Humanitarian of the Week: Michael J. Fox

Michael J. Fox

Canadian born Michael J. Fox (born Michael Andrew Fox) rose to prominence in the U.S. as Alex P. Keaton in the long-running American sitcom, Family Ties. His tenure on the show was almost interrupted by Brandon Tartikoff, one of the show’s producers, who insisted that Fox was too short compared to his costars and pushed to have him replaced, stating. “This is not the kind of face you’ll ever see on a lunchbox.” Later, after considerable success with both the show and with his rising fame in feature films, Fox gave Brandon Tartikoff a custom-made lunchbox with the inscription "To Brandon, this is for you to put your crow in. Love and Kisses, Michael J. Fox.” Humbled, Tartikoff displayed the lunchbox in his NBC office for the remainder of his career.


Fox found triumph in a series of popular film roles and found love in the form of his Family Ties co-star, Tracy Polan whom he married in 1988. However, as Fox was starring in a second successful program, their happiness seemed threatened when he announced that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. Since then, Fox has tirelessly campaigned to find a cure for the illness, working with other sufferers of the disease and actively working with doctor’s and scientists to find some way to combat Parkinson’s. His efforts led him to start the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

A dedicated husband and father, Fox continues to act, though mostly doing voice-over work. For his talent and ceaseless bravery, Michael J. Fox is our “Humanitarian of the Week.”