The DeLorean: Back to the Future

Actor Michael J. Fox marked the 25th anniversary of Back to the Future during Spike Network's 2010 Scream Awards on Tuesday night. If you can't believe that a quarter century has already passed since then, join the club. (In case you're getting nostalgia pains, Spike was able to get Fox to shoot a recreation of the original teaser trailer, which you can watch here.)

The timing was purely accidental but the gathering also took place on the anniversary of John Z DeLorean's 1982 arrest on drug-related charges. The rear-engine, gull-winged, stainless-steel DMC-12 sports car made by DeLorean's short-lived company in 1981 achieved pop culture fame when it served as Marty McFly's time machine in the hit 1985 film.

Unfortunately for the flamboyant DeLorean, legal and financial troubles would trail him throughout much of the rest of his life. Even though DeLorean would subsequently be acquitted of involvement in a conspiracy to obtain and distribute 55 pounds of cocaine, his various legal troubles ultimately cost DeLorean millions of dollars paid out to various creditors and attorneys.

In 1999, he declared bankruptcy. The next year his estate went on sale for $15.25 million. All of the proceeds went to pay DeLorean's creditors.