http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/166288855.html?cmpid=138887484

Report: New Michael J. Fox series in the works

Ellen Gray, Daily News TV Critic


One of TV's most beloved stars may be headed back to prime time.

Michael J. Fox, who starred in "Family Ties" and "Spin City" but stepped away from the grueling schedule of a sitcom star at the height of his career because of the strain of fighting Parkinson's disease, is developing a single-camera comedy for 2013, reports Vulture, which quotes sources as saying the project would be "inspired" by the actor's own life.

Fox is said to be teaming with director Will Gluck ("Easy A") and writer Sam Laybourne ("Arrested Development," "Cougar Town") on the show, which Vulture says has already been pitched to the four major networks.

Apparently it's now just a question of which one backs up the biggest truck. (Or, perhaps, is willing to make a deal that will allow Fox to maintain a schedule that doesn't risk his health.)

In recent years, the "Back to the Future" star has had recurring roles in "Boston Legal," "Rescue Me" and most recently CBS' "The Good Wife," all of which were written with his symptoms in mind.

He won a guest actor Emmy for "Rescue Me" and is nominated for two more this year -- one in drama, for "The Good Wife," and the other in comedy, for playing himself on HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm." (These are in addition to the three he won for "Family Ties" and the one for "Spin City.")

http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/166288855.html?cmpid=138887484

Report: New Michael J. Fox series in the works

Ellen Gray, Daily News TV Critic


One of TV's most beloved stars may be headed back to prime time.

Michael J. Fox, who starred in "Family Ties" and "Spin City" but stepped away from the grueling schedule of a sitcom star at the height of his career because of the strain of fighting Parkinson's disease, is developing a single-camera comedy for 2013, reports Vulture, which quotes sources as saying the project would be "inspired" by the actor's own life.

Fox is said to be teaming with director Will Gluck ("Easy A") and writer Sam Laybourne ("Arrested Development," "Cougar Town") on the show, which Vulture says has already been pitched to the four major networks.

Apparently it's now just a question of which one backs up the biggest truck. (Or, perhaps, is willing to make a deal that will allow Fox to maintain a schedule that doesn't risk his health.)

In recent years, the "Back to the Future" star has had recurring roles in "Boston Legal," "Rescue Me" and most recently CBS' "The Good Wife," all of which were written with his symptoms in mind.

He won a guest actor Emmy for "Rescue Me" and is nominated for two more this year -- one in drama, for "The Good Wife," and the other in comedy, for playing himself on HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm." (These are in addition to the three he won for "Family Ties" and the one for "Spin City.")




That is the best news. I have heard in awhile. It's a shame he has been gone as long as he has. I am glad he got this time to spend with his family though.

he's always great in everything he does, it will be good to see him on TV again

That's great. I hope the new tv show works out for him.

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/08/20/michael-j-fox-returning-to-nbc-network-orders-22-episodes-of-his-new-sit-com-before-pilot-is-shot/145541/#comments


Michael J. Fox Returning to NBC; Network Orders 22 Episodes of his New Sit-Com Before Pilot is Shot


UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – August 20, 2012 – Iconic film and television star Michael J. Fox, a current double Emmy nominee, is making his long-awaited return to series television on NBC, the network where it all began 30 years ago with “Family Ties,” it was announced today by Robert Greenblatt, Chairman of NBC Entertainment. This new (untitled) comedy series, from Sony Pictures Television and Olive Bridge Entertainment, was given a 22-episode commitment and is loosely inspired by people and elements in Fox’s life.



“To bring Michael J. Fox back to NBC is a supreme honor and we are thrilled that one of the great comedic television stars is Coming Home again,” said Greenblatt. “From the moment we met with Michael to hear his unique point of view about this new show, we were completely captivated and on board. He is utterly relatable, optimistic, and in a class by himself, and I have no doubt that the character he will create – and the vivid family characters surrounding him – will be both instantly recognizable and hilarious. Being in business with him is a supreme pleasure.”



"We have all been such huge fans of Michaels and hoped one day he would return to television with his own show,” said Jennifer Salke, President of NBC Entertainment. “He had us at hello with his warmth, humor and incredible charisma. The fact that he pitched us a show that was funny, heartwarming and personal was the icing on the cake! We are over the moon and thankful Michael, Will (Gluck) and Sam (Laybourne) will be a cornerstone of our NBC comedy brand."



“I'm extremely pleased to be back at NBC with a great creative team and a great show,” said Fox. “Bob Greenblatt and all the folks at the network have given me a warm welcome home, and I'm excited to get to work.”



The single-camera series will begin filming this year for a Fall 2013 premiere date. It features Fox as a husband and father of three from New York City dealing with family, career, and challenges -- including Parkinson’s -- all loosely drawn from Fox’s real life. Further casting will be announced at a later date.



The executive producers and co-creators are Will Gluck (“Easy A,” “Friends with Benefits” “The Loop”) and Sam Laybourne (“Cougar Town,” “Arrested Development”), with Gluck producing through his Sony Television-based Olive Bridge Entertainment. Olive Bridge’s Richard Schwartz will co-executive produce. Gluck also will direct the pilot.



Fox, who is currently a two-time Emmy nominee for his guest-starring performances on “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “The Good Wife,” first gained mass attention for his work as Alex Keaton on NBC’s popular “Family Ties” and won three Emmys and a Golden Globe Award. Major feature-film successes followed, including “Teen Wolf,” “Back to the Future,” “Bright Lights, Big City” and “Casualties of War.”



Fox later starred in the hit comedy series “Spin City,” for which he received another Emmy, three Golden Globes and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. He later appeared in two episodes of “Scrubs” and became a recurring regular on “Boston Legal,” earning another Emmy nomination. His other prominent TV appearances include “Rescue Me” (for which he won the Emmy as Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series) and recently in “The Good Wife,” which has earned him two Emmy nominations.



His other films include “The Frighteners,” “Doc Hollywood,” “The American President,” “Mars Attacks!” “Back to the Future II” and “Back to the Future III.” Fox also provided The Voice to the title character in the animated film “Stuart Little” and its sequel.



Fox founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which is dedicated to finding a cure for sufferers of Parkinson’s disease while ensuring the development of improved therapies and raising public awareness of Parkinson’s.



Fox has written three NY Times best-sellers: “Lucky Man: A Memoir,” “Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist” and “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future.”

I am glad he's back. I wish it was on a different network though.

I just love Michael J Fox. He is amazing in everything he does!

I just love Michael J Fox. He is amazing in everything he does!
I hope he stays on the Good Wife this season. He's great on that show.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/dorothypomerantz/2012/08/21/michael-j-fox-is-a-risky-comeback-bet-for-nbc/

It's been 12 years since Fox starred on a sitcom, and most young viewers probably are too young to have watched "Family Ties."

http://www.forbes.com/sites/dorothypomerantz/2012/08/21/michael-j-fox-is-a-risky-comeback-bet-for-nbc/

It's been 12 years since Fox starred on a sitcom, and most young viewers probably are too young to have watched "Family Ties."
Yea I'm sure nobody knows who he is. Probably the same ones that love Jersey Shore. lol It isn't like he vanished from tv totally in those 12 years. If his show fails it will more likely be because of the network. They haven't got one hit outside of The Voice and Sunday Night Football. I would have preferred him going to ABC myself.

I'm just happy that Michael J. Fox's health is good enough to allow him to make this "comeback"! I think that's the real news here!

http://www.forbes.com/sites/dorothypomerantz/2012/08/21/michael-j-fox-is-a-risky-comeback-bet-for-nbc/

It's been 12 years since Fox starred on a sitcom, and most young viewers probably are too young to have watched "Family Ties."
Members of the coveted 18-25 demographic weren’t even born when Family Ties finished its run. So the audience for Fox’s new show is likely to skew older, something advertisers don’t love.


Since when is the demographic 18-25? It's always been 18-49. Whoever wrote that article did the math incorrectly. Family Ties went off the air 23 years ago. That would mean those who are 24 and 25 would have been alive back then, and even those born in early 1989. They wouldn't have seen the show, but infact were born within that time frame.

Michael J. Fox is a big star. My sister is 19 and she knows who MJF is. She has seen Family Ties :D and she has seen the Back To The Future movies. I'm not saying everyone knows who he is, but it's not like he was a one hit wonder.

link (http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2012/10/michael-j-foxs-former-tv-parents-excited-thrilled-about-his-good-wife-rescue-me-work.html)

Michael J. Fox's Former TV Parents 'Excited,' 'Thrilled' About His 'Good Wife,' 'Rescue Me' work

By Jay Bobbin
October 29, 2012 1:45 PM ET

Meredith Baxter and Michael Gross aren't his real parents, obviously, but they're as proud of Michael J. Fox as his real ones could be. For seven seasons (1982-89), they played mom and dad to Fox's wise-and-political-beyond-his-years Alex P. Keaton on the NBC sitcom "Family Ties." Both are pleased he's made a deal with the network for a fall 2013 comedy series based on his experiences as husband (to actress Tracy Pollan), father and individual living with Parkinson's disease.

"I'm so excited that Michael is doing [weekly] television again," Baxter tells Zap2it. "I don't have my finger on the pulse of what's going on in his life, all I can see is that he's taking this step to participate again on the television stage. And that must mean he's feeling good and is ready to be creative again, beyond the appearances he's been making."

Gross adds, "I'm thrilled that he's healthy enough to even consider this. One quote I heard was Michael saying something like, 'Well, what do you expect me to do? Just sit around and get fat?' I can't imagine him, with as much energy as he has, sitting around and getting fat under any circumstances. When you're a performer, you have a hunger for it."

The "Family Ties" cast regathered to receive the Fan Favorite honor at last year's TV Land Awards, but the California-based Gross says his personal encounters with Fox now are "few and far-between, because he's 3,000 miles away, and I don't get to New York as much as I used to." Still, Gross acted again (as did Baxter) with Fox during the latter's run on ABC's "Spin City."

Baxter and Gross, who share the same birth date -- June 21, 1947 -- reunite as on-screen spouses and parents in the Hallmark Channel holiday movie "Naughty or Nice" Saturday, Nov. 24. As their own careers continue, they're eager to see what Fox does next season, beyond his recurring role on CBS' "The Good Wife" and his stint on FX's "Rescue Me" that earned him his fifth Primetime Emmy Award. "What else could that be but thrilling?," Baxter reflects. "I mean, he's such a talented guy. And such a mensch."