Michael J. Fox: No More <i>Spin</i>
Barely a year after announcing he has Parkinson's disease, Michael J. Fox has decided to leave ABC's Spin City at the end of the season -- a move which likely means the end of the comedy in its current form.
Fox, 38, issued a statement Tuesday explaining his reasons for leaving the show.
"After long and careful consideration, I have decided that following the completion of Spin City's fourth season (and the filming of our 100th episode), I will not be returning for a fifth year," he said.
"I could not be more proud of the show, our cast, writers, crew and all that we have accomplished over the last four years, yet I feel that right now my time and energy would be better spent with my family and working toward a cure for Parkinson's disease. This does not mean I am retiring from acting, producing, or directing, only that I want to relieve the strain of producing and performing a weekly network series."
Fox and his wife, actress Tracy Pollan, have a son and twin daughters.
Barry Bostwick, Fox's friend and Spin City co-star, spoke to Early Show Anchor Bryant Gumbel Wednesday morning about the emotion surrounding the announcement.
"We found out yesterday (Tuesday) at 3 in the afternoon," Bostwick said. Fox's fellow cast members had felt that he might put in another season, and so it was "quite a shock" to hear of his decision.
While the timing was a surprise, Bostwick said the decision itself is not.
"Michael is the kind of guy who prioritizes his life in a proper and meaningful way," explained Bostwick, who himself is married with two young children. "His family comes first, and fighting the disease."
He said Parkinson's disease has affected Fox's work situation "dramatically." With the help of proper medication, Fox has been able to perform in such a way that his audiences would not know, unless he had chosen to tell them, that he has the disease.
Nearly overcome with emotion, Bostwick told Gumbel that when Fox is not medicated, "we see him when he's in a lot of pain, and I think that's what saddens us so much, and sort of cuts the disappointment that we have about the work situation."
His friends and co-workers believe that Fox ultimately will be more comfortable in his day-to-day life, because he will not feel obligated to save his medication for show time every week.
"He can't be medicated all the time," Bostwick pointed out. "There's just a finite amount of medicine he can take, I think."
The co-star also told Gumbel that starring in a weekly sitcom is an especially stressful job in show business. "I think that he will pursue other acting jobs, but it will be on a piecemeal basis," Bostwick said.
Wednesday night, the regular weekly taping of Spin City will go on before a live audience in New York. When Gumbel asked Bostwick what he expects the mood will be, the actor starte to weep, saying, "I think there will be a lot of big, open hearts, you know because I think we all love him and really feel for him."
As for the future of the show, one possibility under consideration is a Spinoff featuring the show's ensemble cast, perhaps led by Heather Locklear, who was brought on board this season in part to lighten Fox's workload. Talent from Spin also could be used to create a completely different series. Should ABC and DreamWorks move forward with a Spin sequel, Fox might be open to making guest appearances on the new show.
"Michael has been an extraordinary partner over the past four years," ABC said. "We know that Spin City has been a labor of love for Michael and we are proud to have been a part of its success.
"But there are clearly more important things in life, and we wish Michael and his family our heartfelt thanks and continued support."
DreamWorks Television head Dan McDermott echoed ABC's sentiments, calling Fox's "talent and creativity" the "cornerstone of Spin City's success. Of course, we understand his decision; Michael has always put his family first. We appreciate all the effort, commitment and courage he has put into the show. To be sure, we greatly look forward to our continuing creative relationship and we will be announcing upcoming projects in the near future."
Canadian-born Fox first became a star on the 1980s NBC sitcom Family Ties, playing the conservative teen Alex P. Keaton. He then broke out as a major film star with the Back to the Future features, before returning to the small screen with Spin.