About the Cast
MICHAEL J. FOX plays Marty McFly, a senior at Hill Valley High who is accidentally sent back in time to 1955. The popular star of NBC's hit series "Family Ties," Fox won the leading role in "Back to the Future" while he was still in daily production of his TV show. For two months, he worked on both projects simultaneously, devoting his days to Alex Keaton of "Family Ties" and his nights to Marty McFly.
Fox, 24, is a native of Vancouver, British Columbia, where he grew up in a family of five children. He began acting as a child, and won a role at the age of 15 in a regional TV series called "Leo and Me." After a small role in a television film with Art Carney and Maureen Stapleton, he moved to Los Angeles and soon won a part in a Walt Disney feature, "Midnight Madness."
From there, he appeared in the critically acclaimed miniseries, "Palmerstown USA," and won guest starring roles on such television series as "Trapper John," "Lou Grant" and "Family." His most recent movie for television, "Poison Ivy," co-starred Nancy McKeon.
An avid hockey player who says he has the scars to prove it, Fox is actively involved with several charitable organizations and serves as the National Chairman for Public Awareness of Spina Bifida.
CHRISTOPHER LLOYD plays Dr. Brown, an eccentric scientist whose nuclear- powered time machine accidentally sends a high school student named Marty McFly back to 1955. Best known to audiences for his Emmy Award winning role as the spaced-out Reverend Jim on TV's long-running series "Taxi," Lloyd is a versatile performer with a prolific list of credits in both motion pictures and television.
Born in Stanford, Connecticut, Lloyd began apprenticing in summer stock at the age of 16 and moved to New York to work in theatre when he was 20. Following his studies at the Neighborhood Playhouse with Stanford Meisner, Lloyd won roles in the Broadway production of "Happy End" opposite Meryl Streep and "Red, White and Maddox."
He made an auspicious motion picture debut in the Academy Award winning "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and then moved to Los Angeles in 1976 in order to pursue more work in film.
Among his motion picture credits are "Goin' South," "The Postman Always Rings Twice," "The Onion Field," "The Lone Ranger," "To Be or Not To Be," "Mr. Mom," "Buckaroo Banzai" and "Star Trek III."
LEA THOMPSON takes on an interesting challenge for her role as Lorraine Baines McFly---she plays a flirtatious young 17-year-old in 1955, and a frustrated suburban housewife 30 years later.
A professional dancer at the age of 14, Thompson won scholarships with both the American Ballet Theatre and the San Francisco Ballet before deciding to pursue a career as an actress at the age of 20. She moved to New York, and within a year, had won both commercial assignments and a small role in "Jaws 3-D."
It was her role as Lisa Lietske in "All the Right Moves" opposite Tom Cruise which brought her to the attention of audiences and critics, and led to a challenging role soon after in John Milius' "Red Dawn." She next starred in Universal's "The Wild Life" and will be seen in the upcoming British feature "Yellow Pages," also starring Jean Simmons.
CRISPIN GLOVER portrays George McFly, the 47-year-old father of Marty McFly, and the 17-year-old student Marty will meet when a nuclear- powered time machine accidentally sends him to 1955.
"Back to the Future" marks the fifth film role for the 20-year-old actor who has been performing since elementary school. Most recently, he was seen as a rebellious teenager who is shot in a school hallway in "Teachers," co-starring Ralph Macchio and Nick Nolte. His other film credits include "Friday the 13th, Part V," "Racing With the Moon," "My Tutor" and an AFI film, which he particularly enjoyed, called "The Orkly Kid." Born in New York, but raised in Los Angeles, Glover has also appeared on such television series as "Hill St. Blues," "Family Ties" and "Happy Days."
THOMAS F. WILSON deftly handles the amusing role of Biff Tannen, a high school bully whose behavior hasn't changed at all in the 30 years that follow.
The Philadelphia-born actor discovered a love for acting in high school and soon became active in summer stock. While performing "Richard III" one summer, he joined some friends at a comedy club for improvisations and discovered a natural talent as a stand-up comic. Following his move to Los Angeles, he has become a popular attraction at the Comedy Store and continues to perform there between assignments. "Back to the Future" marks his motion picture debut.
CLAUDIA WELLS portrays Jennifer Parker, Marty McFly's beautiful girlfriend.
Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Wells, 18, grew up in San Francisco, where her lovely soprano voice won her many performances with the San Francisco Opera. She also studied at the famed American Conservatory Theatre and performed with the San Francisco Dance Theatre.
In addition to a co-starring role in the recent TV comedy series "Off the Rack," she has appeared in such shows as "Family," "Simon and Simon," "Trapper John" and "Fame."
Also featured in the film are GEORGE DICENZO, MARC McCLURE, WENDIE JO SPERBER and JAMES TOLKAN.
as of June 5, 1985
