
The show is best remembered as introducing the entertainment world to the great Michael J. Fox.
Fox was a then-unknown Canadian actor and did not fare too well in his first audition for the show.
However…
The show would win Three Emmy Awards and one Golden Globe Award during it’s run, all for the lead performances of Michael J. Fox.
His character of extreme Republican teen Alex P. Keaton is one of the great characters in TV History.
My oldest son Alex, was named for Alex P. Keaton. He was born in 1987, right during the high popularity of the show. (This is true…I’m not kidding)
The show starred:
Michael J. Fox – Alex P. Keaton
Meredith Baxter-Birney – Elyse Keaton
Michael Gross – Steven Keaton
Justine Bateman – Mallory Keaton
Tina Yothers – Jennifer Keaton
Brian Bonsall – Andrew Keaton
Marc Price – Skippy Handleman
Scott Valentine – Nick Moore
Tracy Pollan – Ellen Reed
The show was originally written to focus on Steven and Elyse’s attempts as lifelong hippies to integrate into an ever more conservative era during the Reagan Administration. The character of Alex became so popular that after just four episodes, the show began to center on his character with everyone else in supporting roles.
Actress Tracy Pollan had a recurring role on the show as the love interest of Michael J. Fox’s character. She and Fox would fall in love in real life and would marry in 1988. They are still married to this day and they have 4 children together.
Guest-stars on the show included Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Christina Applegate, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Courtney Cox, and Crispin Glover. Glover would go on to portray Michael J. Fox’s father in the film “Back to the Future“.
The highest the show reached in the yearly ratings was #2 in both 1985 and 1986.
Producers initially wanted Mathew Broderick to play the role of Alex P. Keaton.
Justine Bateman (Mallory) is the older sister of actor Jason Bateman.
Reruns of the show can still be found on cable and satellite, and season sets of the series are available on DVD.
Never saw much – I think it ran against A-Team, or something else I was hooked on.
)
Besides, I had a buddy throughout my school years that would’ve made Alex Keaton look like a Commie! (Seriously – in one social studies course, they asked the class a bunch of questions, then put us along a line to show where on the “political spectrum” we stood. My buddy Terry had to stand in the hall!
By: John Erickson on October 11, 2011
at 1:33 pm
I loved that show and I love to see Jason Bateman in a movie now. The one he did last year with Jenifer Aniston was cute. And the love story of Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan how great is that?! Love it.
By: Booksphotographsandartwork on October 11, 2011
at 2:05 pm
“Where are they now” photos are always just freaking scary.
By: BrainRants on October 11, 2011
at 5:41 pm
Brainrants – Some people do change quite a bit over the years….
By: TheIdiotSpeaketh on October 11, 2011
at 6:27 pm
I used to love the show. Michael J Fox has always been such an amazing role model to all his fans!
By: adeeyoyo on October 12, 2011
at 12:09 am